Bait fish used for striped bass in Massachusetts

One of the biggest head-scratchers for any striped bass angler in Massachusetts, whether you're new to the game or a seasoned pro, is figuring out what these elusive fish are actually eating. It's incredibly frustrating to spend hours casting without a bite, only to find out the stripers were gorging on a baitfish you didn't even know was in the area. This guide is all about demystifying the primary bait fish that striped bass key in on across our diverse Massachusetts waters, helping you "match the hatch" and significantly increase your chances of a successful catch.

Why Understanding Baitfish is Your Secret Weapon for Striped Bass

Think of striped bass as opportunistic gourmands. They don't just eat anything; they're constantly on the hunt for the most abundant and easiest meal available. If you can understand what's on their menu, where it is, and when it's there, you're not just fishing; you're strategically hunting. This isn't just about throwing any bait in the water; it's about making an informed decision that drastically improves your odds.

The "Match the Hatch" Philosophy for Stripers

The concept of "matching the hatch" isn't just for fly anglers chasing trout in a river. It's absolutely critical for striped bass fishing, too. Stripers are highly attuned to their environment. If they're accustomed to seeing schools of juvenile herring flashing through the estuaries, they're likely to ignore that big plug that doesn't resemble anything in their immediate food chain. Your bait, whether it's live, chunked, or artificial, needs to mimic the size, shape, color, and even the swimming action of the prevalent baitfish.

Ignoring what the stripers are currently feeding on is a surefire way to have a slow day. I've seen countless anglers throw their favorite lure, only to get skunked while someone else just a few yards away, using a bait that perfectly replicated the local forage, was consistently hooking up. It's a humbling but important lesson: the fish decide what's for dinner, not us.

How Baitfish Behavior Dictates Striper Movements

Understanding the behavior of baitfish is akin to knowing the tides – it's fundamental. Baitfish aren't just randomly swimming around; they follow specific patterns based on factors like water temperature, predator avoidance, and spawning cycles. For example, during certain times of the year, species like river herring make their annual migration up freshwater streams to spawn. This predictable movement creates prime ambush points for hungry striped bass waiting at the mouths of these rivers. Knowing when and where these migrations happen, like the famous River Herring Runs in Massachusetts, gives you a significant edge.

Similarly, schooling baitfish like menhaden or mackerel move in large, dense aggregations. Stripers will follow these schools for miles, pushing them into shallower waters or against structure to make them easier targets. By observing surface activity – birds diving, baitfish showering out of the water, or even subtle ripples – you can often pinpoint where the bait, and subsequently the stripers, are concentrated. Their behavior isn't just a detail; it's the entire roadmap to successful striper fishing.

Key Baitfish Species That Striped Bass Crave in Massachusetts

Massachusetts boasts a rich diversity of baitfish, and striped bass are opportunistic feeders that will feast on almost all of them. However, a few species stand out as consistent favorites that every striper angler should be aware of. Knowing these top contenders and how stripers interact with them is paramount.

Menhaden (Bunker) – The Fatty Favorite

Menhaden, commonly known as bunker, are perhaps one of the most important forage fish for large striped bass along the Atlantic coast, including Massachusetts. These oily, silvery fish are rich in protein and fat, providing a substantial meal for growing stripers. They travel in huge, dense schools, often found in bays, estuaries, and along the coastline. When you hear anglers talking about "bunker schools," they're talking about a prime feeding opportunity.

Striped bass will often herd these schools, pushing them to the surface or against a shoreline, creating explosive feeding frenzies. You'll see this activity indicated by diving birds or violent splashes on the surface. Live-lining a menhaden can be incredibly effective for enticing trophy-sized stripers. If live bait isn't an option, chunking fresh bunker is another proven tactic, as the oil and scent attract stripers from a distance. The intense pursuit of this bait is precisely Why striped bass chase menhaden with such vigor.

