Striped Bass
Morone saxatilis · also called Striper, Rockfish, Linesides
The striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is a large, stocked temperate bass in Central Texas reservoirs like Lake Buchanan, Lake Travis and Lake LBJ. Landlocked stripers school and chase shad, grow well into the double digits, and are a favorite target on summer night trips fishing the lighted docks and points.
Why: The striper — pure pulling power.
Evidence: Verified knowledge from Bryan Cotter, 26+ years guiding all 16 Central Texas lakes.
Related: Hybrid Striped Bass · White Bass · All Central Texas bass species
Verified Answered by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs guide · Updated Jul 12, 2026
Stripers are the strongest thing swimming in most of our lakes. Landlocked and stocked by TPWD, they roam open water in schools chasing shad and can pull drag like nothing else out here. Buchanan is a standout, and Travis, LBJ, Inks and Canyon all hold them. Some of the most fun we have is a summer night trip, sitting on lighted docks and points where the stripers pull up to feed after dark. Bring a little extra backbone — these fish don't quit.
Striped Bass at a glance
- Scientific name
- Morone saxatilis
- Family
- Moronidae
- Type
- Temperate Bass
- Typical size
- 4 lbs average
- Trophy size
- 20 lbs+
- Texas record
- 53 lbs — Brazos River (1999)
How to identify a Striped Bass
Silvery-white with a dark back and clean, bold black horizontal stripes.
- Seven to eight distinct, unbroken horizontal stripes
- Long, streamlined, silvery body
- Two separate tooth patches on the tongue
- Larger and more elongate than a white bass
Quick tell: Bold, unbroken stripes, a slim body and two tongue tooth-patches separate it from the deeper-bodied, fainter-striped white bass and the offset-striped hybrid.
Similar species: Hybrid Striped Bass · White Bass
Where to catch Striped Bass in Central Texas
Stocked and caught on Lake Buchanan, Lake Travis, Lake LBJ, Inks Lake and Canyon Lake.
Lake Travis · Lake Buchanan · Lake LBJ · Inks Lake · Canyon Lake
How we catch them
A open-water schooling predator that herds shad and feeds hard at dawn, dusk and after dark under lights.
Spawn: Spring (rarely reproduces in reservoirs; maintained by stocking) (around 58–68°F). Requires long flowing rivers to reproduce, so most reservoir populations are sustained by stocking.
Go-to techniques: Walking Topwater, Swimbait Fishing, Night Fishing, Offshore / Ledge Fishing.
Best lures: Walking Topwater (Spook), Swimbait, Glide Bait, Lipless Crankbait, Underspin.
Best seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.
The fight: Raw power — long, drag-screaming runs; the hardest-pulling fish in the lake.
Eating & regulations
Good eating and a legal harvest species within the limits.
Statewide striped bass bag and length limits vary by water — check current regulations before keeping any.
Striped Bass FAQs
What lake is best for striped bass near Austin?
Lake Buchanan is a Central Texas striper standout, and Travis, LBJ, Inks and Canyon all hold them too.
Do you do night trips for striped bass?
Yes — summer night trips fishing the lighted docks and points for stripers are some of the most fun (and coolest) trips we run.
Keep exploring
All Central Texas bass species · Guadalupe bass — the Texas state fish · Central Texas bass fishing guide · All 16 lakes we fish
Want to catch a Striped Bass? See trip rates and book, or call or text 512-762-0190.