White Bass
 

I have made it my duty to find and catch these wonderful fish in the past year...will little luck. I have tried different approaches and am struggling to get one in the boat. I have found several schools of fish in the morning. I've tried the crankbait trolling, live shad below the boat and behind. trolled umbrella rig and short of using dynamite, I don't know what I am doing wrong. Most schools I find are a mix of whites and stripers. Not the big boys, but big enough and the depth finder is covered with the evidence. An area of about 80 yards seems to be common. As soon as I cast in one area, they start busting in another. I have tossed white jigs, red fins, 200, 300 series cranks and white plastics of all types. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
James

I've found schools of them on two separate mornings busting up minnows and couldn't catch one. I was very confused. We all know how to catch them - small cranks, roostertails, small curly tail grubs, crappie magnets all work great. They're picky this summer haha.

1. White rooster tail or similar in line spinner.
2. Gay Blade or Bass Pro Lazer Blade
3. Little George.

I have found schools that would grab anything thrown at them. This is becoming more rare for some reason.
IMO, most use too large a lure. The best lure will be the size of the bait fish when fishing the jumps.
Usually the larger fish will not be surfacing. They wait under the schooling fish and grab bait fish that go deeper to escape the jumps.

3/8 oz leadhead jig with a white or chartreuse curly tail grub has usually been my bait for catching them on the Tenn river here in the western part of the state. White Rooster tails seen to work better up near Pickwick tailwaters. Cast them out, let them sink fairly deep, and then a slow steady retrieve even when they are busting on top.

I often use a 1/8 and 1/4 ounce gold Kastmaster spoon and change the hooks out with an XCalibur XT3 dressed hook and flatten the barbs. I just skip it back to me and they usually kill it in the jumps. Also use the Pop-R with the barbs flattened.






Regards

Stripe
 

I like to throw a Heddon Pup-let it sit and then twitch it. It has a little hole in the nose that spits out water that they love. Also try zipping a Heddon tiny torpedo- sometimes a big turd will work. It's hard to believe that you have yet to catch one in the jumps-which leads me to believe you are in the skippy jumps, not stripe.

Thanks for the replies, there are several methods I will try! Will keep ya posted if I get into them. One morning I would swear I kept seeing catfish rolling on the surface and even a bit of a splash at times. Most of the fish i'm spotting are around 1-4lbs, but I'm telling you there are some jumping that would eat the others! Next time I go I will get some still shots from the Humminbird.
Thanks again!
James

You mean you throw the Kastmaster and reel it in fast enough so that it just skips along the surface and they grab it?

Yep.....once you get it on top it doesn't take much to keep it there....like a water ski.......large mouth and whites kill it. I go through a lot of them this time of year when fish are in the jumps. Hope to find them in the jumps tomorrow.


Regards

What size kastmaster do you prefer, Randy? DUH. Just re-read your post. Move along, nothing to see here.

Totally! Double lure setup works best for me. Tie them a little over a foot apart. Use a white on one, and chartreuse on the other, see which one they want. If that's not your thing, go get you some small minnows. Both methods WILL work.

I usually motor within casting distance of where they are jumping and throw a 1 oz. bendable spoon. It gets down fast and I have always caught 4 or 5 fish per jump before they move somewhere else

I do pretty much the same as some has mentioned but also have had luck throwing a hair jig under a float then popping the float back like a popping cork. They will inspect the float and the jig falls in their face.

I can't believe I've never thought of that! Sounds like a fun way to catch them. If weather permits I'll be on the water around 4am Saturday looking for the jumps, I'll try this!

went Thursday morning, fish almost jumping in boat and no takers. taking paddle Friday morning to hit them on their head, will post results

You know... I've had trouble this Summer too. Two mornings I got on the water at 4am and found them in the jumps. Threw everything I had at them, kept going smaller all the way down to trout magnets, and couldn't catch them. I'm going again tomorrow morning if the weather permits and will try again.

iVe noticed the same thing guys but i have had some luck throwing small spoons, maybe 1/8 oz with flashy/hair treble hooks. I wasnt casting and cranking, but i was flicking it a foot or 2 under the surface and letting it flutter down and they would demolish it. the exact spoons i was using was the Lunker Hunt (i think) from the hendersonville walmart. they come in a 3-4 pack. also found some down deep and got them on 2" jigging rapals.
when i first seen em in the jumps i went as far as lobbing out a live minnow on a bare hook and still got minimal results. best results ive had so far have been on the light spoons. Only color i tried was gold, but im sure any metallic color should work, then remember the flicking and fluttering. i couldnt touch a fish on a straight retrieve.
Good luck.

Thanks for the adivice and help! Most of the time I fish I'm looking for them, now I seem to find them and....I did go 0-0 this morning. Heading out Sat morning with the wife. Hoping Karma kicks in and she catch's a couple since I cant. I did try casting the small spoons today, even on top of the water. will try the "flutter" tomorrow.

btw, very thankful for new sonar w/gps. the fog was VERY thick this morning! but I love it
James

I am betting that you catch larger ones using the flutter method. If you catch any. :D

The jumpers I have seen around the shore lines are 18" to 24" catfish chasing bait fish. A little farther out some were coming all the way out and look like walleye and white bass. Here at OHL at 4:30am every morning at lock 3 ramp there working the water towards the dam until about 6am then they are gone. If you want the catfish alone the shore line try minnows under a float about 12" to 18"...............woody

Little George is my go to for white bass. Speed is the key. Some days they want a constant slow roll, other days worked like a spoon, and sometimes burned through the school. 1/4 ounce silver with blue back rattle trap burned though the school also produces. The best part about these two lures, you can cast them a mile which helps you find them again. ;)