Fishing Before Electronics: While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma with my father-in-law, Ike Walker. Ike was one of the partners and founders of Bomber Bait Company, of...

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma with my father-in-law, Ike Walker. Ike was one of the partners and founders of Bomber Bait Company, of Gainesville, Texas. He had a cabin on the Big Mineral Arm of Texoma. I don’t know if a lot of other people knew this, but the sand bass or white bass can be caught any time of the year if the fisherman knows where to search and find schools.

In the summertime, it is rather easy. Sand bass regularly feed on gizzard shad year around. When you find the school of shad there will be a school of sand bass with them. Often, they will force the schools of shad to the surface. You didn’t have any trouble finding them then because around sunup, there might be several acres of bass breaking the water and were easy to catch with any type of surface lure. The limit was “how many do you want to clean?”

In the winter, it required more expertise. Any time of day we would go out on the main area of the lake over the old river channel, and then by sight line up a dead tree on the Oklahoma shore, a high line pole back west on the Texas side, and a third landmark back southeast of us. I am sorry but have forgotten what it was.

Once you had all these three lined up, it put you over a ridge of the Red River that was now around 30 feet deep. For some reason, there would always be a school of sand bass in that area. We would use Bomber Slab lures, or any jig-type lure, and bounce the lure on the bottom and then raise it a crank or two on our reel. That was just enough to catch sand bass in the wintertime. It wasn’t as fast and furious as in the summer, but you could catch a mess of fish.
Of course, when depth gauges were common, you didn’t have to line up landmarks on shore to position yourself in a good spot.

My two older children, Rebecca and Brad, became good fishermen and even experts at fileting sand bass. They could filet a sand bass at the rate of one a minute, and laughed at their cousin, who was raised in West Texas and was skittish about even touching a fish!

Unfortunately, my job took me further and further away, so I had to adjust to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, either in South Texas or Louisiana. Just Sayin…RJS

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Robert J Samples wrote:

While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma with my father-in-law, Ike Walker. Ike was one of the partners and founders of Bomber Bait Company, of Gainesville, Texas. He had a cabin on the Big Mineral Arm of Texoma. I don’t know if a lot of other people knew this, but the sand bass or white bass can be caught any time of the year if the fisherman knows where to search and find schools.

In the summertime, it is rather easy. Sand bass regularly feed on gizzard shad year around. When you find the school of shad there will be a school of sand bass with them. Often, they will force the schools of shad to the surface. You didn’t have any trouble finding them then because around sunup, there might be several acres of bass breaking the water and were easy to catch with any type of surface lure. The limit was “how many do you want to clean?”

In the winter, it required more expertise. Any time of day we would go out on the main area of the lake over the old river channel, and then by sight line up a dead tree on the Oklahoma shore, a high line pole back west on the Texas side, and a third landmark back southeast of us. I am sorry but have forgotten what it was.

Once you had all these three lined up, it put you over a ridge of the Red River that was now around 30 feet deep. For some reason, there would always be a school of sand bass in that area. We would use Bomber Slab lures, or any jig-type lure, and bounce the lure on the bottom and then raise it a crank or two on our reel. That was just enough to catch sand bass in the wintertime. It wasn’t as fast and furious as in the summer, but you could catch a mess of fish.
Of course, when depth gauges were common, you didn’t have to line up landmarks on shore to position yourself in a good spot.

My two older children, Rebecca and Brad, became good fishermen and even experts at fileting sand bass. They could filet a sand bass at the rate of one a minute, and laughed at their cousin, who was raised in West Texas and was skittish about even touching a fish!

Unfortunately, my job took me further and further away, so I had to adjust to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, either in South Texas or Louisiana. Just Sayin…RJS

While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma wit... (show quote)

Back around '57 or '58 we lived in Azle , Texas. I was 4 or 5 years old. Our neighbor would take me out with him to the lake, I don't remember which one, and we would tie the boat up to this tall steel fence that kept you from getting too close to the hot water outlet I believe it was.
We would catch Sand Bass till we ran out of minnows. Just used long cane poles. That's when I learned to bait my own hook and take the fish off my own hook.
I never thought of it before, but MAYBE that's another reason I love Striper fishin so much now.
Never realized they are close to the same fish family.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Yep, 57 is the year I graduated from UNT and went into the Air Force. It pretty much ended my fishing for a long period of time. Finally, I wound up in McAllen and began fishing in Laguna Madre. Just Sayin...RJS

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Robert J Samples wrote:

Yep, 57 is the year I graduated from UNT and went into the Air Force. It pretty much ended my fishing for a long period of time. Finally, I wound up in McAllen and began fishing in Laguna Madre. Just Sayin...RJS

I was just startin my fishin career.

dbed Loc: POMME DE TERRE LAKE MISSOURI

I was 10 years old and already farming for my dad he thought fishing and hunting was a waste of time. RJS started this with fishing before electronics, I'm still fishing without electronics

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Another good tale Robert

Steelhead Mickey Loc: NJ

Robert J Samples wrote:

While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma with my father-in-law, Ike Walker. Ike was one of the partners and founders of Bomber Bait Company, of Gainesville, Texas. He had a cabin on the Big Mineral Arm of Texoma. I don’t know if a lot of other people knew this, but the sand bass or white bass can be caught any time of the year if the fisherman knows where to search and find schools.

