Do some Stripers Winter over in New England?
Stripers wintering over in New England? Yes, it’s something every veteran angler realizes. Each year a percentage of striped bass elect to hang out in our waters. Why? Well, large breeder bass, who spent their summer here, occasionally opt to skip a year, forgoing the long trip back to Chesapeake Bay or the Hudson. They are just taking a damn break. Typically, these fish simply seek refuge where waters temperatures are bit warmer. What kind of water temperature? Striped bass are still a bit active at 45 degrees, but my guess is anything that reaches into the 30s is trouble. Where do they find decent temperatures? In deeper water either offshore or in a river. And staying north for the winter leaves them in a perfect position to be nearby during the herring runs of early spring.
An Early March Striper in New England
Smaller striped may stay too, but they are also more likely to get trapped in places by the onset of a fast approaching winter. In may be in a river, a power plant outflow. Or a salt pond, whose mouth suddenly closed in the late fall.
Another significant factor for Stripers ‘Wintering Over” is the salinity content of the water. I live on the Housatonic in CT and one of the reasons why Stripers Winter over is that the 10 miles from the Ousatonic (yes that’s with an O) Dam is the high salinity content of the river.
Morning,
Yes, salinity has a role here. During the winter, striped bass, in rivers, face a deadly threat. A sudden drop in salinity, such a heavy rain fall, can literally kill them. It also happens to winter over menhaden. Thanks for the comment
Ed