Both Jackson and Fabian like medium-light-power, fast-action ice sticks from Thorne Brothers, or the new Dave Genz signature series from Nature Vision, coupled with light spinning reels and 4-pound mono or 8- to 10-pound braid.
Deep Holes, Some Current
Jackson says he has nothing against white bass in natural lakes, but thinks they run a little bigger in backwaters. “Last year we caught a few that were a shade over 20 inches and a shade under 4 pounds,” he says. “That’s a big white bass up north, and last year was one of the worst years we’ve had, because the backwaters froze late, remained unstable, then the ice left early. I know Devil’s Lake has some big ones, too, but the average size is biggest in river backwaters, in my experience.”
“In backwaters, white bass need current, even in winter,” he says. “The best bites tend to occur in holes 23 to 27 feet deep. But they won’t be there without current. No current, no fish. In that case, we look closer to the river. Even in low-water years, white bass appear to need some current flowing through the area, which seems strange because the shad will be there anyway, and shad are the main forage. We might find them in areas with a maximum depth of 15 to 20 feet in that case, or even as shallow as 8 feet.”
One of the most overlooked ice-fishing options in North America has to be the white bass, a tough fish with the right attitude and wonderful on the table. Almost forgotten by anglers, tasty white bass often bite when crappies, walleyes, and bluegills are getting pressured and finicky. White bass are little feeding machines, and some aren’t so little. A 5-pounder isn’t out of the question, and a day-long affair with 2-pounders is almost a guarantee. Find out where they’re living in your area by calling your local state fishery office, and take advantage of some untouched angling this winter.
