Spring White Bass Run

[Ham]

i'm interested in fishing the spring run of fish up the river. I've been told about a spot called Johnson's Hole, but I'm not at all sure how to get there. I would appreciate it if someone could help me out with driving directions. I'm guessing about mid March during a "normal" spring. Does that sound about right?

[Bill Butts]

Ham,

There is an excellent young guide on that fishery by the name of Cody Smith.

His website is fishgreersferry.com

He provides fishing reports on the AGFC website, weekly, and usually provides more detailed info than you would expect from a guide.

I think there would be a good chance he would help you locate that spot.

Greers is one of the very best Hybrid Striper fisheries in the midwest, you might want to consider a day or two on the lake with Cody, too.

Topwater action in the fall would be my suggestion.

Hope this helps,

Bill

[Ham]

Thanks Bill. I'll take a look at fish website. I think I've heard that some of the hybrids run up the river with the Whites in the spring.

[Bill Butts]

Hybrids and Stripers are no different than Whites, they all move up out of the lakes into the tributaries to spawn or at least go thru the ritual.

What you will find is that the main run of Hybrids will overlap the end of the run of White Bass, which is great because that means you have a longer period to fish the "run".

On the Greers Ferry fishery, since it is a little more southern latitude, you should start finding Whites pushing up the tributaries as early as late Feb. and the end of the run of Hybrids possibly close to the end of April.

Cody Smith would certainly know, and he would also know which tributaries are the most productive to fish and access.

As you probably know, that lake is really two separate lakes joined by a "narrows". The upper lake is where the 3 primary tributaries are located and there are camping, boat and lodging facilities all around that area.

Finding access by road to the better spots on the river is the key, and is different depending on the current lake level.

On most tributaries during the spring spawning run, the best places to locate concentrations of fish are the first 2-3 shoals above lake water.

Prior to the start of the run, fish will "stage" in the deeper river channel downstream from flowing water waiting for the perfect timing of water temp and daylight hours.

If you like to catch Walleye, they run and spawn prior to White Bass, the Greers fishery is an exceptional one for them, too.

Unless it has changed, I believe Greers Ferry is still the lake that produced the current world records for both Hybrid Striper and Walleye.

Good luck this Spring!

[Ham]

Thanks Bill. I'm more familiar with the White Bass run on the Sabine River above Toledo Bend. The White Bass run is followed by a Yellow Bass run which is followed by a Freshwater Drum run. All the runs overlap to some degree and of course all sorts of other fish bite while you are fishing for the White Bass.

The fishing on the Sabine CAN BE world class.

[Bill Butts]

Ham, if you live in the Mt Home area, I would suggest you learn the NFOW fishery on the MO side of the border.

Excellent runs and beautiful water up there, all 3 species, too.

Give it a shot, if you haven't already.

[Ham]

I'll have to do that not a long drive for me and the trout boat with a 20 HP jet takes so e of the worry out of it. I keep a MO license every year. I'll try to keep an ear to the ground for when it starts happening.

[mic]

Thanks Bill. I'm more familiar with the White Bass run on the Sabine River above Toledo Bend. The White Bass run is followed by a Yellow Bass run which is followed by a Freshwater Drum run. All the runs overlap to some degree and of course all sorts of other fish bite while you are fishing for the White Bass.

The fishing on the Sabine CAN BE world class.

What is yellow bass?

[Wayne SW/MO]

Bill do they favor one river over the other, Bryant or NF?

Ham how big do the yellow bass get there? My limited experience in OK produced small ones, <6".

[Ham]

What is yellow bass?

A fish that looks a LOT like a White Bass, but they are smaller and have a lemonish yellow color over the white bass patten. My Dad swears they eat a lot more like a crappie than a White Bass. He won't eat White Bass, but readily keeps the Yellows.