Finding Consistent Action After the Spawn

Once you hook a fish, one of two things can happen: 1) The fish pulls hard enough to pop your fishing line from the release and the rod pops straight up, then bends slowly back over in the direction of the fish; or 2) The fish doesn’t pull hard enough to trigger the release, and the rod tip bobs erratically while still doubled over.

If the release doesn’t get tripped, remove the rod from the holder and reel in line while lowering the rod, until its tip is buried in the water and pointed down toward your release. Then, with your thumb on the spool to prevent the drag from slipping, pop the rod sharply upwards to manually trip the release. Take your thumb off the spool and quickly reel until you feel the weight of the fish. Fish taken from deep water have a tendency to make a surprisingly hard single pull once the sun hits their eyes near the surface. Anticipate this surge and either adjust your drag or use your rod to buffer the pull.

Timing the Bite

Downrigging is productive from the end of the spawn to the time white bass stage again in the late winter. It’s more effective in full light conditions than during low light. In reservoirs, there’s often a frenzy of white bass activity on either side of sunrise and sunset. Although whites can be caught on downriggers at these times, they tend to be tightly schooled and aggressively feeding, a situation when vertical jigging presentations excel. But, as soon as that bite slows or dies, get the ’riggers in the water and work that productive area over until you’ve combed out the still-active fish.

Another caveat is surface-feeding situations. If white bass are aggressively feeding over open water, catch what you can on top. But, as soon as the peak of the activity has passed, turn on the sonar, get the weights overboard, and be prepared to extend your catching for another 30 to 40 minutes on downriggers.

I’ve found that in Texas waters, once the surface temperature drops below 41ºF, the downrigging bite sours until the temperature comes back up a bit.

Most any gamefish appearing on sonar are apt to strike your downrigger offering. I’ve taken striped bass, hybrid stripers, largemouth, smallmouth, spotted bass, white and black crappie, sunfish, drum, catfish, carp, gar, buffalo, and more. Of course, a lot of white bass, too, when most other anglers hang it up after the run.

*Bob Maindelle, Salado, Texas, guides on the waters of Central Texas and specializes in white bass and hybrid striped bass: Holding The Line Guide Service, holdingthelineguideservice.com, 254/368-7411.