Need a Fun Game Fish and also a Delicous Meal? Attempt a Tidal River Striper
February 3rd, 2012 by charlessAs springtime arrives inside the northeast, the landscape begins to come alive. Trees blossom, flowers bloom and the striped bass return to tidal river systems by the hordes. Warming water temps draw them in for several reasons depending on the river method. In some rivers they return to spawn. In others, they’re just there to gorge themselves on the buffet of herring, shad and other river species which are so abundant at this time of year.
On the Connecticut River exactly where I fish, alewife and blue back herring start a spawning migration into the river in late April. Hot on their tails are striped bass ranging from 18 inches to over 50 inches in size. During low light hours the stripers chase the herring into shallow waters where it’s harder for the smaller herring to elude the stripers. It is not uncommon to witness feeding frenzies on the surface with herring flipping each which way out of the water trying to flee from the stripers.
Years ago, the herring populations had been abundant which allowed anglers to catch them and use them for live bait but moratoriums across the region forced anglers to resort to artificial lures. Most any lure matching the size and movement of a herring will catch fish. Preferred choices are Bomber Lengthy A’s, Lunker City Slug-O’s, Sebile Magic Swimmer’s and Yum Houdini Shads. Best water lures like the Gibbs Pencil Popper, Heddon Magnum Spook plus the Rapala X-Walk are also regulars this time of the year.
Although herring are not allowed for live bait you will find quite a few other species that will also be employed that the stripers will readily eat. Suckers, dace, and eels all make fantastic bait and they’re all native towards the river. Yellow perch and sunfish will also catch significant stripers. They will fundamentally eat any fish species which will fit into their mouths!
The stripers will follow the herring up the river and its tributaries as far as they are able to go, often locating themselves in water only a foot or two deep. When the herring finish their spawning routine they start to drop back out of the river program back into the ocean. As the presence of herring inside the river method begins to diminish as well as the water temperature continues to climb, the stripers also start to migrate back towards the cooler ocean waters.
River systems all across the northeast from Maine to New Jersey experience this same phenomenon just about every spring. It begins within the southern reaches very first and then slowly moves its way north as the waters warm. In the event you haven’t gotten in on this game but, make your move and warm up your springtime season with some really significant fish in some extremely shallow water. Fantastic fishing!
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