Iowa DNR
BioNet
River & Stream Biological Monitoring
Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Surveys
Physical Habitat Assessments

Yellow Bass Morone mississippiensis

Family
Moronidae (Temperate Basses)
Tolerance
Intermediate
Trophic Class
Top Carnivore
Is Exotic to Iowa?
False
Is Lithophilous Spawner?
False
Is Hybrid?
False
State Listing Status
Not Listed
Assessment Program Statistics

This species was found at 11 bioassessment sites, 0 rapid fish bioassessment sites, 15 fisheries assessment sites, and 0 fisheries presence-only assessment sites. In total, it was collected at 26 distinct sites, or 1.7% of the 1513 total sites monitored by the bioassessment program. It is the 85th most commonly collected species.

The Yellow Bass was collected in 13 bioassessment sampling sessions and 24 fisheries assessment sessions. It was present in 0 rapid bioassessment sessions and 0 presence-only sessions.

The biological assessment program has collected a total of 359 individual Yellow Bass specimens, ranking it the #79 most collected fish.

Species Characteristics

A laterally compressed, slab-sided, spiny-rayed fish, it has a yellow-olive to silvery-yellow coloration along the back and sides that shades to yellowish-white along the belly and pelvic fins. Six to seven prominent, dark horizontal stripes along the sides are broken and offset above the front of the anal fin. The dorsal fin has two slightly connected lobes. Nine spines make up the first lobe and one spine and 12 soft rays are found in the second. The anal fin usually has 9 soft rays and 3 spines that are unevenly graduated. The first spine is much shorter than the other two, which are nearly equal in length. The mouth is scarcely oblique and the lower jaw projects slightly beyond the upper jaw.

Species Distribution Maps

HUC12 watersheds where this species has been found