# White bass in Trinity Bay



## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

In Thursdays sports page there is a article about the bay system and how healthy it is regarding trout based on gill net surveys. TPWD stated a week or so ago a gill net set all the way across Trinity bay at Smith Point, caught a White bass which is very unusual. They catch blue cats and bluegills all the time. 
I had no doubt there was WB washing in there based on past posts. Hope they donâ€™t all get lost south.
The flounder sampling was very bad. They need cold gulf water to spawn. Itâ€™s gotten warmer. On the other end Snook were caught as far south as Sabine. They were only around Texas/Mexico but due to a warmer gulf they have moved and found all across Texas.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Not surprising to me at all. Did they mention stripers in the net? It would be surprising if they didn't see any. I've caught them in Trinity Bay well north of Smiths.

Never have caught a snook in West Bay and have fished it for many years. Had a good friend catch one out at Green's cut a couple of years back, however. That would be a fun catch. 

I need to find that article...was it in the Houston Barnicle?


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Yes, Houston Cornicle - Thursdays sports section - Last page

Passing over the Trinity River at I-10 this weekend egrets were actively feeding in the river below. It was high and running. I wonder if those WB haul back North once the flow stops and saltwater re-fills Trinity bay? Do most die?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Thanks I'll check it out.

My guess is that most will be consumed by salt water predators like specs. Those 10 inch and under white bass would be tasty snacks for the big TB specs. What the trout don't get, the gar will clean up the rest...when a fresh water fish begins to die in salt water they are extremely vulnerable to predation. 

I wouldn't worry about whites repopulating....they don't have a problem doing that. The stripers, however, take a few years to get to an "interesting" size and since the big floods of '15 very few stripers have achieved "interesting" size in that system.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Found it at :

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...tems-shows-most-fish-species-are-13413260.php

Funny that they seemed to be surprised at the alligator gar showing up in the nets. Just makes sense that they are going to follow the bait and tons and tons of of it are being washed every day into Trinity Bay. I'm going to learn more about the gar and start targeting them when the water warms again.

One mans trash is another mans treasure...and I met a great guy in Argentina who lives in Brazil that regularly comes to fish the Trinity River for gar. I'll send him that article.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

The gar don't surprise me at all. Over 50 years ago it was not uncommon to catch them on a pier a mile of so west of Eagle Point.


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Growing up in SE Louisiana there were freshwater gar and Saltwater gar. The Saltwater gar were huge. I used to fish for them with heavy rod n reel. Since things are getting so strange on here lets leave it at pull the boat around HUGE. I always thought of the saltwater to be larger.
Never see any in the Houston Bay system. Not a one.
Then again I think the Se La Marsh system is a little more brakish.


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

There has got to be tons of fish in the river. With this high flow it would probably take gill nets to catch them. Below the dam will be on fire a few weeks after the flow is shut down to manageable flows.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Gofish2day said:


> Growing up in SE Louisiana there were freshwater gar and Saltwater gar. The Saltwater gar were huge. ...


According to the three state biologists that recently made a presentation to our local fishing club, the alligator gar often ventures into salt water but always spawns in fresh water. The spring time floods are huge enablers of big gar spawns and the '15 spring flood probably had a record spawn of the alligator gar.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

I hit this gator gar and cut its last 1/3 off cleanly at 40 mph Sunday the 2nd in the middle of East bay. I see them out there year around. He was donated.









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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

That must have been a shock, LOL. 

I see you caught one of those "the flounder run is over" fish in addition to a nice mess of specks. Good catch!


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Meadowlark said:


> That must have been a shock, LOL.
> 
> I see you caught one of those "the flounder run is over" fish in addition to a nice mess of specks. Good catch!


Yes sir. We caught two of those "lost" flounder. Not near the track where they are supposed to run either.

I barely felt the gar, it actually just sounded like my motor cut out for a second. I looked back and saw him thrashing in my wash.

Here is a link to the live video I filmed right after we circled back. I am not sure if this will play as my FB is private but this post is public.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2269906503020845


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

The vid came through fine. Very interesting to watch. That gar still had a lot of zip when netted even after bleeding out. Amazing. 

I've never experienced anything like that in all my years of angling. Thanks for posting it.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Meadowlark said:


> The vid came through fine. Very interesting to watch. That gar still had a lot of zip when netted even after bleeding out. Amazing.
> 
> I've never experienced anything like that in all my years of angling. Thanks for posting it.


This was a fitting post, but I think I will start a new post later in general saltwater forum. I think it was a very unique experience. I kept it in the shade, and gave it away 2 hrs later. It still had some flop in it.

I was surprised how clean the cut was.

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