Striper Migration Map – June 30, 2023 - On The Water (2024)

Large bass continue to press north through New Hampshire and Maine where anglers are reporting migratory fish up to 50-pounds.

by OTW Staff

Striper Migration Map – June 30, 2023 - On The Water (1)

Fueled by sand eels, bunker and squid, trophy-class stripers are still rounding the tip of Long Island and pushing east through the Sound. Meanwhile, large bass continue to press north from Rhode Island and Buzzards Bay through the Cape Cod Canal, and anglers from Boston to Maine battle pogy- and mackerel-munching cow bass. Over the coming weeks, stripers will seek out cooler, deeper, bait-rich environments to spend the summer before beginning the long journey south again come autumn.

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Striper Migration Map – June 30, 2023 - On The Water (2)

Maryland/Chesapeake Bay Striper Fishing Report

In the upper Bay, striped bass are being caught on soft plastics in the Susquehanna River as far north as the Conowingo Dam Pool. Other anglers are finding success in the shipping channels by live-lining spot, or casting topwater plugs along the eastern shores and river mouths of the middle and lower bay.

Summer regulations inside Chesapeake Bay allowing anglers one striped bass between 19 and 31 inches per day are in place. Come July 16th, all areas of the Chesapeake Bay will be closed to striped bass fishing. Before fishing, be sure to check the Department of Natural Resources website for a map to locate areas open or closed to striped bass fishing.

New Jersey Striper Fishing Report

Resident bass are settling into their summer patterns in the backwaters of Southern New Jersey while schoolie- to slot-size bass patrol the surf for easy pickings. There are still some quality fish in the back bays being caught on live spot or eels around the bridges, and schoolies are mixed in with co*cktail bluefish picking off small baitfish being funneled through the inlets.

For the best opportunities to catch striped bass this summer, target deep, back-bay channels early in the morning or late at night, or bait an inline circle hook with sand fleas and clams in the open surf.

  • Read the Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
  • Read the Northern New Jersey Fishing Report

New York Striper Fishing Report

Stripers are hanging in New York Harbor, where three-wayed eels and bunker are catching bass of all sizes from the deep, fast-moving currents of the Hudson and East Rivers. To the east, bass are taking bunker chunks and sand fleas on South Shore beaches.

Meanwhile, large stripers are still rounding Montauk point and many 30- to 40-inch bass are beginning to stage in the rips of the Long Island Sound, where sand eels and squid are satiating their appetites.

  • Read the Western Long Island/NYC Fishing Report
  • Read the Eastern Long Island Fishing Report

Connecticut/Rhode Island Striper Report

Connecticut’s craggy shorelines are holding some quality bass that are gorging on adult and peanut bunker, small scup and sand eels. In open water, live-lining bunker has been the name of the game for anglers in the western/central Long Island Sound.

In Rhode Island, ocean water temperatures are right around 68 degrees, which has led to spectacular topwater feeds from bass in the 40-inch range feeding on abundant sand eels. At the same time, big migratory stripers have begun to settle into the waters around Block Island.

  • Read the Rhode Island Fishing Report
  • Read the Connecticut Fishing Report

Cape Cod/Massachusetts Striper Report

Unfavorable tides and shoddy weather slowed the bite in the Cape Cod Canal this week while anglers in Cape Cod Bay enjoyed a consistent bite from sand-eel-crazed stripers. The Outer Cape beaches saw a good push of fish from 25 to 45 inches that were also full of sand eels, and the rips of Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds had steady topwater action from squid-hound bass in the 30-inch range.

Despite the small and scattered pods of pogies around Boston, bass to 50 inches are being caught with live bunker, live mackerel and flutter spoons responsible for much of the action. Anglers on the North Shore are finding better fishing in close proximity to the Merrimack River and around the harbors, using the abundance of bunker in the harbors to their advantage.

  • Read the Cape Cod Fishing Report
  • Read the Massachusetts Fishing Report

New Hampshire/Maine Striper Report

Striped bass to 50 pounds are hammering pogy schools off the coast of New Hampshire, while further north in Maine, bunker and mackerel schools fuel the bite in open water. Bass in the 30-inch range are lingering around the river mouths picking off the last of the young-of-year herring that are trickling back out into the ocean.

