Wind Direction and White Bass location.....

[dprice]

6 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Not wanting to argue, but Northerly banks receive more direct sunlight all year long.  Just glance outside and notice where the shadows are right now.

At no time during the year do south banks receive more sunlight.  This is why it's warmer in the South. 

On flatland lakes out in Kansas it may not matter much, but on highland reservoirs with tall hillsides it is a pretty big deal.

Wrench  that's correct    Big horse shoes   And miles of creeks and main lakes 

what really seems to happen here at Stockton is wind blows from the south really  strong  and the water moves around quickly into the  small coves - results in  water circulating from shallow back to the drops   Ignite them and  Game on! 

In spring they feed on one side of like one day and  then 300 yards away on the other side the next 

definetly not the same kind of impoundment at all loz will have tremendously strong patterns  from shallow to  steep at the same time  what a great fishery  you have 

just my 2 cent but it's accurate 

stocktons best white runs I have found are in 65 degree water over 15  feet in the spring  wind direction isn't very important  with  the lakes most aggressive  feeder 

 

 

 

[Dutch]

Getting back to the original question.  Wind direction is not all that important.  I have fished for them for a lot of years.  They go where the food is.  Very seldom have I caught many white bass on Stockton unless the wind is blowing.

My greatest successes have come on the third day of the wind blowing from the same direction.  That puts everything into action:  The wind blows the algae to certain areas, the zooplankton follow the algae, the shad follow the zooplankton and then here come the game fish.  That is not to say that you won't catch them with the wind having blown only one day from a particular direction, you just won't do as well.

[dprice]

with the structure  that has been put in our lake  I don't see  how you couldn't catch them any where ?   

The best white bassing  doesn't really involve a boat  at all

(time of day  time of year and migration routes )

Try mutton creek area for a while

mutton creek area in the open water  has so many 2-3 pounders its boggling  

I've noticed wind verse waves  appears to do the same thing 

shad move -  feeders feed 

nice thread by the way ! 

[dan hufferd]

I like a little chop on the water, I like to set the boat on the lee-wind side of the point or bank right on the edge of the slack water, then throw into the wind, but I am after a fish of a different color.

Or just throw a spoon all over the lake until some dumb fish hits it. That works too. 

[fishinwrench]

The wind theory sounds good but I have my doubts about whether that's what is really going on down there.   Shad actively feeding on plankton would more likely be spread out in more of a sheet, rather than in tight balls, wouldn't they? 

In the relatively calm flats where I flyfish for the Whites the shad are never balled up and moving like a cyclone, they are nearer the surface and moving horizontally.  Usually in a long ribbon formation. 

If windy banks are better I don't believe it is because of the "wind blown plankton gathering the shad" train of thought, I think it is more likely because the wave action filters out more light and MAYBE the fish are more active because of THAT.  But I can't buy into the theory that wind blown areas are productive because of the wind concentrating the forage.  

All I know for sure is that I catch as many if not more whites than anyone else I know, and I pretty much avoid the wind anytime I can, especially when flyfishing. My absolute best days are always on slick water, or water with very little chop.  I can't even remember a day in heavy wind where I did exceptionally well.  I guess you just have to believe in it for it to work, which is yet another mark in the tally of fishing being a 90% Mental Game.

[dprice]

45 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

The wind theory sounds good but I have my doubts about whether that's what is really going on down there.   Shad actively feeding on plankton would more likely be spread out in more of a sheet, rather than in tight balls, wouldn't they? 

In the relatively calm flats where I flyfish for the Whites the shad are never balled up and moving like a cyclone, they are nearer the surface and moving horizontally.  Usually in a long ribbon formation. 

If windy banks are better I don't believe it is because of the "wind blown plankton gathering the shad" train of thought, I think it is more likely because the wave action filters out more light and MAYBE the fish are more active because of THAT.  But I can't buy into the theory that wind blown areas are productive because of the wind concentrating the forage.  

All I know for sure is that I catch as many if not more whites than anyone else I know, and I pretty much avoid the wind anytime I can, especially when flyfishing. My absolute best days are always on slick water, or water with very little chop.  I can't even remember a day in heavy wind where I did exceptionally well.  I guess you just have to believe in it for it to work, which is yet another mark in the tally of fishing being a 90% Mental Game.

They also feed  at diferent depths

not much wind at 15 foot 

I think you will find it's very hard to catch them on shallow flats  in January and February

 

Realestate  is the importance 

I hope these thoughts helps the forum  find there catch in better methods and times 

or pass the bad weather days of thinking about there search 

Great to hear of the responses 

this often helps me figure out the puzzle  

i laid a  Arig  in my boat this morning    Hope to fill my left well with a few 

 

 

[fishinwrench]

I think you will find it's very hard to catch them on shallow flats  in January and February

Well actually.....?  There is a spot on the flats up here where a good bunch of Whites, some LM, skinny crappie, and a few walleye can be caught all Winter long if it isn't frozen over.  Water is 3-5' and it's more than a mile away from any water over 10'.  

I just happen to know about it because I live here, but I'm sure there are similar areas scattered around this lake, and other lakes  as well, that for some unrealized reason (or some minor spring inflow)  hold fish shallow year round.  

[dprice]

I wouldn't understand that at all wrench ? March I could see  but earlier That would be against the seasonal migration I would think?

 Main lake areas for big whites  and numbers is more what my reply and suggestion is based upon 

last week whites were so shallow in maze  my balsa b would stick to the mud as it landed   Whites would shudder the surface 

engage the reel  fish on ! 

 

[Dutch]

 The wind theory isn't my original idea.  I got it from some fisheries biologists who had been studying white bass during a 10 year period.

[fishinwrench]

A really interesting thing in the early Spring is that Whites will not run up the creeks unless the lake level is above 657.5 

To do so they have to cross 75-100 yards of 5" deep water because of siltation on the flats, and there are eagles and ospreys just waiting for a few to TRY IT.   Once a few have gotten nabbed it is as if the rest just telepathically know....and none of the others will even attempt it until the lake level rises.

Fish are amazing creatures.