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Prof. Salt · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:24 pm Post subject: White Bass

Do any of you guys know where I can find small white bead chain Clousers? Since offshore is not an option this time of year, I'm fishing the white bass run up in the Nueces river. The fish really respond to white colors in sizes 6-10, but I am having a hard time finding them, just when the run is getting heavy. Lead barbell eyes don't get nearly the attention as the light weight bead chains. After about 50 fish the deer hair gets very sparse, and eventually the fly is so bare I'm forced to change it out. That was fine when I had a good supply of them, but now I'm running low on flies. Roy's is waiting on size 6 to be restocked and I don't know of any place else that has them. Before next season I will begin tying my own, but for now I am at the mercy of the market to restock the fly box. Anyone know where I can find some of these?

Last weekend I had a great two days, but I went through six flies. Help!

bulldog1935 · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 4:11 pm Post subject:

The first flies I learned to tie 35 years ago were Charlie Cypert's minnows for white bass.

Very simple pattern - you only need 3 parts - bead chain, chenille and braided mylar tubing.
Very effective for white bass.
I bought a cheap vise, bobbin, thread and the parts I needed just for these flies.
If you don't have a local fly shop to visit, Hook and Hackle is a great on-line source for a quality inexpensive vise ($15) and tying supplies.

Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12841

Those are killer looking flies!
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Prof. Salt · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 5:06 pm Post subject:

The Clousers are giving me some huge catch numbers: Five hundred and forty fish last Friday and Saturday. I'll use them as long as I've got them, and start looking into the best way to get a handful of those Cypert minnows for when the Clousers run out. Thanks!

bulldog1935 · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 5:27 pm Post subject:

I catch them that way on my cats whiskers, and little whistlers, too. I've caught 50 on consecutive casts - right time and right place.
(I've caught 40 flounder on consecutive casts at Cedar Bayou, and probably could have caught more, but it was cold and 15 mi boat ride to get home)

Of course I'm mostly fishing clear water in the hill country, and flies that blend sandy bottom or vegetation work best.

though tempted, don't step in here - it's over your head

it's almost never about the fly, but how you fish it

here are the white bass flies included in a talk I've given a few times on white bass fishing

Prof. Salt · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:11 am Post subject:

Good info, thanks for sharing. I did learn that when you move from fishing the deeper pools and into the shallow rapids that a larger fly with some flash can draw more aggressive responses.

I also ran into several people who had no regard for civil behavior or personal space. If you walk up to within 9 feet of me while I'm side-arm casting to deliver the fly under a low hanging tree, you are too close. When you advance close enough that you are actually touching me, you are way too close. It was a good reminder why I should not fish the run on Saturdays.

bulldog1935 · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:36 pm Post subject:

these are also slides from my talk that you can appreciate...

Prof. Salt · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:45 pm Post subject:

The upper photo is pretty much every day up there this time of year, and folks tend to be great company. The Saturday crowd is not quite as bad as the lower photo, but it's bad enough to keep me away. Confused

bulldog1935 · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:59 pm Post subject:

that's the Russian River ferry crowd on Kenai in a strong sockeye run. When they're fishing there, I'm fishing flesh flies down from the cleaning station at the ferry landing on the Kenai, and pounding rainbows.
I've had the entire Russian River to myself in September before, catching rainbows and dollies like this every 3rd cast.
You kick salmon carcasses out of the way, and the black slate bottom is pink with eggs, but they still take your plastic bead every 3rd cast.

heading back to the firepit at 2pm because you're too tired to catch any more.

Prof. Salt · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:53 pm Post subject:

Bulldog, fishing after the main part of the run is a good idea, and I do enjoy the quiet of those late run days. I set a goal of catching as many white bass on fly this year that I can. I know it's silly, but I'm in quadruple digits already and want to find out what's possible, at least once. I'll just have to pay the price and burn a few workdays to get out when it's quiet and I can cast all day.

