# Upper Livingston...Jan. 8



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Hit the Trinity River launching at Riverside bridge today and found the big, fat whites I've always wanted to catch. Kept about 22 for the freezer and released the rest. The fish were scattered somewhat but the action was very steady...and the best part was NO DINKS and no trolling required. All nice fat whites. The river was in good shape about two feet or more visibility.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Yeah man, those are big whites, congrats. They pull real good when they get that big too.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Really fantastic! Congrats! I can't wait for the Doc to release me from my knee surgery so I can get out there!

You sound like me; I would much rather cast than troll. In fact I haven't trolled the lake for years, but will troll in the spawn to help locate them.


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

I'm with you Don, casting for them is my way. Good pictures and report.


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## FishinHippie (Jun 19, 2005)

the run is already starting huh? Nice catch!


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

If anybody's waiting for someone to say the "Run" word you're going to miss it all together. If people report catching them,,,,,hit it and now.


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## Andy_Holland_25 (Aug 8, 2007)

Great catch man!!!

Did you fish south of the bridge? Do you fellas think white Rock would be good now or do you think they are not that far north yet?

Just trying to get some generall info...

Thanks ya'll 
Andy


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

johnmyjohn said:


> If anybody's waiting for someone to say the "Run" word you're going to miss it all together. If people report catching them,,,,,hit it and now.


Johnny, I could not agree more! It is not necessarily that people are staying quiet either, but conditions in the spawn change quickly. This is what I use to help me: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/current/?type=flow


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## HillCountryBasser (Aug 26, 2008)

Those are some fatties...congrats!


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Whitebassfisher said:


> Really fantastic! Congrats! I can't wait for the Doc to release me from my knee surgery so I can get out there!
> 
> You sound like me; I would much rather cast than troll. In fact I haven't trolled the lake for years, but will troll in the spawn to help locate them.


The main reason I don't like trolling for Whites is it just takes all the starch out of them when they get jerked up on the Hell/Pet or whatever. Just takes the fight out of them.

What a difference catching them on crank baits!! Man they fight great and the hit is electric.

Hope you get a shot at them real soon. They are really nice fish.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Andy_Holland_25 said:


> Great catch man!!!
> 
> Did you fish south of the bridge? Do you fellas think white Rock would be good now or do you think they are not that far north yet?
> 
> ...


Andy, I started out north of the bridge up to Harmon creek but didn't find any so went south and started picking them up. They weren't really concentrated and seemed to move around a lot..but the action was steady if you just grind it out.


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## Titus Bass (Dec 26, 2008)

Nice fish.....Where the he77 did I leave my pole?????


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## haparks (Apr 12, 2006)

u the man


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## Andy_Holland_25 (Aug 8, 2007)

Meadowlark said:


> Andy, I started out north of the bridge up to Harmon creek but didn't find any so went south and started picking them up. They weren't really concentrated and seemed to move around a lot..but the action was steady if you just grind it out.


Well looks like the run is starting! Thanks alot bud!! Hope you get into many more looks like I might be able to go tomorrow... Tight lines all

Andy


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Give us a report if you make it out...hope to try again Monday myself. Weather looks good, just on the cold side.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

It has been my opinion that the "run" starts by New Years every year. How far up the fish are by that time is greatly affected by the amount of rain. In a wet year, the fish make it farther up sooner. This thread is about the Trinty river, so rain fall in Dallas is a huge factor. I remember years where limits could be caught as far north as the lock & dam at Christmas. I've caught easy limits in creek mouths well above the l & d by January 7.

I love to fish for whites and tend to talk about them when no one ask, LOL. I think that temperature falls a distant third behind photo period (amount of daylight per day) first and water flow second as to when the "run" starts.

Sorry, but I just can't help but state my 2 cent opinions on spawning whites.


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## csmcg (Jan 20, 2008)

*Trinity White Bass*

The wife and I fished the upper Trinity this past Thurs. & Friday. Thursday we tried casting with roadrunners & rattletraps of various colors with limited success. Decided late in the day to succumb to Trolling which really paid off. We ended up with 27 nice keepers. On Friday we went with strictly trolling and limited out by 2:30. Chartruese Traps were definitely the lure of choice. Downstream of highway 19 is were we concentrated our efforts. My wife has never been much of a fisherperson, this was her first time limiting out. It was a huge thrill for her. Good luck to all.

