Measuring Striped Bass

November 9, 2017

Question: The other day I caught a striped bass that was between 17 and 18 inches. When I opened the tail it measured 17 inches, but when I barely squeezed the tail, it measured 18 inches. What’s the proper way to measure striped bass? (Tou T.)

Answer: Legal-sized striped bass must measure at least 18 inches total length. Total length is defined in the regulations as “the longest straight-line measurement from the tip of the head to the end of the longest lobe of the tail” and specifies that the tip of the head “shall be the most anterior point on the fish with the mouth closed and the fish lying flat on its side” (CCR Title 14, section 1.62). The best way to measure fish to get the longest total length is to lay the fish down flat on a flat surface, pinch the mouth shut and measure to the longest point of the caudal (tail).