White Bass

The top and the upper body of this fish are usually silvery-gray to blue with a white-to pale-green side. The white bass usually has faint horizontal stripes or lines on its sides, which can often be difficult to see. The front dorsal fin is slightly separated from the rear dorsal fin. Smaller individuals are sometimes confused with white perch; however, white bass have one tooth patch on the back of the tongue, while white perch do not. The white bass has a deeper-bodied silhouette and is considerably smaller than its cousin, the striped bass.

In North Carolina, white bass are native to the rivers in the western part of the state that flow to the Mississippi. However, they have been widely introduced into rivers that flow to the Atlantic Ocean, such as the Catawba and Yadkin rivers. White bass often travel in schools, chasing baitfish in the open waters of lakes and large rivers. As a result, they are rarely associated with cover. Schools of white bass often chase baitfish to the surface. This splashy commotion, often called “jumps,” provides great fishing to anglers who locate them. White bass are active feeders during the spawn and can be caught in great numbers at this time. Adults feed on zooplankton, aquatic insects, small fish, crayfish and other aquatic animals.