Mackerel – A Fast-Moving Feast

Mackerel, particularly Atlantic mackerel, are another highly prized baitfish for striped bass, especially in the cooler waters around Cape Cod and along the outer coast. These sleek, fast-swimming fish are often found in deeper, cooler waters offshore but will move closer to shore, particularly in spring and early summer. Stripers absolutely gorge on mackerel, often ambushing them in rips, around rocky structure, or in areas with strong current.

Anglers often catch mackerel themselves using sabiki rigs before live-lining them for stripers. A lively mackerel hooked through the nose or back, allowed to swim naturally near schools of stripers, can be incredibly effective. The speed and energy of a live mackerel are hard for a hungry striper to resist. Even chunked mackerel, with its firm flesh and oily scent, is a top-tier bait.

Herring (River Herring) – An Essential, Protected Forage

River herring, which include alewives and blueback herring, are a critical link in the food chain for striped bass. These anadromous fish spend most of their lives in the ocean but migrate into freshwater rivers and streams to spawn each spring. This migration draws immense numbers of striped bass to river mouths and coastal estuaries, creating some of the most anticipated fishing opportunities of the year.

While incredibly important as forage, it's vital to remember that river herring are a protected species in Massachusetts, and it is illegal to target, possess, or use them as bait. Anglers need to be extremely careful not to accidentally snag or harm them. Even though we can't use them directly as bait, understanding their migration patterns is key to locating hungry stripers. Look for stripers waiting at the mouths of rivers, anticipating the herring run. For more details on the restrictions, you can learn Whether you can keep river herring in Massachusetts.

Eels – The Nighttime Predator's Treat

American eels are a fantastic, hardy, and highly effective live bait for striped bass, especially after dark. Stripers are notorious nocturnal predators, and a wiggling eel presented in the right spot at night can be irresistible. Eels are particularly productive when fished around rocky structures, jetties, bridges, and strong currents where stripers lie in ambush.

Eels are incredibly tough, staying lively on a hook for a long time, which makes them a favorite for surfcasters and boat anglers alike. Many anglers buy eels from bait shops, or some might try to catch their own. When targeting larger stripers, selecting the right size eel is important. For guidance, consider checking out information on the Best eel size for live-lining striped bass.

Sand Eels (Sand Launce) – The Small But Mighty Meal

Sand eels, or sand launce, are small, slender baitfish that burrow into sandy bottoms. Despite their small size, they often occur in vast schools and are a major food source for striped bass, particularly in the surf and shallow coastal waters. When stripers are feeding on sand eels, they can be incredibly finicky, keying in precisely on the size and profile of this bait.

Matching the sand eel "hatch" often means using slim, unweighted soft plastic lures, small metals, or fly patterns that accurately imitate their appearance and erratic swimming action. If you find stripers busting on sand eels, throwing a big, clunky plug will likely be ignored. These smaller baits can be found in abundance near beaches and in shallow flats where they burrow for protection.

Squid – An Underestimated Delicacy

While not a typical schooling baitfish in the same way as menhaden or mackerel, squid (especially Atlantic Longfin Squid) are a huge part of the striped bass diet, particularly around the Cape and Islands during certain times of the year. Squid are a major food source for many marine predators, and stripers are no exception. They offer a substantial, protein-rich meal.

Freshly caught or thawed market squid, whether live-lined, drifted whole, or cut into strips and chunks, can be incredibly effective bait. Stripers often hunt squid at night, especially around bright lights on docks or boats where squid are attracted. Don't underestimate the power of squid when other baits aren't producing. Many anglers specifically target areas known for squid populations, knowing that stripers will be close by.

Small Forage Fish – The Foundation

Beyond these primary species, stripers will also readily consume a variety of smaller forage fish like silversides, spearing, and juvenile stages of other species. These ubiquitous baitfish form the base of the food web in many coastal environments. While not often used as direct bait by anglers, understanding their presence is crucial because many popular artificial lures are designed to imitate these smaller, shimmering fish.

When stripers are feeding on these tiny baits, a natural-looking, small profile lure or fly is often the ticket. They might seem insignificant, but a school of thousands of these small fish is an easy meal that stripers won't pass up.

