Striped Bass
Morone saxatilis
A powerful, hard-fighting fish found along the Atlantic coast and in landlocked reservoirs, the striped bass is easily identified by the bold dark stripes running along its silver body. It migrates seasonally along the coast and is a favorite target of surf casters and boat anglers alike.
Coastal surf, estuaries, and large reservoirs; follows baitfish migrations.
How to Catch Striped Bass
Whether you're new to targeting Striped Bass or refining your approach, success starts with matching your tactics to where the fish lives. Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) is typically found in coastal water, reservoir water, and river water, so concentrate your effort where those conditions line up. Mature Striped Bass average around 28 inches, which helps you choose the right line, lure size, and tackle for the fight.
Where to Find Striped Bass in the USA & Canada
Striped Bass is recorded across a range of North American waters, including spots in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Browse the linked water guides below to see the specific lakes, rivers, and coastal waters where anglers report catching Striped Bass, then plan a trip around the water closest to you.
Striped Bass Fishing Regulations & Limits
Fishing rules for Striped Bass vary by state and province. Before you head out, check the daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons that apply in your area. When FishFinder has matching records, the regulations link below takes you to the rules hub. Following local limits keeps Striped Bass populations healthy for future seasons.
Related Water Guides for Striped Bass
Explore these FishFinder water guides for places where Striped Bass is recorded:
- Chesapeake Bay — Striped Bass fishing water
- Saint John River — Striped Bass fishing water
- St. Croix River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Guntersville — Striped Bass fishing water
- Wheeler Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Wilson Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Pickwick Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Weiss Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lay Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Logan Martin Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Neely Henry Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Martin — Striped Bass fishing water
- R.L. Harris Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Yates Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Thurlow Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Walter F. George Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- West Point Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lewis Smith Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Alabama River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Mobile-Tensaw Delta — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Powell — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Mead — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Mohave — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Havasu — Striped Bass fishing water
- Colorado River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Pleasant — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Norfork — Striped Bass fishing water
- Beaver Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Ouachita — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Dardanelle — Striped Bass fishing water
- Arkansas River — Striped Bass fishing water
- San Luis Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Castaic Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta — Striped Bass fishing water
- Sacramento River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Feather River — Striped Bass fishing water
- American River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Colorado River (California) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Connecticut River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Nanticoke River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Delaware River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Chesapeake & Delaware Canal — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake George — Striped Bass fishing water
- St. Johns River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Suwannee River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Apalachicola River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Perdido River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Ochlockonee River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Lanier — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Hartwell — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Oconee — Striped Bass fishing water
- Clarks Hill Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Richard B. Russell — Striped Bass fishing water
- Savannah River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Altamaha River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Ogeechee River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Satilla River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Oconee River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Shelbyville — Striped Bass fishing water
- Rend Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Ohio River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Wilson Reservoir (Kansas) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Cheney Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Glen Elder Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Cumberland — Striped Bass fishing water
- Cumberland River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Toledo Bend Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Sabine River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Claiborne — Striped Bass fishing water
- Red River (Louisiana) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Liberty Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Conowingo Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Ross Barnett Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Bull Shoals Lake (Missouri) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Norfork Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Mississippi River (Pools 20-26) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Branched Oak Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Missouri River (Nebraska Waters) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Mead (Nevada) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Mohave (Nevada) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Colorado River below Davis Dam — Striped Bass fishing water
- Delaware River (New Jersey) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Elephant Butte Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- San Juan River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Animas River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Delaware River (New York) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Hudson River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Chatuge — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Norman — Striped Bass fishing water
- Badin Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- B. Everett Jordan Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- John H. Kerr Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Gaston — Striped Bass fishing water
- Roanoke Rapids Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Roanoke River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Cape Fear River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Neuse River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Mattamuskeet — Striped Bass fishing water
- Dan River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Ohio River (Ohio) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Texoma — Striped Bass fishing water
- Skiatook Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Sooner Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Arcadia Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Keystone Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lower Illinois River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Arkansas River (Oklahoma) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lower Red River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Delaware River (Pennsylvania) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Raystown Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Wallenpaupack — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Marion — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Moultrie — Striped Bass fishing water
- Santee River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Congaree River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Cooper River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Murray (South Carolina) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Saluda River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Russell — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Thurmond — Striped Bass fishing water
- Great Pee Dee River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Little Pee Dee River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Waccamaw River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Edisto River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Black River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lynches River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Old Hickory Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- J. Percy Priest Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Cordell Hull Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Tims Ford Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Chickamauga Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Nickajack Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Watts Bar Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Fort Loudoun Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Melton Hill Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Norris Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Cherokee Reservoir — Striped Bass fishing water
- Douglas Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Boone Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Livingston — Striped Bass fishing water
- Trinity River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Tawakoni — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Amistad — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Whitney — Striped Bass fishing water
- Possum Kingdom Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Smith Mountain Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Buggs Island Lake (Kerr Reservoir) — Striped Bass fishing water
- Claytor Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Lake Anna — Striped Bass fishing water
- Staunton River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Kanawha River — Striped Bass fishing water
- Bluestone Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Beech Fork Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- Mount Storm Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
- R.D. Bailey Lake — Striped Bass fishing water
Striped Bass Regulations
Review current FishFinder regulation records before targeting Striped Bass:
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of water is best for catching Striped Bass?
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) is typically found in coastal water, reservoir water, and river water. Focus your effort where those conditions line up to improve your chances.
How big does Striped Bass get?
Mature Striped Bass average around 28 inches, though individual fish can run larger. Matching your line, lure size, and tackle to that range makes for a better fight and landing rate.
Where can I catch Striped Bass in the USA and Canada?
Striped Bass is reported across North American waters, including spots in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Check the locations listed on this page to find the lakes, rivers, and coastal waters closest to you.
Do I need a fishing license to catch Striped Bass?
A valid fishing license is required in most US states and Canadian provinces. Daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons for Striped Bass vary by region, so review the regulations on this page and with your local wildlife authority before heading out.