Striped Bass Fishing Blitz off of Seaside Heights New Jersey

Описание: A striped bass feeding blitz (or "striper blitz") is an aggressive, coordinated feeding frenzy where large schools of striped bass trap baitfish against the water's surface or the shoreline. These events are highly prized by anglers because the bass lose their typical caution, often attacking anything thrown into the water.
Key Characteristics of a Blitz
Surface Action: The intense feeding creates a "boil" on the surface, making the water look like it is churning or boiling as fish slash through bait.
The Role of Birds: For fishermen, diving birds (like seagulls and terns) are the most reliable indicators of a blitz. The birds hover and dive to pick off injured or dazed baitfish forced to the surface by the bass.
Coordinated Hunting: Striped bass often work as a team to herd bait into "bait balls," using their collective mass to pin prey against natural barriers like beaches, jetties, or the water's surface.
Typical Prey: Common baitfish targeted during a blitz include menhaden (bunker), herring, mackerel, anchovies, or silversides.

When and Where They Occur
Seasonal Timing: Blitzes are most frequent during the spring and fall migrations (often called the "fall run") as fish move along the Atlantic coast.
Hotspots: They are famous along the Northeast U.S. coast, particularly at the Cape Cod Canal, the beaches of New Jersey, and the Chesapeake Bay.
Freshwater Blitzes: While primarily a saltwater phenomenon, striped bass in large reservoirs (like Lake Mead or Lake Powell) also form blitzes when targeting schools of threadfin shad.
Why Birds Are Critical
Birds often find the bait before people do. When you see a "bird show"—a large group of birds hovering, screaming, and diving in one concentrated area—it almost always indicates that predatory fish have pushed a school of bait to the surface

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