THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE STRIPED BASS, OR ROCKFISH, 
Roccus saxatilis (WALBAUM) 1 
By John C. Pearson, Assistant Aquatic Biologist, 
United States Bureau of Fisheries 
CONTENTS 
Page 
Introduction 825 
Distribution 826 
Abundance 827 
Spawning grounds 829 
Spawning season 830 
Size and age at maturity 830 
Eggs and young 831 
Growth 837 
Food habits 839 
Movements 840 
Fishery 845 
Summary 848 
Bibliography 849 
INTRODUCTION 
The purpose of this Bulletin is to review a considerable amount of scattered 
information on the life history of the striped bass, or rockfish, and to present data 
collected by the author during the course of a study of the spawning habits and 
migrations of the fish in Chesapeake Bay during 1930-31, and in the Roanoke River, 
N. C., during May 1937. 
The striped bass ranks close to the immortal codfish in the vital part which our 
fishery resources played in early American history. 
In the year 1623 the Plymouth colonists had but one boat left, and that none of the best, which 
then was the principal support of their lives, for that year it helped them for to improve a net where- 
with they took a multitude of bass, which was their livelihood all that summer — Hubbard (1815). 
The striped bass astonished the early settlers in New England by its abundance 
and choice food qualities. 
The Basse is an excellent Fish, both fresh and Salte. They are so large, the head of one will 
give a good eater a dinner, and for daintiness of diet, they excell the Marybones of Beefe. There 
are such multitudes, that I have seene stopped into the river close adjoining to my house with a 
sande (seine) at one tide, so many as will loade a ship of 100 tonnes — Morton (1637). 
The striped bass and the codfish were probably the first natural resources in 
colonial America that were subject to conservation measures enacted by statute. 
1 Bulletin No. 28. Approved for publication July 28, 1937. 
825 
