NOTES ON STRIPED BASS 

 By J. P. Snyder. 



As Mr. S. G. Worth in his reports to the Bureau of 

 Fisheries and to this society in years past has fully cov- 

 ered the method of handling striped bass there remains 

 but little for me to tell. 



This fish, as is well known, leaves the sea and ascends 

 our coast rivers each spring to deposit their eggs. Those 

 entering the Roanoke River collect on the sand and gravel 

 bars below the rapids at Weldon, N. C. Here they as- 

 semble in large numbers, moving but little until the water 

 temperature reaches 67 or 68 degrees Fahr. Then they 

 become active, ripen quickly and immediately begin 

 spawning. If the water is clear enough for the males to 

 find the females there will usually be a dozen or more 

 around each female when in the act of spawning, for at 

 such times, almost invariably, a number of male fish, per- 

 haps a dozen or more, are taken in the same lift with a 

 female. This is the exception when the water is muddy. 

 In spawning the female seeks the sand beds where she 

 frequently comes to the surface and vigorously lashes the 

 water with her tail. 



The fishing is done with bow nets which are very simi- 

 lar to landing nets, only larger, being about seven feet 

 in diameter and having a handle about twelve or fifteen 

 feet long. Formerly all the fishing was done from dug- 

 outs, but in recent years gas boats have replaced them to 

 some extent. 



Previous to the spawning season the Bureau of Fish- 

 eries establishes numerous depots along this part of the 

 river where pans, buckets and dippers are stored for the 

 use of fishermen in taking and caring for the eggs un- 

 til they are delivered at the Bureau's hatchery near Wel- 

 don. Formerly spawn-takers were employed to take the 

 eggs, but recently all the eggs have been taken by the 

 fishermen. When a female fish is caught she is immedi- 

 ately examined, and if ripe, the men hurry to the nearest 

 depot. While still alive the abdomen of the fish is ripped 



