Various Report

[Phil Lilley]

4/13 Fished Tuesday evening- put in at River Run and tried Barker Hole- caught 4 whites on the bottom of channel 24 feet on white jigs. Nothing much going on down there. Tried some crappie areas - nothing.

Boated back up to half way between Swan and the dam and tried the mud bluff bank on the right - nothing. That's been a hot spot in years past.

Went into Swan about sundown. Caught 3 whites on the field's edge on a blue rebel. Had some other follows and strikes. Nothing much else caught in the creek. Very clear. Fish I cleaned- the ones in the main lake- females had eggs. In the creek- spawned out.

4/14 Put in at the 160 bridge about 6 pm last evening with Vince. We wanted to catch some whites on fly rod. Headed down past the shoal past a couple of boats and waders. Anchored on the slack side and fished the channel. Fairly good current, very clear. Fly fishing- nothing. Tried lots of flies and jigs. I started throwing a while jig and caught my limit. Vince stayed with the fly rod and then caught 4 whites after dark on a floating rebel. Most females and all with bloody eggs. Nothing big- 1.5 pounds biggest but mostly less than a pound. Not much else caught that we say.

[Predator1]

Nice hunting. So, by the looks of it you had about the same deal as we have been having on the Upper James near Taylor Shoals. Bloody eggs but just not as many fish this year. Do you think we have been catching too many WHITES BASS in the last few year?

[emjay]

Met 3 different guys this weekend who all said they have been limiting out all week.

[Phil Lilley]

Talked to a friend who said they caught dozens of whites yesterday down further from the dam that we were fishing. Another said they caught tons below the 160 bridge on the flats. All still have eggs.

Past years... we did not do well at all the last 2 years as far as harvest. Not sure what you mean.

This year has been a banner year- cleaning alot and releasing alot. It's just different, I guess. Not sure what is normal any more. No rain equals creeks aren't ideal for spawning and they won't move up. Alot have already spawned but many have not and may not. Who knows.

But again, I don't think harvesting affects next years crop. Look at Oklahoma. There tons of anglers hauling in whites on the Spring River. They catch them 12 months out of the year and still, I've never seen a river so full of white bass. And it's the same on many other waters in OK where in many of those places - there is NO limit on white bass. They are extremely prolific given the right spawning conditions.