best water temperature for stripers

[porgy75]

What water temperature are the stripers most prevalent in?

[jimbob]

I have read that the Stripers are most active when water temperatures are in the 60s. I have caught Stripers in waters from 45 degrees to 75 degrees, but most of my fish were from waters that were 55 to 65 degrees.

[jonthepain]

I always used to start looking for them in the spring when it hit 55 on LBI. Not sure about other places.

[bababooey]

^^^ Agreed. Once the temperatures hit 65, the bass start moving north to colder water.

[paumanok]

Or, you have to start fishing at night. Especially around estuaries. Or any kind of beach with lots of rocks, last of the flood, first of the ebb.

[bababooey]

Or, you have to start fishing at night. Especially around estuaries. Or any kind of beach with lots of rocks, last of the flood, first of the ebb.

Wisdom from someone who obviously is sad to see the bass move on.

[surfwalker]

Now, I don't go down to the water out front with a thermometer and my readings were taken from sites around the area I fish (north Jersey), so they are with a plus/minus. Maybe we should say what temps the baitfish make their way outside instead. But, 2 of my best months have always been May (50°-56°) and November (56°-50°). this co-insides with the bait movement. October (67°-58°) and June (59°-66), with most Bass hooked up follows May/Nov. I didn't throw April in because as it has always been pretty decent, I had one year in 2001 that was very exceptional and not the norm, for me. Like I said this is not scientific, only by what I have done. Some may fish harder or less than me, but at around these temps, my production has been better.

[paumanok]

From mid-May through the rest of the season, I fish almost exclusively at night. My biggest stripers (for me on a fly rod we're talkin' 30-35") come in early spring and the fall. My biggest numbers--July and August. many, many double digit outings. Mostly catching first light at the middle to the end of an ebb. Or in the deeper part of the night on the flood. I've never actually taken the water temperature--I rely on what I get for the day in the papers. Sometimes it feels really warm. But the fish are there.

I fish strictly on shore or wading. And, except at the very beginning of the season or near the very end, water temperature is something I only incidentally keep track of. My main focus is on tides, time of the night (deep night or first light--I've had feeding fish shut off like they were on a switch, as soon as the sun peaked over the horizon), wind and current.

Unlike the boat boys that have so much mobility, we shore-trekkers really have to learn where the fish'll be and when they'll be there.

Being out all night and gettin' skunked is not my idea of fun.

[surfwalker]

paumanok, I am plugging open sandy beaches and like you, prefer the dark into first light. These temps, as they rise, only determine more time in the dark for me. They do not stop me from going, just adjust my times. And yes, the wetline walkers will do more searching.

Happy Trails

[cowherder]

, but most of my fish were from waters that were 55 to 65 degrees.

That makes great sense to me, jimbob, because it seems the bass fishing is slowing down around here, and the waters are flirting with 65 degrees.

[johnnysaxatilis]

http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/factsheets/stripedbass.html

not a bad little profile. but the stocks aren't completely restored and the dissapearing act of the bunker, the stripers main food source, is having a drastic effect on the number of shored stripers in the past 2 years. Regulations of the commercial industry need to be persued and tighened if another crash is to be avoided. kinda off topic?

o ya that article says 65 to 70 degrees lol

[vpass]

I notice more blitzes around 55 to 52 deg. Anything between 65 and 50 deg.

[ledhead36]

http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/factsheets/stripedbass.html

not a bad little profile. but the stocks aren't completely restored and the dissapearing act of the bunker, the stripers main food source, is having a drastic effect on the number of shored stripers in the past 2 years. Regulations of the commercial industry need to be persued and tighened if another crash is to be avoided. kinda off topic?

o ya that article says 65 to 70 degrees lol

I agree with you. They need to be more strict with the commercial fisherman. Especially keeping on top of catching those who pay no attention to the regulations and get away with pushing the limits.

Great informative article.

[storminsteve]

For the water temps, a friend and I were at Wood's Hole a few years ago on a tour. You folks should check it out sometime if you want to learn a lot about the life cycle and habits of striped bass. One of the people there said that the optimal temp for striper activity was 55-60 degrees for smaller schoolie stripers, and 60-63 for larger bass.That seems to be in line with what is being said in this thread. One of the things I like about this place is that if someone says something that is different or slightly inaccurate, they are not criticized or ridiculed.

Thanks for putting that up, Johnny. There are a bunch of good folks who just love fishing. No whining, no holier than thou, no pissing contests to brag about who is the best angler, and the incessant jealousy and criticism whenever someone catches and releases a nice fish. Or the 10 pages of internet tough guy arguing you get on another site when somene posts an opinion that isn't necessarily popular. Or god forbid someone say something that ins't completely correct, you will have dozens of guys ready to be negative and jump down that person's throat.
I'm not a complete C&R guy, I like to eat a fish if I want. I fish on a boat when can, and I don't get a sense that any of that is judged here.
Bad behavior on the parts of surfcasters, boaters, and poachers, is brought up and discussed rationally. I don't see the veiled racist comments about poachers that are prevalent on other sites either. Anyone can be a poacher, white black, yellow, purple.
And you folks have always helped me out when I sent discreet pms, even sending me some helpful pm's when I am doing something that is not quite right, and missing a chance on a good catch.

So thanks darkskies, pebbles, finchaser, clamchucker, surfwalker, gjb1969, monty, jonthpain, bassbuddah, ripplugger, voyager, charlietuna, fishinmission, wish4fish, vpass, stripercoast1, frankiesurf (the official SnA spelling nazi) and the stripercoastsurfcasters guys, nitestrikes, jimbob, stripercrazy, capt nemo, dogfish and all the other people whose stories and crazy anecdotes (bababooey) I have come to enjoy. Sorry if I left anyone out.
I like that there are a bunch of committed folks out there who try to bring articles and knowledge to us here. I enjoy reading it all, except maybe some the legislative stuff. I would need a fifth of scotch to get through some of that reading!

[jonthepain]

I like that there are a bunch of committed folks out there

or should be

[storminsteve]

jonthe pain I always enjoy your stories, especially the hunting ones. You even mangage to make "getting skunked" while hunting an entertaining read. I do have a sense sometime when reading your stuff that you are truly "out there". At this time I don't know if it's good or bad, but you are definitely funny in a twisted sort of way.

[Monty]

How cold is the water in November/December when all the schoolies are along the beaches? They are very active.

Storminsteve, I agree with you 100%, Dark has a great group of members. Helpful, good sense of humor, no bickering.

Thanks for putting that up, Johnny. There are a bunch of good folks who just love fishing. No whining, no holier than thou, no pissing contests to brag about who is the best angler, and the incessant jealousy and criticism whenever someone catches and releases a nice fish. Or the 10 pages of internet tough guy arguing you get on another site when somene posts an opinion that isn't necessarily popular. Or god forbid someone say something that ins't completely correct, you will have dozens of guys ready to be negative and jump down that person's throat.!

[jonthepain]

How cold is the water in November/December when all the schoolies are along the beaches?

around 50

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/catl.html

[plugginpete]

For the spring I'll be on the hunt as soon as it hits 45. I have caught around that temp with bloods.

[ledhead36]

I agree with plugginpete. Seems there is some activity when the temps hit that magic 45 degree level. If there are a few sunny days after that to heat up the flats, the activity will get better.