05-08-2011, 06:10 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Wipers are (mostly) sterile hybrids. They develop into both males and females...not sexless hybrids like some. As such, they DO develop eggs and milt and go through a spawning ritual. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Interestingly, either gender can spawn with an adult of either parent species...white bass or striped bass...and at least some of the eggs will be fertile. There are even recorded cases of fertile eggs being produced by wiper to wiper spawning. However, the hatchlings are usually very weak and do not survive long enough to become big adults.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]So it is a good news - bad news thing with wipers. They show up along the shoreline for fishermen in the spring...but they do not take over the lake with overpopulation. That's why they are popular with DWR...they are both a good measure of control on overabundant prey species but can be managed by controlled plantings.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Interestingly, either gender can spawn with an adult of either parent species...white bass or striped bass...and at least some of the eggs will be fertile. There are even recorded cases of fertile eggs being produced by wiper to wiper spawning. However, the hatchlings are usually very weak and do not survive long enough to become big adults.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]So it is a good news - bad news thing with wipers. They show up along the shoreline for fishermen in the spring...but they do not take over the lake with overpopulation. That's why they are popular with DWR...they are both a good measure of control on overabundant prey species but can be managed by controlled plantings.[/#0000ff]
[signature]