White Bass?

[Fish Ogre]

While fishing the Meramec below River Round Access, I caught 4 white bass scattered throughout a 6 mile float. The bass were all caught while fishing for smallmouth in normal locations. I have only ever caught one white bass in this area before. These11" to 13" fish surprised me with their fighting power. I am now intrigued and want to know more about the species. Here is a link to the MDC page. http://mdc.mo.gov/di...uide/white-bass

Have they always been present in this area?

How well do they coexist with the various black bass species in a river environment?

What keeps them from being present throughout the entire Meramec river system?

[Mitch f]

The closer you get to the Mississippi you'll find the whites. That area below River Round is also a place I catch a bunch of hybrid Smallie/spots. Be careful at that boat ramp too!

[fishinwrench]

Quick! Have someone you know and trust hit you in the temple with a 2x4 or a piece of green firewood, repeatedly, until all desire to learn and understand temperate bass has vanished from your conscience.

You'll thank them (and me) later.

[moguy1973]

Be careful at that boat ramp too!

Really? Is there any place in this world where you can't leave your stuff without people gankin with it?

[Mitch f]

Really? Is there any place in this world where you can't leave your stuff without people gankin with it?

To me the two worst on the meramec are Pacific Palisades and River Round. If you want to be safe in the River Round area there is a private put in called Frogs Landing. I think the owners charge $5 to launch a boat... but to me, it's worth it. By Pacific Palisades you can go to Allenton access which seems to be better.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Quick! Have someone you know and trust hit you in the temple with a 2x4 or a piece of green firewood, repeatedly, until all desire to learn and understand temperate bass has vanished from your conscience.

You'll thank them (and me) later.

Amen to that! It's a disease without any known cure.

These11" to 13" fish surprised me with their fighting power

Add this to a good spring and you have a recipe for infection.

[Fish Ogre]

So basically what you guys are telling me is that I should put the fish down and walk away.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I doubt you can do that now, it's probably too late. Eventually you'll run into a normal spring run, I hope we all do, and then the shear numbers will have you hooked deep.

[Fish Ogre]

So are these fish here because of a spring spawning run or are they present year round?

[Haris122]

Are these normally white or silvery like in the picture. Cause I've seen a lot of pictures of the silvery ones, but every time I thought I caught a White Bass, it was just that, pretty white like the on in this pic down here. And the eyes didn't seem like on the ones on your guys.