"March is when we tell people to buy striped bass," says Michael Cicero, who's been selling fish at New England Fish Market in Boston for 28 years. "February they're still soft from winter. By May they're getting ready to spawn and the flesh gets mushy." The optimal window is mid-March through early April when Atlantic stripers migrate north and are at their firmest. What Your Eyes Should See Look for bright silver skin with no browning around the gills. The flesh should be translucent, not milky. Press your finger against the side—it should spring back immediately. If the indentation stays, the fish has been handled poorly or frozen multiple times. Ask your fishmonger about origin: Atlantic stripers from the Chesapeake Bay have sweeter flesh than Hudson River populations due to diet differences. The fish shouldn't smell oceanic—it should smell like nothing, like clean water. Cicero recommends avoiding striped bass from June through August when they spawn, making the meat less desirable. Winter months mean fish have burned through their fat reserves. Once you've purchased your striped bass, use it within 24 hours. The delicate flesh degrades faster than cod or halibut.