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 is 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 are always the first to make the move, soon to be followed by 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 are 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.
Spring after spring, the Sabine River above Toledo Bend Reservoir cranks out large numbers of white bass weighing upwards of three pounds. The water body record there stands at 4.04 pounds.
The fishing can be good as far south as the Logansport bridge and as far north as Longview. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fisheries biologist Quintin Dean of Marshall is especially fond of an area called Black Shoals between the Highway 59 and FM 1794 boat ramps. Dean says he already heard reports of some heavyweight females being caught this
year.
Dean also recommends the rock dam on Big Cypress Bayou above Lake O’ The Pines and below FM 2231. Like the Black Shoals, the barrier area is always best when the water level is low enough to prevent the fish from crossing and moving farther upstream, but not so low that it hinders boat navigation.
Other potential sweet spots worth checking out are Big Cypress Bayou below Lake O’ the Pines and the Sulphur River below Wright Patman Reservoir. Both offer easy bank fishing access.
Farther west, fisheries biologist Jake Norman of Tyler says the Chambers Creek arm of Richland Chambers Reservoir off State Highway 31 is another favorite among bank fishermen. He also pointed to major creeks that feed lakes Cedar Creek, Tawakoni, Fork, Cooper, Tyler and Bardwell, but says access is mostly limited to boats during wet weather years.
Down south, fisheries biologist Niki Ragen-Harbison says feeder creeks that dump into Lake Houston are looking promising this year with the water level at full pool, surface temperatures nudging 60 degrees and plenty of flow in Peach, Candy and Spring creeks as well as Luce’s Bayou.
Harbison says Lake Somerville near Brenham is currently about four feet low. Likewise, anglers may not see a pronounced spawning run in Nails or Yegua creeks unless the area gets some substantial rainfall to change things.
Central Texas
TPWD fisheries biologist Michael Baird of Waco says there are a number hotspots in his district where the fishing should be busting loose soon, if hasn’t happened already.
Among them are South Bosque River and Hog Creek at the southern end of Lake Waco, the Nolan River above Pat Cleburne Lake, Cowhouse Creek on the northwest side of Belton, the Lampasas River above Stillhouse Hollow Lake, the Brazos above Whitney and Granbury Lakes, and the Navasota River above Lake Limestone, Fort Parker State Park Lake and Lake Mexia.
Baird says the North Bosque River that feeds Lake Waco is another historic sweet spot. However, he says navigation could be a problem this year due to large log jams at the FM185 bridge and at Baylor Camp Road near the Waco Wetland Facility.
Hill Country
The Colorado River above Lake Buchanan, the Guadalupe River above Canyon Lake and Perdanales River that feeds Lake Travis have the richest histories. However, prolonged drought and reduced flows will likely hamper the spring spawning run this season unless the region sees some significant moisture soon, according to TPWD fisheries biologist Patrick Ireland of San Marcos.
Ireland noted that there is some flow in the Llano River that should spur a decent spawning run towards the Kingsland Slab in the next few weeks. Another bright spot is the San Gabriel River above Granger Lake.
North Texas
TPWD fisheries biologist Dan Bennett of Pottsboro says the spring spawning run isn’t hitting on all cylinders in his district just yet, but it won’t be long.
Bennett says the East Fork of the Trinity River below Lake Lavon rank among the areas top spots.. He also likes the Stewart Creek arm of Lake Lewisville and the Elm Fork of the Trinity above Lake Roberts.
