Story and photography by Matt Williams
Locations and tips for white bass annual run that’s kicking into gear on rivers statewide.
Ready or not, it’s just about curtain time on select rivers, creeks and tributaries that connect to major reservoirs all across Texas. Depending on who you talk to, the opening act of one of Mother Nature’s greatest shows could already be underway on a waterway near you.
The show in question is the annual white bass spawning run. Late winter and early spring are when the silver-sided sport fish stampede into rivers and creeks upstream from major reservoirs to create another generation of white bass for anglers to catch. The guys always make the move first, then the ladies.
The fish fin their way upstream in giant schools that can number well into the thousands. But that’s not the only reason the white bass run is considered by many to be one of freshwater fishing’s greatest shows.
White bass, also referred to as sand bass, are heathens when the dinner bell rings. Get on the right spot and it’s possible to sack up a 25-fish, 10-inch limit in just as many casts.
Texas folks are among the white bass’ biggest fans, mainly because the fish are plentiful in these parts and there are a bounty of places where you can go after them from shore or by boat. Here are some hotspots worth checking out when the conditions are right:
Eastern Texas
Many of the state’s primo white bass waters are located east of Interstate 45.
The Trinity River above Lake Livingston is always good, as is the Angelina that feeds Sam Rayburn and the Neches that dumps into Lake Palestine. For numbers of heavyweight sows, the Sabine often considered the very best bet.
The Sabine River above Toledo Bend Reservoir cranks out large numbers of white bass weighing upwards of three pounds every year. The water body record there stands at 4.04 pounds.
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