They can be caught on light to medium tackle using jigs, spoons, live minnows and most lures imitating bait fish.

Hybridization

The Whiterock Bass is a hybrid of the White Bass (Morone chrysops) and the Striped Bass, (Morone saxatilis). The Striped bass spends most of it’s life in the ocean, coming into rivers and streams to spawn, though some lakes and reservoirs have been stocked with them. However, the White Bass is a fresh water bass, never going into the ocean, which makes it even more remarkable that these two species are able to mate and produce off spring.

Normally, hybrid fish are not able reproduce. However, while this is true in most cases for the Whiterock Bass, it is not completely true. The Whiterock Bass can reproduce if one of the parents is a pure strain: either 100% striped bass or 100% white bass.

But it is not a true Specie

Normally we would not add a hybrid species as they do not have their own classification. However, there is plenty of interest in this fish. There is a lot of documented information about the in books, publications and fishing circles, we feel there is enough interest to warrant a section dedicated to the Whiterock Bass.

Spawning Migration

The Whiterock Bass spawn in streams and rivers when the water temperature reaches the mid 50s. Natural spawning results is only a few whiterock bass.

Like the White Bass, the Whiterock Bass feel the need to migrate within the freshwater watershed. Whiterock bass are created by by fertilizing female white bass eggs with sperm from male striped bass.

Like their parents, they prefer water temperatures from 70°F to 78°F. Wipers excel in the warmer waters of the southern region. They tend to school like both parent species and feed primarily on shad and other bait fish.

They can be caught on light to medium tackle using jigs, spoons, live minnows and most lures imitating bait fish. Look for these hybrid striped bass near the middle sections of the lake over deep water. Fish for them as you would their parent, the striped bass.