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White Bass

White Bass

White Bass are common to abundant throughout the Mississippi River and lower reaches of its tributaries, with sizable populations in flood control reservoirs like Red Rock, Rathbun, and Coralville.

They're also found in the Missouri River system and natural lakes including Storm, East and West Okoboji, Spirit, Clear, and Blackhawk lakes.

Physical Characteristics:
  • White Bass in Iowa are slab-sided, blue-gray to silvery fish with 5-7 longitudinal dark body stripes that are typically interrupted but not sharply broken.
  • They have two separate dorsal fins and grow 4-6 inches in the first year, 9-10 inches in the second year, and 12-14 inches by the third year.
  • They seldom live beyond 4 years or exceed 2-3 pounds.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Common to abundant throughout the Mississippi River and lower reaches of its tributaries, Missouri River system and natural lakes including Storm, East and West Okoboji, Spirit, Clear, and Blackhawk lakes.

Key Locations

  • Des Moines River below dams, Mississippi River pools (especially 12-19), major reservoirs like Red Rock, Rathbun, Coralville, and Saylorville, and natural lakes such as Spirit Lake, Storm Lake, and the Okoboji chain.

Specific Spots

  • Target wind-blown shorelines, rocky points, bridge pilings, and areas where you see diving gulls indicating feeding schools.
  • In rivers, fish below rock riffles and current breaks.
  • They prefer deep, quiet pools of medium to large rivers and mid-water environments of lakes and reservoirs with sand and gravel bottoms in clear to slightly turbid water.

White Bass FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for White Bass in Iowa?

1/8-ounce white and yellow jigs, white twister-tail jigs, small crankbaits in shad patterns, spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, small spoons, spoons and slabs.

What flies work for White Bass in Iowa?

Clouser Minnows, Deceiver patterns, and small baitfish flies in white, chartreuse, and shad colors.

When is the best time to fish for White Bass in Iowa?

The best White Bass fishing in Iowa occurs from late March through early May during their spawning runs. They spawn from April through mid-June at water temperatures between 58-70 degrees. Avoid fishing during spawning periods (April-June) when fish are concentrated for reproduction rather than feeding.

How do you catch White Bass in Iowa?

Use 1/8-ounce white and yellow jigs in tandem where schools are chasing minnows to the surface. Troll shad-colored crankbaits along windward shorelines during summer when surface feeding occurs. Vertical jig over deep structure and ledges using spoons and slabs.

What do White Bass eat?

These highly mobile fish move in large schools, feeding voraciously on Gizzard Shad in reservoirs and large rivers, plus minnows and shiners in natural lakes.

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