The white bass ( Morone chrysops ), also known as silver bass or sand bass, is a freshwater fish belonging to the temperate bass family Moronidae. Native to the central United States west of the Appalachians, including the Great Lakes and river systems in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys, this species has also been introduced to various locations as a sport fish and to control nuisance fish populations. White bass are commonly found in open surface waters of lakes, reservoirs, and pools in streams, generally avoiding turbid waters and preferring firm sandy or rocky bottoms. They are an important part of the local sport fishery anywhere within their range and are known for their aggressive feeding behavior and schooling tendency, making them relatively easy to catch.
Physical Characteristics and Identification
White bass are silvery, shading from dark-gray or black on the back to white on the belly. They have several incomplete lines or stripes running horizontally on each side of the body. These stripes, typically five to eight in number, are dusky black on the sides, with those below the lateral line being faint and sometimes uneven. Adults can resemble young striped bass, but white bass can be distinguished by having one tooth patch on the back of the tongue, while striped bass have two distinct patches. White bass are stockier than stripers, with a smaller head, and their dorsal fins are set closer together. They typically grow to a length of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) and weigh around 1 pound, though they can reach 17 inches (43 cm) or more. They have large, rough scales and two dorsal fins: the more anterior fin has spinous rays, while the posterior fin is soft-rayed. The white bass has a homocercal tail, meaning the vertebrae do not extend into the tail.
Spawning Habits
White bass are active early spring spawners, with spawning occurring between March and May when water temperatures range from 54 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (12 to 20 °C). Males migrate upstream to spawning areas in large schools, often to a dam or other barrier, as much as a month before females. Spawning takes place in moving water over shoals or hard bottoms, either near the surface or in midwater. Running water with a gravel or rock substrate is preferred. Females rise to the surface, and several males crowd around as eggs and sperm are released. Large females may release nearly a million small, adhesive eggs during the spawning season. These eggs sink to the bottom and attach to rocks, hatching in 2-3 days. There is no nest preparation, and the parents do not care for the young, moving into deeper water to resume feeding after spawning. Spawning generally takes place during daylight hours.
Diet and Feeding Habits
White bass are carnivores and visual feeders, with a diet that varies depending on their age and the availability of prey. Newly hatched white bass begin feeding on zooplankton, such as calanoid copepods, cyclopoid copepods, daphnia, and leptodora, before graduating to larger aquatic invertebrates as they grow.
Adult white bass are typically found in schools, feeding near the surface where fish, crustaceans, and emerging insects are abundant. Gizzard and threadfin shad are the preferred food items for adult white bass. Macroinvertebrates, such as corixids, amphipods, and dipterans, are also common prey items. Consumption of fishes increases with fish length. Common fishes found in their diets include fathead minnows and darters. Zooplankton composes a small portion of their diet, except for certain length groups during specific times of the year when zooplankton can compose a significant portion of their diet.
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White bass tend to avoid eating aquatic plants and focus on finding other organisms to eat. They are aggressive feeders, readily taking live bait such as worms and minnows. Only the largest fish will feed on other fish, and as the summer season progresses, there is an overall trend towards eating fewer fish.
Regional Variations in Diet
Studies have shown some regional variations in the diet of white bass. For example, in Lake Poinsett, South Dakota, macroinvertebrates were the most common prey items for white bass in all length groups during May and July. However, in September, fish became the most abundant prey item for larger walleye. Diet overlap between walleye and white bass was highest in May and declined throughout the summer.
Fishing for White Bass
White bass are popular among anglers due to their aggressive nature and schooling tendency. Schools of white bass feeding on shad create excitement in the fishing community. Successful anglers often fish the surface with spoons or spinners once a school has been located. Bottom fishing at night with live bait can also be productive. Light tackle, with flies, spinners, small plugs, or minnows for bait, is recommended. Small bait-fish imitating and attractor streamer fly patterns are effective for attracting white bass. White bass are strong fighters when hooked and can provide plenty of sport because of their tendency to move about in schools.
Conservation Status and Management
White bass are generally considered to be of little consequence in fishery management in some regions, such as Montana, where they are an introduced and infrequent resident. However, in other areas, such as Texas, white bass are among the most preferred species among licensed anglers. Maintaining healthy populations of white bass requires careful management of their habitat and prey resources.
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