Locations and tatics for a novice white bass fisher

[KCfisher]

OK, Butts. Have at it. I won't blame you for not giving up your best secrets, maybe just enough to get me started this spring.

[Bill Butts]

OK, Butts. Have at it. I won't blame you for not giving up your best secrets, maybe just enough to get me started this spring.

KC,

Thanks for your inquiry.

There are no special secret spots within driving distance for you, that I know.

The Niangua is a great and very underutilized river for serious smallmouth fishing and other species.

Certainly worthy of your time and dedication to learn and conquer.

Lots of floaters in the warmer months, but few skilled fishermen.

Have you fished the lower Niangua below Tunnel Dam for whites or stripers in the spring?

That is certainly one very good fishery but will take work on your part to master.

Do you have a boat? Kick-boat or pontoon? Canoe or kayak?

There are several other tributaries of LOZ that receive runs of spring whites, etc. but I don't really know them will enough to detail for you.

The tailwater below Truman Dam is an incredible smorgasboard of all the striper species plus much more but that is big water and not usually the flyfishers preference to attempt.

The lower Sac River above Osceola is a very good fishery for whites, hybrids and crappie but requires a boat.

La Cygne Lake 55 miles south of KC has a warm water discharge that attracts hybrids during the cold months and I am told the tailwater below it, the Mairis De Cygnes River, also holds some large Hybrids pretty much all year.

Further south, the Sac and Little Sac Rivers, both the primary tribs of Stockton Lake, are very productive and predictable white bass spawning run fisheries (no hybrids) in the spring.

There are many other good fisheries for whites and hybrids on the KS side, like Milford and others and I'm sure you could network with some other area fishermen and maybe on this forum to learn more about them.

As far as tackle, I probably already suggested reading my post on the Forum under the Striper Family/Fly Tackle and Flies. If not, you should find that helpful.

OK, there's some initial input for you. Questions?

When it comes to fishing for any of the Striper Family it is vital to network, network, network.

Keep in touch.

BB

[KCfisher]

Thanks for the great information. I am frequent fisher on the Niangua; I fish Bennet Spring input and the next 6 miles or so. I have caught some really nice smallmouth, although I typically target trout.

You mention the runs on the Sac are predictable. Is it weather, month or little of both? How long do they run? Although any day on the water is worth it, it would be nice to not have to travel from KC just to miss it.

I have a kick boat, by the way.

[Bill Butts]

Thanks for the great information. I am frequent fisher on the Niangua; I fish Bennet Spring input and the next 6 miles or so. I have caught some really nice smallmouth, although I typically target trout.

You mention the runs on the Sac are predictable. Is it weather, month or little of both? How long do they run? Although any day on the water is worth it, it would be nice to not have to travel from KC just to miss it.

I have a kick boat, by the way.

KC,

Any river with a White Bass spring run has the critical variables of water temp and flow (only bad thing is high muddy water).

Both Sac rivers are somewhat murky when normal and that is a key factor that makes the whites pretty comfortable in the river, since they are open water lake fish that are almost constantly on the move. I've observed fish in very clear water streams like Beaver Creek or the Kings River have a tendency not to hang out in the river to feed for very long after their spawning objective is complete.

The Sac rivers and others similar have runs that usually last for several weeks, but that also includes multiple "waves" of fish during that time. Does this make sense?

I would think that most of the fisheries in KS would be mostly murky, too.

I am sure you will start seeing fishing report posts by late March, but in the average years the very best time for the spring run fish is from early April thru mid-May.

Hope this is helpful.

Let me know if any of this is foggy, or if you have further questions.

BB