Hybrid Striped Bass(wiper/palmetto)Wipers are an aggressive, hard-fighting, punch-packing, schooling fish that love to corral baitfish and attack with vigor. You'll be able to see this "busting" behavior, which is common to its parent species, the striped and white bass, with baitfish jumping out of the water and wipers splashing. The schools move fast and in seemingly random fashion. Wipers are sterile hybrids and do not reproduce, except potentially with the parent species.
Wipers are considered low-light fish, meaning they are most often found in the morning, evening and on cloudy days. Wiper fishing is not, by any means, limited to these times, it's just that they are harder to find when they are not active near the surface. Catching wipers on a fly is a lot of fun and very possible if you are in the right place at the right time.
Hybrid Striped Bass(wiper/palmetto) in Texas
Description
Palmetto bass (striped bass crossbred with white bass) are stocked in many areas because of their quick growth and good survival characteristics. They tend to have the deeper body shape of a white bass, but often have two tooth patches in the back of the tongue as striped bass do. Genetic testing may be needed to distinguish between hybrids and their parent species.
Life History
Palmetto bass produced at Texas state fish hatcheries are the "original cross," a female striped bass crossed with a white bass male. They seldom produce viable offspring, so populations must be maintained by restocking. Hybrids are more aggressive than striped bass and tolerant to a wider range of biological and environmental conditions. For this reason, they may be preferred over striped bass for stocking at certain locations.
Distribution
Approximately 2 million palmetto bass fingerlings are stocked in Texas fisheries each year.
Angling Importance
Striped bass and white bass are the fourth and fifth most preferred species among Texas anglers. Hybrids carry desirable characteristics from both species. They typically exceed the maximum size for white bass, but usually grow to a smaller size than stripers. The state record is 19.66 pounds, but palmetto bass rarely exceed.
Courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife
