# Hybrid or white bass



## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

First














day out on open water me and brother caught easily over 40 we haven't caught white bass at this location this early ever last year we caught a few hybrids early but they were no doubt hybrids because they were all over 22" does anybody have any expertise on them? We kept some on stringer for a pic


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## Zach216913 (Dec 31, 2017)

I think at least the one you have a closer picture of is a hybrid because of the breaks in the lateral lines if they were all straight it would be white bass. I'm not 100% on that but that's what I recall hearing before


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

If that's the case then that means the hybrids must be breeding because I believe that they have only put them in there once and when we were catching them each year they were getting bigger and bigger . Could b an interesting spring


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## Zach216913 (Dec 31, 2017)

Mike Hatfield said:


> If that's the case then that means the hybrids must be breeding because I believe that they have only put them in there once and when we were catching them each year they were getting bigger and bigger . Could b an interesting spring


This might help as well. https://www.arkansasstripers.com/identification-white-bass-striped-bass-hybrid-bass.htm.


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## Zach216913 (Dec 31, 2017)

They're fun to catch. what river are you fishing ? Looks like they were biting good today


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Plus, white bass look a bit "chunkier" than what you caught. Those are more slender fish, yet already longer than the usualy white bass I'd catch in the run below Berlin Dam.


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

Zach216913 said:


> They're fun to catch. what river are you fishing ? Looks like they were biting good today





buckeyebowman said:


> Plus, white bass look a bit "chunkier" than what you caught. Those are more slender fish, yet already longer than the usualy white bass I'd catch in the run below Berlin Dam.


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

They fight so hard, at times it was every cast good way to start open water season


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Yeah, nice gang of fish. Good to see people having success early.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I think they're hybrids. But, a couple on the stringer look to have eggs which means they're probably whities. Did you see eggs when you cleaned them? Starting to look like one has to look in their mouths(and figure out what a "medial tooth" is)!


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

Those are white bass...hybrids are more football shaped...white bass are more slender like the ones you have pictured.


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## BASSunlimited (May 7, 2008)

Those are 100% hybrids striped bass. Whitebass are different.


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## juggerman (Jun 12, 2012)

How do I view your pictures..they are just a white box


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Striper
Hybrid
Whitebass


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

Mickey said:


> "All over 22". Come on. This is as phony as it gets. There are no fish over 14" in the photo.


Lol re read my comment last year I caught some over 22 " these ones were 13-16. I'll put a pic of a 22"


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

c. j. stone said:


> I think they're hybrids. But, a couple on the stringer look to have eggs which means they're probably whities. Did you see eggs when you cleaned them? Starting to look like one has to look in their mouths(and figure out what a "medial tooth" is)!


I found out that hybrids can reproduce females and males but they can't with themselves have to be with a stripper or a whitebass


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

Mickey said:


> "All over 22". Come on. This is as phony as it gets. There are no fish over 14" in the photo.


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

Mike Hatfield said:


> First
> View attachment 256262
> View attachment 256263
> day out on open water me and brother caught easily over 40 we haven't caught white bass at this location this early ever last year we caught a few hybrids early but they were no doubt hybrids because they were all over 22" does anybody have any expertise on them? We kept some on stringer for a pic


Hey Mike,I had to google the differences and yours are hybrids.They have more than one stripe going into the tail.They also have a broken stripe on there sides.Their bodies are slim where a true White Bass 's body is approx. 1/3 width wise of the length of the fish ex.12"long,4" wide.But the w/o a doubt I.D.is the rows of teeth on the back of the tongue.White Bass have 1 and the Hybrid's have 2.Just about every southern state along the coast has reg's controlling that species for I.D.


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

Thanks Joe I did not know about the teeth. And had some on the stringer just for a pic I didn't keep any


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

Mike Hatfield said:


> Thanks Joe I did not know about the teeth. And had some on the stringer just for a pic I didn't keep any


Also there are reg's in this state that are site specific on size and length's for possession of White Bass and Hybrids.


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

My location I'm good ,but I won't b putting them on stringer any more maybe some solo pics and back in the drink


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## Rootstown308 (Mar 15, 2012)

Body of water would help. Dont have to give up your spot. Ive caught white bass 18 inches plus up here. At first i thought wipers but in fact they were just damn big white bass. Not worth keeping but early season action is nice...they fight like hybrids fo sho


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I may know the body of water. there is a good chance that they were stocked up stream and came over a dam during high water. we picked up some nice hybrids there last fall.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Yeah juvenile hybrids dumped over from somewhere.... 
And you cant tell the difference from them having eggs or being fat or slender. Female hybrids hold eggs just like white bass,except they may be sterile.


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

Ya they can't reproduce with each other just with white bass And strippers problem being the wipers move into breeding areas sooner then white bass


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

Zach216913 said:


> I think at least the one you have a closer picture of is a hybrid because of the breaks in the lateral lines if they were all straight it would be white bass. I'm not 100% on that but that's what I recall hearing before


That theory doesn't always hold true.


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

Well I'll b back out there this weekend and from the info I have received it seems as though the only way to find out is by asking them hahaha. I have to look in their mouths and c if there's one row or two rows of teeth


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Shad Rap said:


> That theory doesn't always hold true.


Technically that goes with both wipers and saugeyes. The only TRUE way to tell the difference is through dna testing. I might be wrong but i think thats why they do dna tests on state record fish like saugeye/walleye wipers/whitebass. 
Even though in some cases common sense can also tell you what the species is.
A saugeye or wiper can look like its mom or dad or a bit of both.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Technically that goes with both wipers and saugeyes. The only TRUE way to tell the difference is through dna testing. I might be wrong but i think thats why they do dna tests on state record fish like saugeye/walleye wipers/whitebass.
> Even though in some cases common sense can also tell you what the species is.
> A saugeye or wiper can look like its mom or dad or a bit of both.


I'm just talking about the broken lines...both white bass and hybrids have them.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

> But the w/o a doubt I.D.is the rows of teeth on the back of the tongue. White Bass have 1 and the Hybrid's have 2.


That's what I go by on ID white vs. wipers. Such as this white bass from West Branch. White bass-a single buccal patch in back center of tongue. Wipers and stripers have two distinct patches in back center of tongue.
https://www.arkansasstripers.com/identification-white-bass-striped-bass-hybrid-bass.htm

I caught a bunch of white bass on several crappie trips last October at West Branch. A lot more fun reeling in white bass than crappie but crappie taste better.


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## Mike Hatfield (Sep 2, 2015)

Thanks for the picture that will help


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