Master Angler Bluegill Michigan County

White Lighting — Out In Michigan

The spring time in Michigan gives an angler a plethora of angling opportunities, but one of my favorite spring fishing events is the white bass run. White bass, aka “silver bass” is the larger cousin of the white perch, both of which can be found in great numbers here in Michigan. Many fishermen think white bass are related to other fish species that share the bass name such as the large and smallmouth bass and the rock bass, but they are not in the same family. They belong to a separate species known as the temperate bass, which includes the Yellow Bass and Striped bass.

White bass are a favorite target species of anglers who appreciate the fast action, a tough and spirited battle for the size, plus their veracious attitude when attacking lures. When fishing for white bass, my rod of choice is a St. Croix Premier series, 6 foot, 6 inch light power, fast action spinning rod that is matched up with a Shimano 1000 sized reel. The reel is spooled with a light braid in the four to 6lb test, backed with monofilament to prevent slippage. The reason for using the braided line, instead of mono, is because it is very common to get nicks in the line from the rough scales and sharp gill plates when fishing through densely populated schools of fish.

When fishing streams and rivers, the “go to” lure for the spawning run is a round head lead jig, tipped with a 3 inch plastic twister tail grub. White bass can be caught on many other baits such has in-line spinner like a Mepps or Blue Fox Vibrax. Small crank baits both lipped and lipless, and top waters are also highly effective. Using live bait is always a viable option to anglers , simply rig a slip bobber with a split shot and hook or small jighead to bounce along near the bottom below the float. The most popular livebait choice are emerald shiners, but fatheads and Rosie Reds(an orange fathead) work equally well, and can be a more economical purchase at the local bait shop. Fly fishing has been steadily gaining in popularity over the past few years when fisherman target white bass. There are a wide variety of flies that can be used when “slinging bugs”, but the Clouser Minnow has been a long standing favorite among the fly guys.

The versatility of the lead jig tipped with the twister tail, is why it is my personal favorite option when trying to catch these fish often referred to as “White Lightning”. By simply changing the size and weight of the jig, along with the speed of the retrieve, an angler can adapt quickly to the flow of the current. Fisherman can double their chances by rigging two lead heads on the same line. By using a “surgeon’s loop”, rig a lighter jig like a 1/16 ounce on top, while using something heavier in the 1/8th to ¼ oz range on the bottom to get the rig down. At times, if the situation dictates it, a 3/8ths oz jig head will be necessary. It is wise to have a selection of these weights with you on the trip. Having two of these small hard fighting fish on at the same time is amazing, and you will be hard pressed to find a similar experience anywhere in the Great Lakes region.

Michigan sportsman

Michigan out-of-doors

Field & Stream

Fisheries technical report

The Michigan natural resources magazine