# Any white bass in the creeks yet?



## Stackinbills (Feb 28, 2015)

I haven't been out to check yet, how's the river and creeks looking? Have they started making their way into the creeks? I know everyone likes to keep this to themselves but just a yes or no will work. Thanks


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## Postman (Oct 11, 2015)

Probably a bit early. You think the cold will speed 'em up or slow 'em down ? Haven't seen any down here in south Texas.


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## Stackinbills (Feb 28, 2015)

I've been out of town so I don't know what the weather has done exactly but generally the run is started by water temp and flow so if there has been some rain to make the creeks flow and the temp is right they should start running up the creeks. I might just have to go see for myself.


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## Set-A-Drifter (Jun 22, 2005)

*wb in the creeks*

I have caught a few in spring creek over the last month (all males). Caught one today. Not enough to say they are running yet. When it warms up again it may be on.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

I have always believed that photo period is a big influence too. There seems to be many variables, but if I had to bet money it would be that some fish (not all go upstream) are up there. But whether in the river or creeks can vary on flow and clarity and it isn't an exact science. Many years back in the first week of January I caught a quick limit in Elkhart creek, which is what is dammed up to make Houston County Lake ..... meaning Livingston fish had already made it half way to Dallas.


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## SD Hawkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Catching a few males, but no females yet and no numbers


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## ccketchum (Oct 18, 2010)

got a few out of stubble field last week


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## SwineAssassiN (Jul 24, 2011)

Caught 2 limits of males the other day. They were extremely aggressive, chasing our lures right up to the bank and we could see them strike









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

You go Swine! I like your reports.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Good job swine! Yeah the boys are always ready long before the girls!
We did well deadsticking in the lake the last couple of days. Some big makes but mostly swollen females from 13â€ up to 16â€ and full of near ripe roe. The males were milting in the cooler and live well.
They were not aggressive and you had to be quick on the draw to nail the subtle bite.
Tim does not make quite the presentation your girl does though!
It's officially on now.
:cheers:


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## Postman (Oct 11, 2015)

Pretty, very pretty and a nice mess of fish too!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Whitebassfisher said:


> I have always believed that photo period is a big influence too. There seems to be many variables, but if I had to bet money it would be that some fish (not all go upstream) are up there. But whether in the river or creeks can vary on flow and clarity and it isn't an exact science. Many years back in the first week of January I caught a quick limit in Elkhart creek, which is what is dammed up to make Houston County Lake ..... meaning Livingston fish had already made it half way to Dallas.


There used to walk in access to the tailrace of Houston County Lake where the Little Elk Heart Creek comes out. I fished there a lot from 1978 to 1982.
Lake Livingston white bass, crappie, spotted bass, drum and channel cats all made a run to the wing walls of the dam whenever the flow was right. I fished it mostly in January and early February, maybe a final time in mid March. Most of the best action was the first part of January to late that month. 
The crappie seemed to come in an early wave then the male white bass then huge female white bass would come in waves with more waves of crappie interspersed with the white bass. The first wave of white bass were usually the biggest.
Beavers dammed the creek up after the early eighties and only a hard flood would clear them for maybe a year, maybe. The walk in access was eventually closed due to people leaving tons of minnow bags and thrash.
Then construction work changed it for good.

There are some white bass in the lake now and we have been catching them with deadsticking methods. They are near ready to spawn. The females are full of eggs and the males milting in the cooler and live well. Big white bass too, and getting fatter everyday.
Tim does not make as fine of a backdrop, but he was there catching fish.

Good catching SwineASSassin, and a fine documentary picture too. You know how it's all this no picture it didn't happen, so include that nice backdrop in all of your pictures.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

shadslinger said:


> .....The walk in access was eventually closed due to people leaving tons of minnow bags and trash.....


Some things never change.


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

2 limits in 2 days and I had 1 female each day . 24 males to 1 female. I did some catch and release and some of those I released were good size females. Most fish were small males which I like to eat the small fish better than the big females. If we have a dry period for the next couple months it will be some awesome catching. Should be a good year for everyone to catch a personal best white.

Loy those whites that stay in the lake will be a lot of fun to catch.


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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

Stackinbills said:


> I've been out of town so I don't know what the weather has done exactly but generally the run is started by water temp and flow so if there has been some rain to make the creeks flow and the temp is right they should start running up the creeks. I might just have to go see for myself.


I used to think flow and temp was what triggered the movement into the creeks but the last couple of years have really proven me wrong. I'm starting to believe what Whitebassfisher has said about photo period or some other tell as to what time of year it is is what gets them moving into the creeks. I think where flow comes into play is current encourage them to move further upstream and temp is what triggers them to spawn. But as far as moving into the creek to stage for moving further upstream and spawning it seems to be something different. This is at least my thought for larger creeks. Smaller creeks seem to depend a lot more on flow for those fish to move into them and sometimes even with good flow it seems they won't move in until later in the run.

I am interested to see what happens this year. We haven't really seen cold weather like this in a few years so maybe the cold snap this year will bust my theory wide open. Last year I was catching some big males in the deep holes of the larger creeks in early January. Water was still below 55 deg but they were already staging so who knows what'll happen this year. Only one way to find out!


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

The whites were laying on the bottom along drop offs and deep holes this weekend. Cast a crank bait along a drop off and let it go to the bottom. Slow, very slow retrieve back, pause let lure drop again and retrieve. They would tap it just a little harder than a crappie would. Except a couple times it was a crappie. I don't know if or how much rain we received up river but if we did get some it could push the males further up. As to why or when they go is a guess sometimes. It is a lot of fun searching them out and trying to figure out what they want to eat this time of year.


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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

Mattsfishin said:


> The whites were laying on the bottom along drop offs and deep holes this weekend. Cast a crank bait along a drop off and let it go to the bottom. Slow, very slow retrieve back, pause let lure drop again and retrieve. They would tap it just a little harder than a crappie would. Except a couple times it was a crappie. I don't know if or how much rain we received up river but if we did get some it could push the males further up. As to why or when they go is a guess sometimes. It is a lot of fun searching them out and trying to figure out what they want to eat this time of year.


Yep. When I've caught them in January they're usually laid up on the bottom and I either catch them bumping jigs off the bottom or letting them roll and bounce on the bottom with the current. Lose some tackle that way but if you fish much off the bottom you won't get bit. They also seem to be very particular to certain colors earlier in the year but as the run progresses they care less.


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