In most of the Gulf States, the speckled seatrout is one of the most popular targets for anglers because they are often plentiful, aggressive, and willing to bite various lures. There are many ways to catch them, but wading for them is an excellent option as they typically stay close to the beach and allow anglers to be as stealthy as possible as they target them.
Noted Texas guide and tournament angler, Capt. Brett Sweeny of Matagorda specializes in inshore species such as redfish and trout and guides clients during the “trophy season” for trout in the winter. One of the best ways to target these spooky fish in shallow water is by wading and making precise casts to their hiding spots. It’s a nice change of pace for anglers accustomed to fishing from a boat, and Sweeny says it gives anglers the best chance at catching a trout of a lifetime.
Trophy Trout Time
Sweeny is looking for fish that weigh seven pounds or more or are twenty-eight inches long on the Texas Coast to classify as a trophy. He says the winter months are best for these fish, primarily because their diet changes and where they live.
“The trophy season usually starts around the first of the year, and by February and March, those fish are the heaviest they will be all year,” he said. “When it gets colder, they adjust their diet and eat more mullet. Plus, in that colder water, they don’t swim or travel as much to burn off as much of that food.”
Whether he’s guiding clients near his home in Matagorda or spending time further south in Port Mansfield as he does for long stretches every winter, the chance for a trophy trout is real every trip, and wading offers an excellent opportunity to catch them.
Wading for trout can be as simple as gaining access to a beach, walking out into the water, and casting, but Capt. Sweeny takes his clients to prime locations via boat, where they enter the water and stalk the shallows. He’s a huge fan of fishing this way because it’s effective and adds a hunting aspect to fishing.
“It’s more like hunting because you are creeping up and making casts to specific targets instead of just blind casting around,” he said. “Getting into the water makes you much more efficient than fishing from a boat and lets you work the holes in the grass more efficiently. The other benefit is less noise because these fish are very spooky, and they won’t hear the waves slap on the boat’s hull or anglers making noise as they walk around in the boat.”
What to Look For
Grass beds are critical habitat, and there is plenty to fish on the Gulf Coast. Sweeny looks for ambush areas, holes in the grass that they call potholes.
“In those big grass beds will be big sand holes in the middle, about the size of a truck, and it’s not just a bare spot but a little depression with slightly deeper water. That’s what you want to find,” he said. “Those fish are going to lay in there, right on the edge of the grass, and when mullet come into that pothole, it’s the perfect ambush point for a big trout.”
The water depth they fish ranges from “knee deep” to “belly button deep,” as Capt. Sweeny puts it. Even minor depth changes are enough to attract trout, and like everything in saltwater, tides make a difference.
“These depressions could only be 8 inches deeper, but that’s enough to hold those trout,” he said. “When it’s sunny, they’ll be in the shallower stuff, and as it gets colder, they’ll be in deeper holes. The best tides are typically incoming in the winter, but if you have some movement either way, it will be better fishing.”
Walking in waders, Sweeny and his clients move from one pothole to the next, and he says the anticipation of each new target is part of the fun.
“It’s easy to lay out a plan together as we creep up to the next pothole; it’s very visual, which is why everyone I take out likes it so much,” he said. “We can ease around and not make a bunch of noise, and it gives you a better chance to catch these fish since the water can be pretty clear this time of year.”
Targeting Trout in the Potholes
The aggressive attitude of trout, even in the colder months, allows them to be caught with several lures. Capt. Sweeny prefers suspending baits such as a MirrOlure Paul Brown’s Original or a “Corky,” as many know them, or Down South Lures Southern Shad paddle tail swimbait. He prefers natural mullet-imitating colors and fishes both on medium power rods with extra fast tips and a Bates Fishing Co. Salty reel spooled with 30 lb Seaguar TactX fluorocarbon with a five-foot leader of 25 lb Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon leader connected by a Double Uni knot.
“I like Gold Label because of how much thinner it is. I can go up a size and not lose anything, and I feel like it ties better knots because of how supple it is,” he said. “I also like the feel of TactX because I’m a four-strand guy, and it’s a very strong braid that casts great. It’s a personal preference, and I know some anglers doing this with the Smackdown braid.”
When fishing these lures, especially the suspending twitch bait, Capt. Sweeny mixes up his retrieves based on fish activity, but the pause is where many bites happen.
“I always like to go with two twitches of the rod and then a pause, almost like working a jerkbait for bass in freshwater,” he said. “You want to twitch the bait over that grass, and then you want it to sit as long inside that pothole as you can before you twitch it again.”
Casting accuracy is also critical for getting the best time inside the strike zone possible. “It’s important to make a good cast because if you miss the cast by a few feet, you’re going to be up on top of that grass bed, and they probably aren’t going to eat your bait,” he said. “That’s another reason why your line is so critical, and having a good casting line like TactX makes you that much more efficient.”
