Morone saxatilis

Striped bass are deep bodied and compressed from side to side. They have two dorsal fins (located on the back), the first with several spines and the second with one spine and several rays. The anal fin (located on the underside of the body just forward of the tail fin, and used in stabilization while swimming) has 3 spines (the first one is the longest, the third one the shortest). The mouth is large, and there are two sharp points on each gill cover. The silvery sides are marked with 6-9 dark gray stripes. Very small young lack the dark stripes but have dusky bars on the sides. Maximum length is about 79 inches (2 meters).

This species is native to Atlantic Slope drainages from the St. Lawrence River, Canada, south to the St. Johns River, Florida, and Gulf slope drainages from western Florida (Suwannee River) to Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, and apparently to coastal areas of eastern Texas; aside from some remnant populations, native Gulf Coast striped bass no longer occur in the historical range (replaced in some areas by introduced Atlantic Slopes fishes). This species been introduced widely in inland lakes and reservoirs throughout much of the United States. In the 1870s it was introduced along the Pacific coast, where it now occurs from British Columbia to Baja California. It has also been introduced in Eurasia.

This is a marine and estuarine coastal species that moves far upstream in channels of medium to large rivers during spawning migrations. In coastal areas, it occurs typically within 6 km of shore. Adults in inshore areas occur over a wide range of substrates. The species has been widely introduced in lakes and impoundments. Some populations complete the life cycle in freshwater. In colder months, striped bass tend to seek the warmest water available at depths greater than 1.5 meters.

This species has coastal populations that are anadromous and artificial landlocked populations that are not anadromous. Certain stocks along the Atlantic coast north of Cape Hatteras may make extensive migrations along the coast, moving north in spring and south in fall (extent of migration varies among individuals and populations). Individuals may ascend rivers as far as 200 miles (320 km) during spawning migrations (usually only 25 miles or less). Populations along the South Atlantic coast of the U.S. apparently do not make extensive coastal migrations that are typical of stocks in the Middle and North Atlantic regions. Striped bass use rivers, tidally influenced fresh waters, and estuaries for spawning and nursery areas. Preferred spawning areas often are shallow (1-20 feet, 0.3-6.1 meters), turbid, and range from the tidal zone to a few hundred kilometers upstream (usually within 38 miles or 60 km of coast). Spawners often seek areas with strong, turbulent flow and substrates of rock and/or fine gravel. At Powell Reservoir, Utah, spawning occurred over a rocky shoal in or near the mixing zone of river water and reservoir water. Spawning occurs as early as mid-February in Florida, and as late as June-July in the St. Lawrence River. Eggs are semibouyant; they drift and slowly sink. Eggs hatch in about 2-3 days. Juveniles apparently prefer clean sandy bottoms but have been found over gravel, rock, and (rarely) soft mud; they may or may not move to areas of higher salinity in their first summer/fall (varies with locality). Females typically mature in their fourth or fifth year, and males in their second or third. Females grow larger than males, and most fish older than 11 years are females, with ages exceeding 30 years reported. Adults and juveniles are predators on a variety of fishes, crustaceans, squids, mussels, and worms; larval striped bass feed on small planktonic crustaceans.