High Water White Bass

[vonreed]

Me and my son went tonight, plus I went last night to the Blunk Hole area. Has anyone been doing any good since the high water? I got 4 yesterday and 3 today. All Males! But I heard from a catfisherman down there that there were sows up at the Y Bridge already. Any truth to that?

[Sam]

I went just above Blunk Hole Friday afternoon and caught 10 white bass, 2 small males and 8 big sows.

It's a funny thing - we had some of those fish for supper tonight and they were GOOD. I'd thought about not even keeping the sows because of the strong fishy taste, but these didn't have it. I didn't trim the red meat off or soak them in anything, either. Maybe that fishy taste only gets strong later in the spawn?

If the water came up since Friday, I didn't know about it. We got real wet in a heavy thunderstorm while we were there, though.

[Phil Lilley]

Right now we're planning on going to the James Tuesday morning. Want to put in a Blunks at daylight and head up. But will consider reports between now and then. If they are further upstream, we'll put in further up and fish the riffles above Galena.

[Sam]

Lilley - If it were me, I'd put in at McCord Bend instead. I think the whites are still a little scattered upstream around Blunk.

I just talked with three guys from Ozark who bank-fished McCord this afternoon (Sunday). From the launch ramp, they walked about 1/4 mile upstream and fished that corner hole. They really slammed 'em - they caught and released about 40 fish each, then caught and kept their limits.

I'm going out of Gage's for crappie in the morning, but I'm planning to go out of McCord Bend for white bass on Wednesday. I bet I'll find some crappie on that trip, too.

[Dutch]

Go to McCall bridge and float down to Blunks.

[Bill Butts]

James River, today.

Stopped at the access just below the Galena Bridge shortly after noon.

I'm just guessing, but it looked like it might be about a foot high, not bad, but it looked like cappucino, muddy.

If Beaver and Swan Creeks have been up and off color, too, I would be looking to try them just as they begin to clear.

Give the James a few days.