For a change of pace and a chance at a massive speckled trout, jump in and wade as you stalk the shallow water. It’s a surefire way to have fun and catch big trout during the winter months when they are at their biggest sizes of the entire year.
Seaguar TactX Camo Braid is available in 150- and 300-yard spools in 10 to 80 lb tests.
Seaguar Gold Label Fluorocarbon leader is available in twenty-five and fifty-yard spools in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 lb tests for freshwater use, complementing the 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 lb test leaders available for saltwater.
An article in “Bassin Times” about a pro’s memories of fish he lost that really hurt him in tournaments made me think about losing fish. Few tournament weigh-ins go by without someone telling about losing a big fish or a key fish.
All this makes me remember some of the big ones I have lost or been in the boat with a partner that lost a big one. They range from fishing with Linda to Top Six tournaments fishing with future pro fishermen. Too many of the loses were at the end of my line!
Back in the 1970s big largemouth were common at Jackson Lake. I landed my first eight pounder there in a tournament in 1976 and my second in another January tournament in 1979. But one I lost in practice around 1980 stands out in my mind.
The fish hit a crankbait on a rocky point on a November trip. I fought it for several minutes, seeing it flash in the water and knowing it was much bigger than my eight pounders. When it came to the surface about ten feet from the boat and turned on its side, I just knew I had the bass we estimated to be at least 12 pound.
I pulled a little too hard trying to drag it to the net and the lure popped out of its mouth. It slowly swam out of sight taking my heart with it.
Linda hooked a bass at Clarks Hill on a big seven-inch-long plug fishing a rocky bank in the early 1980s. It too came to the top and turned on its side, with the plug sideways across its mouth. It did not go all the way across! Then it turned and swam off. Linda did nothing wrong, and we never figured out how those treble hooks came loose.
Future pro Tony Couch was giving me a lesson on fishing spinnerbaits in a Top Six at Eufaula in 1980. We stopped at a small pocket and he said there was a big bass spawning by a stump in it. When he ran his spinnerbait by the stump his bait stopped. When he set the hook an eight-pound bass, worth several hundred dollars in the big fish pot, jumped completely out of the water and threw his bait back at us.
In a 1980s tournament Jim Berry was fishing with me at Sinclair and we had not caught much. Late in the day he cast a Countdown Rapala between two docks and hooked a big bass. When it cleared the water on its first jump, giving us a good look at its eight pounds, it threw the plug!
More recently, at a club tournament at Oconee three or four years ago I was having a bad day. With 30 minutes to fish I caught a keeper bass on a small point and felt a little better. Then if fished some docks past the point.
A bass hit my worm by one of the docks and immediately ran around a post. Somehow my 14-pound Sunline held and I pulled it back to open water. As it got it near the boat it surged back toward the dock twice but I stopped it. It was close enough to see it was an eight pound plus bass.
The third surge toward the dock was its charm, the hook pulled loose and it went back under the dock!
I have had many fish I never saw break me off in brush under the water. Since I never saw them I have no idea how big they might have been, but some pulled like huge one. I have landed flathead catfish up to 35 pounds on my worm rod so I have an idea how big fish pull.
One winter at Clarks Hill I did see what hit. I was jigging a spoon for hybrids on a channel edge when a striper lazily came to the surface chasing bait. It was about 20 yards from the boat and I saw it plainly, guessing it to be over 40 pounds. I quickly reeled in and cast my spoon in the direction it was headed.
A hard thump was following by a line screaming run, with the fish running near the surface straight away from the boat. As my line peeled from the spool I hit the trolling motor button and followed it. After about 100 yards I started to gain a little line back, then felt sick. The fish was headed straight toward one of the three underwater trees I knew about in that creek.
As feared I felt my line start to rub on the tree for a few seconds, then break. That was the biggest freshwater fish I ever hooked.
I have lost many other big fish over the years but have landed some of them, including the big flathead, a 35-pound big head carp and common carp up to 30 pounds. I have also landed seven bass weighing more than nine pounds each.
But it seems harder and harder to hook a big bass each year, so it becomes more important to try to land them!
Defeat The Cold With Fish Monkey Gear While Ice Fishing
By The Fishing Wire
Ice fishing is one of the world’s truly extreme sports. It’s great fun and there is plenty of action, not to mention the good times and camaraderie shared by those who participate in this winter activity. In order to be safe and successful you need the right gear, and it starts with a good pair of gloves.
Most anglers just grab a pair of heavy insulated work gloves, but fishing requires more. You need a glove that’s not only waterproof but also one that has the dexterity to allow you to manipulate small rods and reels easily. One that can go from driving a snow machine or side by side to drilling an auger to baiting tiny hooks. Meet the cold-weather glove lineup from Fish Monkey.
