White Bass Bonanza – by Rob Burlingame
As I write this article, I can’t help but think of the freezing rain that I found covering my truck this morning as winter takes one last poke at our fishing time. It is hard to imagine that the time has come once again when “warm water” fishing begins to ignite. This is the time of year many anglers look forward to, as the well-known white bass begins its annual ritual, and our club does the same, with a trek to Colorado Bend in search of memorable fishing days. For those who have never attended the annual White Bass Bonanza, it is highly recommended. Through this article, I hope to enlighten first timers on productive methods for catching this species. I owe several people for the knowledge I have gained, but mostly Clay Gill, Bruce Young, and Jon King, who helped to produce great results on last year’s (my first) trip. Now to the lesson…
What makes the fish move?
I would like to begin with a few tidbits of biology that should help most of you to quickly recognize productive white bass turf. The white bass have an annual “run” out of lakes and into rivers for the purpose of spawning, similar to many other fish species. There are several triggers that start this run, but the two largest factors are water temperature and the increasing hours of daylight in a day . The latter simply relates to spring time, as days get longer and summer approaches. The first however, is more scientific. If my memory serves me correctly, white bass in this region begin to frolic when water temperatures reach somewhere close to 65 degrees. Smaller males usually take the journey first, followed by the larger females as time progresses. Basic concept: As the water warms and daylight lengthens, the fish begin to move. This annual ritual will usually begin some time in early February and continue through late April, with some slower action on each side of this time frame. After the river run, you can usually claim some excellent days in the lakes, upon the fishes return.
Where can I find fish in the rivers?
As these environmental factors play out, the fish move out of lakes they typically occupy, into feeder creeks and rivers. White bass make this move in search of areas with clean, flowing water and a small rock or gravel-covered bottom. The white bass spawn in the rivers, the eggs drift down to and attached to the gravel. They then hatch in 2 to 3 days. Key words to pay attention to are “flowing” and “gravel”. If you seek out these two things, you will usually find springtime white bass. Here is the catch. The fish will usually run at night and tend to hold tight during the day in deeper pockets. That being said, the fish will tend to spend their days relaxing and looking for a female to follow around the next evening. As a fish that spends most of its time in fairly still reservoir waters, you can imagine that currents are avoided until they are necessary. What is the point? If you are fishing during the late evening through early morning, look for areas with a riffle or current to fish, especially if they have a gravel bottom. During the late morning through the daytime hours, fish the calmer pools beside the flowing water (or pockets formed between rocks, etc). Try to find an area where the fish can relax out of the main current, but get back into the current easily.
What equipment do I use?
Most commonly, people will fish with anything between a 4 and 6 weight rod, depending on preference. Match this with the appropriate reel and floating or intermediate line. For the earlier part of the season, most would want to don a pair of waders to avoid the bite of chilly water. I would highly recommend felt soled wading shoes and/or a wading staff to avoid a spill on the slippery rocks. Be sure to bring along several layers of clothing, as it can be anywhere from 70 degrees to 30 degrees. The only other necessity would be a stringer and a cooler. For those who may have just cringed at the thought of betraying the sacred catch & release philosophy, this is one fish even the strictest fly fishers will keep. The shock will subside when you pop a deep fried morsel in your mouth after the trip.
What flies do I use?
There are a number of streamers and other flies that will produce fish, but the two most commonly used are Cypert minnows and mini-clousers. Truth be known, nearly any good representation of a minnow should produce fish during the main run. The most productive color varies year to year, but these flies are common in combinations of white, baby blue, olive, chartreuse, tan, and light gray. Make sure you have a variety of weights from bead chain to lead eyes. Before you grab your box of clousers and head for the river, you need to remember one thing: KEEP THEM SPARSE! Most people would laugh at some of the most productive flies we use. (That is until they see the results.) An example: the most productive fly I used last year was a brown & white clouser with about 6 hairs of each color and 4 strands of krystal flash. They look hideous, but they work. We all have our own version of the “Barely There” or “Next-to-Nothing Clouser”.
What technique do I use?
One of the keys to success with white bass is to fish the bottom. The best way to know if you are deep enough is to feel for your fly bouncing off of the bottom. If you are bouncing on the bottom, you are deep enough. There are a few ways to get you deep: a sinking line or a floating line with a long leader and weighted fly. You can determine your own line preference. I personally will use a floating line and about a 15 foot light leader. This is usually enough to get it down deep. Once you are deep enough, you can either dead drift your fly or use a stripping pattern. I found that small strips across the current or against the current were most productive. One tip is to make sure your fly is tied on with a Duncan Loop to give it more action during the drift. Outside of that it is pretty basic. Your most productive times should be early morning and late afternoon, although fish can usually be caught throughout the day. You should use what Bruce calls the “Magic Rock Technique”. Since white bass are a schooling fish, if you catch one, keep fishing the same hole…there will be more fish. You can almost stand in one spot the entire day and keep catching fish.
To wrap the article up, here are some highlights to remember.
- Fish deep over gravel and in or around currents
- Fish early and fish late
- Keep your flies sparse
- Find your magic rock
- Ask questions of the other club members
- Have fun, enjoy yourself, and catch fish!