I didn't see the question asked anywhere, and I didn't see a biology related section, so please move this if necessary!

 

Do wipers or any other hybrid bass species which are sterile spawn like their fertile counterparts?  Obviously they don't reproduce, and that's why they were introduced in this particular lake, but I thought there may be a chance they still follow the spawning patterns of bedding and all that.  I"m trying to figure out if they may be bed fished next year or not!

 

 

As far as I know they migrate up streams like the whites and stripers.  I don't know about stripers but whites don't bed.  They drop the eggs along shoals in current and on windy banks.  The males fertilize the eggs and then they are on their own.

Despite what some might say, hybrid stripers (wipers) are technically not sterile, though are sometimes classified as "functionally" sterile. That said, they have been documented to backcross at least minimally in some waters with either/both native parent strains. They have also successfully reproduced offspring in the lab. It is at least part of the reason our local DNR stopped stocking them in lakes that had naturally occurring strong white bass populations.

 

As jig man stated, they don't make beds. They are broadcast spawners like their parents, generally moving upstream to spawn and releasing their eggs in the presence of males in current influenced areas.

 

-T9

Thanks guys!  I had no idea they didn't bed.  I guess that answers my bed fishing question!!  

We don't have striper or white bass in that lake, or any in the area.  Does that mean they would be completely sterile?  Or could two functionally sterile hybrids reproduce?

 

We don't have striper or white bass in that lake, or any in the area.  Does that mean they would be completely sterile?  Or could two functionally sterile hybrids reproduce?

 

It is possible that hybrids could reproduce among themselves, as it has been done "naturally" in the lab/hatcheries. There have been others shown to occur naturally in the field, though deciphering with 100% certainty whether these were F2s or back crosses can be very difficult.

 

-T9  

I think they can cross with other white bass. I've noticed 10 years ago when we caught wippers the two dottes on the tongue patch were easy to see now some of them are are merging in to form a single dotte. I could be wrong but white bass usually don't get to the 18 to 20 inch range here