2019 Striper Migration Map
Mature post-spawn striped bass are leaving Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River and heading up the coast. Schoolies have reached Maine and every day, bigger bass are spreading north. This weekend’s full moon should spark some big changes on the Striper Migration Map!
Follow along as we track the Striper Migration. You can help by contributing to our weekly map updates—simply share your striper fishing reports here, and on social media with tag #stripermigration.
Chesapeake Bay Striper Report
Large post-spawn stripers continue to move through the middle and lower regions of the Chesapeake as they head out to the ocean, but it would appear the majority of them have already left.
Anglers in the Susquehanna Flats area are now allowed to keep one striped bass between 19 inches and 26 inches per day. Those fishing in the upper bay region below the Hart-Miller Island-Tolchester boundary line will have a daily limit of two fish between 19 inches and 28 inches, or one fish above and one below the 28-inch mark. Check the department’s online striped bass regulation map to understand where the defining lines are. Anglers are reminded that non-offset circle hooks must be used in all Chesapeake Bay tidal waters while chumming, chunking or live-lining with any kind of live fish.
Delaware Bay Striper Report
Striper action in the upper Delaware Bay has been spotty as post-spawn fish have departed. Reports of 40-inch and longer stripers showing up along the Cape May beaches suggests that Delaware River fish have finished their spawn and are returning to the ocean.
New Jersey Striper Report
In southern New Jersey, striper fishing has been pretty good with bass to over 40 inches showing up from Brigantine to Manasquan over this past week. Most of the shops reported the best bites from anglers concentrating their efforts on the troll with bunker spoons and mojos.
View this post on Instagram
Coyfish @coylebrains and Vin @vinny_iosso were at it last night #flyfishing #onthewatermagazine
Off Northern New Jersey, the striped bass action has slowed in Raritan Bay as bass have gone up the Hudson River to spawn and spread out into the ocean, where more bass are being taken know on bunker spoons and mojo rigs.
• Read the Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
• Read the Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
New York Striper Report
Spawning striped bass are in the Hudson River, and fish into the 30- and 40-pound class have been reported up to Albany.
Big bass in the 20- to 30-pound class are spreading out along the south side of the island and being caught on bunker, mojos and bunker spoons. Western Long Island Sound also has some bigger bass in the 30-pound class. Stripers in the 30-inch class are filtering into Peconic Bay.
• Read the Long Island Fishing Report
Connecticut/Rhode Island Striper Report
Western Long Island Sound is starting to produce more 20- and 30-pound stripers. The size of the fish around Connecticut herring runs continues to improve with more 30- to 40-inch reported this week.
More stripers to the mid-30-inch range were reported off Rhode Island this week, though schoolies still dominate the catches. With plenty of bait around, bigger fish could arrive any day now.
• Read the Connecticut Fishing Report
• Read the Rhode Island Fishing Report
Cape Cod/ Massachusetts Striper Report
Sea-lice-covered schoolie stripers are all over Cape Cod, with fish spreading into Cape Cod Bay and along the backside beaches this week. Plenty of keeper-sized fish were reported this week, along with scattered fish in the mid-30-inch range. Bigger schools of 36- to 40-inch bass should arrive any day now.
Migratory fish including keeper sized bass have spread throughout Boston Harbor and the North Shore this week. Schoolie stripers are being caught all the way to Portland, Maine.
Have been catching a ton of schoolies in New Hampshire from the surf…
I was plugging in Great Bay tonight and saw no signs of life. Are you going off the beaches, or the shoreline of Piscataqua? What are you connecting with? I have been walking the dog with a white Daddy Mac. Are you using soft baits?
Big stripers have made it up the ct. River to springfield massachusetts.
Keeper-sized fish in Duxbury Bay, in the 30 inch range
Best early season fishing in memory for me in the river…..
Beverly side of main bridge.
We’ve been getting fish on the back side along Provincetown and Truro as well as on the bay. Last night was a mix of very small schoolies with a few fish in the 20 inch range. Last week I caught my first keeper of the year and my husband has 5 keepers so far. There has been a lot of fish!