Chesapeake Bay Trophy Striper Fishing
Chesapeake Bay Trophy Striper Fishing, also known as Rockfish, come into Chesapeake Bay each spring to spawn. Catching fish in the 50 pound range is common. The largest Striper recorded was caught in 1891 and weighed 125 pounds.
What Is A Striper
Stripers are native to the Atlantic Costal region and live as far south as Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. They are part of the Moronidae family and go between Salt and Fresh water. Like a Salmon a Striper spawns in fresh. Unlike a Salmon, the Striper does return to Salt water and then returns to Spawn in fresh water each year. Stripers have been recorded to live up to 30 years.
Stripers have an average size of 10-30 pounds and are between 2.5 – 3.5 ft long. They are a stream lined fish with a silvery body and are very strong and aggressive.
Where Are Stripers Found in the US
Stripers are found up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the US but are also found inland throughout the Southwest. Chesapeake Bay is one of the largest estuaries for these fish but lakes such as Lake Texoma on the Texas and Oklahoma border are also know for their excellent Striper fishing.
Stripers can also be found on the west coast of the United States but not in the numbers they are found on the Atlantic states.
Where Do I Find Stripers In Chesapeake Bay
You can find Stripers throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay, getting them to bite is another story. Like most fish Chesapeake Bay Stripers are temperamental. Water temperature, weather conditions, current, turbidity and availability of food all play a big role.
If your new to the sport the best way to get educated is to go out with a Professional Licensed Charter Captain that has a good reputation. Watch what they do, get a feel for the waters they fish, what tackle they use and other little nuisances.
Many people enjoy the Charter experience so much they only go Striper Fishing with a Chesapeake Fishing Charter. A good Charter Service provides you with a nice comfortable boat, all the fishing gear, your bait and even cleans your fish for you at the end of the day.
Best Time To Go Chesapeake Bay Trophy Striper Fishing
Chesapeake Striper season runs from April until December. If you want to go for the Trophy Stripers then planning your trip in the Spring is best.
Summer time is also a great time to go Striper fishing. There are lots of average size fish in the bay with the occasional fish over 30 pounds. What you lose in size you will make up in volume during the summer months.
Fall is also a good time to go fishing for Stripers. There aren’t as many boats on the water and if your Charter Captain is experienced you can fill the boat with Stripers all the way up to about Christmas.
