“Herring” in the Northeast actually covers two different things, and both matter to anglers. Atlantic (sea) herring are an open-water schooling baitfish that feeds everything from cod to bluefin. River herring (alewife and blueback herring) are anadromous fish that pour up our coastal rivers each spring to spawn, and that run pulls big striped bass right in behind them.
Why they matter
Herring are a big, oily, high-value meal, so the biggest predators key on them. The spring herring run is one of the most reliable big-bass patterns of the year: as river herring stage off and push into river mouths and estuaries, the first cows of the season are right there feeding on them. Offshore, Atlantic herring are a staple forage for bluefin tuna and groundfish.
Where & when
- River herring run up coastal rivers and streams to spawn, generally March into May depending on water temperature. Herring runs and fish ladders are classic spring hotspots (to watch, not to harvest).
- Atlantic herring school in coastal and offshore water, thickest in the colder months, and are a primary bait on the offshore grounds.
How to match it
When fish are on herring, think big. A herring is a tall, wide, 8-to-12-inch meal, so downsizing usually hurts.
- Large soft-plastic swimbaits and paddletails
- Herring-profile plugs and glide baits
- Big flies: a tall Deceiver, flatwing, or bunker-style pattern on a 10-weight
Tip During the spring run, fish the current seams and eddies below herring runs, dams and river mouths, especially on a dropping tide when disoriented bait gets swept down to waiting bass.