Sea fish
Striped bass
Morone saxatilis
Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.
- Habitat
- Nehir ağzı · kumsal · dalga hattı · iskele · liman
Best times of day
When in the day it bites best, month by month.
- Active at night
- Good at night
In November
-
Dawn Best 100
1 h before sunrise → 2 h after
-
Midday 40
1 h before midday → 1 h after
-
Dusk 85
1.5 h before sunset → 1 h after
-
Night 80
1 h after sunset → 1.5 h before sunrise
Moon phase
Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.
- New moon 85
- First quarter 55
- Full moon 75
- Last quarter 55
Best phase: New moon
Windows across 12 months
| Best times of day | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn | 50 | 50 | 50 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 80 | 80 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 50 |
| Midday | 70 | 70 | 70 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 70 | ||
| Dusk | 60 | 60 | 60 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 75 | 75 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 60 |
| Night | 90 | 90 | 90 | 100 | 100 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
Windows follow sunrise and sunset; clock times change with place and date. Scores are relative within the month: 100 is the best window of the day.
3 sources · confidence medium
Habitat
Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.
Depth
0–30 m
mostly 0–10 m
Water temperature
5–30 °C
ideal 20–25 °C
Salinity
Migrates between fresh and salt water
0–32 ‰
Shore types
- Sandy beach
- Delta / alluvial shore
- Cove / inner bay
- Rocky shore
- Breakwater / jetty
- Headland
- Mixed shore
- Shingle shore
- River / stream mouth
- Channel / strait link
- Harbour mouth
Bottom
Lives in open water
Ranges from FishBase, AquaMaps and the literature; a general tendency, not a hard limit.
Confidence: shore type high, temperature high
Bait and tackle suggestions
Recorded baits and fishing techniques.
Bait by month
Baits documented for shore fishing, month by month and by water clarity.
In November
Lures
- Hard minnow
- Bucktail
- Jighead + soft sand eel
- Stickbait
By water clarity
Inshore / reef predator — Semi-pelagic; ambushes and chases. Good eyesight and a strong lateral line; takes both kinds of bait.
- Clear Visibility: over 8 m
- Lure first, natural also works First natural bait: Eel · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live shrimp or a live small fish; thin leader; dawn, dusk and night first. First lure: Stickbait · Very suitable Usually in this water: Natural-coloured soft shad/minnow, LRF, slim hard lure; slow and natural. Colour: Clear, White
- Slightly coloured Visibility: 4–8 m
- Lure First natural bait: Eel · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live shrimp or worm, fresh sardine pieces. First lure: Stickbait · Very suitable Usually in this water: Hard minnow, jighead + shad, stickbait. Colour: White, Clear
- Moderately coloured Visibility: 2–4 m
- Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Eel · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live shrimp or worm, or a piece of oily fish; one size bigger. First lure: Hard minnow · Very suitable Usually in this water: Paddle-tail shad, vibe, spinner; vibration first. Colour: White, Fluorescent
- Murky Visibility: 1–2 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Menhaden · Very suitable Usually in this water: Bloodworm, crab, cut bait; on the bottom or at mid-depth; chum. First lure: Hard minnow · Suitable Usually in this water: Rattling vibe, scented soft plastic; near the bottom, slow. Colour: Fluorescent, Dark silhouette, White
- Very murky Visibility: under 1 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Menhaden · Suitable Usually in this water: The strongest scent: fish guts, cut mackerel or sardine, mussel; big pieces. First lure: Hard minnow · Not recommended Usually in this water: Not recommended; if you must, scented and rattling. Colour: Dark silhouette, Fluorescent
Night colour: Dark silhouette
12-month bait calendar
- January
- Out of season
- February
- Out of season
- March
- Out of season
- April
- Out of season
- May
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Ragworm Lures: Jighead + shad, Hard minnow, Popper, Spoon
- June
- Out of season
- July
- Out of season
- August
- Out of season
- September
- Out of season
- October
- Natural baits: Menhaden, Eel, Mackerel Lures: Hard minnow, Bucktail, Jighead + soft sand eel, Metal jig
- November
- Natural baits: Menhaden, Eel, Mackerel Lures: Hard minnow, Bucktail, Jighead + soft sand eel, Stickbait
- December
- Out of season
This is the usual pattern; the water and weather on the day can change it. Colour is fine-tuning: bait type, size and action come first. Confidence: natural medium, lures high. Colour and presentation guide
Fishing rules
The regulation holds no separate minimum size or closed season entry for this species. The provisions for Türkiye as a whole apply.
Before you go, check local area and method restrictions.
Species profile
- Scientific name
- Morone saxatilis
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Other names
- Striped bass
