2018 Striper Migration Map
The spawn is on in the Chesapeake, and there are reports of big post-spawn bass moving back out into the bay. Soon, they’ll be leaving the bay and taking a hard left toward the Northeast.
The pre-spawn blitz of the Hudson River stock is carrying on in the Raritan Bay, with the fish spreading out a little as water warms.
Migratory stripers hit Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod this week, with reports of more fresh fish arriving on the ocean-facing beaches of Rhode Island.
You can help by contributing to our weekly map updates—simply share your striper fishing reports here, and tag us on social media with #stripermigration.
Chesapeake Bay Striper Report
The Susquehanna Flats catch-and-release striped bass fishing is steadily improving and may take a big leap with warmer weather this week. There are a lot of small male striped bass being caught on jigs and swimbaits with some large females also being caught at times. The biologists keeping watch on the Susquehanna Flats spawn sampled the channels south of the Elk Monday. They saw few large female striped bass in their survey work but a lot of males. reports the Maryland DNR. Striped bass spawning continues in the Choptank River and with higher temperatures there is bound to be another large surge later this week. Large post-spawn striped bass from the Choptank reached the bay over the weekend. Large post-spawn striped bass are being reported along many of the traditional channel edges in the lower bay region. Water temperatures in the Nanticoke, Patuxent and Potomac rivers have reached levels that are suitable for substantial spawning. Large post-spawn striped bass are beginning to show up along steep channel edges in the lower bay region.
Delaware Bay Striper Report
Warmer weather has perked up the fishermen and the fishing. Larger striped bass are being taken by fishermen soaking bunker chunks in the upper Bay. Bloodworms are the top bait for smaller stripers. Large stripers have been reported as far up the Delaware River as Trenton, and these fish should begin spawning soon, if they haven’t already.
New Jersey Striper Report
The Raritan Bay bite continues on, as the prespawn stripers choke down one last bunker before running up the Hudson River to spawn.
Many of the Raritan fish are in 30- to 40-inch range, and heavy with eggs, but there are a few monsters in the mix, including the surf-caught 58-pounder weighed in at Julian’s this week that stirred up a good deal of controversy on social media about keeping such a large fish when it was so close to spawning. That fish reportedly came from the outside of Sandy Hook.
Keeper-sized stripers continue to spread along the Jersey coast, with some larger fish showing up in Ocean County’s backwaters.
South of Long Beach Island, keeper bass are just appearing in better numbers, both in the surf and in the bays, but short fish still dominate the catch.
Read the Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
Read the Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
New York Striper Report
Large stripers continue to work their way up the Hudson River, feeding along the way on herring and bunker.
Some larger bass are spreading along Western Long Island, feeding on bunker to bulk up for the run up the Hudson.
Small stripers have made it all the out to Montauk, and the fishing along the South Shore of Long Island has been rapidly improving.
Read the New York Fishing Report
Connecticut/Rhode Island Striper Report
Migratory striped bass are starting to show along the Rhode Island and western Connecticut shorelines.
The western part of Connecticut has seen an explosion in striped bass activity over the last few days, with more herring and some larger bass showing up with the big moon tides. Most fish are in the 22 to 28 inch range, but there are a number of larger keepers to the low 40-inch range.
In Rhode Island, an influx of fresh school striped bass have moved into the breachways, with reports coming from both Weekapaug and Quonny this week. It seems the fresh spring schoolies are all around the coast, and keeper-sized fish should be hot on their tails.
Read the Connecticut Fishing Report
Read the Rhode Island Fishing Report
Cape Cod/ Massachusetts Striper Report
The South Side of Martha’s Vineyard is awash with fat schoolie stripers, while other schools of fresh-arriving fish are moving through Buzzards Bay and into the Canal. As of Friday morning, no Cape Cod keepers had yet been reported, but that is likely to change this weekend.
North of the Cape, it’s not quite go time, but with schoolies in the Canal, a few more warm days should encourage fresh fish to begin spreading into Cape Cod bay and up the South Shore of Massachusetts.
Get your lite gear out theschoolies are in cape cod estuaries.
How do you people keep your cell phones dry?
I’m a catch and release guy and want to show off my catch, but I’m worried that I’ll get my phone wet with the salt water.
Any advice???
Waterprof case will be your best bet, if you need a right now solution just use a ziplock bag, that helps too!
If yoyr so smart you’ll figure it out
How do you people keep your cell phones dry? I’m a catch and release guy and wants show off my fish.
Any good advice ???
A good jacket from Cabela s with water proof zippers ,well worth it
Ya grow a pair of balls and snap the picture
Facts !
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Summer-Swimming-Pool-Beach-Cell-Phone-Underwater-Pouch-Bag-Pack-Waterproof-Case/132588548985?hash=item1edee4b379:m:mTh4zAS8Nu7dwW7I3Srx1Vg
You can keep your phone in a clean viper lock bag or wrap it in plastic wrap. You should be able to take the picture through the plastic. That is what I have done when I fished on a boat on a lake or river in case I dropped my phone in the water.
Many of the newer phones are waterproof down to 1M for 30 minutes (IP-67)
Just got here today for my 8 week spring fling, hope to go out and catch some schoolies on light takle. Will be here every weekend till end of June. Should b fun!!!!!
Look at me! look at me! Why are photos of fish lying on the ground for a pic ok? We humans are $&!#bags,save the fish
Amen to that. Save those fish!
Robert i understand the pictures might be upsetting to a non-fisherman but the fishing community is on the right track with using safe catch and release practices, plus if that upsets you maybe you should look to china,india and the other countrys that are polluting at a overwhelming rate(garbage island ) ect try to do something to help dont just name call and point fingers
Nice fishing report
Any Tog showing up?
Birds working in Boston harbor. Bait is here just need the water to warm up.
yeap, lots of swimming edibles in the harbor. waiting on the stripes. hopefully by end of week
getting ready up here in maine,AyuH… Fish On
They are catching scoolies in Scarborough
just caught a Micro in New hampshire…
just caught a Micro in New hampshire…
Casco Bay still quiet, water temp 46 degrees. Work in my redheaded jig with nothing to show for it.
Friday went out on the Nor’easter out of Kennebunk, Capt. Mike was tuned in to haddock on Jeffreys Ledge. We filled the cooler with keepers. Exhausted, great trip.
Martin in Freeport
I live in Lawrence about a five-minute walk from the Great Wall Dam. I am curious it is May 7th in the weather is warming up in the water is warming up nicely are the stripers moving in yet, I just would like to know if there’s any fish in the Lawrence Haverhill area whether they’re small or large please respond I would like to hear from you thanks Brian.
How about grab ya rod and start casting that’s how you find out if any fish are around
No not yet! They will be here by the end of the month sir
Bunker have moved into Mt Hope bay heading up the Taunton river last night. Haven’t caught any schoolies yet but the bait has finally arrived.
Awesome News!! I live on the Taunton river where it meets with the assonet river. Great fishing in that river!! Gonna be out there this weekend for sure
cape cod bay water temp at 55* should be any day now
Any suggestions for a spot that might have fish on the ocean side of the cape. I’m usually a plum island and points north guy, but I know the fish have not gone that far yet.
Thanks!
Bunker, the water temp isn’t anywhere near 55F in CC Bay! You might have gotten an odd surface reading in the top inch in the sun. That can happen. Water temp in Bay is in the 40s right now.
I went today for a quick cast and got 2 nice 18 to 20 inch bass in Quincy today they are here out going tide
Wollaston beach???
Quincy Mass?