Photo by Keith Sutton

The lilacs were blooming, and four generations had gathered to enjoy a Mother’s Day brunch at Capt. Jay Martin’s house, not far from the picturesque Hudson River. It was a gorgeous day and the tide was right, so the good captain suggested they spend the afternoon pursuing stripers downriver from the Rhinecliff Bridge.

Before the afternoon was over, a near-exhausted Rosalu Martin was smiling broadly as she held aloft a 40-inch striper that had mistaken a deep-swimming plug for an alewife!

Perhaps it was the magic of spring, when countless striped bass of all sizes run in the river all the way from the Battery on north to Troy Lock. The fish were making their annual spawning run, a period of six weeks from early May through mid-June, when the weather and water temperature stimulate them into action.

Shortly thereafter, they vacate the river, populating Atlantic waters and the myriad bays and rivers that flow into it from New Jersey to Maine, during summer and fall.

Rosalu’s hefty female was only one of many stripers, some as small as 3 pounds, with many in the 20- to 30-pound class, that were brought to the family boat during spring 2006.

Capt. Martin was pleased with his fishing success. Although he has experienced better and poorer seasons in the past, he thought that last year’s population of stripers of varied sizes augured well for the future.

“We caught fish of all sizes, and there were many days when the electronic fish finder showed fish in all depths of the water column,” he said.

“Just about the only negative of the season was weather. When the water temperature is too slow in warming, or impacted by a cold snap or heavy rain runoff, it inhibits spawning and subsequent survival rates of striped bass fry.”

Cathy Hattala, a biologist with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 3 Hudson River Fisheries Unit -- call them at (845) 256-3071 -- said that 2006 was a normal season, but she pointed out that weather-related events hurt the fishing somewhat. She added there were plenty of big striped bass in the river. But as with fishing everywhere, the veteran anglers scored best, simply because they knew the water and how to respond to the various conditions they encountered.

She noted an important consideration that anglers often overlook was the herring migration into the river -- which, along with alewives, provides an important forage base for stripers as they’re about to spawn.

Hattala noted that the male and female stripers are usually found separated at spawning time, with the smaller males being easier to catch. Once conditions reach optimum levels, the fish proceed with spawning.

Many knowledgeable scientists agree that the Hudson River’s striped bass population has stabilized. The recreational kill has been increasing annually. Stock assessments are conducted annually, and recent surveys show that 2001 and 2003 were extraordinary years for recruitment.

Much of the success and improvement of the Hudson River striped bass fishery can be attributed to strict adherence to Amendment 6 of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. (For details, interested anglers can log onto ASMFC.org).