Archive for February 21st, 2012

Fishing: White Bass Run

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012


This is Passport to Texas

Nature gave its creatures internal clocks that each follows faithfully. White bass—also called sand bass—are following their internal timetable now by migrating.

Through April large schools of this fish will concentrate in the far upper ends of reservoirs, making them easily accessible. Anglers love this silvery species for its schooling behavior and its willingness to take artificial lures. Not only that—it’s a tasty addition to the dinner menu.

Because they are similar in appearance and are often found in the same waters, it’s easy to confuse white bass with striped or even hybrid striped bass.

Striped bass and hybrid striped bass grow much larger than white bass and also have several distinct “stripes” that extend to the tail, while the white bass has only one stripe extending to its tail.

If you’re still not sure about who is who, there’s another way to distinguish these fish from one another, but you have to get a little personal. A white bass has a singular tooth patch on its tongue whereas two such adaptations exist on the tongues of striped bass and hybrid striped bass. Open wide.

Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more information on sport fish in Texas.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series and provides funding for the operations and management of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.