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Iowa Wipers

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iowa wipers
32K views 43 replies 11 participants last post by  Toothfish 
#1 ·
Wiper

(Female Striped Bass x Male White Bass)

Other names - wiper, sunshine bass, silvers, silver bass

Hybrid striped bass have been released at two locations in Iowa. The original stocking in 1981 was into Saylorville Reservoir, which was followed each year with plantings of additional sac-fry. Fingerling sized hybrid striped bass were released into Pool 14 of the Mississippi River in 1984, and stocking has continued each autumn.
Since the initial introduction, the Morone hybrids have dispersed widely from Saylorville until they presently inhabit a large segment of the Des Moines River system. Fish have been observed upstream near Ft. Dodge and as far downstream as Ottumwa. Based on these observations, this species will undoubtedly extend its range in the Mississippi River. Abundance of the hybrid depends wholly upon the release of hatchery propagated fish.
Like most hybrids, this fish exhibits taxonomic features of both parent species. It has the deep flat body, small head and the distinct back arch of white bass; yet it maintains the dark gray or blue silvery body coloration and thick dark longitudinal body stripes of the ocean striped bass. Although the hybrid closely resembles white bass and striped bass, it still differs slightly in several features. Two distinctive tooth patches are located near the middle of the tongue. Also, the first stripe below the lateral line is distinct and complete to the tail. Positive identification of hybrid striped bass is considerably easier when viewed alongside purebred parent specimens. There are obvious external differences, but these are not so apparent when viewed alone. From observations in other localities this fish seldom exceeds 10 pounds when fully grown.
Knowledge about hybrid striped bass in Iowa is quite limited since this is a new fish to the region and its life parameters remain under investigation. However, several characteristics are well known. First of all, the most obvious is that hybridization of the parent stock is successful only in the most controlled hatchery conditions. Natural hybridization of the female ocean striped bass and the male white bass or the reciprocal cross is virtually impossible since the two species rarely exist in the same water. In Iowa, this is assured by the fact that striped bass are absent from our waters. Hybrid bass are nearly always monogenetic, which makes secondary hybridization with either parent species virtually impossible. Some mature female hybrids have been collected in the southern United States. Like the white bass, eggs of the hybrid are small in size compared with striped bass. Spawning activity of hybrids has been observed with white bass in one southern location, but no natural reproduction was found.
Hybrid striped bass grow rapidly in Iowa, but like white bass, they are fairly short lived. Three years after the initial stocking of sac-fry in Saylorville Reservoir, specimens of 20 inches in length and 5 pounds in weight were reported by fishermen. The record hybrid caught in the Des Moines River below Red Rock Reservoir in 1985 weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces.
The hybrid striped bass, like its parent stock, is carnivorous, feeding voraciously on schools of gizzard shad. It is also known to forage for silversides, sunfish, insects and crustaceans.
*Mayhew, J. (editor). 1987. Iowa Fish and Fishing. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa. 323 pp.
 
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#28 ·
Hi Jim...Glad to see you joined ! I'm sure you will get some info on Texas !! See ya on the water !!

Three of us hit the water on Saturday and trolled for the larger ones till dark. We had very little response to our presentations. Couple of small ones.
Sunday we got up on some mud flats in 8 -10 fow and caught wipers till our arms and back hurt. Nothing real big ...up to 15 1/2 inchers. We all had fish on at the same time many times and the water was boiling !!! It was a ball !!
Still looking for the big ones..I know they are in there !!
 
#29 ·
My buddy tells me of a Wiper he had on last Thursday evening. Brought it to the boat ...but one last run broke him off. Bigger line ..bigger line !!
Was out all day Sunday....Tough day !!!! Hard to find even the little ones.
I hear there have been some Walleyes caught...nothing big.
Now we get these big rains in northern Iowa...the lake is projected to raise 8 feet or more. Don't really know what that's going to do for us.???
 
#30 ·
One of our Central Iowa Angler members posted this video produced for and by the Izaak Walton league. In the opening scene is the DesMoines river spillway (Saylorville dam) where the past two state record Wipers have been caught. The Video is a tribute to the Iowa men and women who cleaned up tons of litter from the DesMoines river chain . icn___clap.gif

www.riverstewards.org/r2g2updated.wmv
 
#35 ·
DesMoines is 114 miles west of Iowa City.
Any rivers connected to the DesMoines river will have some Wipers in them. I don't Know if Corallville Resorvoir would have any , but a lake called McBride has Wipers.
 
#36 ·
In case no one noticed ....The flood of 08 hit Iowa much like the 100 year flood of 93. This time it seemed to be centralized around the DesMoines river water shed area. So much for the 100 year theory !!
Our most poplular Wiper reservour is 45 feet above normal pool and the river is raging . Looks like 45 days before it all becomes "normal" again.
 
#38 ·
Water levels are almost to normal pool now. Here is a 27 1/2 inch 11+ lb Wiper caught a few days ago. Jay is the man !!

I have not caught anything close to that ....YET !!!:redbiggrin:

 
#42 ·
After a big shad kill this past winter on the Ville, there have been a number of large Wipers in the 24" - 29" range caught this year.
Me ?? 21" is the largest I have been able hook up.
I haven't been able to put the time in this year .... busy at work.
 
#44 ·
It's been a little over a year since my last post . Wiper fishing is still alive and well in Iowa but the game has seemed to change .
After two hard winters our local reservoir became almost void of gizzard shad. No longer do we see numerous balls of shad covering lake like in 07. I can't say I have seen even one ball of shad in the "Ville" this year. There is a replacement in the food chain. These small pods of bait show up on the sonar as irregular shaped . The few Wipers I have kept as table fare have had these replacement fish in their stomachs. This past spring the corp maintained the water levels and gave these fish a great opportunity to reproduce in evidently large numbers. White Bass is the current food supply .
This has changed our tactics and locations on the lake. No longer will a fat wide blade bait produce like in 07/08. Sure they will work but not as well as a fast moving more slender lure.
The Wipers have left some areas of the lake and are more scattered . They hang in areas used by these little fast white bass. Trolling (for me) has become the most favored approach with speeds at 3 mph +. Slender baits along the edge of flats.
I have only two 20"ers to brag about this year from the Ville and hope the shad will return in 2010.
 
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