Entry 218-3

Catching Big Bass at White Oak Plantation with Chad Brauer

Part 3: Why I’d Fish a Trophy Lake like White Oak

Question: Chad, why would you suggest fishing at a trophy-bass lake like those at White Oak Plantation, near Tuskegee, Alabama?

Brauer: A trip to White Oak would be an awesome Father’s Day or Christmas gift for your dad or your granddad. Taking this trip together would be even better. Fishing with a family member is a memory-building opportunity. When you can go to a lake like the ones at White Oak and catch a lot of big bass with your family, that’s a memory you’ll share for a lifetime. You can spend the weekend at White Oak, catch bass and have an amazing trip. Those memories will last much longer than the wrapping paper, the ribbons and the Christmas tree.

So, if you’re looking for a gift for someone special, or if you want to create a memory with a family member you’ll both remember for a lifetime, you can’t beat a trip to White Oak or another trophy-bass lake. I’ve traveled all over the country and even to Mexico to fish. There’s not a better trip than fishing a place where the bass are managed to become trophy bass.

Another advantage of trophy-bass lakes is the relatively low cost for a high return. You can spend $2,000 to $3,000 to fish in Mexico, and you may or may not catch really-big bass. You can have the same experience fishing at White Oak for far less money. In a couple of years, White Oak will have double-digit fish that will rival bass you’ll find anywhere. So, if you like to catch trophy bass and lots of them, fishing a trophy-bass lake may be the cheapest way to do it. Traveling to Alabama is much cheaper and easier than traveling to Mexico.

We all experience slumps in our fishing, especially tournament fishermen. Well-stocked trophy lakes are a great place to get past those slumps. Sometimes you just don’t think you can find a bass, and if you locate them, you don’t know if you can catch them. If you go to a place like White Oak, you’re guaranteed to catch bass.

It’s also a great place to practice techniques you want to polish. As I’ve mentioned, there’s no better place to fine-tune your fishing strategies than at White Oak. Once you build your confidence at a trophy-bass lake, you’ll have the confidence to fish those lures and tactics on other bodies of water because you’ve proven that you can catch bass, if you just get the bait in front of the fish.

Question: What else did you like about the White Oak experience?

Brauer: I travel all over the country fishing tournaments. I fish as hard as I possibly can but I may not get a bite or I may catch very few fish. But I know when I go to a place like White Oak, if I fish as hard as I know how to fish, I won’t only catch bass, I’ll catch really-big bass. Those Tiger Bass fight aggressively, they like to take artificial lures, and they grow quickly. I know when I put my lure in the water, there are fish down there that want to eat it. Now, you may not catch bass all day long, and you’ll need some time to indentify where the fish are holding. But once you do, you can wear them out.

Another thing I appreciate about trophy-bass lakes is they keep track of how many people visit the lake and how long they fish. So, you know how much fishing pressure the bass on this lake have had before you ever put your boat in the water. Therefore, the less fishing pressure the lake’s had, the more likely that the bass will bite. These fisheries are not overused. Once you locate the fish and figure out the bait it will take to catch them, you’ll have a great time.

For more information on fishing at White Oak Plantation call (334) 727-9258, email hunt@whiteoakplantation.com, or visit www.whiteoakplantation.com.

You can contact American Sport Fish Hatchery at 334-281-7703 or by visiting www.americansportfish.com.

Next: Striper Time in Missouri

Contents:

• Part 1: Every Fisherman’s Dream – Big Bass and Plenty of Them
• Part 2: Fishing the Tube
• Part 3: Why I’d Fish a Trophy Lake like White Oak
• Part 4: Striper Time in Missouri
• Part 5: Midwest Bass Fishing Now