Hey White Bass guys and gals...

[DitchPanda]

So I managed to catch a nice one and saw several more feeding on shad briefly. Even though they haven't been super common in my local lake for years it appears they are making a comeback. What are some good lures to target them with? What areas do you look for? I haven't fished for them in a long time so any help is appreciated. Let me clarify...how do I target them when I don't visually see them? When they are on top that's pretty easy

[Heartland]

Ned rig works well, just have to be careful that after all day slinging little light weight baits when that freight train hits it don't rip the rod out of your hands.     Jerkbaits if the water has a little clarity, crankbaits,  they eat everything just get something in front of them.

 

Tip: If you can find a single hook bait that they are eating well go that route vs the treble hook baits.  They have very spiny dorsal fins and love to flip around while you try to take the hooks out.  The opportunity to get finned or stuck in the hand with treble hooks is high if you slack off your game. It's also a lot faster if you are fishing them while they are schooling to remove the single hook.

 

[Jig Man]

Wind is your friend.  Wind will move the algae. Zooplankton will follow the algae.  Shad will follow the zooplankton.  White bass will follow the shad.  I have had my best days when the wind has blown from the same direction for 3 days.  Lots of baits work; small jigs, small plastics, lipless cranks, all the way to Arigs.

[Todd2]

We absolutely wore them out last summer in the river..shallow running chartreuse cranks reeled fast. Lasted about 2 or 3 weekends in August last year and then went back one weekend and nothing.

[jimmyjoe]

   I've never targeted white bass (sandies) in a lake, only rivers.  I've seen and targeted yellow bass in lakes. On light line, that was tremendous fun!

   For white bass in the river, I used roostertails up high, Kastmasters down low, and traps in-between.

   As for targeting them when there's no indication that they're feeding ........ I don't. Seriously. I don't use finesse tactics on white bass. When they're actively feeding, it's BAM BAM BAM. When they're not actively feeding, I leave them alone.

   Have fun!     JJ

[TnRiver46]

Spoons and grubs 

[Hower08]

Crankbaits jerkbaits spoons vib-e pop r swimbaits jig head and twister tail are all great whitebass lures. 

[Yakalong]

Rooster tails are usually what I throw for them, but mainly fish for whites in the fall.

[Russ E]

a blade bait works great for whites.

99% of the time i am fishing for largemouth or smallmouth. 

the exception is when the black bass are not cooperating during the dog days of summer.

I will tie on a blade and chase the white bass and wipers around old roadbeds on a couple local reservoirs.

there are many days when you can catch a fish every cast.

the great thing about blade baits is you can jig them in deep water or cast them in shallow water.

 

As a bonus white bass make excellent fish tacos.

[soflabasser]

White bass are one of the easiest fish to catch. Hardest part is finding them and when you find them you usually catch a lot of them.

[TnRiver46]

38 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

White bass are one of the easiest fish to catch. Hardest part is finding them and when you find them you usually catch a lot of them.

They were born angry, that’s for sure. I think I’ve caught them with almost every lure possible. Their propensity to hit artificial lures combined with what @Russ E mentioned about the tacos makes white bass my most frequent target year round. Also you can keep 15 a day of any size in TN so that helps. Thanksgiving until April is the best season to load up on them for me but the summer jumps can be glorious if you hit it at the right time 

[soflabasser]

6 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

They were born angry, that’s for sure. I think I’ve caught them with almost every lure possible. Their propensity to hit artificial lures combined with what @Russ E mentioned about the tacos makes white bass my most frequent target year round. Also you can keep 15 a day of any size in TN so that helps. Thanksgiving until April is the best season to load up on them for me but the summer jumps can be glorious if you hit it at the right time 

 They are fun to catch and like you said will hit many different types of lures. Hardest part is finding them and once you find them you can catch a lot. 

[TnRiver46]

Just now, soflabasser said:

 They are fun to catch and like you said will hit many different types of lures. Hardest part is finding them and once you find them you can catch a lot. 

They seem like the tuna of the river, always on the move and blowing up baitfish 

[Sissyfishing]

Sand bass fish a 2 inch white or pearl single curl tail grub 1/8 lead head cast and sink a few feet then steady retrieve 8 lb test mono works for me

true bass don’t make nests like lmb which are actually sunfish 

[J Francho]

3 hours ago, Sissyfishing said:

true bass don’t make nests like lmb which are actually sunfish 

No, white bass don't make nests, they spawn in current that scatters the eggs.  The second point is not fully correct.

 

 

[scaleface]

I like to fish flats near drop offs 'watch for gulls" between 8 and 15 foot deep . A 1/4 ounce Red Eye  Shad will wear them out  . Lift and drop , or a steady retrieve with pauses . Drum and catfish are often  found with the whites . I rarely find largemouths mixed in .

[roadwarrior]

Silver Buddy

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/silver_buddy.html