White Bass Deep Water Fishing
Fish finders provide contour maps and reveal underwater structures and terrain.
In winter, cold water reduces the White Bass’s metabolism and the need to feed and they gather in fairly stationary schools in deep water. In northern climates, such as North Dakota or Manitoba, ice covers many lakes and rivers where ice fishing is practiced.
Good deepwater White Bass fishing techniques are numerous. In large, deep reservoirs, they can be found as deep as 40 feet or greater by some underwater structures. When light breezes come up, prey fish like shad end up moving to the bottom end of the lake. White Bass will often enter a feeding frenzy in this situation, feeding anywhere from the surface down to as much as 50 feet. But again, feeding rates are less frequent as they are not as active in the winter.
Equipment
Other deep-water techniques involve the use of a good sonar device. If night fishing is going to be practiced often, then consider a fish finder with GPS. Just as with car navigation systems, the GPS is accurate showing the shoreline. An electric motor is also recommended as boat engines have the effect of scaring off the fish.
Fish finders provide contour maps and reveal underwater structures and terrain. A good technique is to go out and use the fish finder to locate spots that are prime to hold white bass using the boat engine, not worried about noise. Then on the next day, you know where to fish. Drive out to within 50 feet of where you want to fish and use the electric motor the rest of the way.
Use spinners and spoons to cover a large area. When White Bass head to the deep, they often seek areas with a smooth bottom near cover.
Lures
Use a small jigging spoon and work it vertically beneath the boat. Move the spoon up and down, jerking it hard, raising it four or five feet and then let it flutter back down on slack line. Most strikes will come while the spoon is falling. The Road Runner is another great lure to use for deep water.
The flash of a spinner and the seductive dance of a marabou or rubber-skirted jig is a great combination for whites. Work the lure just above the bottom. Use a varied retrieve, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes smooth, and sometimes jerky. Let it fall to the bottom and be ripped upward again.