The yellow bass is a silvery-yellow, spiny-rayed fish with several dark, horizontal streaks along the sides. The streaks are darker and broader than in the white bass, and sharply broken and offset above the front of the anal fin.
Overall, the coloration is like that of the white bass, but with the sides golden yellow instead of silvery. The stripes along the sides are dark and prominent, broken and offset above the front of the anal fin.
A sharp spine is present on the gill cover. The spinous and soft parts of the dorsal fin are slightly connected. The anal fin has 3 spines that are not graduated in length, the second and third spines being nearly equal and much longer than the first; anal (soft) fin rays are 9. The lower jaw does not project beyond the upper jaw. The upper surface of the tongue lacks teeth.
Similar species: The yellow bass is one of four species of temperate basses (family Moronidae) that occur in Missouri. The others are the white bass (M. chrysops), striped bass (M. saxatilis), and white perch (M. americana). The yellow and white basses are native to Missouri, while the striped bass and white perch are introduced.
Length: seldom exceeds 12 inches; weight seldom exceeds 1 pound. Can potentially reach 3 or 4 pounds. Overall, smaller than the white bass.
Occurs primarily in the Mississippi River and its overflow waters. Also has been found in the Missouri River, probably having been dispersed downriver after flooding from populations in Nebraska and Iowa. Found sporadically in other waters, including Table Rock Lake and oxbow lakes, scour holes, and other bodies along major rivers.
Habitat and Conservation
Across its range, the yellow bass lives in large streams, lakes, and reservoirs. It is relatively confined to the central Mississippi Valley area. It usually occupies quiet pools and backwaters and tends to be a lowland species; it also occurs in the deeper pools and backwaters of large streams.
Food
The yellow bass lives in schools and feeds in midwater or near the surface. When young, it feeds primarily on small crustaceans and insects. Adults consume significant quantities of fish, including their own young.
Status
Native Missouri game fish. Too rare in our state to be of much importance as a sport fish.
Life Cycle
Yellow bass move into tributary streams to spawn. Spawning is in April or May, when the water temperatures reach 61 to 72 degrees F, and eggs are deposited over gravelly bottoms in water 2 or 3 feet deep.
Human Connections
In Missouri, the yellow bass, due to its rarity, is of much less importance than other temperate basses, but this might be changing given the establishment of more recent populations.
Elsewhere, the yellow bass is of considerable importance as a sport fish, but it is held in less esteem than the white bass because of its smaller size. But it is very scrappy on light tackle and is a better tasting fish than the white bass.
Ecosystem Connections
Taxonomy: The yellow bass and other fishes in family Moronidae are primarily marine, though a few species live in fresh water. This family of temperate basses are sometimes called the “true basses” to distinguish them from fishes such as the smallmouth, spotted, largemouth, and rock basses, which are members of the sunfish family (Centrarchidae).
Temperate basses can be distinguished from members of the sunfish family by their having the spinous and soft dorsal fins separate or only slightly connected (not well connected); having a sharp spine near the back of the gill cover, and having the margin of the preopercle (the bone just ahead of the gill cover) strongly saw-toothed (not smooth).
Relatives: The yellow and white basses are native to Missouri, while the striped bass and white perch are introduced.
