White bass report - 4/8

[bferg]

Fished up River from Twin this AM from 6 to 10.30. We did ok- not great- appeared it was pretty slow for most people. We caught a bunch of decent males- have the DNA evidence in my boat and on my waders to prove it. Ran down to walkers bluff for but and quickly ran back up River. Saw a dude hook up a big spoonbill by Walkers. There were a lot of spoonbill in that area.

Water was more muddy than I expected.

Was nice to meet you cpriest!

[JohnF52]

I was about halfway between Twin and Wyman yesterday afternoon. Only caught one wb, a male. Water visibility was about 20 inches. Maybe too many large motors are stirring up the bottom around Twin.

[cpriest]

We floated all around today, mostly above the bridge. Found a few, but nothing like it should be. If it doesn't turn on quick it may be over before we realize, it's starting to get pretty late. All I have caught the past week have been males ready to party with the ladies. Seen very few females so far.

[JohnF52]

Everything is late this spring. Daffodils bloomed two weeks later than normal. I have seen the run extend into early May a few times. One year many years ago the temperature in Beaver mid lake did not reach 60 until the first of May.

I think the wb run is just late.

[Spencer]

Anybody know how wadeable Richland and Twin are? My buddy was out last weekend and said it was still a bit too high in most places to make many moves.

USGS numbers for Richland look like they are finally trending back towards fair conditions - gauge and discharge are the lowest they've been in a month, and near par for the later part of the run last year (if i remember correctly).

I know there is rain coming in, so hopefully there's not a ton of lag in the discharge uptick.

Also, new here - so hello!

[cpriest]

Very wadeable. Literally any shoal you can walk to from the bridge. I have been wading both rivers consistently for the past few weeks without any issues. Except for the crowds... Welcome and good luck!

[cpriest]

Correction - the river is blown out right now from the rain. Give it a few days.

[Spencer]

Ok awesome - I see my people here mention floating, so I didn't know if anyone had been walking it.

Ha, I checked the gauge and discharge first thing this morning hoping it wouldn't be so bad, but boy was I wrong! I was checking about 4 different weather station readings yesterday on wunderground for different levels of precip; seemed like east on 45 wasn't getting much compared to West Fayetteville, but the river is telling a different story!

[Guest]

check my post regarding current river conditions, sticky at the top

[hoglaw]

Ok awesome - I see my people here mention floating, so I didn't know if anyone had been walking it.

Ha, I checked the gauge and discharge first thing this morning hoping it wouldn't be so bad, but boy was I wrong! I was checking about 4 different weather station readings yesterday on wunderground for different levels of precip; seemed like east on 45 wasn't getting much compared to West Fayetteville, but the river is telling a different story!

The river is fed by a lot bigger watershed than just east on 45. If it rains in blackoak, St. Paul, or Elkins - that all hits twin bridges.

It's unfishable right now, but it didn't come up THAT much. It should clear up enough to fish in 3-4 days provided there's no more rain, but that doesn't look like it's going to be the case.

You can walk Richland Creek until your heart is content. You can walk the shoal immediately above the bridge, and the two shoals below it on the White (all accessed from 45 bridge). The problem is that the lake is backed up to at least the first shoal below the bridge. The second shoal is most definitely a lake this year.

To access the shoals above the bridge, you need a boat, paddle-craft, or private access through waterford (or up higher even).