Skip to main content

White Bass

White Bass

White bass are a member of the temperate bass family and one of Kentucky's most popular spring gamefish. They are highly migratory schooling fish that spend most of their time chasing shad in open water, making them transient and always on the move.

Scientific Name: Morone chrysops

Physical Characteristics:
  • They are silvery-white with distinctive horizontal dark stripes along their sides, an arched back behind the head, and typically average 12-15 inches with potential to reach 17 inches.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Kentucky has excellent white bass populations statewide in main river channels and major reservoirs.

Key Locations

  • Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Herrington Lake, Nolin River Lake, Taylorsville Lake, and Fishtrap Lake.
  • Salt River above Taylorsville Lake (with excellent access along River Road), Nolin River upstream of Bacon Creek (especially around Broad Ford at the KY 1214 bridge), Dix River forming Herrington Lake (Rankin Bottom area), and Levisa Fork headwaters of Fishtrap Lake around Lick Creek Boat Ramp.

Specific Spots

  • Target the mouths and upstream sections of inflowing creeks and rivers on major water bodies.
  • Spawn in moving water over gravel shoals or hard bottoms.

White Bass FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

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

2½-3 inch swimbaits or curly-tailed grubs in pearl/chartreuse, plain pearl, or pink. Suspending feather jigs (Popeye jigs) in white/black, chartreuse/black, or pink. Live crappie minnows. Small topwaters, spoons, inline spinners, or 1/4-ounce lipless crankbaits for summer jumps.

What flies work for White Bass in Kentucky?

Clouser Deep Minnows, Half & Half Deep Minnows, and jig patterns in gray/white, black/gray/white, chartreuse/white, and all-white, sized 2-3.5 inches long.

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

Prime white bass fishing occurs from mid-March through early May during their spawning runs when water temperatures hit 55-60°F, coinciding with redbud blooms. Summer 'jumps' occur June-October.

How do you catch White Bass in Kentucky?

Keep lures near but not on the bottom. Dr.ift suspending feather jigs under bobbers in current. Cast to feeding schools during summer jumps.

What do White Bass eat?

Their diet consists primarily of threadfin and gizzard shad (their favorite food), along with minnows, small suckers, trout, chubs, darters, perch, sunfish, and crayfish.

Fish smarter with real-time insights

Whether you're en route and conditions shift or you're looking for the best spot based on current flows, we enable you to make informed decisions on the fly.

See it in the app

Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you White Bass.

  1. 01 · Species map filter

    Map every White Bass water

    Pick White Bass and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.

  2. 02 · Waterbody species

    Tap any water. See what lives there.

    Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.

  3. 03 · Angler Intelligence

    Ask how to catch White Bass

    Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.

Stop guessing where White Bass are.

Open the map, filter by White Bass, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.

  • Species map filter
  • Angler Intelligence
  • Fishing journal
Try onWater+ for free

Explore other species

Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.

No species information available.

Kentucky licenses and regulations

Explore nearby waters

Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.

onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.