Clouser minnow\White bass

[Troutslayer101 0]

Ok guys I will be making a trip to South Dakota for a walleye fishing trip and would like to try my luck fishing for white bass with a fly rod with clouser minnows . What color combos do you think would work the best. I figured a white\chartreuse. Money is tight so only can buy so many colors so trying to purchase the must productive colors. Thanks

[mikechell 0]

Your color selection will work on just about everything. I also recommend the use of some silver flash. A clouser with white underbelly and silver flash back would be especially effective in stained water or when the shad are running.

[Troutslayer101 0]

Thanks Mikechell! What size hook would you suggest?

[heavynets 0]

All white, all pink and all bright orange also work. Flash seems to help too. I use cheap No. 4 Walmart Aberdeen hooks with small or extra small dumbbell eyes.

[mikechell 0]

All my information is based on 30 years ago, when I lived in Indiana.

White bass chase and eat smaller prey, so I wouldn't go larger than a 4 for them.

Walleye will go after much larger, and have some teeth to deal with. Anything from 8 through 2/0 will be good for them, but if you have extra long shank hooks, you might avoid some bite offs.

[phg 0]

Around here, white bass only run 10" to 12". They do strike aggressively, and tend to take baits near the bottom. A small clouser would be a good choice. I use a lot of bead headed whatever. Sparkle grubs, woolybuggers, small minnow patterns like a wiggle-tail. White seems to be the best overall color, with chartreuse coming in second. I use mostly size 8 hooks. A 2.5" to 3" long pattern seems to be optimal.

[Troutslayer101 0]

Thanks for all the info guys! I will pick up materials tonight and see what I can do.

[Dave G. 0]

Wapsi Craft Fur is about $3 a bag fwiw. Makes for great little streamers.

[heavynets 0]

All good info above. I just caught 33 this morning. I did some experimenting and had my best luck with a 1/80 oz. (I think) white marabou jig with some crystal flash. A close second was an all white clouser and a chartreuse over white clouser, both with crystal flash. My orange woollybugger did't do so good today. In the past it has been one of the best. I think it will be better later in the run, when they get skittish of white flies.

 

I believe they were all males today because of their small size. The take was usually very subtle, but occasional one would really nail the fly. Dead drifting or very short strips seemed to work best.