The largest Hybrid Striper ever caught in Lake Anna was weighed in last week at 14+ pounds.
A hybrid striped bass, also known as a Whiterock bass or a Wiper, is created by cross breeding a white bass and striped bass. Hybrids look similar to the two-parent species but are generally shorter than Stripers and not as deep-bodied as White Bass. The hybrid striped bass has horizontal stripes like the striped bass, except the lines for a hybrid striped bass are always broken, whereas those for the striped bass are always solid. The hybrid striped bass has two separate tooth patches at the back of the tongue, just like the striped bass parent species. Upon growing, it gets deeper-bodied and becomes thicker, thus making them have a stocky and distinctive short appearance.
The hybrid striped bass has two dorsal fins not connected by tissue; the first dorsal fin is spined. Their coloration depends on their habitat’s water quality but ranges from black to light gray.
The general adult size of the hybrid striped bass fish is 15 to 20 inches. They typically don’t exceed more than 10 pounds but will occasionally reach the 20-pound range. Most hybrids caught are between 2-5 pounds.
An angler caught the largest hybrid striped bass in 1997. It weighed 27 pounds and 5 ounces.
Freshwater
Crappie and bass are finishing up spawning duties in most lakes, but bluegills are now moving into shallow water to begin their spawn. Stripers from saltwater are heading upriver into freshwater as they chase shad and begin their spawn. Smallmouth fishing has been good on the James, the Rapp and Potomac.