Striped and Hybrid Striped Bass Fishing

Overview

_{Hybrid striped bass caught at Monroe Lake tailwaters.}

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) are an anadromous fish species native to the Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions of the United States, from the St. Lawrence River to Louisiana. Their ability to inhabit both fresh and saltwater allows for the establishment of landlocked populations via stocking programs. Striped bass generally grow and survive best in waters that contain well-oxygenated areas with temperatures below 75°F throughout the season. Due to declines in water quality and limited angler use, striped bass are no longer stocked in Indiana.

Hybrid striped bass (sometimes called “wipers”) are a cross between the freshwater white bass (Morone chrysops) and striped bass. They are often produced by fisheries management agencies for stocking inland waters because the incorporation of white bass genes provides the hybrids with a greater tolerance for warm water temperatures (up to 90°F). As a result, hybrid striped bass fisheries can be created in lakes and streams where habitat would be unsuitable for striped bass.

Hybrid striped bass have been introduced into lakes and reservoirs in Indiana to diversify fishing opportunities and increase predation in waters with abundant populations of baitfish such as gizzard shad. As an open water predator specialized in feeding on schooling baitfish, they can help control baitfish numbers and create angling opportunities that would otherwise not be present. These fish also grow larger than native white bass, allowing them to consume baitfish that have grown too large for most native predatory fish. They make great table fare and are known to be strong fighters when hooked.

Hybrid striped bass populations must be maintained through stocking programs, as reduced fertility relative to the parent species limits their reproduction. While spawning is generally unsuccessful in Indiana, these species will still attempt to spawn by traveling into any inflowing stream systems connected to the lake as the water approaches 55° F in the spring.

_{Hybrid Striped Bass collected from Patoka Lake.}

Fishing for hybrid striped bass is best in the spring and fall, when surface water temperatures are between 45° and 80° F. During these times of year, the fish can be found feeding in shallow water where they can be caught by boat and shore anglers with conventional baitfish imitating lures. In the fall, they can often be seen preying on baitfish at the surface in the early morning and evening hours. During warmer months, hybrids can be targeted by trolling baitfish imitating baits or drifting live or cut baitfish at cooler depths. Throughout the year, they are often caught by catfish anglers who use chicken livers. Suspending livers off the bottom can be a good tactic to target hybrids. Best areas to target include windblown shorelines and bottom structures such as drop-offs, humps, or points that intersect with the cooler depths.

Hybrid striped bass waters in Indiana include stocked lakes and reservoirs, along with large river systems such as the Ohio, Wabash, White, and Tippecanoe (see map below). Popular tailwater fisheries also exist for hybrid striped bass below lakes Freeman and Shafer and Monroe Lake. These tailwater fisheries are maintained by congregations of fish that have escaped the reservoirs through the dams. The only Indiana location that has been recently stocked with striped bass is the Ohio River by Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources.

Identification

Artwork by Rick Hill, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

Striped and Hybrid Striped Bass Waters in Indiana

Lakes

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1. Cedar Lake
2. Worster Lake
3. Gilbert Lake
4. Lake Shafer
5. Lake Freeman
6. Lake Nyona
7. Clare Lake
8. Shadyside Park Lake
9. Monroe Lake
10. Patoka Lake
11. Hardy Lake

Streams

1. Tippecanoe River
2. Wabash River
3. White River
4. Ohio River