Striped bass is a not so common saltwater fish with distinct stripes found on the Atlantic coast. It is mostly seen in different locations in the USA. Unlike the white bass’s one tooth patch, striped bass has two tooth patches in the back of its tongue. There are many other intriguing facts about striped bass, and we have compiled 15 of them and discussed them right below.
Are Striped Bass Good to Eat?
Striped bass meat is generally flaky, tender, and a bit too oily for many people’s liking. But if cooked properly, removing the bloodline from the flesh and adding the right quantity of spices, then striped bass is delicious. So, are striped bass good to eat, not just good, they can be heavenly in taste. But there remains the condition of following the right recipe and correct way of cleaning the flesh.
13 Fascinating Facts about Striped Bass
Striped basses have different names. Many get confused with all the names it has. To get it straight, be it the rockfish, striper, Atlantic striped bass, Morone saxatilis, linesider, or simply rock, these are all, in actual, the same fish, which is the striped bass.
Life Span
Fishes, in general, are not a species that lives longer. But that is not the case when it is Striped bass. Striped bass fish can live up to 30 years. When other fishes have five to seven years of life span, 30 years is a long life span. So, striped bass gets its place in the category of long-lived fish species.
Habitat
Striped bass doesn’t stay in one place for a long time. It migrates from freshwater to the ocean and vice versa. But mainly they remain in the ocean. The open water right beside the shores, ponds, lakes, rivers, and beaches is their favorite spot of roaming. If they are kept in the freshwater, they can continue living there without any issue. Many rivers, lakes, and ponds have become a regular habitat for striped basses. However, that is not natural. Striped basses are born to spend their adult lives in the ocean barring the spawning period.
Health Benefits
Striped bass contains protein in abundance. Not just that, it contains heme iron and vitamin B-12 too. So, eating striped bass increases our metabolism and energy, also there will be no iron deficiency in the body.
Versatile
You can poach, deep fry, grill, pan-fry, saute, broil or smoke the striped bass. This one is a versatile fish and tastes good, too, if cooked in all the different methods. Overcooked striped bass can taste awful, so once it turns opaque and doesn’t look translucent or raw, you know you have cooked it perfectly. It might take a mere five minutes to prepare a striped bass. But, of course, the timing varies depending on the method. So, it is not just versatile but a fast cooking fish too.
State Fish
Striped bass is a popular fish among the East Coasters. The popularity level is such that it is the state fish of seven of the 14 states that belong to the Atlantic coast or east coast.
Game Fish
Anglers love striped bass. Thus it stands at top among the popular game fishes. They are found in abundance, but these strong, feisty fishes throw challenges to the anglers by not making it easy for them to catch them.
Bait
These are some smart fishes. So, artificial baits are not a very good idea to catch striped basses. Rather, use live baits, and the chances of them taking the bait will be way higher.
Eats Everything
Striped basses eat everything. From bloodworms, sandworms, to eels, squid, menhaden, shrimp, and mackerel, striped bass eat every fish bait possible.
Spawning
Striped bass is the fish of the anadromous category. The term anadromous implies the fishes that wander from freshwater to ocean and again to freshwater, continuing the cycle. That means striped fishes can survive both in saltwater and freshwater. They mainly migrate to freshwater while spawning. After spawning, they return to their usual habitat- the ocean.
Reproduction
The females are ready to spawn when they are about five to six years. And the male species of the striped bass need two to three years to mature.
Expensive
Compared to regular fishes like tuna, salmon, and similar common but delicious fishes, striped bass is expensive. The reason is- striped basses are caught only a few months a year in general, unlike the other common fishes. Also, striped fish not being as common as tuna and salmon plays its part too in it being comparatively pricey.
High In Mercury
Mercury omissions of the industries in the oceans are increasing at an alarming rate. And the biggest possessor of these harmful toxins are fishes like striped bass. Now you might be wondering why the striped bass.
There are other fishes also, for instance, the swordfishes, sharks, and suchlike, which bear the mercury in them at a high quantity.
One thing that is common in all these fishes, including the striped bass is they belong to long-lived species. The more these predators live, the more mercury they bear.
A Risky Fish
We have already discussed how striped bass is high in mercury. You do not eat stuff that contains mercury in it. Not just mercury, striped mass contains other heavy metals and a harmful toxin like polychlorinated biphenyls, too, which is a hub of danger.
So, in the case of striped bass, the size and age matter when it comes to striped basses being safe for eating. Massive and older striped basses gather heavy metal in them to a large quantity. No matter how well you cook them, the heavy metals and toxins in them are going nowhere.
So, unless you are getting an 18 t0 36 inches striped bass, do not think of eating it. They taste terrible and have a weird texture to it after cooking.
Striped basses larger than the said size are especially risky for kids and women who are conceivable or already conceived. Once a week is just fine, but not more than that.
So, striped bass as a species is fascinating. A fish that can continue existing both in a massive ocean or a small pond. A fish that is so tasty but has a risk factor to it. Also, a fish that is favorite for the anglers found in abundance but not easy to catch. And the fascination continues.