First up is the Stealth Sherpa Dry-Tec Heavyweight Gloves and Mittens. These are 100 percent wind- and waterproof, but even more important, they are constructed with a durable water repellent finish. This means they won’t absorb water on the outside, which keeps them light and functional all day long.The breathable membrane also helps prevent moisture buildup, keeping your hands warm without feeling clammy. THere’s 200 grams of Thinsulate on the back of the hand and another 100 grams on the palm, which ensures optimal warmth without sacrificing that critical dexterity. The mitten has magnetic stays for the slit fingers in the index and thumb to stay out of the way when not needed. The index fingers on both styles are touchscreen-friendly, and the palms have non-slip grip.
Another option for extreme cold is the Yeti Premium Ice-Fishing Gloves and Mittens. These are the most technologically advanced cold-weather fishing gloves available today, with state-of-the-art materials and construction. It starts with a 100 percent wind- and waterproof fabric which is lined with a thermo-conductive fleece material which absorbs, retains and transfers body heat throughout the glove. The warmth level is incredible. It has 350 grams of Thinsulate in the back of the hand and another 150 grams in the palm, plus a pre-curved finger design and advanced cotton insulation throughout. There’s a premium goat-leather palm for comfort and durability plus touchscreen fingertips and an index goggle squeegee built in. The fully adjustable wrist and cuffs give you a customized fit, too. The mitten style amps up the warmth level, allowing your fingers to share the body heat.
Don’t forget about your feet, either. Standing on ice for hours in heavy boots requires more than just a good pair of socks—you need professional-grade protection. Fish Monkey’s Heavyweight line of socks are designed for extreme conditions, with 75 percent merino wool and two styles: a boot-cut and an over-the-calf length. Both styles feature superior arch and ankle compression for reduced foot and leg fatigue as well as a cushioned footbed for maximum warmth and moisture management. There’s nylon reinforcement in the high-abrasion areas and a Y-gore heel that prevents slipping and chafing.
Don’t be afraid of the conditions—embrace the cold with the right gear from Fish Monkey! Interested in becoming a dealer? Click here for more information.
GOOD. Water clear; 51 degrees; 0.06 feet above pool. Crappie are good in 15-30 feet on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on liver and cut shad. Report by The Bait Shop, Post, Texas.
FAIR. Water normal stain; 68 degrees; 65.84 feet below pool. Black bass are fair on main lake points and ledges. Football head jigs, grubs, Ned rigs, crank baits, Texas rigged worms fished in 20-25 feet are having the best results. White bass are good in 30-40 feet on spoons, underspins, umbrella rigs. Stripers are slow. Happy Fishing! Report by Captain Raul Cordero, Far West Guide Service.
FAIR. Water stained; 65 degrees; 3.94 feet below pool. Water level is low, but rising so the clarity is murky. Continue to target fish near the dam, and the deeper part of the lake. Drop down on brush piles. Use a slower approach now that we are experiencing colder weather and water temperatures.
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 5.40 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are ho-ho-holding steady. Catfish are good drifting with fresh cut shad out in the main part of the lake. Report by Brandon Brown, Brown’s Guide Service.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 57 degrees; 0.53 feet below pool. Fishing continues to be consistent for the Christmas week. Bass are good and can be caught in grass 5-10 feet with Texas rig worms, wacky rig senko and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are slow on small jigs over deep brush 25 feet. Report by Reagan Nelson, Lake Athens Bass Guide.
GOOD. Water stained; 61 degrees; 0.62 feet below pool. Water temperatures have quickly dropped on Lake Austin. Hovering in the lower 60s. Bass fishing has been good using a variety approaches. The most effective pattern for catching numbers would be fishing a small worm around grass beds and docks. There are fish hanging out around the mouths of creeks feeding on Shad. A shallow Jerkbait and weightless fluke are good in these areas. Report by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing. Bass are good with catches up to 5 pounds, and some Guadalupe bass up to 2 pounds. Grass was holding most of the bass. The front third and bottom third of the lake has grass. Slowly fish senko style worms. The bigger bass are coming in 6-12 feet but there are plenty of bass up against the shores. The best bites are before noon. Report by David Townsend, Austin Fishing Guide.
FAIR. Water stain; 63 degrees; 0.39 feet below pool. Mayflies are hatching, so expect some topwater bass action. Bass are fair on soft plastics in the cuts, or with frogs over grass. Crappie are fair with jigs in flooded timber. Catfish are fair on juglines.
