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HYBRID STRIPED BASS (Wipers)
At-a-Glance
- Scientific Name: Morone saxatilis X Morone Chrysops
- Found in Illinois: Statewide
- State Average: 13.5"
- State Record: 21 lbs/7.2 oz (2017)
- Best Lures: large minnows, spoons, spinners, crank baits, jigs, crayfish and lures that that look like a shad
Angling Tips:
Hybrids are very strong and hard-hitting fish. A longer rod with some flexibility will help absorb the shock of a big strike and will help to keep the fish hooked. The best baits for hybrid striped bass are large minnows, spoons, spinners, crank baits, jigs, and crayfish. The most success will be using lures that that look like a shad.
Habitat: Hybrid striped bass are produced in the hatchery and released at several locations in Illinois. Like most hybrids, this fish exhibits the taxonomic features of both parent species—the white bass and the striped bass. Hybrid striped bass are known to grow rapidly, but like white bass, they are relatively short lived.
Feeding and Habits: The hybrid striped bass feeds heavily on schools of gizzard shad. It is also known to forage for silversides, sunfish, insects and crustaceans. These hybrids are attracted to flowing water and will sit off to the side of faster water waiting to ambush their prey.
Reproduction: There is no natural reproduction.
