What does striped bass eat? Anglers from Maine to Louisiana need to know. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) are tough and hungry. They move between rivers and the sea.
Their diet changes with age and where they are. This is why they do well in many places in the U.S.
Young striped bass eat zooplankton and insects. As they grow, they eat more fish, squid, and crabs. Field reports show they love longfin squid in spring and sand lance in other times.
A guide to what stripers eat is helpful for coastal anglers. It helps plan fishing trips.
Menhaden, or bunker, are a favorite food. So are peanut bunker, green crabs, and American eels. They eat what’s available, leading to fast feeding times.
For fishing tips, watch the birds and the current. Choose the right bait, like live eels or soft plastics. Knowing what they eat can lead to more bites.
Striped bass diet at a glance: generalist, opportunistic predators
Striped bass are generalist predators in the water. They eat what they find, changing with the seasons and places. This flexibility makes their striped bass prey list wide, from Chesapeake Bay to Cape Cod.
From zooplankton and insects to fish and crustaceans
They start with small food like zooplankton and insects. Then, they eat shrimp, crabs, and young fish. Adults eat clams, sandworms, eels, mackerel, shad, and crayfish too.
Prey size increases as bass grow
As they get bigger, they eat bigger prey. Young ones eat bay anchovy and grass shrimp. Bigger fish eat bunker, squid, or mackerel.
Feeding in fresh, brackish, and marine waters across their range
Striped bass live in rivers, tidal creeks, and coasts. They eat in fresh, brackish, and marine waters. This makes them good at finding food, making them successful predators.
Seasonal forage: squid, sand lance, and surface feeds
When spring comes, Cape Cod stripers move to rips and shoals for food. They chase squid that gather to spawn. This makes the water lively with quick movements and bites.
Squid runs in spring attract ambush-feeding stripers
Longfin squid move into shallow areas to lay eggs. This makes them easy targets for stripers. The stripers use their speed and eyesight to catch the squid.
When summer comes, dead squid on the bottom can also attract fish. This is because they get picky and avoid the surface.
Sand lance (sand eels) drives topwater blitzes and bottom hunts
Sand lance sand eels are active from late spring to fall. They cause surface blitzes and bottom hunts. This means different lures work on different days.
Why stripers pin bait against the surface for burst-speed strikes
Stripers box in prey and then punch it up to trap it. This way, they catch sand eels and squid. They also eat eels from the sand later.
Stripers follow the easiest food source. They go for surface blitzes or bottom hunts. The bait and tide tell them where to go.
Menhaden and peanut bunker: oily, nutritious staples of the striper menu
Striped bass love to eat menhaden bunker pogies. These oily fish give them quick energy. They also help clean the water, making it healthy.
Anglers find these fish near beaches and bridges. They are a great source of food for bass.
Adult bunker as high-calorie meals that end blitzes quickly
Adult bunker are big and full of energy. When bass find them, they eat a lot. Then, they stop eating because they are full.
Other fish like bluefish and tuna also eat them. But bass usually dive deep after eating a few.
Use big lures to match the size of these fish. Move your lure slowly and steadily.
Peanut bunker frenzies in late summer and fall can last for hours
Peanut bunker are small and swim in schools. They are found in coves and near rocks from August to November. Bass eat many of them to feel full.
Use small lures and fast movements. This will keep the bass interested for a long time.
Behavioral tips: when bass chase but don’t commit
Stripers might follow a bait but not eat it. Try slowing down your lure. Bump trolling can make them bite.
Look at how many fish are around. If it’s big ones, use big lures. For small ones, use small lures and quick movements.
Crabs, worms, and crustaceans: overlooked but important meals
Striped bass don’t just chase fish. They also eat crabs, worms, and other crustaceans. These meals are found in places like shell beds and creek mouths. They keep fish active, even when it’s quiet.
Green crabs, lady crabs, and other nearshore crustaceans
Field footage shows green and lady crabs on rocky points. They hide in cobble and eelgrass. This makes quick strikes likely when bass come by.
When crabs molt, their shells get soft. This makes bass bite more. It’s why crabs are important, even when baitfish are around.
Why crab and worm baits work in estuaries and tidal creeks
In creeks, sandworms and bloodworms attract fish. These baits match what bass find on flats. They work well on tough days because they smell and move like real food.
Anglers can use crabs whole or halved. They can also use sandworms or bloodworms on simple hooks. Slow current and steady contact keep the bait in the strike zone.