GOOD. Water stained; 63 degrees. Bass are good working worms and flukes around any water vegetation have been the most productive. The outlet will always produce some bass too. You can use small swimbaits and Texas rigged and shaky head trick worms to get bites. Some big fish gather on the rock piles out where the reeds on the right end on the way out. Cranking the dam or throwing a frog along the dam will get you a bite. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Bass are good with deep points and humps holding a few better size fish. The grass is holding fish but it can be tough. Still a few fish against what is left of the reeds. Report by David Townsend, Austin Fishing Guide.
FAIR. Water stained; 60 degrees; 2.22 feet below pool. Fishing continues to be inconsistent. The typically good bird activity by gulls and terns has yet to materialize, and what few birds are present are focused on hyper-active short hybrid striped bass which flare up and feed briefly, then settle back down. These fish are tough to pin down, as they chase shad very quickly and are tough to keep up with. White bass fishing is fair in the Leon Arm, below average in the main basin, and just about non-existent in the Cowhouse Creek Arm. Although the fish are still chasing MAL Dense Lures vertically and chasing White Tornados horizontally thanks to a warm up early this week, that will likely stop again after the water drops back into the high 50s later this week. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfish are excellent. With water temperatures dropping into the 60s anglers should search for blue catfish in deeper river channels and around steep ledges. The 30-45 feet range has been consistent. Larger cut baits have been effective for trophy size fish. Eater fish under 10 pounds are still active and slow drifting with small cut shad along sand flats will produce. Channel catfish are fair but can still be caught on warmer days using punch bait in 15-25 feet of water. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.
GOOD. Water stained; 60 degrees; 5.49 feet below pool. Catfish are fair in deeper water. Perch are good in shallow water. Crappie are fair on structure with live minnows. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are shallow around structure using chatterbaits and Texas rigged worms.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 60 degrees; 1.03 feet below pool. The bite has been tough, but the fish caught have been very good size and very healthy. Fish have been settling on the edges of creek channels and areas with a steep drop in depth. Dragging a green pumpkin worm on a shaky head or a natural colored jig have been most productive. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service. Windy, sunny banks and retaining walls are good bets for black bass. Try subsurface fish patterns in 5-10 feet of water. On warm, sunny days, small shad pattern flies might produce bass around submerged vegetation. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
SLOW. water stained; 57 degrees; 4.00 feet below pool. The lake is low and water temperatures 56-58 degrees. Early morning points are good with squarebill crankbaits and spinnerbaits in 4-6 feet. Spinnerbaits are also good on and around pond dams in 4-6 feet. Carolina rigs and Viper XP jigs are good on road beds and brush piles in 12-18 feet. Texas rigs with creature baits are good in timber around tree rows in 6-8 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. The lake level is low. Crappie fishing is excellent in the main river channel timber and lower third of the lake in 30-50 feet of water catching crappie 6-28 feet down. Fish are very healthy with big black crappie being caught on jigs. Some catches near the bridge. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 70 degrees; 13.54 feet below pool. Black bass are slow with a few being caught late afternoon before dark around deeper rocky shorelines using senkos and slow rolling spinnerbaits. Catfish are slow with a few caught late afternoon into the night on cut bait. Crappie and white bass are slow.
SLOW. Water stained, 71 degrees. Redfish are fair from the bank, or from the boat on the hot water side of the lake on shrimp, shad and crawfish. Channel catfish are being caught around weed lines and rock lines on cheese bait. Bass are being caught in weeds on plastics. Report by Harry Lamb, Alamo Texas Fishing.
GOOD. Water stained; 55 degrees; 8.41 feet below pool. Lake Bridgeport is just over 8 feet low. Water clarity ranges from muddy in the north end to very stained in the main lake. Catfishing remains good on cut and prepared baits. The north end and the mouths of creeks have been the best areas. Sand bass and hybrids remain scattered, slabs and deadsticking main lake structure may bring a fish or two. Largemouth bass have been slow but shallow running crankbaits fished near main lake points are catching a few fish. Crappie remain sluggish in the stained water, a few fish are coming in on minnows and jigs. Brush piles and deeper docks should hold some fish. All ramps are open. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.
GOOD. Water stained; 57 degrees; 0.27 feet above pool. Black bass to 6.40 pounds are good on 1/8 ounce minnow baits scoping and Hag’s Tsunami 1/2 ounce jigs in Juice Box in 1-5 feet of water along weed edges, and Alabama rigs on the ledges. Bass are settling into a normal winter pattern. Crappie are slow on jigs and minnows in brush piles 12-15 feet. White bass are fair to 2 pounds on crankbaits and jigs off lighted docks. Catfish are slow to 4 pounds on cut bait and liver.