  • Read the New Hampshire/Maine Fishing Report


Striper Migration Map – June 30, 2023 - On The Water (3)

Striper Migration Map – June 30, 2023 - On The Water (4)
Striper Migration Map – June 30, 2023 - On The Water (2024)

FAQs

Where is the striped bass fall migration now? ›

Some of the larger bass move up and down the coast and are occasionally caught as far south as Monterey and as far north as Bodega Bay. During late fall and winter, some fish move back upstream into the fresh water of the Delta and lower Sacramento River.

What is the migration pattern of the striped bass? ›

Striped bass are anadromous (they live in the ocean but return to freshwater to spawn). In the spring, mature striped bass migrate back to fresh or brackish water to spawn. Larvae drift downstream toward their nursery areas in river deltas and the inland portions of the coastal sounds and estuaries.

How to catch striped bass? ›

Eels, bunker, herring, shad, crabs, bloodworms, and sandworms are all effective in tempting Stripers. The most effective bait overall, however, has to be menhaden. You can cast them on weighted rigs, drift them, or cut them up for chum, and they'll lure your Bass in effectively.

What time of year do stripers run in Maine? ›

In Maine, the prime time for striped bass fishing typically begins in June and lasts until October. During this period, stripers migrate along the coast, offering ample opportunities for anglers to target them.

Where is the striped bass capital of the world? ›

What Makes Lake Texoma The Striper Capital of the World? Texas has some good Striper fisheries, but only one lake has the “stuff” to be Worldly!

What is the status of striped bass? ›

The prognosis for Bay-Delta and California striped bass could not be much worse. Numbers of stripers salvaged at the south Delta pumping plants in 2021 are down to or below 2014-2015 levels. Like many other species that spend all or part of their lives in the Delta, striped bass are on a downward spiral.

What time of day are striped bass most active? ›

But they tend to be most active in the early morning just before sunrise and the evening just after sunset with about a two hour window of heightened activity at both times. The lower light during these time periods helps striped bass more easily see their prey when hunting. It also provides cooler water temperatures.

How far inland do striped bass go? ›

By early April, mature striped bass have begun to move into the mouths of their natal rivers. While some may travel as much as two hundred miles upstream, most spawn in the slightly brackish or freshwater sections just above the upper estuaries of large rivers, in waters less than 20 feet deep.

At what temperature are striped bass most active? ›

The preferred water temperature range of striped bass is between 55 and 68 degrees, though striped bass begin actively feeding around 42 degrees, and remain active in temperatures up to 75 degrees, though in the hotter water, they are most active early and late in the day and at night.

What month is best to catch a striper? ›

The striped bass is a cold water fish and prefer cooler water temperatures. As the water temperature gets cooler the fishing gets hotter. These fish are starting to move to the north ends of the lake. The fish move up from the depths and come late october early november the topwater action can be incredible.

What is striped bass favorite bait? ›

Best Bait for striped bass: Baitfish (shad, minnows, etc.), bloodworms/sandworms, crabs, eels, squid, bunker, mackerel.

Do striped bass bite at low tide? ›

Another tactic to learn is to fish along the inshore tidal flats and the channels that abut them. You'll typically find stripers throughout entire tides in these locations. At low tide, look to the deeper edges and drag soft plastics with heavier jigheads along the bottom.

Do stripers bite in June? ›

Big schools of striped bass spend the summer in the cool, baitfish-filled waters of New England. June is a great month for striped bass fishing in the Northeast and the best part is that fishermen don't have to make a distinction between fishing for numbers and fishing for a trophy.

Where are the stripers running in Maine? ›

June, July and August are all about home waters here in Maine - the Kennebec River, the New Meadows River, and eastern Casco Bay.

Do stripers bite in the rain? ›

Generally speaking, shoreline stripers are nocturnal feeders, particularly in summer months. If I'm targeting big stripers, prime time for me is between sunset and sunrise. There are a number of exceptions to the rule about night fishing. Overcast, foggy and rainy days will extend your fishing times, sometimes all day.

Where do bass go during the fall transition? ›

During the hot summer months, Bass are staged in stable and cool water. This usually means deep areas, such as reservoirs, channels, or pits. As the water temperature drops during the fall, Bass will emerge from these deeper haunts and head shallow, stopping off at different transition areas along the way.

Are striped bass still in the Hudson River? ›

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is an ecologically, recreationally, and economically important species of migratory fish that is found in the Hudson River.

Where are they catching stripers in the Delta? ›

During September and October stripers start to move back into lower delta areas like Antioch, Montezuma Slough, Sherman Lake and Steamboat Slough. Shad is your best bet for bait in the fall and winter. Try flat areas that are 20 to 30 feet deep. The winter time can be the best time of year to fish the delta.

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