Striped Bass Spawning Results, 2020

[Dave_W]

The striped bass spawn in the Chesapeake Bay this year was below average. It's important to remember that, when considering such results, one should take a longer view that includes trends over the years. A single year of poor YOY production is usually not a cause for concern as these are predictable and often correlate with weather patterns. However, when multiple years in succession reveal poor results, as was seen in the late 70s and 80s, a clear "crash" is evident. The graph below clearly reveals this.

As many of you know, the feds got involved in the early 80s and a moratorium was put on SB and the population recovered. These days many anglers feel that adult SB are becoming more scarce and rules to limit harvest are being implemented (thankfully in my view).

Here's the data for SB spawning over the years. SB are slow growing fish and the large 2011 class now comprises much of the catch of legal sized SB in Atlantic coast states.

SOURCE: CCA Maryland

 

[Baron]

I find that cycle interesting. Thanks.

 

[melvinthefisherman]

I do most of my striped bass fishing from kayak in the back bays of South Jersey. The 2015 year class is strong. I remember 2 years ago there were 15-16 inch everywhere, then last year they were 18-20, now this year I am catching 22-26 inch fish everywhere. I feel like I have watched this class grow up. It has made for some great summertime striper fishing.


I hope this class of fish shows up on the beaches this fall because the past few falls have been lackluster. Striped bass really need some help. I am glad that they tightened the regs this year.

 

[Baron]

Melvin I'm interested in your gear. A son fishes the manasquan inlet and the highlands with spinning gear. I'd like to see him use a fly rod. Would you mind citing what size rod, reel, line?

 

[melvinthefisherman]

Unfortunately, I use my fly rod for trout only. I use a 7 foot tsunami airwave spinning rod from my kayak and a 9ft tsunami airwave spinning rod from the surf.

I have certainly had a few days where the bass were close enough to easily target with a fly rod, however.

 

[afishinado]

Baron wrote:
Melvin I'm interested in your gear. A son fishes the manasquan inlet and the highlands with spinning gear. I'd like to see him use a fly rod. Would you mind citing what size rod, reel, line?

For the back bays with schoolies/shorts an 8 weight would be ideal and even a 7wt can work in a pinch.

In the surf a 9wt works for some, but I find a 10wt is ideal to handle the wind, the waves, the flies and the fish.

 

[Baron]

So if you only have one try to do it all with a 10Wt?

 

[afishinado]

Baron wrote:
So if you only have one try to do it all with a 10Wt?

If I were to buy one rod for SW FFing, it would be either a 9wt or 10wt.

I like 10's for surf fishing. If you spend more time in the back bays (smaller fish and flies and less wind) than a 9wt would be my choice.

Also, a quality sealed drag reel is a must or else you will be burning through reels all the time that get ruined with the salt water.

Plus your rod, reel and line should be flushed with fresh water right after fishing and cleaned when you get home and waders and other gear flushed with fresh water and dried. Lotsa work, but lotsa fun.

 

[melvinthefisherman]

Once again, I dont fly fish the salt but If I did I would definitely lean on the heavier side even if I stuck to the backwater. Windy days often turn stripers on and you would want something to be able to punch a 5 inch streamer through the wind. You also never know when a random 15lber striper is hanging with a school of 20 inchers or if a 15lb blue decides to crash the party.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Is there a commercial harvest / season strippers in Chesapeake Bay? G G

 

[allthingsfishing]

I admire anyone who posts at 2:00AM.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

I use night vision glasses. GG

 

[Mike]

MD has three commercial striper fisheries...hook and line, pound net, and gill net. Then there is also the sport hook and line fishery, which includes a substantial charter boat fishery.

Regarding the YOY abundance index, the Chesapeake index above is quite important as 70 percent of the annual Atlantic coastal YOY production is on average attributed to the Chesapeake. Twenty percent belongs to the Hudson and ten percent to the Delaware. There is reproduction in other systems as well, but it is considered to be minor in comparison to these three. A coast-wide index is eventually developed that pools all three. There

is good reproduction in the Roanoke, but tagging info revealed that the fishery eventually provided by these fish is primarily in the North Carolina area and not a great distance north of there.