EXCELLENT. Water slight stain; 55 degrees; 16.25 feet below pool. Striper and white bass are all biting in 32-36 feet of water hanging tight to bottom. Vertical jigging, or slabbing, with �½-1 ounce spoons continues to be the best producer. The birds continue to work some nice schools of fish most days. Report by Travis Holland, TH Fishing. Fishing patterns are consistent. The bite is consistent leading into the Holidays. Striped bass and white bass are good with jigging spoons and deadsticking in 17-40 feet of water. The afternoon seems to be the best bite. There is increased bird action leading the ways to schools of stripers and white bass. Report by Captain Aaron Dick, One Up Fishing Guide Service. Remember, the colder it gets the better this lake fishes. Throwing jigs and shaky heads with trick worms, die those tails, around those rock piles will catch a pile of bass. Crankbaits and swimbaits around the same areas will catch some big ones as well. A fluke in perch colors or even shad colors around rocks and lumber will get some bites anywhere out on this lake as well. A walking style topwater will catch some good ones around steep banks on main and secondary points. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.
GOOD. Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.36 feet above pool. The water temperature has still been holding in the low 50s, so the bite has been really good on the lake. Anything shad pattern should work in the river or on the main lake around the grass and pad stems. Alabama rigs, chatterbaits, swimbaits, flukes and rattle traps will work. Crappie seem to be in the river channels. White bass, yellow bass and crappie are biting decent even with the black bass. Still a wonderful time of the year to come visit this majestic lake that God spoke into existence. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.
GOOD. Water slightly stained, 75 degrees. Redfish are slow along the bank. Redfish are being caught down around the power lines trolling with shrimp or crawfish. Blue catfish are slow. Channel catfish are being caught around rock lines on cheese bait. Report by Harry Lamb, Alamo Texas Fishing.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 62 degrees; 28.02 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good along grass edges with rattle traps, watermelon red senkos, just off the grass in 14 feet of water cast an Alabama rig. White bass are good in 40- 50 feet of water with white �¾ ounce jigging spoons. Stripers are good schooling under the birds with some topwater action on clear walking baits. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
GOOD. stained; 55 degrees; 3.88 feet below pool. 55-57 degrees; 3.71 feet below pool. The hybrid and white bass winter deadsticking bite is now in full swing! Use 1/2 ounce to 1-1/2 ounce jigs with 4-5 inch plastic flukes depending on what the winds are and drift long lengths of the lake in the deepest water 35-50 feet. Drift at speeds of .2 to .6 mph using your drift mode on your trolling motor or using drift socks. If the winds are not too bad you can just drift with the wind. Thumping on the bottom of your boat will attract fish and group them up underneath as you drift. Utilizing a splasher also works well with thumping. You will find the fish suspended between 22-28 feet when deadstricking. Look for Birds and Loons early mornings on shallow flats as the fish will come up to follow the bait and feed early especially on cloudier and colder days. The crappie bite has been getting better. Target crappie with small jigs and minnows in 7-15 feet under bridge pylons, hidden brush piles throughout the lake or under docks. Crappie fisherman have been moving spot to spot finding limits. Lots of crappies in the 7-9 inch range. Limits of crappie will happen but you may catch a lot of small ones getting to your limit. Report by Brent Herbeck, Herbeck’s Lonestar Fishing Guide Service. The shallow bite continues to be good for catfish along wind blown banks and points near the mouths of major creeks where the actual creek runs into the lake. Due to the low water you can only get a few hundred yards away. Fish in 2-6 feet with fresh shad anchored on bottom. The deep bite is also good dragging bigger cut shad or rough fish in 15-30 feet drifting main lake flats. Report by Jason Barber, Kings Creek Adventures.
SLOW. Water stained; 65 degrees; 32.94 feet below pool. Few anglers on the water while the lake level is low. It is possible to launch a flat bottom boat, or kayak. It is possible to fish from the bank at Callahan State Park. Report by Scott Springer, Fish Choke Canyon Lake.
GOOD. Water slight stain; 63 degrees; 12.30 feet below pool. Blues are biting good on cut bait. Crappie are hitting minnows in 30 feet of water. Report by Lake Cisco Rentals.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 65 degrees; 0.17 feet above pool. Lots of freshwater in the lake slowing the bite until the water settles. Largemouth bass are dispersed throughout the lake relating primarily near stumps and boat houses. Crappie are slow with jigs and minnows.
GOOD. 75 degrees; 0.47 feet above pool. Number of largemouth bass on points and near creek channel ledges. Eater sized channel catfish limits are common on prepared baits. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.
GOOD. Water stained; 61 degrees; 1.73 feet below pool. Catfish are excellent with eater sized and trophy class fish being caught on baited holes and bulkheads. Bass are good shallow and deep with bigger fish on offshore structure with jerkbaits and swimbaits. Report by Brad Doyle with Bradley’s Guide Service. Crappie are in 13-22 feet close or in structure using jigs and minnows. Hybrids have been schooling in 12-26 feet on flats and drop-offs. Many folks are trolling with a deep diver and a pet spoon trailer, others are using slabs from Bradley Outdoors to jig for them and get ready for deadsticking. Always wear your life jacket! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.
