White Bass Ready To Run

Thursday, March 27, 2014

The savvy angler looks at the trees to gauge the status of the white bass run.

"White bass fishing is best when the dogwood blossoms are the size of a squirrel's ear," goes the saying.

Larry Aggus substituted oak buds for dogwood blooms when he repeated the expression on Wednesday, talking about the white bass run.

A peek at the branches right now tells us those whites aren't running yet.

"You look at the trees and they haven't started to bud," Aggus said. He's a former fisheries biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and owner of Southtown Sporting Goods in Fayetteville.

Aggus keeps a close ear on the progress of the white bass spawning run, one of the most anticipated fishing events of the year. Each spring, hard-fighting white bass migrate up the tributaries of Beaver Lake to spawn. Most of the action is in the White and War Eagle rivers, but the major creek arms at Beaver are worth a cast.

Aggus has heard reports of small male white bass biting, but the run hasn't gotten out of the starting blocks yet. "We're a week or two away," he said. "Then it'll just explode when it happens."

The water temperature has just bumped the 50 degree mark. That's the magic number to get white bass moving, he said. Once it hits 52 and climbs from there, it's catch and keep all the white bass you care to clean. There is no daily limit on white bass at Beaver Lake or its tributaries.

No doubt the spawning run is delayed by the cold winter. The later the start, Aggus said, the smaller the window of catching opportunity. The run won't last as long.

"Once it starts, people shouldn't wait two or three weeks before they start fishing. They need to get out there."

The key to the catching is to fish on the bottom.

"That's why fishermen who use crawdads do so well. They let that bait sit on the bottom," Aggus coached.

A crappie jig is ideal for catching white bass. Aggus likes to cast the jig and bump it along the bottom. White, chartreuse or any color that resembles a minnow or shad is a good choice.

Crank baits are fine, as long as the lure bumps the bottom. Anglers who do poorly with crank baits are probably fishing above the fish, Aggus said.

The current may be 3 or 4 mph on the surface, but on the bottom it's much slower, he said. That's why the fish are there.

Want to really sack up some white bass? Fish at night, Aggus advised. Action can be fast and furious after dark, but few anglers go nocturnal in their white bass pursuits.

The going thing right now is walleye, Aggus continued. Walleye spawn before the white bass and the fishing is excellent now. The White River arm of Beaver Lake is the hot spot. Anglers are using crank baits with some chartreuse in the pattern, jigs or nightcrawler rigs.

Watch the woods for clues to the white bass run. It's time to start fishing is when the serviceberry trees begin to bloom, Aggus said. After that, those dogwood blossoms the size of a squirrel's ear can't be far behind.

FLIP PUTTHOFF IS OUTDOORS EDITOR FOR NWA MEDIA. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @NWAFLIP.

Outdoors on 03/27/2014