Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society

Fighting for Bass and Bass Anglers’ since 1973

Mad & Stripey !

Around this time of year a 2nd wave of B.A.S.S. anglers prepare for an annual pilgrimage. It’s the ‘fall run’ (‘autumn run’ as we’d say on this side of the Atlantic) of the American Striped Bass, and it provides a magnetic draw for anglers who are obsessed by catching these powerful magnificent bass! Back in Spring, several raiding parties from the B.A.S.S. ranks crossed the Atlantic with fly & lure rods to tackle these fish & did rather well.

Ian with a 32lb Striper
Our Chairman: Ian with a 32lb Striper caught on a surface lure !!

For some of our members, tomorrow morning will be their first cast into Striper waters. Martha’s Vineyard will be the venue, and the prestigious Striper Derby. Can our guys gain a foothold on the leader-board? Whilst they might dream of causing an upset, the real thrill will be the opportunity to connect with bass that we can only dream of in Europe. 20, 30, 40lb and bigger, these fish will test your tackle, buckle your rod in half, & as a European bass angler you finally get to know what a drag is designed to do!

This video is a snippet from the DVD ‘Montauk Rocks’. It provides a flavour of the environment over there, the passion, the madness & the anglers …..

Striped Bass can grow upwards of 70lbs, and the fishery is ‘managed’ with recreational anglers firmly in mind. The stocks were on the brink of collapse back in the late 70’s and early 80’s, but efforts by fisherman & through legislation created a management program to allow the stocks to recover. The recreational fishery for Stripers is a highly valued resource on the East Coast.

Oh, for those management measures in Europe !