Fisheries Program
Northeast Region
 
Striped bass
Biologist holding a striped bass

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

Life History

Males mature at age 2-3, and females at age 4-6. Spawning happens annually from April to July in freshwater with nearly 90% of Atlantic Coast production in the Chesapeake Bay. Juveniles feed near where they were spawned for two years. Then they begin coastal migrations, north in summer and south in winter.

Range

Canada to Florida and Gulf of Mexico

Fun Facts

  • Striped bass have survived to 31 years though any over age 12 years are rare and nearly always female.
  • The largest recorded striped bass is a female that weighed 125 pounds.

More Information

Striped bass species profile (pdf - 1.72MB)

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Last updated: December 16, 2011
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