After the run I may need some time for the feeling to return to my casting arm... but nobody ever accused me of being normal. Very Happy

bulldog1935 · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:15 pm Post subject:

after the crowds dissipate from the white bass run, there will be harems of a single large male with smaller females waiting to ripen.
They're harder to catch because the girls do everything he does, and he's hard to impress.
I catch them with a sinking line cast straight down, my small whistler, slowly bottom bouncing, and even crawling on the bottom. They will follow, and pick it up from the bottom when it's sitting still.
You don't need bright colors - it's the mud-ball that gets their attention.
This is your best chance of catching a 4-y-o male, 19-21"
I've caught 5 of them in my life.

The mud ball thing works for trout and big bass. On clear hill-country flagstone, I've watched 5-10-lb bass follow the mud balls from a tiny fly and slam their head sideways on the bottom 4 or 5 times trying to eat it. We even got it on camera on the episode of KT Diaries where I took KT hill country fishing.

In fact, any time during the white bass run, when no one is catching fish, try this technique, and you'll be the only one catching fish. My favorite line for this is Teeny T-130, and it's very easy to shoot this line out 70' with only one back-cast.
pm your e-mail, and I'll send you the slide show pdf - just keep in mind it's aimed at the hill country, but still good information about how to fish for white bass, and the fish itself.

I like white-bass fishing with a multiplier, because white bass will often follow all the way in and take the fly at your feet. A good multiplier will get all that working line back on the reel and out of the way in 3-4 seconds.

Prof. Salt · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:56 am Post subject:

I had discovered the mudball idea already, and it's my go-to during those slow periods between the hot bites. I add a few very quick 2-3 inch strips to hop the bait just enough to get attention, and it usually gets picked up. Next time I'll follow your advice and just try letting it drift along. Thanks for the tips!

AnmRanch · Flour Bluffian in training Joined: 26 Jul 2013 Posts: 353

Should have braved the cold on Sunday. I went back out there and there was only two boats out. One one the bend, and six guys from one boat tearing it up on flies on the pool before the rapids. Big difference from Saturday.

Any recommendations on a entry level fly set up? I used to have a cheapo set up years ago, but after seeing how well/fun y'all where doing, I want to get back into it.

Prof. Salt · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:40 am Post subject:

I don't fish on Sundays, but I heard it was good until the water temps dropped and shut down the bite.

With smaller sizes, the reel is less important than the rod and line. I bought a 3/4 wt Piscifun Sword ($50 on Amazon) and it performs surprisingly well. I spent more on a good TFO rod to have the replacement warranty. High sticking fish as you land them is hard on any long bendy rod and mine gets used hard so it will eventually break. Using the TFO warranty I will be able to get it repaired / replaced for a decent price. As far as line goes, the common weight forward floating lines work great for white bass. Don't buy the least expensive line you can find. Stop by Roy's (or your local fly shop) and let them explain which lines would best suit your needs. Lines vary quite a bit in feel, buoyancy and how easily they cast. You don't need a $100 high-end line, but by the same token a cheap fly line will really take some of the fun and performance out of your fishing. Fly line should last for years with basic care, so it's easier to spend a little on it knowing that it should last a long time.

bulldog1935 · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:48 pm Post subject:

though I know I've caught 1000 white bass on my Powell IM6 Silver Creek 4-wt trout rod, I'd recommend a 6wt.
My go-to-white bass rod now is a Phillipson E80 glass rod (6-wt) from the 70s with a Martin MM-11 multiplier (Martin MG-10 is the next choice), and Teeny T-130 line (takes about 200yd backing to fill the reel).

The nice thing about a 6wt, you can fish it everywhere, trout, bass, salt - Alaska.
It handles wind, stripers, and the by-catch of sockeye.

The Alaska photos above are a Fisher Sterling 4-pc 5/6-wt combo rod, which I've fished for trout, (another 1000) white bass, river bass, and landed several sockeye in AK when I was fishing for big rainbows.

mylar is cool