This week on the Fishing News, CAI's John Basile talks with Kevin Blinkoff of On the Water magazine about the effects of the late September storm on Striper Fest and the fall migration of striped bass.
With weather conditions expected to be dangerous, the Sept. 26 Striper Fest on the Falmouth waterfront had to be called off. It's a 21-year tradition sponsored by On the Water magazine, but conditions will be too dangerous to expect people to gather for an outdoor event.
There are some possible upsides to the storm.
Before large storms, when the wind starts blowing and the barometric pressure is changing, you can sometimes get a tremendous feeding response. Baitfish get pushed against beaches or into certain areas, the water gets stirred up, and striped bass and bluefish can become very aggressive.
But no fish is worth risking life and limb in dangerous conditions.
After the storm, anglers will watch for signs that the fall migration of striped bass has begun.
We're at the time of year when striped bass that spent the summer farther north in New England begin moving south. Ultimately, many of those fish are headed through our waters and then down toward Long Island and the New Jersey coast as part of their fall migration.
A major weather event at the end of September—strong northeast winds, big seas, cooling water—can really change conditions quickly and get bait and striped bass moving.
For the latest in fishing trends visit https://onthewater.com/
