Wipers and white bass

[Dirtyeggroll]

Want to try my hand at wipers and white bass.

 

Other than small (2-3”) swimbaits, what are some go to baits?

 

 

[MediumMouthBass]

Lipless cranks.

Jerkbaits.

Crankbaits.

Spoons.

Topwater walking baits.

Bigger paddle tails.

Smaller swimbaits. in the under 1oz range.

[bowhunter63]

Blue fox in line spinners. White bass tear em up 

[Dirtyeggroll]

6 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Lipless cranks.

Jerkbaits.

Crankbaits.

Spoons.

Topwater walking baits.

Bigger paddle tails.

Smaller swimbaits. in the under 1oz range.

Can you give some specific examples of spoons?

[VolFan]

Kastmasters - 1/8 and 1/4 oz in silver always worked for me. Krocodiles in the sizes around 2 inches as well. Both are great for almost anything that swims.

[Jig-Man]

White slider grubs work well as do Arigs with swim baits or flukes on them.  Small bucktail jigs have produced a lot for me when I used to target them.

[senile1]

I fish for whites and wipers on occasion, especially when I take family out on the boat.  There is nothing like putting a kid on a group of feeding whites when almost every cast brings in a fish.

 

1 hour ago, Jig-Man said:

White slider grubs work well as do Arigs with swim baits or flukes on them.  Small bucktail jigs have produced a lot for me when I used to target them.

 

I use Southern Pro Triple Tip white with chartreuse tail grubs for both crappie and whites.  I have also had some big days with bucktail jigs.  I don't use these as much as spoons but I probably should.

 

Wizard Custom Tackle 1/8th oz spoons in silver and/or white are deadly when you find white bass.  They have other colors that work as well but these two are my workhorses.  These will also catch wipers but bigger spoons are better to draw in larger fish.

 

I have loaded the boat a few times with 2 and 3 lb whites using Wizard Custom Tackle 1/2 and 3/4 oz double-header spoons in white color.  This is typically a late spring, summer, and early fall bait but works especially well for me when whites are feeding aggressively in the upper 10 to 15 feet of the water column.  These will also catch bigger wipers.

 

Trolling the deepest running Shad Rap can also locate and catch fish.  Bigger wipers will go for this as well.

 

For large hybrids gathered on the bottom, my brother-in-law in Arkansas uses a spoon similar in color and shape to the War Eagle shown below in sizes up to 1 1/2 oz jigged above them.  When they bite he has caught larger fish in the 5 to 14 lb range with these.  I don't see any War Eagles this large online, but he gave me a custom spoon that looks similar to this in 1 1/2 oz but I have yet to use it.  BassPro makes a RealImage Jigging Spoon that looks like it might work in this situation also.  

 

 

[Alex from GA]

Stopped @ a small lake in AR a few years ago, launched the boat and went fishing.  Saw a bunch of fish on the bottom in about 15' and dropped a worm which wasn't touched so I dropped a white 1/2 oz spoon.  Sat in one spot and caught fish until my arm wouldn't move.  Hybrids up to about 2 lbs and they fought hard.   Spoons are one of my most productive lures except for worms, everything eats them.  Last week I caught a bunch of small stripers on them.  Several years ago a buddy and I caught 9 species of fish in a 30 yd circle all on spoons.  I usually use a locally made one, Georgia Blade.

[Scott F]

Silver blade baits are my favorite for whites and wipers. 

[TnRiver46]

Fluke and curly tail white grub on jigheads, topwater walking baits even if it’s cold, I’ve had them hit it in 47 degree water 

[Bankbeater]

Rooster Tails.

[Pumpkin Lizard]

On 11/17/2024 at 9:21 PM, Dirtyeggroll said:

Want to try my hand at wipers and white bass.

 

Other than small (2-3”) swimbaits, what are some go to baits?

 

 

 

I caught a 24 inch Wiper on a Magdraft this year. They like big swimbaits too. They put wipers in the lakes in NW Missouri to curb out of control Shad and Carp populations.

[Dirtyeggroll]

1 hour ago, Pumpkinseed Lizard said:

 

I caught a 24 inch Wiper on a Magdraft this year. They like big swimbaits too. They put wipers in the lakes in NW Missouri to curb out of control Shad and Carp populations.

the few lakes that I know have them they don’t seem to be doing their job with the Shad… need to add some more wipers I suppose

[Kev-mo]

Only fished for them a couple times. The first time (lake) they were blowing up on top. Full size spook took some. Second time (river), I didn't get any but fishing partner got one on a smaller boot tail and ball head jig.

[Pumpkin Lizard]

1 hour ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

the few lakes that I know have them they don’t seem to be doing their job with the Shad… need to add some more wipers I suppose

 

The lakes around here just seem stupid with shad.  I guess they just need to eat enough so that they shad don't out compete the juvenile game fish.

50 minutes ago, Kev-mo said:

Only fished for them a couple times. The first time (lake) they were blowing up on top. Full size spook took some. Second time (river), I didn't get any but fishing partner got one on a smaller boot tail and ball head jig.

 

I've been told that chicken gizzards fished on the bottom like you would go after catfish works well. Although I have zero desire to fish that way.

[Jigfishn10]

On 11/18/2024 at 8:29 AM, senile1 said:

I fish for whites and wipers on occasion, especially when I take family out on the boat.  There is nothing like putting a kid on a group of feeding whites when almost every cast brings in a fish.

 

I can totally relate to this post. I used to take my son bass fishing and if he didn’t hook up within a 15-20 min window then it was game over. 
 

Fast forward 15 years or so and I got him into ground fishing in Maine. It’s been great having a fishing buddy again.

 

Nice post …  

[Swamp Girl]

I focused on white bass for a few years and outfished everyone on the Mississippi River and the Fox River. Just as I stealth fish for lmb and smb, I stealth fished for white bass. No trolling. All drifting. I'd set up a drift over a flat where white bass were known to roam and use 4 lb. test, Aberdeen hooks, and minnows. Light line was the difference maker. I'd be hooking them two and sometimes three at a time (You were allowed to fish with three single-hook lines in Wisconsin.) and other boats would often park next to me. Many would troll around me. And 99% of the time, they'd glare at me as I continued to catch bass and they couldn't. Even in the murky water of the Mississippi, light line was essential. Also, barely hook your minnows so that they wiggle like crazy. And use thin wire Aberdeen hooks and the least possible sinkers. 

 

Also, if you jump fish, kill your engine way before you reach the school and cast to them with yellow jigs or Little George lures.