Schooling whites

What are the best lures to use when fishing a group of schooling whites? Thanks!

The fewer hooks, the better. Nothing worse than hooking a sa did with a six hooked Rat L Trap. I’ve known people who grab a pair of pliers and whack off the other two hooks on a treble. Either that or don’t grab the fish, just use pliers. Guess how I know?!? Something that can sink fast and cast far also helps

Small swimbaits are awesome. 2" long. Storm makes some good ones with the hook and lead built into them. AND 1 hook! I've been hooked twice with those dang sandies using multiple hook baits!!

Heddon clear baby torpedo. Take front treble off and bend barbs down. Just wind. Fun to watch them chase it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yea, those 3 hooks are a pain!

I'm glad this was actually about fish. thanks for the info.

It's alot of fun watching the kids trying to keep the torpedo from the sandies. Bending down those barbs will save you time & trouble. Little Georges work good also.

I like the Johnson SIlver Minnow spoon. One hook.

Given the current situation, the title of this thread made me think it might belong in the bunker!

I like the Heddon Spit'n Image, shad color. Crank it hard and watch the schools of sandies chase it until one gets lucky.

Hint: Also a great lure for Bass.

Mepps XD - casts really far - all you do is reel it in. Caught a lot of them with it.

Cotton cordell casting spoon

Surfacing whites will hit anything you throw at them. Like stated I stay away from treble hooks because they are a pain.

Pet spoon

theyll hit anything.

Rat-L-Trap's and Little George's are 2 of the best and my go to weapons of choice.

Rapala Rippin Rap 2" blue chrome is my go to. Anything flashy or chrome 3" or smaller will typically work. If that are near the surface, a small square bill crank in any shad pattern will produce.

3" grub on a 1/4 oz. Jig head is my favorite. Sometimes use a baby clear torpedo but the treble hooks are a pain when they are really boiling.

I betts speck rig white or chartreuse 1/8 ounce it has a #4 single hook. Two jigs to a rig they murder schooling whites or hybrids.

A swim bait minnow of any color.
Shad color swims like a wounded shad and they cant ignore it

I use a white spinner bait when they are on the surface

Is there on one else that takes off the treble hooks and installs barbless treble hooks in their place? The fish just fall off in the boat and the barbless hooks don't tear up the inside of the mouth and throat if they take it deep. I get my hooks on Ebay.

As mentioned they will hit anything in the water when feeding on top. If fishing with kids the Little George will cast far, 1 treble to deal with rather than multiples, and it gets under deeper where the larger fish typically are waiting for the fallout.

Mepps #2 silver blade white tail

I do this too. All my ratl-traps, crankbaits, topwaters, kastmasters, lil' Georges, etc have barbless hooks now.
It's a hassle replacing the hooks on 100+ baits, but well worth it. So much easier getting them unhooked when the action is fast, plus there are tons of 10-12" stripers on Whitney and the barbless ones don't tear up their mouth.

Love the Little George

I purchase slabs with barbless hooks from RSR ., Actually will force you to keep constant pressure on lure, thus making for a longer fight. Save a finger ,save a fish. Fishing with barbless hooks is a species saver.

Slabs in white or silver.

i thing to keep in mind when fishing schooling sandbass on top is that usually the larger sandbass are under the smaller sandbass reaping the rewards as the shad filters down. A bonus hybrids may be down there also

If catching a lot of small one i will put on a 4' sassy shad on 1 ounce jig head with single hook

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