How bottom foraging can lead to incidental ingestion of pebbles
While eating crabs and worms, stripers kick up sand. They might swallow pebbles in the process. This shows up in gut checks after bites.
The pattern is common when bass eat buried prey. The quick strike helps them grab food but also pulls in grit. This is another sign of bottom feeding.
| Bait or Forage | Best Habitat | When It Shines | Presentation Tip | Why Stripers Eat It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green crab | Rock piles, jetty seams, eelgrass edges | Molting periods, slow tides | Hook through leg socket; let it sit on bottom | High availability, easy to pin in tight cover |
| Lady crab | Sandy troughs, surf cuts near bars | Night into first light | Half-crab bait; short lob cast and hold | Soft shell phases trigger confident bites |
| Sandworms | Mud flats, creek bends, bridge shadows | Neap tides, post-front lulls | Thread on a bait hook; slow drag along bottom | Natural scent draws finicky fish |
| Bloodworms | Tidal rivers, marsh channels, shell beds | Cool water and early season | Light sinker; maintain bottom contact | Matches native worm emergence |
| Clam strips | Gravel bars, current seams near inlets | After baitfish move out | Threaded and secured with elastic thread | Easy pickings for bottom feeding stripers |
What does striped bass eat
Think broad and seasonal. A good striped bass food list starts with small things like zooplankton and larval fish. As they grow, they eat shrimp and crustaceans.
Adults eat squid, sand lance, menhaden, and crabs. They also eat worms, American eels, mackerel, herring, shad, and crayfish or bluegill in reservoirs. This shows how they eat what’s common around them.
Anglers often wonder what stripers eat in spring, summer, and fall. In spring, they eat longfin squid and sand lance. Summer brings shrimp, crabs, and more.
Fall is for adult bunker, mackerel, and herring. Bass chase bait to the surface or against rocky shores.
What they eat depends on what’s available. Government science says they eat what’s there. See this striped bass FAQ overview for more.
In brackish estuaries, American eels are a night snack. Bloodworms and sandworms are good for finicky fish. Offshore, mackerel, herring, and squid are good.
Freshwater lakes have crayfish and sunfish. This shows a striper forage guide needs to cover all areas.
- Core rockfish prey species: squid, sand lance, menhaden (adult and peanut bunker), crabs, worms, eels, mackerel, herring, shad.
- Situational picks: shrimp in estuaries, crayfish and bluegill in reservoirs, salmon smolts in select rivers.
- Seasonal shift: match what stripers eat in spring summer fall to the dominant bait where you fish.
For quick application, scan tide lines and bird activity. Look for squid ink at docks in spring. Note bluefish frenzies that leave cut mackerel drifting. Each clue helps a targeted striper forage guide.
Eels and mackerel: big bites for big bass
When big fish come from the ocean, they like oily food. Anglers use live eels and fresh mackerel for striped bass. This is when the water gets warm and bait piles up.
American eels in brackish zones during spring movements
In spring, big female eels go into bays and rivers. They move with the tide. Slowly moving your bait along the bottom can get you big bites, best at dusk.
Many like using American eel bait. But, some use it less because of conservation worries. Keep your eels lively by changing baits often and not exposing them to air too long.
Mackerel schools: corralling tactics and shoreline pinning
On the Massachusetts coast, mackerel in the Cape Cod Canal start the day with a bang. When the tide is strong, stripers push bait tight. Then, they pin it against the shore or surface.
This is when you should throw metals or big topwater plugs. They look like nervous macks. Outside the Canal, mackerel packs hit points and harbor mouths the same way. Fast retrieves match their speed to get bites near shore.
Chunked mackerel sinks: how bluefish assists become striper meals
Bluefish and stripers move in different ways during mixed feeds. Bluefish slash and leave pieces to fall. Bass then eat these pieces from below.
So, using chunked mackerel works well when bites are below the surface. Place baits at different depths along current edges. Let the tide help you. Fresh chunks beat frozen ones, and short soaks are better than long ones.
Regional and life-stage differences in diet across the U.S.
Striped bass change what they eat as they move from estuaries to the open sea. They also eat differently as they grow from young to adult. What they eat depends on what’s available and how easy it is to catch.
Atlantic coast, Gulf Coast strain, and inland introductions
Adult striped bass on the Atlantic coast eat menhaden, sand lance, squid, and mackerel. They eat more around Cape Cod and the Cape Cod Canal. The Gulf Coast striped bass eat shad, mullet, and shrimp in warmer, murkier waters.
