Yellow bass

Yellow bass
Conservation status
Least Concern(IUCN 3.1)
Secure(NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Acanthuriformes
Family:	Moronidae
Genus:	Morone
Species:	M. mississippiensis
Binomial name
Morone mississippiensis D. S. Jordan&C. H. Eigenmann,1887
Synonyms
Morone interruptaT. N. Gill,1860(ambiguous)

Theyellow bass(Morone mississippiensis) is a member of the familyMoronidae.This species is a deep bodied fish that possesses five to seven dark stripes laterally along the sides, the lowest few of these are often broken or disrupted anterior to the origin of the anal fin. This species is somewhat similar to two other species in the family Moronidae, thewhite bassand thestriped bass.The yellow bass is distinguishable from both of these species by having the offset lateral stripes above the anal fin and from not possessing tooth patches on the tongue. The yellow bass differs further from the white bass by having nine to ten anal rays in comparison to eleven or thirteen. The back of the fish is usually a dark olive green, and the abdomen and sides are often a silvery yellow.

Diet

Food exploited by young yellow bass include small invertebrates includingcopepodsandaquatic insects.The juvenile yellow bass feeds almost exclusively on aquatic insects and crustaceans, and once they reach adulthood they feed primarily on other small fishes; the rest of their diet consists of small crustaceans.

Habitat and distribution

Yellow bass may be found in somewhat clear waters of theMississippi Riverfrom Minnesota to Louisiana and may also be found in theTrinity Riverand theTennessee River.The yellow bass can also be found in lakes surrounding these rivers, especially in areas with dense vegetation and lowturbidity.It may move into brackishestuaries.

Reproduction and life cycle

The reproductive biology of the yellow bass is similar to that of the white bass, where spawning occurs during the spring with fish swimming into the tributaries to make spawning runs.Spawning usually occurs in moderately shallow waters during which the female lies on her side and exposes the eggs as the male fertilizes from above. The larvae of the yellow bassschooltogether to avoid predation and they grow fairly quickly in size.Yellow bass have average lifespan of about six years.

Importance to humans

The yellow bass is not as popular a gamefish as either thewhite bassor thestriped bassbecause of its small size. They are usually caught by anglers fishing with crappie jigs or minnows. These fish may also be caught in large numbers because of their large populations.The yellow bass is edible and this fish is commonly eaten in its range.

TheInternational Game Fish Association(IGFA) world record yellow bass, caught in theMorse ReservoirinIndianain 2023, weighed 1.96 kg (4 lb 5 oz),beating a 2000 record from the same lake of 1.34 kg (2.95 lb).The IGFA record for ahybridyellow bass (crossed with a white bass) stands at 1.81 kg (4 lb 0 oz), caught fromLake Fork Reservoir,Texas in 2023.

Etymology

Thespecific name,mississippiensis,comes from theMississippi River.

External links

• Animal Texas Parks and Wildlife - Yellow Bass (Morone mississippiensis)
• NatureServe Explorer -Morone mississippiensis