Stripers advance from Chesapeake: schoolies reach Casco Bay. Big 'uns following.

After wintering  in the Chesapeake Bay and inside the Outer Banks  striped bass are  reaching Maine in great schools. The young'uns (aka "schoolies") are rushing into  southern Maine - with their elders following at a more dignified pace.  

Fish for them?  Be careful. NOAA says they are "Significantly below target levels".  It's important to follow the rules.  Maine Striped Bass Regulations currently require the use of circle hooks when fishing with bait in both the striped bass and bluefish fisheries.  See Video: using circle hooks to catch  Striped Bass, 

Circle hooks are designed to hook fish in the corner of the mouth, which makes the fish easier to release than gut hooked with a traditional J-hook. Circle hooks have been used successfully with both dead and live baits.

The key difference between using traditional “J” hooks and circle hooks? You don't strike to set the hook when using a circle hook rig. Just let the fish hook itself.  Don't yank. Just start reeling her in.

Sears Island causeway, 25 years  ago

STRIPER FAST FACTS

• Striped bass live up to 30 years.
• Growth depends on where they live.
• Striped bass can grow up to 5 feet  and 77 pounds.
• Males are sexually mature between the ages of 2 and 4 years old.
• Females are able to reproduce when they are 4 to 8 years old.
• Females produce large quantities of eggs, which are fertilized by males as they are released.
• Larval striped bass feed on zooplankton (microscopic animals).
• Juveniles eat insect larvae, small crustaceans, mayflies, and other larval fish.
• 
• 
  
* Adults are piscivorous (fish-eating) and eat almost any kind of small fish as well as several invertebrates, particularly crabs and squid.
• * Bluefish, weakfish, cod, and silver hake prey on small striped bass.
• 
  
• * Adults have few predators, with the exception of seals and sharks.

Remember Maine striper fishers: you are now required to use circle hooks when using natural baits. Do your best this season to make sure that the stripers you release swim away healthy.