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Stripers on the Delaware River

11K views 45 replies 22 participants last post by  DEL RIVER RAT 
#1 ·
Ok everyone, when do you think the stripers will be running up the river this year. My brother and I caught some nices ones in April around Easter but I was wondering if that was the end or beginning of the run when we caught them? Any answers are much appreciated.
 
#3 ·
The bass are biting now in the deli-I have seen pics and heard of a lot nice ones being caught- I catch them in the river 4 seasons-they are always biting in the delaware-your best bet now is bloodworms or herring actually theyre pretty much the best baits always-however i'd change to sunfish or madtoms during the summer-I havent fished the deli- yet-but i'm going this weekend-at the bulkhead on hog island rd-if you want come find me i'll be the only white 5' guy down there-
 
#5 ·
Ive caught them mostly in April and May, but honestly have not targeted them at other times of the year. I completely agree with blood worms and herring as bait. One caution with blood worms - perch love them and can sometimes be hard to keep of the hook (which is a pain considering the cost of blood worms) I use a fisfinder rig on one rod and have a casting rod set up with a large crankbait or other lure while waiting for the baited Rod. Action on the lures is sporadic at best and maybe produces a fish or two each year.

The spot I fish in Burlington very very unpredicable. Ive had days where literally within five minutes of having my line in the water Ive been hooked in to really nice fish, and other days where I sit for hours with not so much as a tap, but thats fishing I guess. I dont notice much difference between high and low tides.

An interesting story: Late last april I was out in my canoe just for a quick trip around burington island. I was canoeing around the island in very shallow water created by a sandbar at low tide and found a GIANT bass dead in less than 12 inches of water. It was sad to see the fish but the only thing I could think of was that it came up into the shallows to feed during high tide and didnt get out in time. Wierd stuff
 
#6 ·
Thanks for all of the replies fellas. I am dying to get out and catch some big bass this year. I went to the Delaware Bay this summer and didn't catch any, so I'm looking for a good year on the river. The blood worms are getting ridiculous with the prices now. What are they up to like 9 bucks for a dozen or so? Last year when I caught a few of the bass they all came on clams. When we did catch some bass they came on low tide, which really surprised me I woulda thought it was the other way around. But these were all great replies and is getting me pumped for some fishing. We got trout season opening up in April and then the stripers too so I'm all ready to get out there.
 
#17 ·
The only effect water temp has on river run stripers is how active they are, these fish are here to spawn and no water temp will keep these fish from their yearly piece, if you only did it once a year would you care how cold it was??? The actual spawn itself can be delayed as the fish have a way of tellin when the temp is right, but the fish will be here
I usually do good on plugs around mothers day before that bloods, clam and fresh cut baits are your best bet
 
#18 ·
That's a good point Sic, I never even thought about how the water temps wouldn't effect them much. I never used any plugs for stripers, maybe this year I will throw one line out with a clam or blood and then have a line to throw some plugs or bombers out.
 
#19 ·
No effect?

So I guess the fish check their calendars and head up on March 29th? I think the water temp in general tells the fish when its time to get goin. I dunno, but if the fish aren't active, it's tough to catch them, right? So the water temp lets us know when it's time to wet the lines, right?? If it were easy, EVERYONE would be fishin!!:D
 
#25 ·
So I guess the fish check their calendars and head up on March 29th? I think the water temp in general tells the fish when its time to get goin. I dunno, but if the fish aren't active, it's tough to catch them, right? So the water temp lets us know when it's time to wet the lines, right?? If it were easy, EVERYONE would be fishin!!:D
Schuylkil got to the answer before me, they migrate more on the length of daylight then water temp and of course more active fish are easier to catch
 
#23 ·
You can probably catch resident stripers all year, but I think most people are targeting the big girls coming up the river. Seems to me end of March or beginning of April is when they become active, and it usually is when the water warms up a bit. (old guy told me 52 :huh:) Remember too, handle them with care, they have the future in their bellies.:thumbsup:
 
#24 ·
they run based on the length of daylight.. just like the mullet run. Alewives just recentlty showed up in the area, you can bet the bass are right behind em, but like said, they wont hit consistently til water temps get a little warmer, say over 50 degrees (though you can catchem in 39-40+ degree water temps). resident bass are here now, havent caught any yet, soon though. running fish are here thick and hungry 2nd week of april... good time to start fishing if youre new to the sport.
 
#27 ·
Gents, I can't even tell what's on my wifes mind let alone a dag gone fish. But I can tell you it's more than water temps. In the fall the fish migrate with the water temps and bait like a lot of other animals. But when it comes to spawning there are instincts and other variables involved. This is why fish return to similar spawning grounds year after year. They don't really follow the water temps in but more or less follow instincts. Ever year in mid March they start heading up the river. They don't wait off the coast of Virginia until the dbay is 52 degrees. They need to spawn and aint nothing stoppin them. Now granted the spawn time naturally happens in the spring when the water temp is gravitating to a more suitable number.

But I definitely agree that the fall migratory run is based on bait and temps (which in themselves are related).
 
#30 ·
Man, I'm stoked! I'm pickin up my new boat next week, I'm sure I'll be out there before 52 :p But I'll be huntin some big ol cats too. I sure hope they don't dredge this river and kill our fishery! :naughty: I guess that's an argument for another thread. Hopefully I'll be postin some pics of some cows real soon :thumbsup:
 
#33 ·
Yeah you better belive that,I'll be catching them before the water hits 52 degrees,h2o temp means alot during other times of the year,but during the spawn daylight seems more the trigger,look down south the fish are heading up now from North Carolina and the water temp isn't much different then it was a couple weeks ago,but the days are 15min's longer,
 
#35 ·
:bow::bow: God bless the blood worm gents!!! I pulled a 36' just 3.5 hrs ago on the Jersey side of the Tacony Palmyra bridge. I fished for roughly 3 hours before she took me for a ride. Ladies and Gentlemen they have arrived!:thumbsup:

Paul
 
#36 ·
:bow::bow: God bless the blood worm gents!!! I pulled a 36' just 3.5 hrs ago on the Jersey side of the Tacony Palmyra bridge. I fished for roughly 3 hours before she took me for a ride. Ladies and Gentlemen they have arrived!:thumbsup:

Paul

I think it is a little early for spawning fish. Days are still to short, water is very cold and herring are very far awawy. I'm guessing you had a resident fish.

Also it is illegal right now to catch a striper.
 
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