Hybrid Striped Bass
The hybrid striped bass, widely called the "wiper," is a hard-fighting cross between a white bass and a striped bass, stocked in reservoirs across the country.
🗓️ Last reviewed: July 2026
Overview
The hybrid striped bass, widely called the "wiper," is a hard-fighting cross between a white bass and a striped bass, stocked in reservoirs across the country. It hits baits like a freight train, schools in big roaming packs, and gives freshwater anglers a taste of true saltwater-style power.
Identification
Wipers look like a stocky striped bass with broken, offset lateral stripes rather than the clean unbroken lines of a true striper. They are deeper-bodied than a white bass and much thicker through the shoulders.
Range & Habitat
Hybrid stripers are stocked in large reservoirs and rivers across the central and southern US, roaming open water and chasing shad over points, humps and river channels.
Behavior & Diet
Wipers are open-water schooling predators that herd shad to the surface in violent feeding frenzies. They roam constantly, so finding the school is most of the battle.
Best Seasons
Best fishing is spring through fall, with explosive topwater "jumps" on schooling fish in early morning and evening, and deeper structure fishing in the heat and cold.
How to Catch Them
Cast slabs, swimbaits and topwaters into surfacing schools, troll or vertical-jig deep humps, and drift live shad on planer boards or down-lines over roaming fish.
Tackle & Rigs
Medium-heavy spinning or baitcasting gear with 12-17 lb line, slab spoons, big swimbaits and live-bait down-lines. Wipers pull hard, so do not go too light.
Landing, Handling & Release
Fight them off the drag, land with a net, and revive well before release - they tire hard. Bleed and ice any fish you keep quickly.
Table Quality
Wipers are good eating - firm and white, best when bled and iced, with the red lateral meat trimmed for the mildest fillets.
Common Mistakes
Fishing too light, staying put when the school has moved, and ignoring the birds that give away surfacing fish.
Regulations & Conservation
Wipers are a stocked sport fish with reservoir-specific limits. Always check the current state and waterbody regulations before keeping fish. We do not give legal advice.
FAQ
Wiper or striper? Wipers have broken, offset stripes and a stockier body.
Do they reproduce? They are sterile hybrids maintained by stocking.