How to Use Different Baitfish Effectively for Striped Bass

Once you understand which baitfish stripers are eating, the next step is knowing how to present that bait effectively. There’s an art and a science to it, whether you’re fishing with live bait, cut bait, or even artificial imitations.

The Art of Live Baiting

Live bait is often the most effective way to catch large, wary striped bass. The natural movement, scent, and distress signals of a live baitfish are almost irresistible.

• Menhaden (Bunker): When live-lining bunker, you'll typically hook them through the nose or just in front of the dorsal fin. If fishing from a boat, you can slow-troll them around structure or drift them through schools of stripers. For surfcasters, a sturdy circle hook with a minimum weight to cast, allowing the bunker to swim freely, is key. Keep your bunker lively in a good bait well – many options are available online, including on platforms like Amazon.
• Mackerel: Similar to bunker, mackerel are usually hooked through the nose or back. They are incredibly strong swimmers, so let them work for you. Drifting live mackerel in strong currents or over rocky reefs where stripers ambush prey is highly effective. Some anglers will use a light wire leader if bluefish are present, as bluefish will often chop a mackerel clean in half.
• Eels: Eels are tough and can be hooked through the lips or lower jaw, coming out through the top of the head. When fishing eels, particularly at night, cast them out and let them swim freely, giving them some slack line. Stripers will often pick up an eel and "run" with it before swallowing, so resist setting the hook too early. Wait until the striper is actively pulling line from your reel for a solid hookset.

The Power of Chunking

Chunking involves cutting larger baitfish into sections and drifting them with the current. This method is incredibly effective because the scent of the cut bait disperses widely, attracting stripers from a distance.

• Bunker & Mackerel Chunks: For chunking, menhaden and mackerel are prime choices due to their oil content and robust flesh. Cut the bait into 1-2 inch thick sections. Use a sharp, strong circle hook, burying the hook point in the fleshy part of the chunk. When fishing from a boat, anglers will often deploy a "chum slick" by cutting small pieces of bait and tossing them into the water to attract fish. This creates a scent trail that stripers follow right to your hooked chunks. Even from shore, casting a chunk into a rip or strong current can be very productive.
• Squid Chunks/Strips: Squid, while less oily than bunker, has a distinctive scent and firm texture that stripers love. Cut squid into strips or chunks. The strips can be particularly effective when fished on a jig head or as a trailer on a bucktail jig, mimicking small baitfish. Chunks can be drifted or fished on the bottom.

Imitating Baitfish with Artificial Lures

Sometimes, live or cut bait isn't practical or allowed, or stripers are aggressively chasing schools of bait on the surface. This is where artificial lures shine. Many lures are specifically designed to imitate the key baitfish species.

• Plugs: Topwater plugs (like poppers and walkers) mimic wounded baitfish on the surface, creating explosive strikes. Swimmer plugs imitate swimming baitfish just below the surface. Lipless or subsurface plugs are great for imitating larger baits like mackerel or bunker. Popular brands offer a wide array of these, and you can find a huge selection on sites like Amazon.
• Soft Plastics: Soft plastics, especially those rigged on jig heads, can accurately imitate sand eels, slender baitfish, or even juvenile eels. The key is to choose the right size and color and work them with a retrieve that mimics the natural movement of the baitfish. For surfcasters, a longer, slender soft plastic with a weighted jig head can be cast a long distance and worked slowly through the water column.
• Jigs: Bucktail jigs, metal jigs, and lead head jigs can imitate a variety of baitfish depending on their size, shape, and how they are worked. They are versatile and can be fished shallow or deep. Jigging techniques for vertical presentation can imitate a wounded or fleeing baitfish, often irresistible to stripers. If you're looking to stock up on different jig weights and styles, Amazon has countless options.

Remember, the goal with artificial lures is to make them look as natural as possible. Pay attention to retrieve speed, pauses, and twitches to bring your lure to life.

