White Bass Run 2016

White Bass Run 2016

***be sure to see the video at the bottom***

The White Bass Run this year in Central NC has been pretty good. I have been 3 times so far and have done well all 3 times.  

3/26/2016

Went fishing for White Bass with my wife and I may have caught 25~ fish and she probably got 35~ She got more as I was unhooking her fish and just having fun watching her catch them. We caught them 2 ways. 1 by anchored and casting to a known spot and 2 by trolling. When I troll I normally use 2 rods(canoe so a can't troll umpteen) but today we just trolled with 1 line for her as I was doing the paddling and unhooking. We got rained on for aprox 30 mins but otherwise it was a great day. I don't know who had more fun. The Wife, Pete the dog, or myself. Pete absolutely luvs to fish!

We caught White Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Bream, and a couple of stripers. We also saw a Few Eagles, ospreys, Herons, and a Pileated Woodpecker. All fish caught on a 1/8 oz mini trap, small roadrunner, and a small spot.

March 27th,  Went back to the same place ,  My fishing Partner today was the Famous Mark B. (Wuzworthit) who I have known since the 80's. Fish were scattered except we did catch about 20 out of 1 hole. Had several doubles on as well. We also ran into Professional fisherman Turtlestew. and also  Watched an Eagle try to steal a meal from and osprey .

4/15/2016
Went today from 12-6 pm. caught a lot of  White bass.  Most small to medium size with 6 that were good size.  Also caught maybe 10 white perch, 5 or 6 bream and 1- 4lb channel cat. Hottest action was 1230-130.  then sporadic.   Best lures were  chartreuse SSR5 with blue back and orange belly, mini trap, and road runner.    I took one of my old Heddon Sonics and it caught 3  or 4 fish then my knot broke and I lost it. Dang it!!!  I hate I lost that lure.

White Perch and channel cat

Video below added 2022

Thanks for looking,  Mack

#whitebassrun

#whitebass

#hawriver

The 2014 White Bass Run is ON!!

 I made two trips this week for white bass.  The first was on Wednesday April the 2 from 5pm till 730 pm.   I launched my Old Town 158 and I trolled a jig while heading upriver.  I hooked 1 nice white and continued upstream to one of my favorite spots.   I arrived there and caught a couple but nothing like I expected though I did catch a 5 lb bowfin on a jig.  I then trolled back down and caught another fish in the same spot as before so I anchored .  The bite here was on.  Most whites caught on a mini-spot but I did catch some on a curly tail jig .  I caught aprox 25 whites , 5 crappie, 6 Stripers and 3 perch.  The water temp was a nice 61 degrees with the air temp in the 80's.  
I saw several Bald Eagles , Herons and some Pileated Woodpeckers. 

A few Pics-

Fast forward to Friday April the 4th and I decided to go to this same spot but instead of a PM trip I chose an AM trip. I launched the Old Town 158  at 7 am and went to where I caught them the other day.
Nothing!!!..I headed to another spot and caught a few but it was slow.  I then headed back down to the good spot and they were biting.  I caught aprox 30 white bass, 3 stripers, 3 crappie and 3 perch along with 1 small largemouth.  I good morning on the water.  I left at 1130 and had a nice day catching fish and seeing  eagles, ducks and a few Hawks. 

Here are a few pictures of the fish-

And here are the lures I used today.  These lures will catch any white bass.  
 Starting at 12 and going clockwise - Mini-trap(the most productive lure this week), #2 Blue Fox spinner, Gotcha curlytail grub on 1/16 oz jighead,  5 in Swimmin Fluke on 1/4 oz jighead(this caught the biggest white),  Chartreuse Roadrunner, and a Cordell Mini Spot.

Thanks Mack...........

Penny's Bend White Bass 3/24/11

I went to bed last night with monster bass on my mind. I would get up at 5:30 and make the drive to my monster bass hotspot. It had rained a little in Cary last night but not a lot. I was hoping for good water conditions but that would have to wait to be seen because the  USGS has no gauging station on this flow.
I arrived at this place at aprox 7 am and the water was high and muddy. I turned around and headed back to Wake County, and on the drive back I figured that the Eno drainage may not have received as much rainfall so off to Penny's Bend it was for the spring White Bass Run.

You know it's time for the spring White Bass run when the Redbuds and Dogwoods are blooming.

Had to throw in this pic of my dogwood in my front yard. All of my neighbors talk about how nice this tree is.

Conditions. Air temp-50's on up into the 60's by the time I left. Water temp 62 degrees,and slightly up and stained.

I tried my usually dependable chartreuse jigs and nada. I then switched to a mini trap and it was on! Not really,  but 11 or 12 fish isn't too bad after last nights front. I heard they wore them out yesterday but I was pleased with these fish caught in 2 hrs or so after a front. Wish I could of hit it right before the front.

Here is the first of the day

probably the biggest of the day at 1.25 lbs

One that is full of eggs. The above one was also loaded with eggs.

A view downriver

and a view upriver

Most of these fish will run from 3/4 lb to 1 1/4 but there are bigger ones here.

Here are some of the lures I use for White Bass during the spring run on some of North Carolina's rivers.

Clockwise from top- Heddon Tiny Torpedo, Teeny Pop-R in bone color, Shyster, Cordell spot, Blue Fox #1 spinner in chartreuse(#2 is good and chrome is also good), and last is the lure they were hitting today is the Mini-trap.  Lots of other colors in these lures are good but I like chrome and chartreuse for White's.
Left out were the pink headed jigs I use alot (see "Poor Man's Tarpon" Sept 2009 ) http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/poor-mans-tarpon.html  regular Pop R's and  1/8 oz Gold Little Cleo spoons which are murder on White Bass in clear water.

I have 4 main spots I fish for Whites. Two I don't mind mentioning as they get a lot of pressure and I don't think my blog will cause them to get hammered anymore. Penny's Bend and the Haw River just above Jordan.  The other 2 IMO are the best so I will not mention them but almost any lake having a population of White Bass with a decent flow coming in will have a run.   ADDED. How could I forget a really good White bass spot?.....I don't know but Jordan dam is good April thru June.....

Here is probably my biggest white ever, You cant really tell the size in the picture but the lure is a Rogue that is 5 and 1/2 inches long so that will show you its a good fish, This fish weighed 3 lbs even and my next best one went 2-15 . One thing you can tell by the picture is how long ago I caught this fish is by looking at the Reel I was using!  1980's!!!   I will try to  get my 2-15 lb White Bass put on CD and post it soon.
 This fish is well over 3-1/2 times the length of the Rogue.

Since this is about White Bass I will throw in my favorite fish picture of all time(without my son)- my favorite is him smiling with a big Flathead.

Mack