White Bass Morone chrysops

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White BassMorone chrysops
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Identification

• Laterally compressed
• Color blue/gray to silvery
• Incomplete black lines or stripes run
  horizontally
• White belly
• Double dorsal fine
• Spiny in front, 9 spines
• Soft rayed in back
• 1-3 pounds

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Distribution

• Native to the central U.S. west of the
  Appalachians
• Including the Great lakes, Ohio and Mississippi
  River valleys
• Found throughout the state in medium to large
  rivers
• Most of Iowas larger lakes and Reservoirs

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Habitat

• Open water
• Often found roaming large open waters in large
  schools
• Ideal temp 65-75 degrees F
• Clear water
• Firm bottom
• Less than 30 feet deep

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Diet

• Small fish
• Gizzard shad
• Threadfin shad
• Larger insects
• Juveniles feed on small invertebrates

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Reproduction

• Spawn in late April and May
• Migrate up tributary streams
• Females broadcast eggs in open water
• Fertilized by males in the open water
• Eggs hatch in two weeks

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Conservation Status

• Common to Iowa waters
• State record 3 pounds 14 ounces from West Okoboji
• Population overall is stable
• High or no bag limits in most waters
• Mississippi River bag limit is 25 per day
• No bag limit in other waters of the state

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Economic and Recreational Importance

• 5th most preferred species among Texas anglers
• Popular sport fish in Iowa
• Fight hard
• Easy to catch
• Taste good

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Ecological Importance

• Important predator
• Juveniles are often preyed upon by larger white
  bass and other predators

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References

• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/species/wt
  b/wtb.htm Nov. 5 2004
• http//www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/whb-card.htm
  Nov. 5 2004
• http//www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquano
  tes-fishid/whtebass.htm Nov. 5 2004

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Striped Bass x white bass hybrid (Morone chrysops
x Morone chrysops hybrid)by Matt Hangsleben

• Identificationdeep flat body, small head and
  distinct back arch of white bass dark gray or
  blue silvery body and thick dark longitudinal
  body stripes of ocean striped bass.
• Wiper White Bass
• 2 tongue patches tongue patch
• Stripes distinct broken stripes often
  faint
• Seldom exceeds 10 lbs seldom exceeds 3 lbs
• 1st stripe below lateral line 1st stripe
  below lateral line
• Complete not distinct or complete

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Striped Bass x white bass hybrid (Morone chrysops
x Morone chrysops hybrid)

• DistributionPool 14 of Mississippi River,
  Saylorville Reservoir and Des Moines River, Red
  Rock, Big Creek
• Habitat slow moving streams, large reservoirs,
  lakes, ponds, pelagic

Dietgizzard shad, silversides, sunfish, insects,
zooplankton and crustaceans Reproduction temps
15-20 C, 160,000 eggs per lb, males 2 yrs, female
3 yrs
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Striped Bass x white bass hybrid (Morone chrysops
x Morone chrysops hybrid)

• Conservation Status Abundant, stocked, not
  endangered
• Economic/ Recreational Sport fish, 4 aquaculture
  producers in Iowa, replacing striped bass in food
  fish industry

Iowa DNR
Ecological Importance Shad control Other 18
pounds, 15 ounces, feed in schools
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References
Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 1994. Iowa
DNR Fish and Fishing Available at
http//www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/iafish.html.
August 2004 Hodson, R.G. Hybrid striped bass
biology and life history. Southern Regional
Aquaculture Center. Available at
http//aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/300
fs.pdf. July 1989 Hodson, R.G. and M. Hayes.
Hybrid striped bass pond production and foodfish.
Southern Regional Aquaculture Center. Available
at http//aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/
303fs.pdf. July 1989. Alabama Department of
Natural Resources. 2004. Fishing. Available at
http//www.dcnr.state.al.us/fishing/freshwater/fi
sh/basstemperate/hybrid.cfm