Striped Bass Bonanza: How to Target Holdover Stripers

Migrating striped bass are on their way up the coast, but the action for holdover bass can be spectacular.

May 05, 2025 By Kade Gewanter

The end of winter in New England is characterized by short days and cold nights, and even the idea of fishing a thawing trout stream can’t pry you from the recliner. The good news? There’s a cure for those doldrums: chasing holdover striped bass.

As most anglers know, striped bass have two distinct migration patterns. The first occurs in the spring when large biomasses of bass head up the coast from their southern wintering grounds in the Mid-Atlantic, stopping to spawn in Chesapeake Bay, the Hudson River and other large East Coast rivers. From there, these fish spend the summer along New England and into the Canadian Maritimes.

When temps begin to dip in the fall and baitfish head out of the backwaters and into inshore areas, the bass hit the road again, gorging their way south along the coast and putting on the pounds to prepare for the long winter ahead.

However, not all bass leave the Northeast in winter. Many experts cite early cold fronts that make the water too cold too quickly to start the migration as the culprit. Another common explanation is that some fish find themselves surrounded by enough bait that there is no need to head south.

The bulk of these holdover fish are in the “schoolie” size class, as they can handle cold northern temps better than the bigger-bodied specimens. Even though encountering large fish might be unlikely if not impossible, holdover striped bass fishing is a great way to cure what’s left of your winter blues.

HOLDOVER HEAVEN

Holdover hotspots can be as closely guarded as your uncle’s chili recipe, as anglers often log many hours finding worthwhile locations. Even with the tight-lipped nature of the pursuit, a few prime areas are known to produce reliable fishing.

Housatonic River, Connecticut

The Housatonic should be a familiar name to many anglers, stretching 150 miles and offering outstanding trout and smallmouth fishing in its northern reaches, along with large northern pike that patrol nearly every part of its flow. However, it’s the river’s southern stretch, from the Derby Dam to its confluence with Long Island Sound, that’s renowned for holdover striped bass. Some estimates suggest that tens of thousands of these fish settle in the river for the winter, making it a prime location for year-round angling.

To gain a boots-on-the-ground perspective of the fishery, I connected with Tim Aldrich, a seasoned New England bass guide and dedicated holdover angler. His passion runs so deep that he even has a dedicated boat for the task, one he doesn’t mind getting covered in road grime or dinged by drifting ice that forms during cold snaps. Aldrich mentions that for many anglers, seeing the sheer amount of striped bass present on electronics can be misleading.

“Normally, the fish at the top of the school or at either end are going to be most aggressive, with fish in the middle almost impossible to catch,” he says.

Like most gamefish, holdover striped bass respond well to weather shifts. A slight uptick in water temperature sets Housatonic River stripers into a feeding frenzy. A warm rain can have the same effect. As water temperatures begin to rise slightly, expect to see schools of striped bass start moving downriver toward Long Island Sound, where they’ll eventually merge with schools of fresh, spring-run fish.

Providence River, Rhode Island

While a mainstay for anglers targeting striped bass from spring to fall, the Ocean State has a few tricks up its sleeves when it comes to housing stripers through the winter, with the most heavily publicized fishery being the Providence River.

The Providence flows just 8 miles through downtown Providence, yet its lack of dams gives holdover striped bass plenty of freedom to roam. Anglers can take advantage of ample public access along the river, including parks, boat ramps and fishing piers.

For Rhode Island anglers looking to expand their winter striped bass fishing range, Rhode Island’s salt ponds are a network of shallow, brackish lagoons along the southern coast, running from roughly the town of Westerly almost to Narragansett Bay. These ponds are known for their unique mix of salt and freshwater habitats and abundant marine life, including juvenile fish, shellfish and crustaceans, making them good wintering areas for striped bass. Additionally, the ponds are shallow and sheltered, enabling them to retain warmth.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

No matter the season, it is impossible to talk about striped bass fishing without a mention of Cape Cod. While the holdover opportunities are not as prolific as in other areas of New England, there is certainly enough quality water to make the effort worthwhile. Anglers should begin the search by looking at the endless creeks and estuary zones in the region, especially in the westernmost part of the Cape. Any water that moves quickly can hold striped bass for 12 months out of the year. A classic starting point is the Bass River estuary system in the town of Yarmouth. Other holdover options in Massachusetts include the Charles and Mystic rivers, which occasionally produce spurts of quality action.

BASS BASICS

Rumors of holdover striped bass stretch as far north as Maine. If you’re looking to blaze your own trail, keep a few basics in mind. Striped bass seek refuge from the frigid open ocean, gravitating toward saltwater estuaries, marshes or creeks, especially those extending well inland from the beachfront. These areas should be at the top of your list. Pay attention to shallow, mud-bottom areas, which heat up faster and retain warmth longer than sandy or rocky bottoms. Even a slight rise in water temperature can attract fish and spark feeding activity.

Lastly, when water temperatures dip into the 40s, striped bass become increasingly dormant, slowing their metabolism to the point where feeding isn’t always necessary. While conventional wisdom suggests finding food to locate fish, conditions in the Northeast can mean that bait is scarce. Don’t hesitate to fish areas where there is seemingly zero available forage.

TACKLE AND TACTICS

Striped bass can be targeted in a wide variety of ways throughout the season, from trolling large-profile bunker spoons to live-lining giant pogies. However, winter and early spring is the time to tune your presentation to match the sluggish nature of striped bass during this period.

The simple combo of a jig head and soft plastic is, hands down, the most effective setup for targeting holdover stripers. Popular choices include fluke-style baits, Sluggos and swimbait profiles paired with a jig head heavy enough to fish the depth of water you find yourself in. To work the bait, subtle twitches or a slow drag can be effective, but be sure to experiment with a variety of cadences. From personal experience, there are times when a soft plastic, barely moved and almost dead-sticked, is the only thing that will get a bite. High-priced reels and custom rods are not needed for hooking holdovers; any medium-heavy rod paired with a 2500- or 3000-size spinning reel will do.

Other options, like umbrella rigs, are also effective, especially in the Housatonic. These rigs consist of a central frame with several arms holding hooks or small lures, often rigged with soft plastics like swimbaits or flukes. Designed to mimic a school of baitfish, umbrella rigs are ideal for targeting striped bass, especially in situations where fish are tightly grouped or so sluggish that they might not be willing to chase a single bait. You can fish the rig with slow retrieves or faster presentations to mimic fleeing baitfish. Also, suspending jerkbaits and metal-lipped swimmers on the smaller side are fantastic choices when working to cover water quickly.

Holdover striped bass fishing is not just reserved for conventional anglers. A cohort of fly-fishermen have been known to get in on the action as well, especially in small creeks and marshes that do not require extremely long casts. Presentations need to be fished low and slow for the most part, with popular fly patterns being those that are slender and made to imitate baitfish. Clouser minnows tied with dumbbell eyes to fish the lower portions of the water column are proven options. Anglers should come prepared with 8- to 9-weight fly rods spooled with a high-quality intermediate, slow-sinking line.