White Bass

[Riverwhy]

Spent some time on the lake Sunday and we were hoping to find the white bass chasing shad but I could find no surface activity and even when I found shad in the back of a shallow cove I could not get any love.  We ended up with 7 big whites but it took half a day to get that done.  No real pattern for us.  Lipless crank baits with fish scattered randomly. We put in at PB2 and it was a real washing machine out on the main lake.  One of the big ocean going vessels went past us about 40 times.  I guess he thought it was entertaining to watch our boat surf the waves like something out of A Perfect Storm.  Weather was great and we had a lot of fun even if the numbers were less than we had hoped.

[fishinwrench]

I've been doing well with Whites and juvenile Stripers but surfacing activity has been nonexistent.   I will tell you that the type of areas where I am finding them is definitely not where you'll see a large cruiser.  Even a full size bassboat is rare.  

[Riverwhy]

Thank you fishinwrench.  I'm trying again on Friday and I will concentrate on the type of areas you indicated.

[96 CHAMP]

A buddy of mine was down a week or so ago and was surprised that they caught as many as they did under the conditions they did, high skies, but they had wind. He told me they found them on the main lake and not in the creek arms. That doesn't mean they aren't there though. I am wanting to get down, been waiting for the temps to go down a bit more, and would be nice to see some cloud cover, but its looking like we will be coming down for Sunday and Monday next week. Took care of the deer stand yesterday, tired of waiting, get out there and hunt em down.

[nomolites]

Have seen them surfacing mornings and eves over deep water off the flats.  Been catching a few tossing a spoon in when they come up but have not really been after them yet.  Have seen others chasing them around and catching a few each rise-I am too lazy.  I think Wrench has the right idea as the skinny water is cooler.

Mike

[Riverwhy]

I'm thinking an under spin with a small swim bait could be effective on the whites.   If they are deeper maybe a kastmaster spoon fished horizontal?

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Riverwhy said:

I'm thinking an under spin with a small swim bait could be effective on the whites.   If they are deeper maybe a kastmaster spoon fished horizontal?

I flyfish for them mostly.  The action of a quickly stripped fly is nearly irresistible to Whites so that makes them easier to find. Not because they'll always eat it, but because more often than not several from the school will break away and chase it just close enough to the boat that I'll see them.  Regardless of what your throwing and how you are manipulating it Whites will not bite (in mass) until they are ready to eat.  I think it's impossible to coax inactive whites to bite, but you CAN coax them into CHASING, or as I call it...."Flashing", and you might hook one or two. That clues you to where they are at.   

Once you've identified that 50 yard long area where the magic happens the best thing to do if they aren't hammering it on every other cast is to sit down, crack a beer, and wait for something to change.  If a cloud passes over the sun give it a try....no bites, or only another chase/flash....sit back down and wait for something else to happen.  The wind might pick up, or lay down.  A big boat wake might come crashing in, or whatever.   The absolute best thing to happen is for 4:45pm to roll around, because from then until 30 minutes before dark they will almost always decide to eat heavily.  

If you beat the water up and show them all your tricks before they get in the mood to chow down then you won't load the boat as easily during that 2 hours worth of Game Time. 

Again, the most important thing to be aware of is what goes on BEHIND your lure when it gets close enough to see it.  Flyfishing makes that easy, but with jigs and stuff it's a little bit harder. 

[dookie65]

I found some nice whites still out on the main lake bluff wall  and bluff ends when I was down on Oct.22-23.

C.C. Rattle trap and a jerk bait was what I caught them on. It was blue bird skies but we had wind. Caught them late morning to  noon.

We had to leave about 1:00pm so we didn't get much time in. No surface activity that I saw but again that was a little more than a week ago.

[Old plug]

I have not felt much like fishingvhere lately. i wentvup into Mill Creek this evening about 5 or a little after. got two obig whites and two short crappie. sort of dragging a fllicker shad around. there srecseemed to be a lot of nice fish down in a  10 to 25 ft of water. I was theconlyvboat up there. yesterday evening itgey sleyed them up there. I jist cannot figure the right time amd right place this fall it would seem. I spent most f my time jigging a spoon right off the bottom in there faces. That usially works for me when onthing else will.