White bass

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iWhite bass

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Moronidae
Genus:	Morone
Species:	M. chrysops

Binomial name

Morone chrysops
(Rafinesque, 1820)

The white bass or sand bass (Morone chrysops) is a freshwater fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae. It is the state fish of Oklahoma.

Morone chrysops is found in lakes throughout the United States. It looks somewhat similar to the white perch, though larger. Its back is dark, with white sides and belly, and with narrow darkish stripes running lengthwise on the sides. The size of this fish is from 10–15 in (25–38 cm), and it usually weighs from 1–4 lb (0.5 – 2 kg), though larger ones are sometimes taken.

Striped bass tackle is used in fishing the white bass, but it is a very skittish fish, and catching it requires a good deal of tact and caution. However, the fish move in schools, and when not frightened, it will bite readily at live minnow. The season for fishing them is in May and June, and in the fall months after the middle of September. They are lively when hooked and challenging to reel in. While certainly edible, white bass rank low as a food fish. They tend to be very oily, and in the case of larger, older fish, even muddy or rancid tasting.