# Pending Sabine Record White Bass on the fly



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Friends George and Rusty and I teamed up on the white bass today on the Sabine River above Toledo Bend Reservoir. If you aren't familiar with that area, it has for many years consistently produced the largest white bass anywhere in Texas. 

Today we caught numerous fish over 3 pounds and over 17 inches including one that represents the pending water body record white bass caught on a fly rod. I used a 5wt with small chartreuse and white clouser for the record fish and numerous other fish. 

The first photo below shows the record fish coming in at 17.25 inches. The second photo shows the weight at 3 pounds 1.3 ounces. The third photo shows the area we were fishing...sand bars and cypress trees and huge white bass. Friend George took a shot at besting the record fish, but alas came up just a tad short.

We also used conventional gear to catch numerous huge white bass over 3 pounds and ranging up to 18 inches. Road runner 1/4 ounce in chartreuse seemed to be the most effective. It was just a tremendous day to be on the river among great friends.


----------



## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

Congrats Larry! I knew the Sabine was calling your name. Fine catch for you and crew.


----------



## A Draper (Aug 14, 2007)

Meadowlark, I actual brought the fly rod with me when I was up there last weekend but, given my lack of skill with the fly and the way the wind was blowing, I didn't take it out. I need to find some casting instruction.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

A Draper,

We should get together on the river. I'm a pretty fair caster but never really tried to do "instruction". 

I used a full sinking line which is very difficult to cast (at least for me) if you have tried it. You need the sinking line to get the fly down. The big fish were right next to the bank and would follow the clouser out from the bank and hit it in four ft of water or so. They did this consistently. The fly got as many hits as the road runners when the whites were really going good but the road runners are really needed for searching.


----------



## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

Meadowlark said:


> A Draper,
> 
> We should get together on the river. I'm a pretty fair caster but never really tried to do "instruction".
> 
> I used a full sinking line which is very difficult to cast (at least for me) if you have tried it. You need the sinking line to get the fly down. The big fish were right next to the bank and would follow the clouser out from the bank and hit it in four ft of water or so. They did this consistently. *The fly got as many hits as the road runners when the whites were really going good but the road runners are really needed for searching*.


 Hmmmm....So you believe in prospecting with spinning/casting tackle and then bringing out the fly rod when conditions warrant? That's _exactly_ my philosophy as well. I never could understand why so many fly fishermen did not do this....but they'd rather die than have another form of tackle in their boat, much less use it themselves!!! I guess I'm just too old to be beating myself to death blind casting....and hoping.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Permit Rat said:


> Hmmmm....So you believe in prospecting with spinning/casting tackle and then bringing out the fly rod when conditions warrant? ...


Yes, absolutely...for white bass, stripers, and hybrids especially. Also for freshwater redfish when we had those in Fairfield. Got a state record red that way out of there.

Searching with sinking lines isn't the best use of my limited energy levels, LOL.

Now in the salt with floating and/or intermediate lines its different to me but those sinking lines are killers.


----------



## bill (May 21, 2004)

Congrats, beautiful fish


----------



## Toby_Corgi (Mar 11, 2015)

Love that river for white bass. The flow is still fairly high. Can I ask where you put in?


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Toby_Corgi said:


> Love that river for white bass. The flow is still fairly high. Can I ask where you put in?


Toby,

Certainly you can ask, LOL. We fished south of 2517 and north of Logansport.

The fish were not in creeks as I expected and planned for, rather they were on the banks of the main river along sand bars. That was the pattern yesterday. After we figured that out, it was on like donkey kong.

The fish seemed to be on the move...so searching is the ticket, one here, one there and pretty soon you will find the pot of gold and it isn't at the end of the rainbow, LOL.

Go get 'em!!


----------



## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Billy Autery Jr. III


----------



## Toby_Corgi (Mar 11, 2015)

Meadowlark said:


> Toby,
> 
> Certainly you can ask, LOL. We fished south of 2517 and north of Logansport.
> 
> ...


Thanks, that's the area I've fished. So the current is apparently manageable?


----------



## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

Congrats Meadowlark! That is a hoss white bass.



Permit Rat said:


> Hmmmm....So you believe in prospecting with spinning/casting tackle and then bringing out the fly rod when conditions warrant? That's _exactly_ my philosophy as well. I never could understand why so many fly fishermen did not do this....but they'd rather die than have another form of tackle in their boat, much less use it themselves!!! I guess I'm just too old to be beating myself to death blind casting....and hoping.


This is my philosophy as well, especially in the main river. I do it in the creeks too, but they're a little more predictable there. But I generally will prospect with a roadrunner or small slab until on light spinning tackle until I find a concentration then switch over to the fly.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Toby_Corgi said:


> Thanks, that's the area I've fished. So the current is apparently manageable?


Yes, it seemed just right to me...after years of low water and floods it is as good right now as I have ever seen it...

go break that record before the ink dries!!


----------



## Toby_Corgi (Mar 11, 2015)

Hey, I may try. I've landed plenty of huge whites from that river on a fly rod. In fact, I've never used anything else there.


----------



## karstopo (Jun 29, 2009)

Really great fish. Thanks for sharing. Nothing wrong with prospecting with conventional gear, IMHO, I always carry other tackle besides fly gear.


----------



## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

*Sweet*

Great fish Meadowlark. You've truly been on a roll. Roosterfish, chinook, GT, record white bass. I'm thinking you've gotten the hang of this fly fishing thing. 

I'm looking forward to your next report.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Unbound said:


> Great fish Meadowlark. You've truly been on a roll. Roosterfish, chinook, GT, record white bass. I'm thinking you've gotten the hang of this fly fishing thing.
> 
> I'm looking forward to your next report.


Thank you Unbound.

Here is a hint of coming attractions... "Arapima"


----------



## willyjoe1 (Dec 2, 2005)

Congratulation Mr. Meadowlark!! this is absolutely huge white.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

UPDATE: The fish has been certified as a new State Record for "catch and release" in addition to water body record. 


LOL, that may say that not many people release white bass, like I do.

Go break it folks !!


----------



## skinnywaterfishin (Jul 1, 2015)

Congrats! That's a neat achievement.


----------



## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

Congrats


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

