WHITE BASS

HELLO, ALL. I’M NEW TO THE WEB SITE. MOST OF MY FISHING TAKES PLACE ON POOL 13. I REALLY LIKE TO FISH 9 AND 10 THE MOST. I WAS UP ON 9 TWO WEEKS AGO PRACTICING FOR A BASS TOURNAMENT AND GOT INTO SOME WHITE BASS. I WAS CURIOUS AS TO THE SIZE LIMITS ON WHITE BASS. ALSO, HOW DO THEY TASTE? WE CAUGHT ABOUT 25 FISH BETWEEN US. SOME WERE 12 TO 13 INCHES. WE THREW ALL OF THEM BACK. I’M GOING CAMPING AT WYALUSING ON THE 5TH THROUGH THE 8TH AND WOULD LIKE TO KEEP A FEW THEN TO EAT. THANKS. TBASS

Hey TBASS

Whitebass run from wee-small to around 17″ – 18″ on most pools. Anything over 16″ should be considered a good sized white bass. Guys up here on pool 4 go nutz over these things and claim they’re very good eating. Extra care must be taken to slice off all the red/dark meat that is on the fillets as this meat is of a very strong flavor. But once that’s accomplished, this fish is good table fare and a very good fighter.

JAMES, THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT. I WILL BE LEAVING THURSDAY NIGHT FOR WYALUSING. SHOULD GET A GOOD JUMP ON THE WHITES FRIDAY MORNING. DO YOU THINK THAT THE WHITE BASS WILL STILL BE HOLDING IN THE SAME AREA? I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW I DO. THANKS AGAIN, TBASS

I dont know where Wyalusing is, but if its towards the southern end of Lake Pepin, work the wingdams at Reads Landing and by Wabasha with poppers and prop baits. More fun then using jigs with live bait, crankbaits, etc., and your not getting messed up with all the boaters as if you stay on the lake.

Hey Leo, are the white bass still thick in the end of the lake like they are in Aug. and early Sept.? Thanks, Bill

Yes they are Bill, but stay away from the red buoy in front of Lacupolis. You get run over by the meat hunters. Just look for seagulls away from there, middle of the lake, Wisconsin side below Pepin harbor, and Deer Island was very good one day. Wingdams at Reads are starting to produce again since the water level and flow rate returned to normal.

Thanks Leo. It’s been awhile since I’ve been out chasing the white bass and I’ve got some spinners from B-Fish-N Tackle just itchin to hook some white bass. Thanks, Bill

I like to use surface poppers and prop lures when fishing for stripers on wingdams. What a blast. I’ll be at Smitty’s Oct. 4th in the A.M. getting my boat winterize if you like to talk about it more and exchange ideas.

Thanks, But I have to work in the am on the 4th but will probably be at the weigh in for the RCL in Hastings Mn. How come you are winterizing so early? Alot of good fishing in Oct. and Nov. Bill

I have a trailer at Camp Laupolis. The guy who winterizes the trailers will do it on the 7th and the water will be shut off for the camp. Also, I’m from the Chicago area and my wife misses me .

I just died reading about the big walleyes you guys caught during the mild fall and winter weather last year and I’ll probably die again this year. Good fishing to all you Gophers and Badgers that are lucky enough to live up there year around.

Please feel free to move up this way anytime Leo [hint hint]. Thanks, Bill

We’ve fixed white bass a lot. Usually, we’ll grill them skin-side-down in tin foil, or do the same thing in the oven broiler with butter, lemon and spices. They’re wonderful, although a lot of the people who caught them in Devils Lake (N.D.), where we caught ours, said they taste like crap. We never bothered to cut out the dark meat either, and it was just fine.