# Lake Livingston- White Bass- How to fish?



## DeerSlayer

Hey guys, 
Sorry for the dumb question, but Im pretty new to freshwater fishing. All I have really fished is Saltwater so this Freshwater fishing is all new to me. With that said, I am going to Lake Livingston this weekend with my fiancee's parents and family. They are all ready to go fishing. I see that everyone is catching alot of White Bass. The thing is...I don't know the first thing about catching them. Can anyone give me some pointers with regards to how to fish, what type of bait, etc. 
Much appreciated...
DS


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## SaltH2oAssassin

Just PM Shadslinger. He is very knowledgable of the lake and is always willing to help fellow 2coolers out. GL this weekend.


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## Corey270

Check out this thread it may help:

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=210434

Ive had most luck with shad on the old 980 roadbed. There was alot of sand bass mixed in with white bass but all the fish you wanna catch. You can also try jigging or trolling with chrome jigs (little george) or rattle traps over humps.


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## shadslinger

Best bet is to launch at the state park or Beacon bay and go just South of the island, should be a lot of boats around the hump fishin. Ease up to the edge of the boats and try fish in 28 to 25' of water. you can use live minnows, or a slab spoon which is a heavy metal spoon that you drop to the bottom and jig up and down.
Another good way is troll with hellbenders and pet spoons trailing them on a 20' or so leader. I use jet divers when i troll with the same pet spoon or a curly tail grub. trolling around the island is allways a good bet.


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## bueyescowboy

aaah, I had typed a good reply and got zipped. Here was my advice...A)get a cooler of cold beer and find a nice swim hole.....and relax.....or B) find a group of boats and get in the middle of them. I think I am going to go with A. minus the beer......maybe ice tea.
I am with shad I think the whites will be deep if it stays sunny all week. And I personnally like the lime green bombers found at walmart buck ninty seven. Bounce the bomber off the bottom. My hellbender doesn't usually go deep enough when the whites are deep.


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## RAYSOR

SS, when I pull my jet divers I only put about 5ft of line behind it, should I use more or is this ok.


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## Meadowlark

Last week I was trolling the pet about 18 inches behind a hellbender on one rig and on another rig pet 36 inches behind a jet diver...the hell/pet was most effective. When I want to go deeper with the hell/pet, as was last week, simply add a bell sinker to the hellbender where the front hooks were. They will get plenty deep that way.


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## bueyescowboy

hey thanks meadowlark....i ve never thought of adding a weight to the hellbender. I have added weights to tubes before to help them but never a hellbender. I know last year the whites where about 15 ft but my hellbender would only get to about 12 ft and I wasn't catching anything. good tip....i use it. Then again, I ve trolled 1 time so far. I jig and save gas...


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## DeerSlayer

Hey guys, thanks for the tips. Im gonna run by Academy and Walmart and pick up some of those "Slab Spoons" and "Bombers". I think we the place we are staying is pretty close to this "Pine Island" I keep hearing about. I know I head towards Livingston and take the (Onalaska exit I think) and turn left under the freeway, pass the Walmart (on the right side) keep going straight then I know I pass the Sellers Brothers food mkt (on the right) and I know i have to go over 2 bridges and the property is on the right hand side. I know one of the bridges is Kickapoo. 

Anyway when we put in the water, I remember us going toward the left and there was a big Island by itself in the middle of the Lake. Is that Pine Island? Or am I not specific enough? Sorry guys, I've only been there a couple of times. I also remember when we put in the water the bridge is to our right and we can go toward the bridge and under it and go straight for a while and there was another Island type place where alot of boats were pulled up to the shore of it and just hanging out drinking and things. I dont think that was Pine Island...or was it? Again, sorry if Im being too vague...I have only been there a couple of times. Thanks in advance for your help.


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## shadslinger

Deerslayer get you one of those hooksetter maps of the lake, they are good maps and well worth the money even for a one day trip. Pine island is a long boat ride from anywhere near Onalaska. The old 190 roadbed up there by the big 190 bridge and many people like to troll and jig along it.
The ride down the lake can be hazordous if you are not familar with the lake. South of Pine Island it is clear of stumps for the most part.
Raysor I'm not sure if you are saying that your leader with the jig or pet spoon is 5' behind the jetdiver. If so, that is a longer leader than I normally use. However I have used them as long as 6'.
I start with 18" on 1 rod and about 24" on the other and watch others fishing and their leader lengths. Some days a long leader is the ticket and some days it less than a foot. It can be the difference between catching lots of fish or none on some days.
I let my jetdivers out about 50 to 75'' feet behind my boat most days.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen. Pulling a chrome jetdiver with trailing petspoon/whatever and get a fish on that is for sure a striper, fight him to the boat and say "get the net!" only to have it open it's mouth at boatside and spit out the diver, bummer.


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## Meadowlark

bueyescowboy said:


> Then again, I ve trolled 1 time so far. I jig and save gas...


I'm with you...I would much rather catch them casting...but when alone, having just lost my anchor, and with a pretty good wind blowing, not much else I could do but troll.


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## randyrandy

SS, was the "striper" on the diver or the pet?
And, I've had largemouth do that with jigs and pets. Usually they like to go straight to the surface where they can jump and spit them out, but sometimes (this past weekend for instance) sometimes a largemouth will stay down and pull like a striper or wiper, only to spit it out right there at the boat....looking at you while you're holding the net.


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## NitroNX898

I have never used the jet divers, My grandfather has tought me to use the cheap deep diving crank baits that are on sale and he also makes his own spoons out of hair clips with a crappie hook attached to it. He has caught many fish on these and has kick everyone elese butt that use the more expensive set ups. I will need to take some pictures of these and post them up.


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## randyrandy

Nitro, I'd like to see that.


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## Dead Wait

I also want to see those spoons. The Ole Timers know all the good tricks. No harm there SS. :cheers:


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## shadslinger

I'm talking about the striper will get the jet diver in his mouth and clamp down, only to spit it out at the boat, its pretty funny to see.


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## randyrandy

SS, no I've never heard, or seen, such. LOL
Nitro, sure would like to see grandpa's rig.


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