Other Common Names:

Silver Bass, Striper, Sand Bass, Whitey, Dwarf Striper

State Record:

5 pounds 4 ounces

Identifying Features:

White bass have a blue-gray back with silver sides that have about 5 to 7 bold horizontal stripes above the lateral line. White bass have separated dorsal fins and a protruding lower jaw.

Typical Adult:

Length: Up to 15 inches
Weight: Up to 3 pounds
Life span: Up to 6 years

Habitat:

White bass inhabit large lakes connected to major river systems or big rivers with moderate current and are found throughout the Midwest, including the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, as well as some southern and southwestern states down to the Gulf of Mexico. The preferred water temperature is 65-75 °F.

Feeding Behavior:

White bass prefer shad and emerald shiners but will eat any fish available, as well as insect larvae and crayfish. Their heaviest feeding times are at dawn and dusk.

Reproductive Behavior (Spawning):

When: Spring
Preferred Water Temperature: 58-64 °F
How: The white bass swim upstream in rivers or shoal lakes to a barrier, such as a dam, and drop eggs in light current, over weeds, debris, and rock. The adults abandon the eggs. Up to a million eggs are spawned.

Did You Know:

The white bass is one of only three members of the bass family found in Oklahoma.