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White Bass

White Bass

White Bass are indigenous to Pennsylvania's Ohio River and Lake Erie drainages, including the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela Rivers.

They have not been found outside their native range in Pennsylvania and are absent from the Susquehanna, Delaware, and Potomac River drainages. All populations in western Pennsylvania are self-sustaining with no regular stocking programs.

Scientific Name: Morone chrysops

Physical Characteristics:
  • White Bass are silvery-white with narrow dark horizontal stripes along their sides, reaching 10-18 inches in length and weighing 1-5 pounds.
  • A 9-inch fish is approximately 1.7 years old and weighs 0.3 pounds, while a 12-inch fish is about 3 years old and weighs 0.8 pounds.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • They prefer open waters of large lakes and reservoirs, and pools of slow-moving rivers, typically moving to deeper water during the day and becoming more active during dawn and dusk.

Key Locations

  • Notable populations thrive in the Allegheny Reservoir, Pymatuning Lake, Conneaut Lake, and Lake Erie, as well as Pennsylvania's Three Rivers system.
  • In Pennsylvania waters like the Three Rivers system, Allegheny Reservoir, and Lake Erie.

Specific Spots

  • concentrate efforts around points, riprap areas, and wind-blown sides of lakes where shad concentrate.

White Bass FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

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

jigs tipped with minnows (1/8 to 1/4 ounce marabou jigs), small spinnerbaits, weighted spoons, lipless crankbaits, curly tail grubs, swimbaits, and inline spinners.

What flies work for White Bass in Pennsylvania?

2-3.5 inch baitfish patterns like Clouser Deep Minnows, Woolly Buggers, and Cowen Baitfish in gray/white, chartreuse/white, and olive/orange color combinations.

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

White Bass fishing peaks in spring in Pennsylvania's large reservoirs and rivers, with the highest catch rates occurring during this season. They can be caught year-round but are most productive in spring before spawning begins. Spawning should be avoided as a fishing period to protect reproduction.

How do you catch White Bass in Pennsylvania?

Since they are sight feeders, lure visibility is crucial - use bright colors like chartreuse, white, and red in murky water, and silver/white patterns with dark backs in clear water.

What do White Bass eat?

As carnivorous sight feeders, they primarily consume zooplankton (calanoid and cyclopoid copepods, daphnia, leptodora), progressing to insects, crustaceans, and small fish like threadfin shad and gizzard shad as they mature.

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