Yellow Bass

Use 1/32-1/8 oz jigs tipped with soft plastics like small minnows or curly-tail grubs, football jigs being preferred to avoid snags. Small crappie jigs work excellently - use vibrant colors in muddy water or on overcast days, gray or silver in clear water with good light penetration.

Target Yellow Bass during their most active periods from March through June and again in fall. They spawn in spring when water temperatures reach around 60°F, typically in May when water stays above 50°F. During spawning period, avoid targeting them as they're focused on reproduction rather than feeding.

The drop shot rig is the most effective setup, designed to pull small lures straight to the bottom where Yellow Bass typically feed. Live bait presented on slip bobber rigs to control depth precisely. Fly fishing can be productive when fish move shallow.

Their diet shifts with age - juveniles feed primarily on small invertebrates including copepods and aquatic insects, while adults transition to feeding mainly on small fish like minnows, shiners, and young-of-year gizzard shad, supplemented by chironomid larvae and pupae.

Yellow bass are schooling fish found in slow-moving rivers, lakes, and reservoirs with relatively clear water and dense vegetation. They range from the Red River in the north down to the San Jacinto drainage in the south.