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Striped Bass
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(Morone saxatilis) |
The striped bass, also referred to as the "striper", is identified by its silvery color and dark lateral lines. Striped bass are present in waters from the St. Lawrence river in Canada to Florida and can also be found in parts of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 1870's striped bass were introduced to the Pacific coast and now live in waters from British Columbia to the California-Mexico border.There are also a few species of hybrid spriped bass, such as crosses between largemouth bass and stripers, as well as the Wiper (Morone chrysops X Morone saxtilis) - cross between a female striped bass and male white bass. All hybrid stripers have irregular unlinked stripes. Striper are voracious feeders and consume any kind of small fish and a variety of invertebrates. Preferred foods for adults mainly consist of shad, herring, anchovy, minnows, etc. While being migratory fish, striped bass can tolerate a variety of environmental conditions. They are commonly located in riparian, estuarine and marine habitats depending upon the time of year. During the summer and winter months they move to the deep channels of the bay while in the autumn they move to the lower area of the rivers. With the onset of spring (late March through May) and a temperature above 55 F, striped bass congregate in shallow estuaries as spawning begins. The spawning ritual begins with one female being courted by several smaller males. Striper have a life span of more than 20 years.
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