Inland reservoirs have striped bass that eat gizzard shad, threadfin shad, bluegill, and crayfish. Without the right conditions for spawning, states help keep the fishery going. This helps guide where and when they eat.
Estuaries like the Miramichi vs. open-coast and canal environments
In the Miramichi estuary, striped bass eat river herring, smelt, and shrimp. They also eat salmon smolts in the spring. How much they eat changes with the year and water flow.
On the open coast and in canals, bait is pushed into narrow lanes. This leads to a diet rich in oily, high-energy prey like squid, sand lance, and bunker.
Larval/juvenile diets: zooplankton to small fish and shrimp
Young striped bass start by eating zooplankton and larval fish. As they grow, they eat more mysids, grass shrimp, silversides, and young herring.
By their first strong year, they start to eat larger prey. This is because their mouths get bigger and they can swim faster. This change helps them eat bigger baitfish and crabs as adults.
| Region/Stage | Primary Forage | Key Drivers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast Adults | Menhaden, sand lance, squid, mackerel | Migrations, currents, bait density | Open-coast and canal feeds concentrate energy-rich prey in rips and seams. |
| Gulf Coast striped bass | Mullet, shad, shrimp, crabs | Warm water, turbid bays, river discharge | Strain favors estuarine and bay edges with tidal flow and structure. |
| Inland reservoir stripers | Gizzard shad, threadfin shad, bluegill, crayfish | Stocking support, forage cycles, thermocline | Diet shifts with shad spawns; night feeding common on windblown points. |
| Miramichi estuary diet | River herring, smelt, shrimp, seasonal smolts | Spring freshet, temperature, flow | Opportunistic intake varies yearly; salinity gradients set feeding lanes. |
| Larvae to Early Juveniles | Zooplankton, larval fish, mysids | Gape limits, calm backwaters | Foundation phase that supports later shifts to fish and crustaceans. |
| Later Juveniles | Juvenile striper food: grass shrimp, silversides, small herring | Growth rate, cover, prey schools | Size-up in prey tracks rising speed and ambush efficiency. |
Predator-prey dynamics: availability drives what stripers eat
Striped bass eat what the water gives them. Fish studies show that what they eat changes from river mouths to beaches. When squid or sand lance are plentiful, they feed quickly.
In New England, big fish like menhaden make them eat fast. But small fish like sand lance keep them eating longer. The shape of the bottom and where they find crabs or worms also affects what they eat.
Estuaries play a big role. In places like the Miramichi, how many salmon smolts they eat changes with the river. But other things like currents and temperature also affect their diet.
When there are more stripers, they eat more river herring and shad. This can make it harder for other fish to find food. But as new fish grow, the balance changes again.
- Fast feeds: Big prey = short blitzes; long digestion spans.
- Extended action: Small prey = more strikes to stay fueled.
- Habitat cues: Bottom texture and current seams guide encounters.
- Variable pressure: Food web pressures change with weather and flow.
Stripers eat what’s available in the water. This can be squid, menhaden, or sand lance. It depends on the tides, light, and where they are.
Angler takeaways: matching the hatch for better bites
Start simple: match the hatch. In spring, squid push in. Use squid imitations or fresh dead squid on bottom.
When sand lance are thick, switch to slim metals, soft plastics, or topwater pencils. For schools of tiny bait, study light-tackle tactics for silverside imitators. Keep your striped bass bait and lures small and bright.
During menhaden feeds, timing is everything. Use bunker bite tactics: large profiles, live bunker, and fast casts into the heart of the push. Expect short windows with adult fish.
In late summer and fall, peanut bunker call for scaled-down plugs and plastics for long frenzies. If bass shadow adult bunker but won’t commit, slow-troll or bump-troll live baits to trigger a reflex strike.
Don’t skip the groceries in estuaries. Sandworms, bloodworms, clams, and crabs fit crustacean and annelid patterns that stripers trust. For big-fish plays, live eels in brackish water are great.
When mackerel schools gather, work metals or topwater at first light, then shift to chunked, ultra-fresh mackerel—when bluefish shred schools and send pieces sinking.
Read the region and season, then adapt. In Mid-Atlantic bays, menhaden rule; in New England, sand eel patterns and squid imitations shine; inland, lean on shad and gizzard shad cues. Add current breaks, tide stages, and canal fishing tips to your plan.
Keep a mobile spread of striped bass bait and lures so you can pivot in minutes—not hours.
