I know it's that time of year when fishing for whites can get tough. Especially after this cold front with freezing rain, sleet, etc. My question is bigger than "Right Now". Personally, I caught less whites this fall than at any time since I started fishing the lake around 2001. In years past I have really enjoyed the fall fishing. No crowds at the ramps and fish were everywhere. Then winter deadsticking up to say early February was good most years. This fall the fishing was HORRIBLE. That trend has continued into the winter. I have no doubt that spring will offer good fishing, like always. However, it's worrisome when that is the only time of the year that the fishing seems to be really good.

I have come to the conclusion that the actual number of white bass in the lake is WAY down from what it was 3-4 years ago. Not sure there is a survey to support that conclusion but I believe it to be fact. My question is why???? My guess is lack of rainfall to support good spawning in creeks, but I'm no biologist. I've seen some posts saying they think the lake is overfished but I have a hard time buying that argument. Most week days, even during the spring, you can fish all day and count on one hand the number of boats you see. Could it just be a natural swing in fish population???

I would love to hear some educated input on this. Should limits be changed? Should we just not worry about it and hope nature will fix the problem on its own??? I would sure love to see the lake get back to what it was several years ago.

I'm not good enough to fall or winter fish for Sandbass but we fished there a whole lot last spring and summer and had the best catches we've ever experienced there. I'm like you it's hard to believe it's overfished, but I would bet the spawn has been way off.

All the Guides agree with the couple of Biologists I've had brief discussions with and the best guess is:

We haven't had the Creeks running in the Spring for 4 years and all the spawns have been on the Main Lake Points. Supposedly the spawn, hatch and survival rate is much better when the fish can do their thing in the Creeks versus the Main Lake.

This next guess is only mine and I'm guessing the large amount of eggs spawned on the Main Lake are eaten by the millions of Catfish that are now a result of the "Slot" put in place on Blue Cats over 6 years ago. You can go anywhere on the Lake and catch some Catfish.

It's not fishing pressure as I've fished the Lake since 1994 and the past few years there's been fewer fishermen year around than there was 20 years ago. I can fish from October thru much of March and never see another boat on a Weekday.

The most confusing issue of all is "Where have all the Hybrids gone?" They disappeared with the Whites and I know there's much more Hybrids than we've ever had based on Stockings and also the fact that last Spring/Summer we were catching many 15" fish. The Hybrids disappeared when the Whites did. There's some pretty good Guides on RC (Bob, Cory, Troy, Mark, & Adam) and when they can't find a fish, I don't even try. We've looked deep, shallow, tried thumping, bumping and grinding and basically have given up the past two Winters.

Betcha a nickel though that I'm catching Whites by April 1st! And that's no April's Fool!

Good Luck!

The hybrid vanishing act in the fall has always been a mystery to me. Hybrid fishing in late fall and winter has always sucked on RC. With that said 2015 will be the best year for hybrid fishing in a long time. The stocking numbers have been very good the last few years.

Everything Royce said about main lake spawn makes sense. It is also very worrisome. Doesn't look like there is gonna be much inflow this year either.

I fished there in July 1995 and there were so many yellow bass they were surface schooling with the whites, and most were big enough to filet. I read that there was a big fish kill in the fall of 1995, which killed off a bunch of yellow bass. Just wondering how that population is doing now in light of the current white bass and hybrid decline?

Dennis,

From Spring to late Summer, you can catch hundreds of small Yellow Bass in the same locations you find the Whites. Many trips you have to pull up the Trolling Motor and leave as there's only small fish on a hump, roadbed, etc. Only time you normally catch any sizeable Yellow Bass is in the Winter, but not anymore. They're with the Whites I guess?

I don't hear any good reports on this lake during the winter on white/hybrid as compared to Cedar Creek, Tawakoni, etc...weird.

That's strange to me. Has anyone tried deadsticking like we do here on CC? Hard to believe there isn't fish out around the deep channels.

Chuck,

We deadsticked them every Winter until last year (2013). Just had to find the bait and the drop-offs and the fish were there. Even the live bait Guys gave up on them in early Fall this year and went to Catfishing. Adam and I made ourselves a couple of "Thumpers" and thumped our way around the various locations we had caught them at the past 15 years. Just couldn't find any fish! Sure wish I knew where several million Whites and Hybrids are holed up till Spring!

We're just thankful that we have a Lake full of Catfish to catch in the Winter!

It is just not Chambers. I fish Lewisville, Ray Roberts, and sometimes Grapevine and the fishing has been off compared to previous years. CC, Tawakoni, Fork, and Texoma are still producing. I agree that the low water must have something to do with it. This winter, the deadsticking has been ok and now the weather is miserable and I do not care to go out there.

Don,

Couple of things a lack of White Bass will do are: (1) Make you really thankful for those limits of 50-100 fish by 9AM that used to happen,(2)Make you very humble as you realize you're just only a fair vs. good Guide, and (3) Make you a more versatile fisherman as we can now find, catch and enjoy Catfish and before we never even fished for them!

Come on Rain, Spawn and Fish with Scales!

Good Luck!

Man that stinks Royce. I don't have a doubt that the low water level hurts the spawn. Maybe all that low water for this many years finally has shown an effect. Good news is if we can get a flood you'll be back in shape in no time.
I've wondered if low water level has hurt us in the past. I wish you the best Royce.