2017 Striper Migration Map
An April warm-up has stripers on the move. There has been heavy spawning activity in the Chesapeake tributaries, big numbers of schoolies along the Jersey shore, fish to 20 pounds in Raritan Bay, and the first migrating fish showed up in Rhode Island this week. Look for the striped bass migration to really pick up with warm weather predicted over the Easter weekend.
Chesapeake Bay
Spawning activity was heavy in the mid- and lower Bay tributaries over the past week around the full moon. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, post-spawn bass are going to be trickling out into the Bay in time for the opening day of the Trophy Striped Bass Season on April 15, when anglers have a chance to catch a striped bass over 35 inches. The fishing will only get better in the following two weeks as post-spawn striped bass exit the spawning rivers and look for something to eat before heading out into the ocean
The Susquehanna is running cold and dirty, so there hasn’t been too much striper activity there yet. Those wishing to fish the upper bay this weekend for their chance at a trophy-size striped bass will be focusing their efforts for the most part along the steep channel edges of the shipping channel south of the Brewerton Channel. The edge off Podickory Point and near Love Point to the triple Buoys will be popular with trollers.
Delaware Bay
Some larger stripers are being caught in the lower Delaware River, south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal on bloodworms and bunker chunks. Shore anglers have been scoring at Augustine Beach.
Note that as of April 1, the striped bass season is closed…
