The White Bass Run is About to Strike

IT’S JUST ABOUT GAME TIME on select river systems across Texas. If this year is like most, opening kickoff could happen around Super Bowl Sunday, possibly sooner depending on the venue and whether or not Mother Nature has any trick plays up her sleeve.

The game in question is the white bass spawning run — an annual event that rolls around each winter and early spring on major rivers and other waterways that feed large reservoirs with abundant populations of the prolific sport fish.

It’s a hallowed affair that signals the beginning of another fishing season and a great opportunity for thousands of recreational anglers to enjoy some of the fastest action of the year.

Making the Move

White bass — also called sand bass — are among the first freshwater fish to feel the itch to spawn. The urge spurs armies of the silver-sided fish to stampede upstream from major impoundments, against the current, often in giant schools that may number into the thousands. It is not uncommon for fish to travel 20-40 miles when the right conditions are present on large river systems.

The males are always the first to make the move, followed by larger females. The fish prefer to gather around deep holes, still-water eddies, channel bends, sandbars or in the mouths of creek channels and sloughs, where they await Mother Nature’s final cue to perpetuate the species. Whites usually gravitate to shallower areas with sand or gravel bottoms in 2-8 feet of water to spawn.

Unlike black bass, white bass don’t build tidy nests for spawning. In fact, they are downright sloppy housekeepers. 

Here is what happens:

When the timing is right, females randomly spew clouds of eggs from their swollen ovaries into the water column. A two-pounder may produce as many as 900,000 eggs.

The guys follow close behind. Several males may fertilize the eggs before they settle to bottom and stick to rocks, logs and other underwater objects.

The eggs usually harden and hatch within 2-3 days. Newly hatched fry gradually make their way back to the reservoir from which their parents came.  A portion of the offspring will eventually grow to maturity, continue the spawning cycle and become the next generation of white bass for anglers to catch.

Trigger Factors

Fisheries scientists believe the spawning run is triggered by a combination of factors. Water temperature, photoperiod (the length of days and nights) and river flow are among the big three.

River flow is an especially important piece to the puzzle. Spawning runs are always the most pronounced in years when good river flows coincide with water temperatures in the mid-to-upper 50s. Biologists say the fish may spawn on shallow, wind-swept points on the main lake during years with slack current.

Timing The Spawn

The timing of the spawning run is regional thing that can vary from one waterway to the next.

In southern Texas, where water temperatures warm earlier in the year, it is not uncommon for white bass to begin finning their way up the Nueces and Frio rivers in January, provided water flows are sufficient.  

In Central and North Texas rivers like the Colorado, Guadalupe, Brazos and Trinity, spawning runs usually getting underway in February or March, sometimes lasting into April. 

East Texas hotspots like the Sabine, Trinity, Angelina and Neches usually fall somewhere in the middle, though earlier activity sometimes occurs during abnormally warm years with favorable river flows. Notable spawning runs also have been documented in creeks and drainages that feed lakes like Cedar Creek, Tawakoni, Cooper, Somerville, Conroe and Wright-Patman.

One thing that sets East Texas rivers aside from others is the size of the fish. A 1 1/2 pounder is a big one on many Texas rivers, but closer to average in nutrient-rich waters like the Sabine, Trinity and Angelina. Females weighing around 2 pounds are the norm on those waters; fish weighing upwards of 3 pounds are not uncommon. 

The Main Event

River fishing can be outstanding when the spawning run is going full bore. The bite is usually best when the current is slow and steady, clarity is good and the water level is fairly close to normal. Normal water levels keep the fish confined to channels so they are easier to find. 

Flood conditions mean just the opposite. When rivers breach their banks the fish scatter and are more difficult to find. During periods of high and muddy water, sandies will may seek out clearer, less turbulent creeks and sloughs adjacent to the main channel.

With swarms of hungry, aggressive fish stacked in small areas, the fishing can be fast and furious at times. In fact, it’s not uncommon for multiple anglers to reel in 25 fish limits in as many casts from spots no larger than a pick-up bed.

It typically doesn’t take much skill to score, and you may not need a boat to catch fish provided bank access is sufficient for firing baits to productive waters.

Baits for the Fun of It

White bass are voracious feeders when the dinner bells rings. Few artificial baits fool them better than shad or crawfish imitations.

A long-time staple is 1/4 ounce Blakemore Roadrunner, red/white or red/chartreuse. They also like small crankbaits or live bait including minnows or crayfish.

Another reason white bass get such high billing during spring is because they are so much fun to catch. The fish aren’t that big, but they are strong fighters on tackle that doesn’t overpower them.

Just about any lightweight rod and reel combo will work. A good quality spinning or spin cast outfit matched with light line doubles the pleasure.

The annual spawning run isn’t happening just yet, but it won’t be long. Often times, some of the best fishing occurs before word of the main event leaks to the streets.

 

—story by MATT WILLIAMS

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