Craig


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Whitebassfisher said:


> I love to fish for whites and tend to talk about them when no one ask, LOL. I think that temperature falls a distant third behind photo period (amount of daylight per day) first and water flow second as to when the "run" starts.


Whitebassfisher,

I really appreciate your insights. I am admittedly a novice at this kind of fishing, but a highly experienced angler otherwise.

Could you comment on "length of run" variables. I'm wondering how long it lasts and what variables effect that. Also, if you find them in one location, such as I was fortunate to do, how likely is it that they (or some others) will be in that area for the duration of the "run".

These were obviously females laden with eggs, do they pretty much shut down after the spawn and does that happen toward the end of the period in March?

Appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

p.s. I think "run" may be somewhat of a misnomer, as related to Livingston at least. I say that because some tremendous white bass fishing is available right now on certain spots in the main lake, weather permitting. Certainly, I can testify that not all whites "run" up the creeks, in fact many, many do not. Fishing the main lake right now can be very difficult due to weather conditions, but the creeks are protected. When the weather allows, the whites are definitely on the prowl in the main lake also right now.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Meadowlark said:


> Whitebassfisher,
> 
> I really appreciate your insights. I am admittedly a novice at this kind of fishing, but a highly experienced angler otherwise.
> 
> ...


Wow, some tough questions! I hope someone with more insight can kick in. My experience is that the spawn is over by the end of March or early April; later in the spawn seems to produce small fish and the big sows are spawned and gone. Again, I'm a firm believer in photo period, the spawn seems to be done no matter what the other variables. For me, finding them in a particular location like you did or a "honey hole" is likely to produce again if the flow and water color is similar. Certain spots in the creeks or the river seem to be good year after year to an extent. Finding an "eddy" can be great! If the river looks like chocolate milk, and a creek is flowing water that looks like ice tea out into that chocolate, go up that creek and try right at the mouth before you go up further! Flow and color of the creeks versus flow and color in the river is important, so local rain versus rains in Dallas are completely different. They want to swim against a good current, but they seek the best color water too. Particularly up in the creeks say in March, water temp can really come into play. The fish may be in the deeper parts of the creek in the cool morning, then move up into the shallow water of a sandbar that has been heated by sunlight later in the day. The big females seem to disappear after they spawn, actually they storm back downstream and seem very hungry. And yes, not all whites go upstream, some stay in the lake year 'round. Let's please hear from others, I want to know as much as I can about this!


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

I have never had the oppertunity to fish a river for whites or sand bass but have caught tons of them in the lake. Many large females never make the river and spawn along sandy beaches where the wind is blowing into the beach. I see this more when we do not have any rain and the lakes are down and no flow from the creeks or river. 

I would love to fish with a river rat sometimes just for the quite and beauty of the river. For you river guys thanks for the reports. This old man 56 has no river experience at all.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

GWF,

I'm not exactly a river rat, but learning fast. I often fish alone so you would be more than welcome to join me on the upper Trinity soon. Don't know where you are located but I usually put in at Riverside.


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## Andy_Holland_25 (Aug 8, 2007)

Never made it out last weekend still got do some boat maint. & makeing deer sausage took to long. Maybe it will be good this weekend?

Andy


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## atcfisherman (Oct 5, 2006)

Great catch! We are heading up to the lake house on White Rock Creek next week. Hope the weather is good.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Andy_Holland_25 said:


> Never made it out last weekend still got do some boat maint. & makeing deer sausage took to long. Maybe it will be good this weekend?
> 
> Andy


Water temps may be too low...about 48 degrees on the Trinity today.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

atcfisherman said:


> Great catch! We are heading up to the lake house on White Rock Creek next week. Hope the weather is good.


Give us a report. Thanks.


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## bassmaster2004 (Aug 2, 2004)

i was on it today, but fine tuning my bass baot after repair. I know they are catching the mess out of them because i was offered to take home 13 and in which i did. very big whitties. The guy thaty gave them to me was in a gator trak boat camo out with a bud buudy motor. He had chartoses rattletraps and was killing them.


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## Andy_Holland_25 (Aug 8, 2007)

My buddy & I went out on Saturday, but about the time we started to get into them & found a good school we had to leave. But we had a great time maybe going to go and try next weekend!

Andy


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