Catching White Bass in Creeks

I was spending a couple of days solo at my good friend’s ranch on the upper end of Lake Fork in northeast Texas.

- Luke Clayton

While I am generally a social critter and enjoy spending time with friends in the outdoors, it’s occasionally good to be alone with Mother Nature.

It was my first time that spring to check the creek for spawning white bass, and with all the current created from recent rainfall, I was pretty sure I would find fish. However, the rain I hoped would push white bass up the creek now hampered my fishing. It simply wouldn’t stop. But when the downpour diminished to a sprinkle, I put on my rain gear and rubber boots, trekked through the woods to the creek. There were some deeper holes along sharp bends I anticipated fishing.

Sloshing along the muddy trail leading to a secluded section of the creek, I found myself stopping occasionally to admire the sights and smells of early spring. Buds were swelling on the trees, tiny leaves were beginning to appear, the birds were voicing their joy at having survived another winter – a common scenario across much of the eastern half of the country this time of year. A joy to experience.

Because of the long walk, I was traveling light. All I needed for a few hours fishing the backwoods creek was a light spinning rod and reel, a pocket full of yellow and chartreuse Beetle Spins, a few chartreuse and black Roadrunners, a needle-nosed pliers to remove hooks and a pocket knife to fashion a fish ‘stringer’ from a green willow branch.

When I finally reached the creek, I was pleased to find the water clarity to be pretty good. While it’s possible to enjoy good fishing for white bass in muddy creek water, the action is usually much better in clear water. Locate the mud line where murky water meets clear, and you’re in the money. White bass tend to stack up like cordwood on the clear water side of these mud lines.