In the southern to midwest regions of the United States white bass (aka sand bass) are a popular game fish to target. Not only are they great to fish, but they are known to be surprisingly good to eat if prepared properly.

Though there are many spots to fish for white bass, Lake Fork Reservoir is known as a hidden gem among white bass anglers. Lake Fork is filled with a variety of smaller baitfish, which means the white bass grow to be abnormally large in this area since they have plenty to feed on.

Winter Tactics

White bass can be caught productively in the wintertime if you’re fishing the right spots. You will have to look for them in deeper sections of water around 25-40 feet deep. Look for deep structure near ridges that are full of smaller baitfish. If you find schools of baitfish, the white bass are usually just below them.

Spring Spawning

Most anglers will tell you that the best white bass fishing takes place in the spring spawning runs.. This usually takes place in early springtime. In the spawning season, the fish will move out of the reservoir into creeks and rivers. White bass prefer to spawn in hard-bottomed shallow waters. Usually, these are areas either just above or below fast-moving waters. Look for shallow areas around 3 to 5 feet deep along banks and creek mouths.

The important thing to remember is that white bass will school together, so when you catch one of them, try to work in the same area.

Gear Recommendations

Stick with a spinning rod around 6 or 7’ in length. You really only need a 4 to 8-pound test line for white bass. Hook size use a 3/0 to 4/0 size.

There are a variety of lures and baits that can work well for white bass depending on the situation. You can jig spoons productively. But topwaters and spinners can work well if the bass are feeding aggressively. Live bait is also a good choice. Use either shad or minnows as your best option.

Tips

Though the white bass do grow abnormally large in Lake Fork, they are still not a very large fish. With your average white bass weighing around 2 or 3 pounds, it’s best to keep your tackle light and use smaller lures on these fish. If you use too large of a lure, they may not even bother biting.