Striped bass question :

[AndyS]

About 15 or 20 years ago if my memory serves me correctly there was a massive school of striped bass that sat off Island Beach State Park for what seemed to be months. Hundreds of party boats, charter boats as well as private boats fished this massive school day in and day out. Those fishing on the beach would reel in a bass, back out and have another angler step in, the picket fence of anglers stretched for miles. My question is do we know what strain those fish were ? Were they Chesapeake or Hudson strain ?
Fast forward to today, reading the reports of what seems to be a repeat of 20 years ago, a seemingly massive school of fish. Are these fish normally there in such numbers but outside the 3 mile limit so we rarely see them. Are these fish a Hudson/Raritan strain of fish ? Are there strains of striped bass from say Montauk or Cape Cod. Surprisingly enough as great as the fishing is say North, the waters seem somewhat barren below Ocean City New Jersey.
Are there always this many striped bass ? I am in awe reading the reports thinking about just how many fish there are really are, this has been going on for weeks. Is it food and water temps that create these massive schools of fish ?

[reelfitter]

I have my opinion, and its my opinion only. BAIT!! In order to have any species be able to sustain themselves, and stay. You need feed. The bunker pods, sand eels, etc, etc are plentiful. Therefor the predator stays. Keep Omega protein where they belong and things will be just fine.
As far as what strain it is? I have no clue. I'm sure there is data to back up that question. Again, what happened to the Chesapeake strain? I have a pretty good idea. Omega protein once again. Those nets that encompass the whole bunker school, also contain may other species. The vacuum pump that sucks those nets clean, doesn't know a Striper from a bunker. I personally watched them wipe out the Chesapeake.

[jmurr711]

they sat off island beach many years since too. those fish were sand eel fish these are adult & peanut bunker fish. what starin no idea but ya see west winds kkeeping bunker tight to beach & theres more stripers than ever before, years where no bait everyone says moratorium on bass now! we may have jig fish until Dr. King day if the sand eels show up after the menhaden exit.

[Gerry Zagorski]

I don't know this for a fact but it seems to me for the most part these are Hudson strain Stripers. The reason I say this is because if you look at stock assessments the Chesapeake stock is in big trouble

https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/p...s/studies.aspx

As for why they are here it's all about food. You can hardly take a boat ride at practically any time of year except in the dead of winter and not see miles of bunker and this fall more peanut bunker than ever. No Sandeels yet this year but I think they'll show up soon as well...

Other reason I think Hudson strain is because we now have a year round fishery. People in the know can catch them all through the summer and this means they are likely resident fish.

[baseballman]

I agree with what others have said...they're here because the bait is here, and they're probably Hudson fish.

There has to be more resident NJ fish than ever before as well. Adult bunker live in our waters year round and there are more bass that stick around, too. How else can you catch fish in the same spot in late Dec and then again in early March?

It is definitely an amazing fishery, and let's hope it lasts for years to come!

[Bluefish]

i think there is one more factor that exists. no typical fall blue fish run at all. even when both are there together it was more the blues on top and the bass below them, not rolling freely on top forever like we see today.

[Capt John]

Fellow Anglers...

Gerry and others....it is, like you say, all about bait. In 18 years of chartering in and around Raritan Bay, I've have never seen the massive numbers of beautiful Stripers as I have witnessed starting around October 7th when these massive females arrived. When called and asked if I would allow them to retain a trophy female, I refused and they probably moved on, but you know what....I sleep well at night knowing I did my part.

Coincidentally, this current explosion of Stripers occurred right after Hurricane Ian passed us and blasted the Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island area back in September if my memory serves me correct.

Add to that the bunker boats not vacuuming the bay, and you have what you see today.....an absolute Striped Bass bonanza...but we must be conservatively vigilant. RELEASE ALL FEMALES PLEASE. Keep your 28-38" NJ Striper and safely release the rest to fight another day. We keep what the law allows and the rest goes safely back in....no exceptions.

Gerry...you are spot on with your assessment. Thanks for letting me post here. If not, thank you anyway.

[Duffman]

So the question…….

When did the start of the decline of the Chesapeake stock begin and did it have anything to do with the bass being beaten on by hundreds of boats for months?

Or, is this more to do with Omega Protein and bycatch?

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Duffman

So the question…….

When did the start of the decline of the Chesapeake stock begin and did it have anything to do with the bass being beaten on by hundreds of boats for months?

Or, is this more to do with Omega Protein and bycatch?

Guys from all over were heading to VA a to catch a 50 pound fish while they were stacked up from November till April .
Thousands of breeders taken just for a dock shot crippled that fishery quick .

Fish couldn’t take that kind of punishment ever year .

.

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by Duffman

So the question…….

When did the start of the decline of the Chesapeake stock begin and did it have anything to do with the bass being beaten on by hundreds of boats for months?

Or, is this more to do with Omega Protein and bycatch?

All the above. Commercial pressure ,poaching and lack of bunker. A large portion of the stripers wintering off the coast of Virginia are Hudson strain. Not all the Hudson stripers winter over in the upper Hudson. When the Hudson fishery would slow down in June the Chesapeake fish would show up oceanside. Not so anymore or at least not the way it was in 2002. Was up a few weeks ago and took the grandchildren out. Great fall fishing and all on shads. Kept a couple 34'' fish and had a great meal for the whole family. I am ok with the 24-38 one fish limit it worked.