Schools Of White Bass

[Predator1]

Do the WHITE BASS run in schools back to the lake after spawning up the James river or do the majority just end up in our freezers. If they do swim in schools back to the lake, has anyone witnessed this and been able to catch them.

Up the James each week for the last three weeks, I am sure there have been at least 200 people a day fish that area. 15 FISH PER PERSON = 3000 WHITES PER DAY times 21 days = 63,000.

That is just on the Upper James River arm.

Any comments or info would be helpful, just wondering if it were possible to catch the whites on their return to the deep.

Thanks

Charles E. Jackson

[Champ188]

Predator1,

You bet they run in schools back to the lake. Some of the very best white bass fishing of the year occurs AFTER the spawn and it's topwater fishing. Now is the time to start looking in the middle sections of the rivers for them to blow up on top in big schools. They'll kill a Redfin or Zara Spook Jr. when they're doing this. The bigger pockets off the main river channel are good places to look, as they'll herd shad into those and feed on them. I see this in late spring every year up the White River but you can bet the same is true in the James.

[Hunter91]

I second that, Champ. I get into them almost every year and as you said it is some of the best topwater fishing going for a while!!! Once I have found them they usually stay in the same area for a while. Best times for me are daylight, evening and cloudy days.

[Predator1]

Thanks Champ and Hunter, I will give it a try. I see why those fly fisherman were having a good time. Well the Whites are pretty much done on the Upper James by Taylor Shoals. So I will head back down river toward the lake and start looking for some action. Its time for me to get ready for Some jug lines and trot-lines anyway.

Thanks again.