The Top 4 White Bass Fishing Lures... And The Art Of "Jump Fishing"

White bass are also called "sand bass". They are also a close cousin of the striped bass, yellow bass, and sea bass.

Because of stocking, you can find white bass almost everywhere in the United States.

They are native to the waters of Arkansas, Ohio, Tennesee, and Mississippi.

The love deep, clear water... and typically move in large schools searching for food. Look for them along points, channels, and ledges in large lakes and rivers. They also prefer rocky/sandy bottoms.

Spawning time for white bass starts in March and goes through May.

They are almost excluslivey fish eaters... their favorite meal being that of a shad. Their 2nd favorite meal is a live minnow.

I've found that "jump fishing" is one of the most productive ways to catch them.

For this, you've got to have a decent power boat...along with multipe rods rigged up with the right baits for the area you are fishing.

I also recommend having a pair of binoculars on hand too.

Here's what you do:

Patrol open water looking for birds feeding on the surface. When you see this, get close...but not too close to scare the fish.

Cast your bait directly into the fray (the birds will usually fly off) and hold on tight. The hits will be sudden and hard. I've been in situations where a white bass is caught on literally every single cast.

If you break your line, or get tangle up, just grab another pre-reigged rod that is ready to go, and toss it out there. Youv'e got to keep fishing, because the frenzy will only last for a limited time.

Once they're gone, be on the lookout. I've seen times when they move, find more food, and come up again in a slightly different location!

Look for this to happen in the spring, summer, and fall... in the early morening and late evening.

Now...

My Top 4 Lures For Catching White Bass

#1: The Little Suzy

This heavy lure is very similar to a jig. It's got a spinner behind the head, and wiggles violently when you bring it in.

Try fishing it vertically, or deep/shallow with a standard retrieve.

Have a few of these on hand, always, in chartreuse and "shad" colors.

#2: The Little George

The main difference between this one and the Little Suzy is the Little George has a rounded head, not a flat one. It also does not wiggle as much. It's a toss up between these top 2, as to which one will work better. It all depends on the mood of the white bass.

#3: The Sassy Shad

This one is from Mr. Twister. It is shaped like a shad, and it's a soft plastic lure. It's also got a "swimming action" tail on it.

The bodies are threded onto an appropriately sized jig head, and you are ready to go.

The best colors are White/Grey, and chartreuse.

You can fish them in a variety of ways, such as vertical jigging, cast and retrieve, or stop and go retrieved.

Fish them shallow or deep...and don't worry too much about cover as they are almost weedless. (The hook comes out of the top of the body...to reduce hangups.)

#4: The Puglisi-Shad Fly

This one is for fly fishermen, and it works like a charm. (Never tried fly fishing for white bass? You are missing out. Big time.)

This is a killer method for rapid fire catches of white bass when they are feeding along the surface.

You can easily tie this one at home..and it works so well because it looks and moves exactly like a shad.

Finally, 2 other lures I recommend are the Big O and the Shad Rap.

Get out and test these on your next trip!