By now, you probably know there’s much more to Bass fishing than Largemouth and Smallmouth. Some of the most popular fish in the country include temperate Bass species like Stripers, Hybrids, and White Bass. But there’s another fish in this family that tends to swim under the radar. And make no mistake – Yellow Bass fishing is well above average!
Yellows run smaller than other species. You can’t fish for them with the same gear you would normally bring Bass fishing, and you’ll have to forage for them in different parts of the water column. What makes Yellow Bass a great target, however, is their ferocious nature and non-stop action. Hook into one, and you’re sure to catch dozens more. So gear up for the littlest piece of fighting action you’ve ever encountered!
How to Identify Yellow Bass
Yellow Bass (Morone mississippiensis) belong to the temperate Bass family. Unlike Largemouth and Smallmouth – which are actually Sunfish – temperate Bass are “true” Bass, including Striped Bass, White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, and White Perch.
These fish are relatively uncommon, but they’re one of the easiest Bass to recognize thanks to their golden sheen. They also go by names like Striped Yellow Bass, Gold Bass, Brassy Bass, Yellow Jacks, Barfish, Streakers, Streaks, and simply Yellows.
Like other temperate Bass, Yellow Bass’s front dorsal fins appear spikey due to a distinct set of rays, followed by a second dorsal fin which is flat and triangular. They have forked tails, pointed faces, and big yellow eyes, while their dark, horizontal stripes make them look similar to Striped Bass and Hybrid Bass.
You’re most likely to confuse Yellow Bass with Hybrids, since both species are shorter than Striped Bass and they both have broken stripes. It doesn’t take much to tell them apart, though. Yellow Bass are smaller still than Hybrids and, thankfully, they’re noticeably yellow. Just like Hybrids, though, they’re small and stocky.
By now, we’ve established these fish are small. But how tiny are we talking? Most Yellows measure just 6–12 inches long and weigh under a pound. It’s rare to catch one over 1.5 pounds, although the current IGFA all-tackle record is a “whopping” 2 pounds, 9 ounces! (A 4 lb, 5 oz catch, which may claim the title, is still pending approval.)
Best Yellow Bass Fishing Spots
Yellow Bass are native to North America and mainly live in and around the Mississippi River system. This means you’ll find them deep in the central US, as well as eastern Texas and northern Georgia, where they’ve been introduced.
While they don’t reach as far afield as other Bass species, there are plenty of places you can catch them – usually while fishing for other Bass, Crappie, and Catfish. If you plan on adding Yellows to your catch list next time around, here are some go-to spots:
Mississippi River Backwaters
The Mississippi River is home to some of the best Yellow Bass fishing in the country, with productive waters stretching from Minnesota all the way down to Louisiana.
In Illinois and eastern Iowa, there are large populations of Yellow Bass in sloughs, oxbows, and shallow bays of the upper Mississippi. Pools 14 and 16 are particularly well-known spots, with peak action from May through September. Be sure to fish around weed edges, submerged timber, and sandbar drop-offs.
Moving south, the waters around Quincy, Illinois, and Hannibal, Missouri, also hold quality Yellow Bass, especially in side channels and backwater lakes connected to the main river. In these areas, it’s common to vertically jig near wing dams and bridge pilings during summer and early fall.
The backwaters near Memphis, Tennessee, and Greenville, Mississippi, offer a slightly different bite. Here, Yellows tend to concentrate near current seams and brush piles, especially in oxbow lakes like Tunica Cutoff. The fishing picks up in April and stays strong through October.
Yellow Bass aren’t highly regulated, so many states along the Mississippi River don’t have specific size or bag limits for them. There are exceptions to this, however, depending on the size of the fish and exactly where you catch them. Always check local regulations for your area before heading out.
Lake Livingston, TX
One of the largest reservoirs in Texas, Lake Livingston is pretty accessible, being located about an hour northeast of Houston. White Bass and Catfish are the most popular species here, but you’ll also find a booming Yellow Bass population.
Yellows thrive in this lake thanks to its rich forage base, especially threadfin shad. The fish tend to school in massive numbers around submerged river channels and the dam.
The best time to target Yellow Bass in Livingston is from March to June, as the fish move into shallow waters to spawn. Post-spawn, they retreat to deeper structures but continue to school and feed aggressively through summer. Try using small jigging spoons, inline spinners, and live minnows here – especially when vertical jigging over drop-offs and creek channels.
Texas does not have any size or bag limits for Yellow Bass, and the season is open year-round.
Carters Lake, GA
Tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Carters Lake is one of the deepest reservoirs in the eastern US. While many anglers flock here for trophy Spotted Bass and Stripers, Yellow Bass are kind of a hidden gem. And since everyone is so busy fishing for bigger Bass, you’ll get most of the action to yourself!
Look for Yellows near Ridgeway Park, Doll Mountain, and the mouths of tributary creeks. Between April and early July, they move into mid-depth zones as the water warms, often suspending over submerged structure in 15–30 feet of water. Later in summer and into early fall, evening surface activity gets explosive when Yellow Bass push shad to the top, especially around creek mouths and deep coves.
Georgia does not have any size or bag limits on Yellow Bass, so you can fish to your heart’s content here!
