Good Places to Catch White Bass

The bass family of sports fish are tasty and fun to catch.

White bass (Morone chrysops) is a temperate freshwater fish native to the Mississippi River and its tributaries, lakes and reservoirs. Because of its popularity as a sport fish, it has been introduced to lakes and reservoirs across the United States. These delectable fish run in large groups during spring spawning season and during the spring feed.

Oklahoma

White bass, also known as sand bass, is the state fish of Oklahoma. Lakes across the state are filled with great numbers of white bass, as well as many other types of bass. Lake Eufala, located approximately 130 miles east of Oklahoma City, is known to have the best white bass fishing in Oklahoma in terms of size and number, holding the state records. Coming up a close second are Grand Lake in the northeast corner of the state and Lake Hudson, about 50 miles east of Tulsa.

North Carolina

According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, almost every lake and reservoir has an ample stock of white bass, as do the large rivers that come off those lakes. Three of the most well-visited sites for bass fishing are Kerr Lake (Henderson), Jordan Lake (Apex), and High Rock Lake (Davidson County). These large lakes also provide plenty of amenities for boating, camping and other outdoor activities.

Kansas

Kansas fishing hot spots along rivers tend to change from year to year. Alternating flooding and droughts in this relatively flat Great Plains state creates continual changes in river channels and river beds. The best bet for consistent white bass fishing is to stick to the lakes and reservoirs these fish use for protection. Neosho State Fishing Lake, approximately 135 miles east of Wichita, is a good bet that won't disappoint.

Minnesota

From Ford Dam in the north to Hastings in the South, the approximate 20 miles stretch of the Mississippi River at Minneapolis and Saint Paul boast some of the most prolific white bass fishing in the northern states. Having such a northern latitude also means the water warms up later, creating a very late April-May start to the spawning season. Being so close to a metropolitan area allows for great day of fishing with little travel time.

References

• GrandFishingReport.com, "The Fish Species of Grand Lake-White Bass"
• In-Fisherman.com, "Prime Time for White Bass"
• OklahomaFishingGuide.com, "Fish Oklahoma Lakes!"
• NorthCarolinaFishingOnline.com, "North Carolina Bass Fishing"
• Freshare.net, "State Fish Offers Hot Angling Action in Oklahoma"
• Kansas Department of Wildlife, "White Bass Lakes"