Page 24 - Mar/Apr 2022 Outdoor Okahoma Magazine

Natural Food Sources: Shad, minnows, crustaceans as sure signs of schooling shad. Where there are shad,
and insects. white bass are usually nearby.
Spawning: White bass are prolific. One female can
WHITE BASS FISHING TIPS
produce up to a million eggs. Reproductive activities
are triggered by water temperatures of 50-55 degrees. When water temperatures reach the high 40s, focus
Spawning is at random over weeds, debris and rocks. your efforts at the mouths of inflowing creeks and
When tributary streams are available, this species rivers on the north ends of the water body. Try lipless
prefers upstream migration for spawning. No parental crankbaits in gold, silver or red patterns, sassy shad
care is provided to eggs or young. in pearl white, shallow- or medium-diving lipped
Facts: The white bass is Oklahoma's state fish. An crankbaits in shad-colored variations, and small white
estimated 1.5 million pounds of white bass are harvested maribou jigs or curly tail grubs.
annually from Oklahoma waters by anglers. Due to their Each water body in the state seems to have a bait of
short life span and high reproductive capacity, no creel choice for white bass, so if you’re unfamiliar with the
limits are imposed on most lakes. Anglers learn to watch area bring an array of these types of lures until you find
for circling and diving gulls and/or surface disturbances the one that picks up the most fish.
If fishing with artificial lures, keep
your retrieve slow and steady.
SARAH SOUTHERLAND/ODWC a small- to medium-size bait-
Boat anglers can use a live minnow on

holding hook attached
to a 12-inch leader line
below a barrel swivel
and a quarter-ounce
to half-ounce egg
weight. Let the line
off the reel directly
below the boat to your
desired depth.
In lakes that do
not have inflowing
water, try the bait
selections described
above around coves,
points and rip-rap areas,
especially during morning
and evening hours.
Follow the fish
upstream during the
spawn and look for
brushy areas along the
bank or mouths of small
tributaries to target.
Sandies are schooling fish,
so if you’re not getting
bites using the types of
baits described, change
locations often until you
find them.

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