Lake Conway, AR
Lake Conway, just north of Little Rock, is one of Arkansas’s most accessible fisheries. It’s a relatively shallow lake, but full of submerged timber, brush piles, and aquatic vegetation, which Bass and other fish use to their advantage.
Between March and June, you’ll get good Yellow Bass fishing in areas like Palarm Creek, the Highway 89 bridge, and the dam outflow. After the spawn, they move into open water, where you can troll for them using small crankbaits or jig with spoons. As in Georgia, there’s no size or bag limit for Yellow Bass in Arkansas.
Lake Springfield, IL
Lake Springfield is a 4,200-acre reservoir in central Illinois, and a unique spot for Yellow Bass fishing due to its warm water discharge from a local power plant. This warm flow creates an environment where fish remain active year-round – even in the dead of winter.
Yellow Bass congregate near the power plant discharge area, making them accessible to shore anglers and boaters alike. Vertical jigging with slab spoons, tungsten ice jigs, and small plastics can yield a steady stream of fish even when ice covers nearby lakes. In spring and fall, fish disperse into main lake flats and rocky shorelines. Meanwhile, summer promises good topwater action, as Yellow Bass chase bait to the surface early and late in the day.
Anglers fishing in Lake Springfield can keep as many Yellow Bass as they want, so long as they’re under 17 inches long. For Yellow Bass, White Bass, and Stripers longer than that, there’s an aggregate daily bag limit of three fish.
How to Fish for Yellow Bass
Just like most of their relatives, Yellow Bass are feisty, opportunistic feeders. This makes them an excellent target for beginners, because fishing for them doesn’t require a fancy setup or super refined technique. You won’t need to rely on much stealth, either.
These fish prefer water temperatures of 60–80 degrees, so fishing for them is good on the same sort of days as for Largemouth Bass. You’re likely to catch them while targeting Stripers and White Bass, too, although Yellow Bass don’t usually swim throughout the entire lake like other species. In most cases, they stick to the deeper part of the water column, where they feed.
The exception to this comes during the spawning season, when Yellow Bass move into the shallows. In most areas, this happens in spring and early summer. Once the surface gets too hot, they retreat to deep water again.
The main thing is to look for slow-moving water and bait fish like minnows. Once you see a school of Yellow Bass on their tails, all it takes is a well-placed lure. Focus on a relatively quick retrieve in order to trigger a strike from them. You’re likely to get hits in rapid succession.
Casting light jigs near structure is one of the most effective techniques. Focus on areas such as rocky points, submerged timber, drop-offs, and bridge pilings. Yellow Bass are often found in 6–20 feet of water, depending on the season.
Vertical jigging is another go-to, particularly when targeting deeper schools in reservoirs or during winter. Use sonar or fish finders to locate large schools near the bottom, then drop your jig or spoon directly into the mix.
Some anglers also troll with small crankbaits or spinners to cover more water and locate schools. Once you find the fish school, switch to casting or jigging to maximize your catch rate.
And, as you might have guessed, Yellow Bass also make fun fly fishing targets when you can find them in the shallows.
Yellow Bass Fishing Gear & Bait
Fishing for Yellow Bass is great on light tackle. After all, we’re talking about a fish that weighs several ounces, not pounds! Use a 5½–7′ light or ultralight spinning rod with a fast-action tip. This will give you the sensitivity to detect their little bites. Pair that with a 1000–2500 size spinning reel, spooled with 4–8 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon line, and you’re good to go.
The easiest rig for Yellow Bass, and really the only rig you need, is a drop shot. It’s designed to pull your lure straight to the bottom, where these fish will be.
Just plan on using much smaller lures than you would for regular Bass fishing. You can use 1/32–1/8 oz jigs tipped with soft plastics like minnows or curly-tail grubs. Football jigs are a great choice because they’re less likely to snag on rocks and debris at the bottom. Small spoons and blade baits are also good for vertical jigging. Green, brown, and red are some basic colors to get you started.
Yellow Bass also take lures that mimic small bugs like cricket lures, crappie tubes, and u-tail grubs. When the fish are really in a frenzy, they may even go for topwater plugs, inline spinners, and crankbaits. The main thing is to make sure these are small enough for the fish to bite. Of course, live bait is also effective. Use small minnows, shiners, or nightcrawlers.
When to Fish for Yellow Bass
As with other Bass, Yellow Bass are available year-round. There are usually very few restrictions for the species, making them a reliable target wherever you go. The key is to tap into their spawning cycle so that you know where to look for them.
In spring and early summer, they move to the shallows, where you may also find them feeding during the fall. You can expect great action during these seasons because the fish will be aggressive.
Warm weather drives them into deep water, so if you’re fishing in summer, be sure to head out in the early morning or evening. In winter, you can catch Yellow Bass in warm-water lakes or by ice fishing in colder areas.
Yellow Bass: Itty Bitty Adrenaline Rush
While Yellow Bass aren’t the biggest fish out there, they certainly pack a punch. The near-instant gratification you get from these fish makes them perfect for kids and beginners, while their non-stop action makes them fan favorites.
The only real challenge is finding them. Yellow Bass aren’t available everywhere and sifting the deepwater for these little nuggets is a bit like panning for gold. But once they strike, it’s a rush like no other!
Have you ever landed a Yellow Bass? What’s your preferred technique? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