GOOD. Water stained; 55 degrees: 2.00 feet below pool. The lake is low, best to launch near the dam. Crappie are good roaming in the river channel transitioning to the dam for the river pattern. Crappie are hitting minnows, jigs, or hand tied jigs. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.
SLOW. 65 degrees; 12.51 feet below pool. A group of anglers launched a flat bottom johnboat and caught blue catfish. We have had mild winds late in the day with foggy mornings most days. With really light winds early in the day most days. Report by Weber’s Boat Landing.
GOOD: Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 0.64 feet below pool. The bite has been tough, but the fish caught have been very good size and very healthy. Fish have been settling on the edges of creek channels and areas with a steep drop in depth. Dragging a green pumpkin worm on a shaky head or a natural colored jig have been most productive. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 56 degrees; 4.90 feet below pool. White Bass are fair, look for birds working or schools of bait on the main lake and in mid-depths on chartreuse and white slabs or paddle tail swim baits. Some white bass are still being caught in black water on 3-4 inch paddle tail swimbaits. Crappie are being caught on deeper structure and cover using larger profile baits and also spider rigging open water. Catfish are being caught on punch bait and cut bait in basically all depths and are moving a lot with the changing water temperatures. The warmer weather scattered the fish so you will have to work to find feeding fish, and expect the pattern to change daily. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
GOOD. Water stained; 68 degrees; 44.83 feet below pool. Alligator gar rod and reel and bow fishing has slowed due to cold water. Trophy catfish are good in 8-12 feet of water with fresh cut bait on santee cooper rig. Keeper catfish are good in 3-10 feet of water on vertical structure with stink bait or shrimp on a slip bobber to keep bait about a foot off the bottom. Bigger catfish are on offshore timber. Largemouth bass are fair early or late in the day. Slowly drag deep diving crankbaits or plastic jigs over hard bottoms in 5-10 feet of water. Report by Ram Reyes, Ram Outdoors.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 65 degrees. Bass are slow and difficult to pattern due to fluctuating weather. Find the bait and find the fish. Some bass can be caught with Carolina rigs, shaky heads, or rattle traps. Report by Mark Fransen, Fransen’s Guide Service.
GOOD. Water Stained; 57 degrees; 2.39 feet below pool. Lake level is still low with water temperatures 55-58 degrees. Creek channels and ditches are best with Texas rigs and jigs worked around big wood or lay downs on the edges in 3-8 feet. Suspending jerkbaits is also working in the same areas. Docks are producing some fish. Offshore look for the bass to be on road beds and high spots in 15-22 feet with Carolina rigs and spoons. Report by Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork. The Lake Fork crappie fishing continues to be excellent as the surface temperatures continue to drop. Lots of fish can be found on timber, brush and bridges in 18-58 feet. If you find areas with tons of shad there will be crappie close by. Look for fish migrating towards deeper water that sometimes follow creek channels. The jig bite has kicked in for the winter. Small hand tied jigs are producing extremely well and soft plastics will get you a bite. Minnows are always a go to bait for crappie on Lake Fork. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 65 degrees; 6.64 feet below pool. Crappie are fair as anglers continue to wait for crappie to move to winter patterns on deep structures. Bass are slow with a shallow crankbait or spinnerbait on rocky structure on the south side.
SLOW. Water stained: 60 degrees; 11.84 feet below pool. Sand bass can be caught with spoons. Bass can be caught in vegetation with crankbaits and Texas rigs.
FAIR. Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.50 feet above pool. Crappie are improving in 15 feet of water on brush with jigs and minnows. Bass are slow. Sand bass and hybrids are schooling in shallow water on main lake flats. Catfish are biting on main lake flats on cut shad.
GOOD. Water stained; 57 degrees; 0.22 feet below pool. Granbury water temperatures vary from low 50s in the river to 57 degrees on the main lake. Granbury is at full pool and there is a lot of debris floating. Be careful navigating. Granbury sand bass and crappie are good on small jigs on the upper ends from in town to Tin Top. Largemouth bass are also good on soft plastics on the upper ends near points and laydowns. Some good largemouth are also being caught near major creek entrances near Decordova subdivision. Striped bass numbers are good on soft plastics on the lower ends. Bigger striped bass are being caught from in-town to Hunter Park in 20-30 feet of water. Big blue and yellow catfish are also fair on cut bait near Hunter Park on channel ledges near tree lines. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.95 feet below pool. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs fished on the bottom in open water from 12-20 feet deep. White bass are slow. Blue catfish are good on jug lines baited with shad. Yellow catfish are slow. Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 58 degrees; 1.49 feet below pool. White bass are under the birds or search with a graph using the deadstick technique with slabs on a stinger hook. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 65 degrees; 49.27 feet below pool. Crappie are in standing timber. Sand bass are good. Catfish are good on minnows and worms. Largemouth bass are good.
