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Through much of the year white bass are relegated to the fifth string when it comes to freshwater fishing in Texas, but each year for a few weeks in late winter the fish are at the top of the heap.

It is called the spring run and it occurs in rivers and flowing streams across much of the state including the Neches River headwaters above Lake Palestine.

"We found some in some areas north of (Texas) 31," said Pat Beck, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fisheries biologist from Tyler, who was on the river last week. "We had quite a few fish in some areas, but it was three males to one female. Some of the fish are pretty good sized, 14 1/2 to 15 inches."

It is not unusual for anxious fishermen to get ahead of the peak run, and that appears to be the case once again this year. With water running out of the banks after heavy rains a week ago, anglers were already beginning to line up along the popular fishery.

However, Beck said the water temperature in the river was still running in the mid-50s, warm enough to get some males moving, but still a few degrees short of the 58- to 60-degree water the females need to successful begin the spawning process.

After two slow spawning runs in 2005 and 2006, Beck expects a second consecutive big run this year.

"It should be a good run because last year we had the rain right," Beck explained.

While white bass don't need flowing water to make a run, it is a prerequisite to a successful spawn. That was missing during the drought years of 2005 and 2006, causing a noticeable dip in production. However, the fish are prolific spawners and if last year's run didn't make up the difference, this year's should.

Beck said the female bass should make their move up the river in the next couple of weeks. During that run they will drop their eggs and then be dependent on enough water flow so that the eggs constantly tumble through the water to hatch. If not, the eggs can become covered with silt and lose their viability.

While the Neches is the most popular white bass fishery leading into Palestine, it isn't the only one. The fish will attempt to make runs up almost every tributary leading into the reservoir. Some will also spawn on main lake points. However, Beck believes the success of the spawn on Lake Palestine is dependent foremost on what happens in the Neches.

"The contribution to that fishery is what is happening in the river," he said.

He is only able to speculate why the runs up other creeks are less pronounced, but possibilities include the fish being slowed by vegetation in areas like Kickapoo Creek or possibly a reduced water flow. He said it appears that spawning success on the points within the lake itself is even lower. Proof of that would be Lake Tyler where white bass have been found, but have limited reproduction because of a lack of feeder streams.

While the bulk of the fishermen congregate just above the 31 bridge, Beck said he has found the fish in holes all the way up the river to New Harmony. Those, he explained, may be the stragglers when it comes time to return to the lake.

With the run usually starting following a warm, heavy rain that pushes the water temperature up, it is going to wind down when the water temperature reaches the mid-60s.

"They are going to stay up the river for a while. I saw some still up there until April, but they were spent fish. They had already spawned," the biologist said.

While the fish are still easy to catch when they congregate back in the main lake, TPWD creel surveys have shown that fishing interest falls off the charts.

"It is purely driven by the run. We have creeled fishermen on the lake and the percentage of anglers targeting white bass is pretty low. They target the run and then they leave them alone," Beck said.

One reason the fish are so popular is that catching them doesn't require a significant amount of technique or gear.

Anglers use lures ranging from Rat-L-Traps and inline spinners to small grubs. Chrome one-eighth ounce Rat-L-Trap with a blue or black back recommended. If using spinners, go with chartreuse or white eighth to a 1/16th-ounce baits.

But take spares. It is close quarters fishing in the river because of the trees along the shore and in the water.

The statewide daily bag limit on white bass is 25. There is also a statewide minimum length limit of 10 inches.

Steve Knight is the outdoor writer for the Tyler Morning Telegraph. He can be reached by calling 903-596-6277 or by e-mail at outdoor@tylerpaper.com.