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Striped Bass

Striped Bass

Striped Bass are New Hampshire's most sought-after coastal sportfish and official state saltwater game fish.

These anadromous fish are highly migratory, moving north from the mid-Atlantic during spring and returning south in fall, spending roughly May through October feeding in New Hampshire's coastal waters.

Physical Characteristics:
  • They're full-bodied fish with bluish to dark olive backs, silvery bellies and sides, and distinctive dark lateral stripes running from gills to tail.
  • New Hampshire stripers range from 10 to over 50 inches and can exceed 50 pounds.
  • They have large mouths with sharp spines on gill covers and fins.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • The Great Bay Estuary is their primary New Hampshire habitat, consisting of Great Bay, Little Bay, and the Piscataqua River system, covering over 5,000 acres with 48 miles of shoreline and 9-foot tides.
  • Key tributaries include the Squamscott River (formed from the freshwater Exeter River), Lamprey River, Oyster River, Bellamy River, and Winnicut River.

Key Locations

  • The Great Bay Estuary system offers the most productive fishing, particularly the Piscataqua River, Squamscott River, Lamprey River, and their outlets.
  • The Lamprey River mouth where it enters Little Bay is ideal for kayakers.
  • Odiorne State Park provides wade fishing access to tidal flats and Berry Brook/Witch Creek outlet.
  • Pierce Island offers access to productive flats near Shapleigh Island and bridge abutments.
  • For oceanfront fishing, work rocky points along Route 1A from Hampton Beach north.

Specific Spots

  • In May, target herring runs at dam sites in Exeter where stripers stack up like cordwood below the low dam.
  • Sod banks holding big stripers hunting crabs, worms, and shrimp.
  • Tidal flats and bridge abutments.

Striped Bass FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Striped Bass in New Hampshire?

Effective lures include spoons, poppers, lead-head jigs, swimming plugs, and chartreuse/white patterns. Live baits work well including eels, pogies (menhaden), mackerel chunks, squid, and herring.

What flies work for Striped Bass in New Hampshire?

Top flies are chartreuse Snake Flies (sizes 1-2/0), Lefty's Deceivers, Clouser Minnows with gold tinsel, and crab/shrimp imitations for flats fishing. Use 7-10 inch herring imitations.

When is the best time to fish for Striped Bass in New Hampshire?

Best fishing occurs May through October during their residence in local waters. Spring and fall provide peak action during migration periods.

How do you catch Striped Bass in New Hampshire?

In May, target herring runs at dam sites. Work rocky points looking for bird activity - cormorants sitting on water indicate feeding stripers.

What do Striped Bass eat?

Striped bass are opportunistic predators with varied diets including river herring, pollock, silversides, alewives, mackerel, eels, crabs, shrimp, worms, clams, and smaller stripers.

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