Lake Livingston boasts a premier fishery for white bass that anglers should take advantage of this fall.

Story and Photography by Nate Skinner

Cool autumn breezes, working birds, and aggressive schools of fish have always seemed to go well together.  The upper Texas coast is my home, and these three variables become a staple in my life each year during the fall months.

I had never once thought to associate the occurrence of these things with freshwater lakes.  At least not until I met Lake Livingston fishing guide, Simon Cosper of Get the Net Guide Service, and spent a day on the east Texas lake with him catching white bass until my wrists and arms had endured all they wanted.

When we left the dock in Cosper’s 22 foot center console bay boat, we headed straight towards the center of the second largest lake located entirely within Texas.  As we came off plane the sun was just peeking over the horizon and there were already swarms of birds circling through the air, frantically gazing at the water’s surface.

Cosper killed the outboard, deployed the trolling motor, and began examining his electronics while easing the boat towards a mid-lake hump near the edge of a significant drop off.  Every minute or so he would indicate that his sonar reading was marking fish, but it just didn’t seem to be what he was looking for.