For those of you who have ever caught a white bass on the fly, this time of year can be the most action packed of the entire fishing season. Thats right, I'm talking about the annual white bass run. Here in Arkansas and Missouri, the white bass begin staging their spawn in the lower sections of our lakes right about now. Typically during mid February and early March the white bass, hybrids, and stripers will school up at the mouth of the river gorging themselves with gizzard shad before they finally push up river for the spawn. No one really knows what triggers the fish to move up stream and begin the spawning process. In Northwest Arkansas we usually see the first few spawning white bass in the second or third week in March and the masses to join them the second week of April.
White bass are an extremely strong fish species, and many anglers confess their obsession with this neglected sport fish. For those of us that chase these silver bullets with the fly, the next three weeks are our prep time. I am going to spend the next few weeks writing articles for our white bass season. I hope that you enjoy the information and can put it to good use this spring. Today I will be discussing the most important white bass topic... BOATS
You cant catch any spawning white bass unless you can get to them. Not every fly angler can purchase a boat, but that does not mean that you have to miss out on the white bass spawn. I spent 5 springs during college chasing white bass from the bank, and you CAN do it. However, for the best results, you need to have a boat that can travel in skinny water. Arkansas is a tricky place to purchase a boat due to the broad range of fish species located within the state and the variety of bodies of water. For white bass you need a boat that drafts very little water but also provides stability. I choose to purchase a 16’ war eagle that is 48” wide. This boat drafts very little water yet gives enough stability to allow 3 fisherman. My boat has a 40 horse Johnson tiller steer motor on it, and while the boat is very quick, the motor might be a little big for the water I fish. My boat is big enough that it allows me to drive across the lake at 30 mph, but small enough to get way up stream to find the spawning white bass.
The great thing is that you don’t have to spend very much money. You can find a great white bass boat for $3,000. The john boat market is especially HUGE here in Arkansas where most duck hunters have aluminum boats. However, there are some things to watch out for when looking for used john boats. Make sure that the boat does not leak, and don’t take the sellers word for it. GO TEST DRIVE THE BOAT. If the seller is unwilling to let you test drive the boat then you need to move on. Aluminum boats are welded together, and welds can break. Check all the corners of the boat for any broken welds, this will be an indication if the boat has encountered any major trauma. Also, there is not much to the boat itself; it is a big hunk of aluminum. The motor is what you need to watch out for. Check around the propeller to see is there is any visible oil leaking from the lower unit. Additionally, check and make sure the propeller does not have any major damage. When you start the motor, let is sit in LOW IDLE. 9 times out of 10, if that motor runs flawlessly in low idle, then you are safe to purchase..
This is a great time of year to purchase a jon boat.. I hope that these tips will help you in your search for the perfect white bass chasing machine.
Until next time ... Cast to The Other Side!
- J-Ferg
White bass are an extremely strong fish species, and many anglers confess their obsession with this neglected sport fish. For those of us that chase these silver bullets with the fly, the next three weeks are our prep time. I am going to spend the next few weeks writing articles for our white bass season. I hope that you enjoy the information and can put it to good use this spring. Today I will be discussing the most important white bass topic... BOATS
You cant catch any spawning white bass unless you can get to them. Not every fly angler can purchase a boat, but that does not mean that you have to miss out on the white bass spawn. I spent 5 springs during college chasing white bass from the bank, and you CAN do it. However, for the best results, you need to have a boat that can travel in skinny water. Arkansas is a tricky place to purchase a boat due to the broad range of fish species located within the state and the variety of bodies of water. For white bass you need a boat that drafts very little water but also provides stability. I choose to purchase a 16’ war eagle that is 48” wide. This boat drafts very little water yet gives enough stability to allow 3 fisherman. My boat has a 40 horse Johnson tiller steer motor on it, and while the boat is very quick, the motor might be a little big for the water I fish. My boat is big enough that it allows me to drive across the lake at 30 mph, but small enough to get way up stream to find the spawning white bass.
The great thing is that you don’t have to spend very much money. You can find a great white bass boat for $3,000. The john boat market is especially HUGE here in Arkansas where most duck hunters have aluminum boats. However, there are some things to watch out for when looking for used john boats. Make sure that the boat does not leak, and don’t take the sellers word for it. GO TEST DRIVE THE BOAT. If the seller is unwilling to let you test drive the boat then you need to move on. Aluminum boats are welded together, and welds can break. Check all the corners of the boat for any broken welds, this will be an indication if the boat has encountered any major trauma. Also, there is not much to the boat itself; it is a big hunk of aluminum. The motor is what you need to watch out for. Check around the propeller to see is there is any visible oil leaking from the lower unit. Additionally, check and make sure the propeller does not have any major damage. When you start the motor, let is sit in LOW IDLE. 9 times out of 10, if that motor runs flawlessly in low idle, then you are safe to purchase..
This is a great time of year to purchase a jon boat.. I hope that these tips will help you in your search for the perfect white bass chasing machine.
Until next time ... Cast to The Other Side!
- J-Ferg
