Striped Bass

Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) are debatably the most iconic and sought after game fish in the Northeast. Rhode Island is no exception, every season thousands of striper-crazed shore anglers emerge from their winter hideouts with hopes of crossing paths with these brutes.

There are countless fishing clubs, tournaments, online groups, forums, articles, TV shows and books that are centered around stripers. I think it’s safe to say that these fish are culturally significant. Part of what makes striped bass so sought after has to be their looks. Eight unmistakable dark green stripes run horizontal down their side from the gill plate to the tail, creating a stark contrast against their light olive-green bodies and white bellies, earning them the nickname “stripers.”

Other states like Maryland call them rockfish, but here in RI you will only hear these fish referred to as stripers or striped bass. Small stripers that are under the legal-size limit are often called “schoolies” or “schoolie bass” whereas the big bass are given a multitude of generic big fish nicknames such as cows, hogs, tanks, and bruisers. Out of all the fish species that I target, stripers are definitely my favorite.