Spinner flies are effective white bass lures when fish are in deeper waters.
White bass, the state fish of Oklahoma, belong to the temperate bass family. Unlike largemouth and smallmouth, which are actually sunfish, whites are similar to perch and carp, although they're not related. White bass are common in parts of North America and Europe. From about April to October in most U.S. regions, you can catch white bass with a variety of lures, including flies and spinners, or a combination of both. The fish can grow to about 18 to 24 inches and are fun to catch.
When white bass are in deep waters, they tend to feed on live bait; however, spinner flies work well. Spinner flies are standard spinner rigs made to look like diving bugs and colorful flies. Their treble hooks and quick motion make them attractive to white bass. Work these lures with traditional spinning rod and reel combos. Spinner flies work most effectively when you allow them to sink for 3 to 5 seconds before working the lures.
Diving and Floating Flies
When surface water reaches warmer temperatures, white bass will spend time in the shallows to feed. Diving, floating and popping flies usually attract the species most effectively. These flies are also disguised to look like wounded bait fish like suckers, shad and sculpin.
Fly Fishing Gear
Diving and surface flies work best with long rods (9-foot recommended) and 10 to 15 feet of Type 3 sink-tip line. The best reels for white bass fly fishing are rear weighted with strong disk drag, capable of housing about 50 to 100 yards of backing line. More than that is usually too much and will impede the mechanism.