GOOD. Water slightly stained. 60 degrees. Chain Pickerel are active in shallow water. Concentrate on areas with stumps, brush, and vegetation. Small bass are active in shallow areas relating to vegetation and structure. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.17 feet above pool. Crappie can be caught on brush with minnows and jigs. Bass can be caught on Texas rigs. Catfish can be caught on cut bait.
SLOW. Water Stained; 60 degrees; 13.06 feet below pool. The lake has risen about two feet over the week. Bass are fair with a few three fish stringers over 10 pounds. Try dragging soft plastics slowly on the bottom in 8-15 feet of water. Blue catfish can be caught on juglines with live bait or cut carp. White bass are schooling throughout the day.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 59 degrees; 0.10 feet above pool. Bass are slow on spinnerbaits along the bank, and with soft plastics from the bank to 25 feet. Fish seem to be scattered.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 60 degrees; 0.48 below pool. Small bass can be caught on Texas rig soft plastics. Fishing should pick back up after these cold fronts stabilize. Crappie are in the shallow wood, but may slide out a little with the incoming front. White bass and catfish are sporadic here and there. Report by Gilbert Miller, GTB Outdoors.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 65 degrees; 0.51 feet above pool. Largemouth bass bite is excellent. Spotted bass schooling around the dam has slowed. Water clarity is good in coves that have not been wind blown. The fish are bulking up for the winter, and have been biting shad colored baits up in shallow coves and creek channels. Flukes, small swimbaits, or a dark colored jig around boat ramps have all produced good size fish. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
EXCELLENT. Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 3.20 feet below pool. Crappie are in 20-30 feet of water on brush piles and deep submerged timber. There are a few fish sitting in 15-18 feet on structure. Crappie are hugging the bottom so you have to let a ⅛ ounce hand tied jig touch the bottom and then slowly lift to entice a bite. Minnows or soft plastics any color will produce fish. A lot of times in the winter they will hit it in the fall so be prepared. Use a bigger profile lure, so keep a couple 1/8 ounce jig heads. You can also find Fish spider rigging, or dragging a jig through the depth of the baitfish. Sometimes the fish will be laying on the bottom next to the dam usually no more than 100 yards off the rocks. Fish are laying at the base of the riprap where it turns into silt, and on the first tier of the riprap going underwater up to the rocks, to the dam. White bass are in 20-30 feet primarily on deepwater humps and levees, but some will be on points. Thumping the boat making noise will attract them to the boat if they are in the area. Slabs and 3-4 inch flukes have been getting them. There are also a small number of white bass inside the black water. Black water is the water along the shoreline that looks black because there is so much bait it turns the water black. There will be a line of black water approximately 3-4 feet thick and it’s just a little band of black going along the banks. The white bass will be swimming inside that black water with the bait so you must cast almost on the shoreline and drag it through the black water. Swimbaits 3-4 inches or rooster tails rooster tails will catch them. Expect to catch a couple black bass in your journey to the blackwater. Look for the birds on the bank and if you see a couple of them, go investigate and see what the water looks like There are a lot of spots that got the lake that you can just walk up to the black water as it will be 3 feet from the bank right in front of you, with millions of fish swimming by! Black bass are in 1-5 feet on rocks or concrete with Texas rigs, or in 15-20 feet on brush piles with jigs. There are some fish are being found 5-10 feet all day on any kind of structure close to the shoreline, such as stumps, trees, rocks, or any kind of debris. If you have side imaging, scan to find any kind of anomalies that these fish can hold on. The swimbait bite dragged a couple inches or so above brush piles has been stellar. Along with Alabama rigs if you can take the arm beating, it gives you. Blue catfish are great in 20-30 feet on cut gizzard shad on a Santee rig dragged behind the boat at approximately .03-.05 mph. Every day the school moves so you have to locate them. One day fish will be on one side of the lake and the next they will have traveled 3-4 miles to the other side of the lake. There is a great school of 15-25 pound fish roaming out there and once you find them, it can be an incredible outcome. Every so often as an example, if the wind suddenly changes directions, you will notice on your side imaging, the catfish are now laying in the mud and are not giving you a sonar shadow, but you can see them, sitting there. If they do not have a shadow on your side, imaging that means they are laying in the mud. If they do have a shadow that means they are on the hunt and those fish are catchable. To catch a monster target catfish in 3-10 feet the north end of the lake. Bluegills are becoming harder to find in numbers but can be found in 20-30 feet of water brush piles. The dam has trees and brush bluegill and crappie are mixed in. Worms on a very small hook and a split shot above just to keep it in the strike zone will still produce a nice table of fish. Crickets have been king as they also catch a few crappies. Using a cricket cage bait holder is imperative. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.
