Atlantic striped bass are a coastal stock, wintering in Mid-Atlantic waters and migrating each spring to New England. Yet, perhaps due to some amount of site fidelity in striped bass, individual areas or regions, like Cape Ann on the North Shore of Massachusetts, often have unique perspectives on the state of the striper stock based on changes local anglers see each season.
In “The Striped Bass of Cape Ann,” writer Jim Behnke shares the perspectives of several Cape Ann anglers and charter captains and puts their observations in the context of the current state of the Atlantic coast striped bass stock, which was recently declared overfished. Give it a read to learn more about the history of the striper stock, from its big comeback in the 1990s to the recent decline, and how new regulations might reverse the downward trend in the striped bass fishery.
The Striped Bass of Cape Ann | The Cricket