whites

[blacknoseddace]

On the same page now. Ha ha!

[slab slinger]

I have fished the river between Aldrich and 215 bridge since I was old enough to hold a fishing rod. I target whites and walleye every spring and I'm telling ya it's still early for the whites to be thick up the river. The walleye are spawning and some spawned out now. Whites are spotty all males so far. I pull off the whites when they really get going because the crappie are moving up and that's my fav. 2nd week of April the whites will be at full swing in the river If no flooding and the weather holds. 

[PHhunter]

I agree. In my experience the white bass run  will last for about 6 weeks. We are in about week 2 IMHO. The way I have seen it most years. Week 1 can catch them staging at the mouth of rivers. Week two they start heading up in stages but stay close to the lake and deep holes because of fronts.  Week 3 start seeing more females and they run further up river. Weeks 4 and 5 are the best IMHO as the fish are the most active. They run way up the rivers and congregate in holes above and below riffles. Week 6 most are headed back to the lake. The best is yet to come! 

[blacknoseddace]

Spoken by a man who knows his stuff! Everything I have read from you has been spot on Slab Slinger. I've spent quite a few fruitless days trying when the fish just weren't there. Sometimes you just have to go, right? Lol!

 

 

 

 

[bassfisher]

Yes sorry 123 was at work not really thinking at the time ,sorry about that 

[bassfisher]

Slab slinger I'm sorry but the whites are thick right now with current weather conditions they will shut on and shut off, the one big female pic I have was taken at highpoint boat launch and caught on an electric chicken Bobby garland was full of eggs getting ready to let loose on her eggs, I've watched them blow up in Coffman 2 weeks ago, not downing you at all but they are almost done spawning,  that's real I've cleaned the big sows, eggs like mush and loaded warm temps this year is going to draw them in and out and they're going to board their eggs in the lake

[bassfisher]

And to be honest I'm no white bass fisherman I just happened to come up on those big white the evening  they were doing that blowing up all over and they have not done that since

[blacknoseddace]

Jason, I understand what you are saying about the warm temps triggering spawn, but I think the whites will spawn well into April. Every year the temperatures fluctuate up and down in March and April. The fish will spawn in waves sporadically during that period instead of all at once. This has been my experience from Stockton tributaries down to Bull Shoals and Table Rock tributaries. 

 

 

[Walcrabass]

OK Guys, here is some info from the old man Wally. Fish spawn do to several different reasons. Believe it or not diet has a lot to do with it. If a particular fish holed up in a spot in the lake for the winter that was a little bit deeper and a little bit colder then being cold blooded creatures that fish may not get a start on the "Spawn Mode" as quickly as another fish that holed up in a warmer spot. Along the same thoughts is the presence of food. Some places just have more bait than others. Along with all this is whether they are in a place that has a big influx of water every time it rains. As we all know it can turn them on or shut them down due to the amount and temperature of the rain. Another point of interest is that fish can "Taste" the water. In other words they have an idea what is going on by following a scent trail in the water. It is this fact that lets the Salmon know which creek or river they were spawned in so they can return to the same place to spawn themselves.

What all this boils down to is simply what was told to me by a friend that is long gone. A person that spent his life hunting and fishing before graphs, GPS, Down imaging, etc. A person that spent each day of his life watching livestock and wildlife too. His words were true and had great insight. "All the fish don't go to the bank to spawn on the same day and at the same time." He would always follow with something like " It just depends on what is going on".

So the thing to do is watch the weather, check the lake temp in different areas or even pockets, figure when the last rain fell and what water clarity you are dealing with, think about the type of spawning area the fish you are targeting needs, AND watch the cows when you are heading to the lake. One other thing..... it doesn't hurt to see them tearing up the water on the surface either !!!!

Wallenheimer

[bwcballer10]

I've cleaned several females caught from the Little Sac this year and none of them have been anywhere close to spawning, they are just starting in the river and the best is yet to come!