David Young Memorial White Bass Outing - Colorado Bend State Park

Colorado Bend State Park – March 20th – 23rd
by Bruce Young

White Bass FliesAs March draws near I begin to look forward to White Bass fishing and especially to the David Young Memorial White Bass Outing. It is one of the club’s biggest and best outings of the year. The combination of camaraderie, camping, good food, and fishing is hard to beat, and makes for great memories.

Eight to ten years ago, on some of my earliest trips to Colorado Bend State Park, I remember the group of us being rather small. The David Young and David Wallace families, and just four or five more of us, easily ate together and stayed on as few as three campsites. Our traditional fish fry on Saturday night was attended my no more than eighteen people. (Over the past two years we have had between forty-five and sixty club members and their families and guests attend the fish fry!) And the names were fun too: we had four David’s (three Young’s and one Wallace) and two Bruce’s (one Nelson and one Young) in camp. It could be very confusing.

White BassBut some things have not changed. The camping remains basically primitive. Camp sites come with fire pits, and without showers, telephones or electricity. It is just how camping should be. But for those who have never been to Bend, don’t let this deter you. Gas lamps, Dutch ovens, tent cots and a little effort make for a great time without the conveniences we take for granted in our daily lives. It is hard to imagine, but on the last two outings we actually had too much food for Saturday night’s potluck fish fry (this year it will most likely be on Friday night, due to Easter being Sunday), whether we had rain or shine, and while feeding sixty people.

Just remember: if you need it, bring it. There is no camp store, so pack what you need. You can sometimes buy ice and firewood at the Park office, but little else. Our club has some very experienced cooks and campers, and it may be possible to borrow some things, but I wouldn’t count on it. If you expect to need it, you best prepare to pack it in.

Fun for the whole family!The Colorado River is lower this year than last, and it may be difficult for the bass to get to the Park if we don’t continue to get rain (apparently there is a sandbar across the river near the lake with only three inches of water flowing over it). But the fishing reports have been good. Some female White Bass have been caught below the boat ramp at Bend in deeper water. The water has been too cold for the spawning run to begin, but watch the flowers: there is a high correlation between the run and the ground being warm enough to cause the Bluebonnets and Redbud trees to bloom. God willing, and the creeks do rise, we’ll have another great time this year.

Tres AmigosPlease join us for the fun, food, and fishing. The David Young Memorial White Bass Outing will be March 20th-23rd at Colorado Bend State Park. Please reserve your spot in a campsite at one of the Teusday meetings or by contacting Todd Fleming.