|
The New Breed
By Randy Zellers
What eats like a white bass,
grows like a striper and pulls like a runaway Buick? If you’re an Arkansas
angler, you know the answer – the hybrid bass.
Not long after hatcheries began raising stripers
for Arkansas lakes, biologists learned white bass and stripers were so similar
that they could be crossed to produce a new breed of tackle-testing fish.
Originally called Palmetto bass because of their breeding origin in Florida,
Arkansas’s hybrid is a cross between a white bass male and a striper female.
“The hybrids grow much larger than white bass and
relate more to structure than stripers, making them easier targets for anglers,”
said Mark Oliver, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission assistant chief of fisheries
management. “They’re typically more aggressive than stripers, and great
fighters.”
“You can even tell the difference between stripers and
hybrids when they’re fingerlings,” said Mike Armstrong, AGFC chief of fisheries
management. “The stripers will slowly roam the tanks, while the hybrids race
back and forth looking for something to eat. One of our hatchery biologists
calls them ‘Eating Machines.’ ”
Stocking Strategies
Although some waters are reserved
for trophy striper fishing, others have benefited from the new breed.
“We stock only hybrids in DeGray and Greers Ferry lakes to
offer a different type of fishing experience,” Armstrong said. “These lakes
probably could have supported stripers well, but Ouachita and Greeson had
already been stocked with stripers, so we went with hybrids to give anglers a
fish that was a little easier to catch.”
In lakes with warmer water, such as Horseshoe and Bear Creek
in eastern Arkansas, hybrids also have found a niche. According to Armstrong,
hybrids can tolerate much warmer water than stripers, making it possible for the
AGFC to offer excellent fishing similar to striped bass in areas that can’t
support that species.
Other lakes – such as Lake Hamilton – have stripers, hybrids and
white bass to maximize fishing opportunity while offering a chance at a trophy.
Big, New Benefit
These hatchery creations also are
being used to recruit a new angling audience. Because the hybrids can survive on
food pellets in hatcheries, biologists can allow them to reach catchable sizes
and stock them in new areas. City park ponds have benefited greatly from the
hybrids, allowing inner-city anglers to pursue something besides catfish and
bream during summer.
“The hybrids in the ponds are easy to catch and fight hard,”
said Clifton Jackson, AGFC regional fisheries biologist. “People rarely get to
go after this type of fish unless they have a boat and can get out to larger
lakes and rivers.”
How To Identify Your Catch
 White
Bass
A Has one tooth patch near the midline towards the
back of the tongue.
B Body deep, more than 1/3 length.
C Stripes faint, only one extends to tail.
 Hybrid
Striped Bass
A Has two, distinct tooth patches near the midline
towards the back of the tongue.
B Body deep, more than 1/3 length.
C Stripes distinct, usually broken, several extend to
tail.
 Striped
Bass
A Has two, distinct tooth patches near the midline
towards the back of the tongue.
B Body slender, less than 1/3 length.
C Stripes distinct, several extend to tail.
This
article was originally featured in the March/April 2008 issue of Arkansas
Wildlife magazine.
To subscribe or learn more about the magazine, contact the Arkansas Game and
Fish Commission,
(501) 223-6300, or visit
www.agfc.com.
|
