The closer we get to winter, the more active the white bass and hybrids get. The shorter days and falling water temps signal to the lakes predators it’s time to feed up! It’s the perfect time to get out for some fast action. You really never know what you might catch. Those game fish will follow the shad wherever the wind may take them so on any cast it may be a white bass, hybrid, crappie, walleye, or a largemouth that hits your lure.

Look for the banks where the wind is pushing in on. The better banks will be the ones closer to deeper water. A point, a channel swing, or a small cove with the wind blowing in will likely have white bass chasing shad using the bank to help corral their prey. Also, keep an eye out for gulls. In the back of a creek or a cove with gulls diving into the water means there are plenty of shad schools in the area. As the water cools below 60 degrees means there will be less surfacing action but just because you don’t see the fish bustin’ doesn’t mean whites and hybrids aren’t around. When you’re tossing baits with light line catching 1lb or so whites and then a hybrid hits, better make sure that drag is loose, and be prepared for a long fight! That’s exactly what happened to me on Saturday!

Your bait selection is pretty simple too.  Any shad type crankbait will work. I prefer a #5 Rapala Shad Rap. It’s almost exactly the same size as the shad the fish are chasing and fools them most of the time. A Berkley Flicker Shad works well too. It’s better in stained water where the rattle helps the fish find the bait. You’ll want to always have a Rattle-Trap tied on too.

Try and get out in the next few weeks before the water drops below 50 degrees and the active fishing slows. The good news is that about the time the white bass fishing tapers off, the winter crappie fishing starts getting good! Find out more about fall and winter crappie fishing on my Ozarks Outdoors podcast! We’ll see you on the water!