White BassDescription The color of a white bass is silvery with a dark grayish-green back. It also has four to 10 dark stripes that run lengthwise on its sides, only one of which extends to the tail. The head is small and pointed with a large mouth and yellow eyes. Fins tend to be nearly clear and the dorsal fin is separated into a spiny and a soft-rayed section. The anal fin has about a dozen rays. White bass can also be identified by a single tooth patch on the tongue. White bass can be easily confused with striped bass, hybrid striped bass, yellow bass, and even white perch. However, they are generally smaller in size and more silvery in color than other bass and have striping that the white perch generally lack. Where They Live White bass are freshwater fish that are migratory in nature. They spend most of their lives in the open-water portions of lakes . These fish will migrate to deeper water as temperatures warm. They are found in greatest numbers in large areas of water that is at least 10 feet deep. What They Eat White bass consume large quantities of prey fish and are, therefore, constantly on the move in search of food. Their favored selections are shad, silversides, yellow perch and sunfish. They will supplement their diets with crustaceans and insects. They have also been known to eat their own young. White bass often make a great commotion when they feed, especially at the surface, which experienced anglers will look for. When They Spawn When water temperatures rise above 45 degrees F, between February and June, white bass migrate up rivers and streams seeking gravel or rocky bottom areas to begin spawning activity. Males arrive at the spawning grounds about one month ahead of females. Rather than build nests, white bass spawn in mid-water. As the males and the female move toward the surface of the water, the female releases 62,000 to one million eggs that are rapidly fertilized. .
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