Similarities And Differences Among New York's True Bass

Similarities and Differences Among New York's bass species
	Description	Habitat	Reproduction	Feeding	Fishing Information	Comments
Striped Bass	18-55" long Body elongate, body depth less than head length Silvery with 7-8 horizontal black stripes First and second dorsal fins not connected Two equal-sized tooth patches on base of tongue 9-121 rays in anal fin	An anadromous fish that has become landlocked in some areas Found in nearshore ocean waters, rivers, estuaries and large reservoirs Common around rocks, wrecks and in tidal rips	Spawn May-early June in 58-70 F water Anadromous; moves into rivers to spawn above the salt front Eggs are broadcast over deep waters Semi-buoyant eggs stay in suspension until hatched	A voracious feeder; feeds most heavily at dusk and dawn and in rapidly flowing waters Young eat invertebrates such as shrimp. aquatic insects and worms Older bass prefer fish, eels, squid and crabs	Popular and exciting sportfish which reaches larger sizes NYS record is a 76-pound fish taken off Montauk Point Best fishing is in April-May in the tidal Hudson and in spring and fall along Long Island Fish during change of tides, in darkness or on overcast days. Select areas of current or turbulence Drift herring, bunkers or sand worms. Cast or troll plugs, spoons or bucktail jigs.	Found only in tidal portion of Hudson River and coastal waters around Long Island Historically a very important commercial species
White Perch	6-12" long >Deep body Silvery with no horizontal black stripes First and second dorsal fins connected No teeth on base of tongue, but a few teeth on edge 9 rays in anal fin	Prefer brackish waters, but also found in rivers, lakes and reservoirs Often occurs in large schools in turbid, shallow areas	Spawn May-June in 55-70 F water Migrate into tributary steams or shallow water areas in lakes Scatters eggs in shallow water. Adhesive eggs sink and become attached to vegetation and rocks	Eats aquatic insects, small forage fishes and crustaceans	Good eating panfish Stillfish with worms or grubs or cast a variety of small lures Locate spawning concentrations in spring for fast action	Abundant in the Hudson River and its tributaries south of Troy, fresh and brackish waters of Long Island, small lakes east of the Hudson River, the Seneca and Mohawk River systems, Oneida Lake, Chautauqua Lake and in Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River
White Bass	9-15" long Deep body; body depth greater than or equal to head length Silvery with narrow dark horizontal lines-only center line reaches to base of tail One tooth patch on base of tongue First and second dorsal fins connected 11-12 rays in anal fin	Open water fish found in large lakes and reservoirs and large and medium-sized rivers Prefers clear water over firm bottom-although is tolerant of turbidity Often occurs in large schools close to shore or over shoals in spring	Spawns May in 55-60 F water Often makes inshore movements or congregates over shoals Adhesive eggs are broadcast near the surface. Eggs sink and attach to rocks, sticks or bottom vegetation	Sight feeders Young feed on plankton and insect larvae Adults eat fish and insects	Locally popular sportfish Cast or troll streamer flies or small lures such as white jibs, spinners and spoons or stillfish with small minnows Keep lures and minnows suspended off the bottom Fishing is especially good in spring when schools move inshore waters	Limited distribution in NYS. Found in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and their tributaries as well as in Oneida Lake, Chautauqua Lake and Kinzua Reservoir
Hybrid Bass	12-30" long Deep body Silvery with broken horizontal black stripes Two distinct tooth patches on base of tongue First and second dorsal fins partially connected (unreliable) 12-13 rays in anal fin	Most successful in large reservoirs and lakes	Spawned artificially Most often from a female striped bass and a male white bass	Young feed on plankton and insect larvae Adults feed on open-water forage fish such a alewife and gizzard shad	Use same methods as listed for white bass	Hybrid cross between striped bass and white bass Stocked only in Whitney Point Reservoir, Broom Co.; Swinging Bridge Reservoir, Sullivan Co.; and Fort Pond, Suffolk Co.