White Bass Population Characteristics in the Upper Mississippi River

White Bass Morone chrysops are an important component of the Upper Mississippi River sport fishery. Because of the demand for a high quality fishery, fisheries professionals must evaluate White Bass population characteristics to effectively manage these populations. Despite the popularity among Mississippi River anglers, limited information on the White Bass populations in the Upper Mississippi River exists.  We evaluated trends in White Bass relative abundance using historic (1993-2012) Long-Term-Resource-Monitoring-Program data. To acquire more fine scale White Bass information, we evaluated the population demographics of White Bass within two distinct reaches of the Upper Mississippi River. White Bass populations throughout the Upper Mississippi River Basin appear to have experienced slight declines between 1993-2012. In terms of more fine scale White Bass demographic information, growth was faster in the southernmost reach, while White Bass further upstream (pool 16) exhibited slower growth. Correspondingly, White Bass mortality rates in the southernmost reach were higher than those experienced upstream. While slight declines may exist throughout the Upper Mississippi River, latitudinal clines in White Bass populations may exist and should be incorporated into a basin-wide assessment. Ultimately, this information could be used by fishery managers to more effectively manage White Bass populations.