So I was on Somerville...(need advice)

I put in at Yegua Park around noon yesterday and fished the coves and islands south of the park. I thought about hitting the creeks on the north end of the lake, but I'm not much of a crappie or white bass fisherman (see below) and was definitely targeting largemouth. I caught a couple of small largemouth bass in 5 - 8 feet of water (all 13 - 14 inches) on t-rig plastics, mainly in the saddle between the two islands. Something was chasing shad quite a bit as shad were hitting the surface all around me and the terns were working pretty constantly in my area. The terns were very entertaining with the huge plops as they hit the water all around me. I assumed that either small largemouth or white bass were chasing the shad. I got bored with the very low rate of return on largemouth and started tying on lures that I thought would work on white bass if indeed that was what was hammering the shad. I tried crank baits (mainly square bills) and top water (spook, tiny torpedo, pop-rs) and got nothing. Surface action was in 4 - 15 foot of water and I fished pretty much the full range of depths. I didn't even get a strike. So I'm asking you much more experienced anglers do you think white bass were chasing the shad? If so, then what should I have thrown at them? Would something like crappy jigs been more effective? I typically fish gibbons or bastrop for largemouth, but have enjoyed my few trips to Somerville and would like to get better at targeting other fish besides largemouth.

I always go to bigger baits under fish busting on top as I assume they will be near impossible to catch and are usually the smaller bass when they do bite. Have been starting out with Strike King 6xd and slowly cranking it to bottom and then stop reeling to let it start to float up a foot or two, then cranking back down and repeating very slowly. Your rod will just load up as the bites I get this way are usually very subtle. If that isn't working I'll tie on a five inch flutter spoon and cast out and let go all the way to bottom, then slowly reeling it while touching bottom back to boat. Its when the spoon is almost straight down under me that I'm most likely to get bit for some reason, especially when the fish are not taking it on the fall. I want to be drifting through the school of bait, especially behind it as I believe that is where the bigger fish, if they are there, will be. Its a constant few casts and work bait then paddling in the direction to the main part of schooling bait or busting fish. My last effort would be to throw a small Rapala Countdown and getting it to suspend at around 5 foot depths, then just an occasional twitch. Have caught lots of tiny bass with that method but would rather catch fewer, quality fish.

When they are willing to hit on top, I've had better luck with the Pop R than any other topwater.

I'll use that 6xd in water as shallow as 5 feet.. just have to work it slower which this time of year is a good thing.

Thanks! At least I did something right by trying the popr! I really appreciate the insight.

Any silver spoon will work wth white bass.

Throw it out and retrieve. Maybe pause or twitch once in awhile. Top of the water column works for me since they’re already feeding up anyway.

White bass like to swipe at shad to stun them. If you miss a strike, pause a second. A lot of time they’ll hit it when it’s falling and you’ll feel the rod load up.

And no need to do a big hook set. Just sweep it to the side.

Not much in this world more fun than white bass boiling at the surface.