Striped bass are in trouble - and new research reveals the cause

From May to November, the Northeast enters its unofficial fifth season: striper season. Migrating striped bass – brawny fish that can top 100 pounds – draw an army of anglers and pump billions into coastal economies. Yet despite the fact that most fish are released, the stock is faltering.

Two new studies led by experts at the University of Massachusetts Amherst identify which catch-and-release habits are most stressful for fish.

The research reveals a gap between what anglers know and what they actually do on the water.

Hidden risks of striped bass release

Recreational anglers catch far more striped bass than commercial fleets, and management rules mean the vast majority are returned. Still, abundance is sliding toward collapse.

To understand why, the UMass team examined how tactics affect fish physiology after release and, separately, how real anglers handle their catch.

Guides, club members, and tournament participants partnered with the scientists across two seasons.

Using flies, single-hook lures, treble-hook swimmers, and conventional surf gear, the team landed 521 stripers.

The researchers timed each fight, ran reflex tests at landing and before release, and then controlled one variable: the time a fish spent out of water – 0, 10, 30, 60, or 120 seconds.

When striped bass leave the water

A subset of fish carried triaxial accelerometer biologgers for 20 minutes post-release, providing fine-scale records of swimming and recovery.

Air exposure emerged as the strongest driver of post-release stress and impaired movement.

Warm water, longer fights, and nonjaw hook placements further slowed recovery. Fish released immediately or after only 10 seconds retained most reflexes and resumed normal swimming quickly.

Those exposed to air for 60 seconds took roughly eight to ten minutes to recover comparable activity.

Individuals held out for 120 seconds never returned to baseline during the observation window. Size magnified the toll: larger fish – often big females critical for reproduction – were disproportionately affected.

Science-backed angler tips

Across gear types and conditions, the same pattern held. Keeping fish in the water as much as possible made the single biggest difference.

Stronger tackle that shortened fights reduced physiological stress. Single hooks sped unhooking and lowered the chance of foul-hooking in sensitive tissues.

Avoiding the hottest water periods also paid dividends, because elevated temperatures amplify post-release fatigue and mortality risk.

Each of these choices showed up directly in accelerometer traces and reflex scores, linking behavior to measurable outcomes for the fish.

What anglers know vs. do

The team also asked how widely such practices are adopted. A survey of 1,651 striped bass anglers (mostly in Massachusetts) split responses between conventional and fly fishers and asked about perceived harms, habits, and management attitudes.

On average, fly anglers reported more conservation-minded behavior, higher concern about stock status, and stronger support for tighter rules. A larger share of conventional anglers said they routinely lift fish from the water for photos or unhooking.

The gap doesn’t imply that one group is universally careful and the other careless, but it highlights how knowledge does not always translate into action – especially around air exposure, which the physiology work flagged as pivotal.

What anglers can change right now

The path forward is practical and immediate. Shorter fights, quicker unhooking, and wet releases are achievable on any tide. Photographing fish partially submerged rather than hoisted overhead trims crucial seconds of air time.

Choosing single-hook lures or pinching barbs speeds release and limits injury. Planning trips around cooler windows reduces cumulative stress. And giving extra care to large breeders safeguards the reproductive backbone of the stock.

None of these steps require new technology or regulations. They rely on habits that anglers can adopt today.

Keeping striped bass season alive

Striped bass underpin a coastal culture – guides, tackle shops, boatyards, and the countless dawn patrols that define summers from the Chesapeake to the Gulf of Maine.

The new science makes clear that catch-and-release isn’t automatically benign, but depends on how the release is done.

If anglers match their passion for the fish with small, science-grounded changes, the next generation can inherit a striper season that still feels like a season of its own.

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