When and Where to Find These Baitfish (and the Stripers That Follow)

Knowing what baitfish stripers eat is one thing; knowing where and when to find that bait—and consequently, the stripers—is the real game-changer. Massachusetts' diverse coastline and estuaries offer a wide array of habitats for different forage species.

Seasonal Movements of Key Forage

Baitfish aren't static; they migrate and move based on water temperature, food availability, and spawning instincts. This seasonal ballet dictates where the striped bass will be.

• Spring (April-May): This is when the anadromous fish like river herring make their critical spawning runs. Striped bass often arrive in Massachusetts waters following these first major migrations, lingering at river mouths and in estuaries. You'll also start seeing the first schools of mackerel and smaller baitfish like sand eels becoming more prevalent in coastal areas. Understanding When striped bass arrive in Massachusetts waters is largely about understanding these early bait movements.
• Summer (June-August): As waters warm, menhaden (bunker) schools become more widespread in bays and along the coastline. Mackerel can still be found, often moving closer to shore in cooler pockets. Sand eels and other small baitfish are abundant in the surf and shallow flats. Eels are increasingly active, especially at night. This is a time of peak abundance for many forage species, leading to widespread striper activity.
• Fall (September-November): The "fall run" is legendary, driven by massive baitfish migrations south. Schools of menhaden, mackerel, and various other baitfish begin their southward journey, and striped bass follow suit, feeding aggressively to build up reserves for winter. This is a prime time for big schools of stripers to blitz on vast schools of bait. Knowing When striped bass leave Massachusetts in the fall means observing these large-scale bait movements.

Locating Baitfish in the Water

Finding the bait is often half the battle in locating striped bass. There are several ways to spot their presence:

• Visual Cues: Look for diving birds, especially gulls and terns, aggressively feeding on baitfish pushed to the surface. Observe boils, ripples, or splashes on the water's surface, which indicate feeding activity or large schools of baitfish being pushed around by predators. Along the beaches, look for "nervous water" or subtle disturbances, which can indicate schools of sand eels or other small baitfish.
• Electronics (Boat Anglers): Fish finders and sonar are invaluable tools for boat anglers. Learn to identify the distinct arcs or blobs that indicate schools of baitfish. Menhaden often show up as dense, expansive clouds on the sonar screen. Mark these spots and fish around them.
• Local Knowledge: Talk to other anglers, bait shop owners, and local fishing guides. They often have the most current information on where baitfish are concentrated and what stripers are feeding on. Online fishing forums and community groups can also be a great resource for real-time intel.
• Structure: Baitfish often congregate around structure for protection or because food sources (like plankton) gather there. Look for baitfish around jetties, rocky outcrops, underwater humps, channels, and tide rips. Striped bass will patrol these areas, waiting for an easy meal to be swept by.

By understanding the seasonal movements and knowing how to locate these crucial baitfish, you’ll be much better equipped to find and catch striped bass consistently in Massachusetts.

Baitfish Species	Primary Habitat	Best Time of Year	Best Presentation (for stripers)	Key Characteristics
Menhaden (Bunker)	Bays, estuaries, coastal nearshore	Summer, Fall	Live-line, Chunk	Oily, large schools, surface feeds
Mackerel	Cooler coastal waters, offshore (migratory)	Spring, Summer	Live-line, Chunk	Fast swimmers, oily
River Herring	Estuaries, river mouths (migratory)	Spring	Protected (forage only)	Anadromous, critical spring run
Eels	Muddy/rocky bottoms, estuaries	Summer, Fall	Live-line (especially at night)	Elongated, hardy
Sand Eels	Sandy beaches, shallow flats	Spring, Summer	Artificial (slim jigs, plastics)	Small, slender, burrowing
Squid	Coastal waters, nearshore, structures	Summer, Fall	Live, Chunk, Strips	White flesh, good scent, firm
Small Forage (Silversides, Spearing)	Shallow estuaries, surf, grass flats	Spring, Summer, Fall	Artificial (small plugs, soft plastics)	Small, shimmering, ubiquitous

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.