Bay Journal

Earn your stripes answering rockfish questions

  • By Kathleen Gaskell on December 01, 2010
A new link between striped bass and the weather suggests stormy times are ahead for the fish.  (Dave Harp)

Striped bass are in the news because a recent survey of the population found low numbers of juvenile fish. How much do you know about these popular Chesapeake Bay fish?

1. What percentage of the Atlantic Coast's striped bass population uses the Chesapeake Bay to spawn?

A. 40-60%
B. 50-70%
C. 60-80%
D. 70-90%

2. While striped bass are found throughout the Chesapeake Bay, they tend to live in different areas during different seasons. Where are they most often found in spring?

A. Deep channels
B. Mid Bay
C. Mouth of the Bay
D. Upstream

3. Where are striped bass most often found in the winter and summer (same habitat)?

A. Deep channels
B. Mid Bay
C. Mouth of the Bay
D. Upstream

4. Striped bass spawn March through early May when water temperatures start to rise. What are the ideal water temperatures for spawning?

A. 40-48 degrees Fahrenheit
B. 48-55 degrees Fahrenheit
C. 55-68 degrees Fahrenheit
D. 58-63 degrees Fahrenheit

5. Most striped bass weigh from 3 to 40 pounds, although fish weighing 50-60 pounds are not unusual. The largest striped bass caught on record weighed 125 pounds. What is the record for the Chesapeake Bay?

A. 56.7 pounds
B. 67.5 pounds
C. 75.6 pounds
D. 76.5 pounds

6. As a rule, which is larger?

A. The female striped bass
B. The male striped bass

7. Striped bass tend to school by:

A. Age
B. Color
C. Gender
D. Size

8. Striped bass and white bass produce a popular hybrid. What are these fish commonly called?

A. Gray Bass
B. Liners
C. Strikers
D. Wipers

9. Which recent president designated the striped bass as a protected game fish in federal waters?

A. George H. Bush
B. George W. Bush
C. Bill Clinton
D. Barack Obama

10. In recent years, striped bass have been plagued by a disease that creates granulomas (whitish gray nodules) in the fish's spleen and kidneys. Frequently, the fish lose weight and develop skin ulcers. What is the name of this disease?

A. Dermo
C. Mycobacteriosis
D. Pfiesteria



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