Found them in my backyard jtexas

[fireman57]

Have loved white bass fishing for years. Used to drive 3 hours north to a lake that a friend of mine owned property on. We used to stay at his place which was a late 1950 or early 60's mobile home that had fallen into disrepair but was still functional, handy, and free. The 2000 acre lake was overrun with shad back in the early '90s and they stocked white bass and stripers in there for control. Fell in love with them as they grew in size over the years. Last few years the fishing has steadily declined and now I got word that they are going to tear down the cabin. I live 20 minutes from the Ohio river and have always catfished down there. I know that the stripers congregate below the dams and we fished there a few times with some success. There were always guys fishing the heads of the islands for whites but I never saw them pull any out. My brother and neighbor went with me last Friday for a few hours and we took some inline spinners with us and started casting and in no time we had 30 nice fish in the boat. Combination of whites, hybrids, and small stripes. Beautiful fillets. Went again Monday morning early and picked up another 24 in no time. Heck with driving 3 hours and not catching this many fish in 3 days when we can do it right here. Have a neighbor and a nephew that decided we are going to have fishing Thursdays. After work we will have about three hours to fill the boat. We used to use white or chrome rooster tails for them but now use either blue or chrome number three Blue Fox. Deadly. Do any of you guys know if this pattern will keep up all summer or is it a spring thing. The bluegill and redear are just getting on the beds up here in the last few days. Late spawn for our neck of the woods.

 

[JB]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

Back in the days when I was a rich white honky raising a family we lived on Grapevine Lake west of Dallas.<br /><br />Son and I used to go out, or just sit in the boathouse at night under the floodlights, and load up on white bass ("sandies") and big crappie.<br /><br />The point of this post is what I did with the offal after fileting. I also owned the lot behind our house, so I marked off a 50'X50' plot and plowed it up. Then I cut furrows, lined the furrows with fish remains and planted a variety of veggies on top. Got the idea from reading about how the New England Native Americans grew corn on top of Atlantic salmon carcasses. About 6" of compost mulch on top.<br /><br />Had the finest garden in Texas in those days, including a lot of stuff that "won't grow" in Texas clay and gumbo. They grew fine in fish.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

You fishing in the tailrace, fireman? Sounds like the spawning run - enjoy it while it lasts - probably a few weeks in the spring. <br /><br />Ours happens late March early April. They say when the dogwoods are blooming, white bass are spawning, (or is it redbuds...I think redbuds), but I never really noticed for sure. They move back out into deeper water. Ours do anyway...how far downriver is the next reservoir? Wonder if they live in the river year-round?<br /><br />Whereas a lot of fishermen will frown on you taking black bass during the spawn, not so with whites. Try this...<br /><br />White Bass on the Halfshell (courtesy of Howell Dodd, local white bass guru):<br /><br />Leave the skin & scales on your fillets & place 'em on a hot grill skin side down. Brush with Italian viniagrette dressing (I use Newman's Own). By the time the meat is done, the skin & scales form a crusty shell. Scoop the meat out & enjoy. Also makes great tacos, or substitute for tuna in your favorite tuna salad recipe.

 

[fireman57]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

JB we are just poor honky rednecks but love the tast e of these critters. Favorite was always bluegill and crappie but these eat as fine as they do. Used to filet them at home and bury the innards in my 1/8th acre sweet corn patch. Now it is easier to filet them on the water and have them on ice before we get home. Hate havine to clean fish after a few beers and tired from the day on the water.<br /><br />jtexas, I picked your brain awhile back about what you use down there and they don't work up here. About the only thing that does is inline spinners. Hear that the spawn is when the redbuds bloom but that wasn't the case here this year. We have fished the tailrace a few times but the Ohio is huge. Below the tailrace is where they catch the 20+ pound fish. Doesn't run into any resevoirs but just into the Mississippi. We have been catching these in the eddy behind barges that are being loaded with grain. The water is anywhere from 12-25ft within the width of the barge. Just past the barge it drops quickly to 50ft or better in spots. I hope this lasts all summer. Might just be better going early am and late afternoon/evening. If I get too many I will freeze some filets and send them to you both. Allowed 30 a day on the river with no more than 4 over 17 inches.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

Cool - especially if your pattern holds all summer. Typically the pattern here changes when the weather heats up - we expect to see 'em surface feeding like crazy mornings and evenings...interestingly the fish seem to take the hottest part of the day off, just like the fishermen. <br /><br />Our rivers aren't that big but there are dozens of reservoirs in the area - white bass run far as they can up into feeder creeks & rivers up to the next dam sometimes to spawn.<br /><br />I'm partial to the taste of bluegills & crappie (and LMB for that matter), but I'm a real sucker for lots of action.<br /><br />Thanks for the offer...but to be honest with ya, white bass filets I've got...but that sweet corn sounds pretty darn good...

 

[fireman57]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

It is. The sweet corn that is. Went again last night and picked up another 25-30 real nice fish before the 2.5 inches of rain hit. Spawn is over so I'm hoping this is a summer pattern. I believe that I will keep posting on this thread the weekly catch since a couple buddies of mine and I decided that we are going to have "fishing Thursday" this summer. All meet at the ramp after work and fish till dark-thirty. Good luck down there and keep an eye on that fellow at The Hideout.

 

[fireman57]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

Had to give you an update. Limit on the Ohio river is 30 white/hybrid/striper per person. We have been fishing on thursday evenings after work and an occasional saturday evening. Have averaged about 40 per trip with three people in the boat. Last Friday eve we went with two boats and came back with 85 fish, this was with 5 people and nobody went over their limit. Two of us were within two fish of out thirty but everyone caught a bunch. This was in about 2 hours. Of course on the way home a drunk driver pulled out in front of me and totalled my truck and minor damage to the boat trailer but my passenger and I came out okay. Still great fishing. Giving away the tons of catfish fillets in my freezer to make room for the others. Biggest was a 4-5 pound striper but a lot of 2-3 pound hybrids. Most around a pound which is the size I like to fillet and eat. Hope you guys are having as good a fishing summer as I am enjoying.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

That is just awesome...where do you put in at? If a guy, say, from Texas were to show up there, what are the chances he could get in on a fishing trip?

Here's my new favorite slab by the way -

made by http://www.trollingnolanstackle.com/baitshop.htm

 

[aspeck]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

Hmmm....what time and where do we meet on Thursdays? I can probably be at your place in about 8 hours, give or take an hour or 2.

 

[fireman57]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

Y'all are welcome anytime. Sorry for the delay in response but have up to my arse in alligators since that post. River is up right now due to 5.5 inches of rain but falling rapidly. Postponed tonight's trip to tomorrow night. Seriously if you are ever near the toe of Indiana (Evansville area) or going to be make sure you "git aholt of me" and we'll set up a trip. I'm only twenty minutes from the ramp at Mt. Vernon, which is 13 miles west of E'ville. it is only about a mile run up to the places that we fish. Haven't tried the slabs yet even though I did pick a couple up at Gander Mountain. The number 3,4, and 5 Blue fox in chrome or blue have been working so well I haven't had the need to tie anything else on. BTW we are using only 6lb mono. One fella is using 14lb red cajun and we haven't seen any difference in the number of bites or fish lost between the two. 'mon up.
aspeck, it is 6 hours from here to Colombus OH so your timetable may be a little off. Have an extra bedroom here for guests and I'm sure you guys will qualify.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

Times are about right - Map quest says 10 hours 52 minutes - that means I can make it in 10 or less :^ . And that is 8, give or take an hour or two! d

 

[fireman57]

Re: Found them in my backyard jtexas

Of course you gain an hour with the time change! Bring it on.