In the summertime, it is rather easy. Sand bass regularly feed on gizzard shad year around. When you find the school of shad there will be a school of sand bass with them. Often, they will force the schools of shad to the surface. You didn’t have any trouble finding them then because around sunup, there might be several acres of bass breaking the water and were easy to catch with any type of surface lure. The limit was “how many do you want to clean?”

In the winter, it required more expertise. Any time of day we would go out on the main area of the lake over the old river channel, and then by sight line up a dead tree on the Oklahoma shore, a high line pole back west on the Texas side, and a third landmark back southeast of us. I am sorry but have forgotten what it was.

Once you had all these three lined up, it put you over a ridge of the Red River that was now around 30 feet deep. For some reason, there would always be a school of sand bass in that area. We would use Bomber Slab lures, or any jig-type lure, and bounce the lure on the bottom and then raise it a crank or two on our reel. That was just enough to catch sand bass in the wintertime. It wasn’t as fast and furious as in the summer, but you could catch a mess of fish.
Of course, when depth gauges were common, you didn’t have to line up landmarks on shore to position yourself in a good spot.

My two older children, Rebecca and Brad, became good fishermen and even experts at fileting sand bass. They could filet a sand bass at the rate of one a minute, and laughed at their cousin, who was raised in West Texas and was skittish about even touching a fish!

Unfortunately, my job took me further and further away, so I had to adjust to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, either in South Texas or Louisiana. Just Sayin…RJS

While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma wit... (show quote)

Excellent story & some nice memories for sure!

Sand Bass - is that what we call WIPERS here out east?
(Freshwater Hybrid of a Striper & White bass)

Thanks for sharing.
Mickey

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Steelhead Mickey wrote:

Excellent story & some nice memories for sure!

Sand Bass - is that what we call WIPERS here out east?
(Freshwater Hybrid of a Striper & White bass)

Thanks for sharing.
Mickey

I think so Mickey. But I'm not real familiar with them anymore.

bknecht Loc: Northeast pa

Robert J Samples wrote:

While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma with my father-in-law, Ike Walker. Ike was one of the partners and founders of Bomber Bait Company, of Gainesville, Texas. He had a cabin on the Big Mineral Arm of Texoma. I don’t know if a lot of other people knew this, but the sand bass or white bass can be caught any time of the year if the fisherman knows where to search and find schools.

In the summertime, it is rather easy. Sand bass regularly feed on gizzard shad year around. When you find the school of shad there will be a school of sand bass with them. Often, they will force the schools of shad to the surface. You didn’t have any trouble finding them then because around sunup, there might be several acres of bass breaking the water and were easy to catch with any type of surface lure. The limit was “how many do you want to clean?”

In the winter, it required more expertise. Any time of day we would go out on the main area of the lake over the old river channel, and then by sight line up a dead tree on the Oklahoma shore, a high line pole back west on the Texas side, and a third landmark back southeast of us. I am sorry but have forgotten what it was.

Once you had all these three lined up, it put you over a ridge of the Red River that was now around 30 feet deep. For some reason, there would always be a school of sand bass in that area. We would use Bomber Slab lures, or any jig-type lure, and bounce the lure on the bottom and then raise it a crank or two on our reel. That was just enough to catch sand bass in the wintertime. It wasn’t as fast and furious as in the summer, but you could catch a mess of fish.
Of course, when depth gauges were common, you didn’t have to line up landmarks on shore to position yourself in a good spot.

My two older children, Rebecca and Brad, became good fishermen and even experts at fileting sand bass. They could filet a sand bass at the rate of one a minute, and laughed at their cousin, who was raised in West Texas and was skittish about even touching a fish!

Unfortunately, my job took me further and further away, so I had to adjust to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, either in South Texas or Louisiana. Just Sayin…RJS

While in my early twenties, I fished in Texoma wit... (show quote)

Good one RJS, always used triangulation before the days of “fishfinders”.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

bknecht wrote:

Good one RJS, always used triangulation before the days of “fishfinders”.

I still do. My FF just gives me the depth and water temp. Sometimes, not even that.

Passingbye Loc: Reidsville NC

I learned long before electronics were a thang, grandpa taught me about structure, smelling fish in the water, catfish slime, and following the bait fish. I have fished on Texhoma, you see a almost black tornado of shad and them jumping into the boat.. it's on like Donkey Kong just saying 🤣 !

Dan Singletary Loc: Keller, TX

Great Story about Texoma RJ !

My brother got to fish there in the early 70's before the big Stripers took over as the dominant fish and he would tell me about seeing acres and acres of Sand Bass schooling in the summertime.

This vintage picture or painting used in Magazine ads for Garcia does seem to tell the story. I later got to go fish there many trips with some friends of mine in the late 70's. Always a great adventure on that big Lake.

You can see the reference to Lake Texoma in the small caption.

Scoundrel Loc: Bedrock

saw1 wrote:

Back around '57 or '58 we lived in Azle , Texas. I... (show quote)

If that is the high fence I am thinking about, was it Eagle Mountain Lake? We used to climb up on the top and straddle the fence grid so we could cast back up in there, good memories.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Scoundrel wrote:

If that is the high fence I am thinking about, was it Eagle Mountain Lake? We used to climb up on the top and straddle the fence grid so we could cast back up in there, good memories.

I know we did fish Eagle Mountain back then. Just don't remember exactly which lake Norman, the neighbor, use to go to.