Features and behaviors from the White Bass Fish Identifier
White Bass Fish Identifier general boundaries are the St. Lawrence River in the east; Lake Winnipeg in the north; the Rio Grande in the west; and northwest Florida and Louisiana in the south. The White Bass is stocked within and outside its natural range. In Florida, white bass are found primarily in the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee river systems; however, rare specimens have been located in the Escambia and Yellow rivers.
The white bass is a fan favorite of springtime anglers. These prolific spawning fish make their annual migration runs in the thousands giving anglers the opportunity to catch fish in bulk. White bass require very basic fishing equipment making them an easy target for anglers of all experience levels!
Fish Identifier
White Bass Fish
The white bass looks similar to a shortened version of its larger relative, the striped bass. It is silvery-white overall with five to eight horizontal dusky black stripes along the sides. Stripes below the lateral line are faint and often broken in an irregular pattern. It differs most noticeably in being shorter and stockier with a smaller head, and the dorsal fins are set closer together. The white bass has a deep body, strongly arched behind head; deepest between dorsal fins.
White bass are widely distributed throughout North America. In Canada, white bass are found in Quebec, Manitoba and Hudson Bay (Red River). They are also found in the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay and the St. Lawrence River, which is on the border of Canada and the United States. In the U.S., white bass range from the Mississippi River Basin down to Louisiana and into the Rio Grande River in Texas and New Mexico.
Diet:
White bass may grow eight or nine inches during the first year. Adults are usually found in schools. Feeding occurs near the surface where fish, crustaceans, and emerging insects are found in abundance. Gizzard and threadfin shad are the preferred food items.
Habitat:
White bass are found in large lakes and streams connected to major river systems and in rivers with moderate current. They prefer clear water with a temperature range of 65 to 75 degrees. Man-made impoundments have greatly favored the white bass, but the species is one that can become overabundant and stunt.
Angling:
White bass are hard hitting, fierce fighting fish. Their aggressive nature combined with their schooling tendency make them one of the easiest fish to catch. Several tips to white bass anglers should include: use light tackle for maximum enjoyment; use flies, spinners, small plugs or minnows for bait; and locate feeding schools which usually occur toward evening in shallow areas.
Curly tail grubs, baby shad, paddletail swimbaits, inline spinners, spoons, slabs, Super Dupers, blades, lipless crankbaits, diving crankbaits, jerkbaits and hair jigs in shades of white, silver and/or chartreuse are all effective lures.