FAIR. Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.24 feet below pool. Crappie are fair on minnows in 12-16 feet of water on brush with chartreuse jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on punch bait in 22-26 feet of water over drop-offs and rock piles. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service. Bass are good working docks and bulkheads with creature baits, worms and flukes. A frog or topwater around underwater vegetation is working well. Do not forget a wakebait in those same areas. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. The water temperature is 58 degrees in the river and low 60s on the lower end of the lake. In the Colorado arm bass are biting Alabama rigs and jerkbaits, or under docks with green pumpkin senkos. The lower end in the grass with rattle traps, chatterbait and flukes. Look for the ducks to lead the way to the freshest grass. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
FAIR. Water stained; 53 degrees; 3.11 feet below pool. White bass are slow on humps, points and ledges in 27-38 feet of water, and on deep flats and in river channels in 40-60 feet of water. In-line spinners, jigs, swimbaits, and live bait are working. Keeper sized hybrid stripers are slow to fair as well. They have been in 10-45 feet of water on drop-off ledges, the deeper parts of points, and deep flats. If you are keeping fish, please be aware that there are a lot of undersized hybrid stripers in the lake that look very similar to a white bass. Blue catfish are fair to good on cut shad. Drifting main lake flats near the river channel with active bait schools nearby has produced in 16-38 feet of water. Also with the recent rain, they will be shallow near the creeks and river mouths. Channel catfish are fair on baited holes on punch bait in 15-28 feet of water on humps and points. Crappie are fair in 6-38 feet of water. Check brush piles, bridge pilings, and submerged cover close to a drop off ledge. Cover close to drop off ledges has been best. The creeks have also started to produce. Minnows and jigs are catching those fish. Report by Wes Campbell, BendARod Fishing. The water has cleared to 1.5 feet visibility. Hybrids and sand bass are in 15 feet of water on the main lake. Bass are scattered from 6-20 feet of water. The bite is slow on moving baits, or drag a Texas rigged crawfish in a few spots.
EXCELLENT. Water normal stain; 56 degrees; 3.08 feet below pool. Bass are fattening up for the spawn in a couple months. Many fish have fully developed egg sacks. Crappie are in 10-18 feet on offshore brush with minnows, or tight lining straight down in standing timber. White bass are schooling under the surface in 7-17 feet. Catfish are being caught in 10-20 feet on cut bait and minnows. Largemouth bass can be caught from 2-18 feet this week on docks, timber, bulkheads, rocks with Texas rigs, jigs, chatterbaits, and spinnerbait. Numbers of bass are still on offshore brush and roaming main lake points. Catfish and white bass are on points, flats, and roaming open water. Report by Colan Gonzales, CG’s Just Fishing Guide Service.
GOOD. slightly stained; 63 degrees; 0.96 feet below pool. Water color is a good green. White bass can be caught in 10-20 feet of water. Lots of juvenile hybrids right now, so people need to watch for not keeping them. Catching all fish on Ducktracker slabs and Texas teasers. White and chartreuseReport by Michael Richardson, Lake Livingston Adventures.
GOOD. Water slight stain; 57 degrees; 1.62 feet below pool. There are two turbines running at the power plant bringing water temperatures warmer after the outage. Bass are in pre-spawn to spawn depending on the area of the lake. Try spinnerbaits, swimbaits and rattle traps in and around the hydrilla. Crappie are a bit slow but should pick up when water temperatures stabilize better. Best bet will be 10-15 feet of water around brush using minnows and jigs. Report by Hambone guide service.
FAIR. Water stained; 51 degrees; 47.48 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady as the water starts to cool off. White bass are excellent. Bass are fair on artificials. Catfish are fair to good with nightcrawlers, minnows, chicken liver and frozen shad. Crappie are fair with artificial baits and minnows. Trout were recently stocked at the Stilling Basin. Expect the bite to improve on spinnerbaits, power baits, nightcrawlers and minnows. Walleye are good on minnows, grubs, and other artificial baits. Best of luck to you out there. Please be safe out there, watch weather reports. Life vests save lives. Best of luck in the New Year. Report by Kenneth Wysong, SharKens Honey Hole.
SLOW. Water stained; 52 degrees; 2.25 feet below pool. Bass are slow. Hybrids are still scattered, expect them to start schooling mid-December. Blue catfish are fair on shad in 14-20 feet of water. Very few catches of channel catfish. Crappie are slow in 14 feet of water.
GOOD. Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.32 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are excellent with catches up to 11 pounds possible on large swimbaits and Carolina rigs off the bottom in creek channel swings in 12-15 feet of water. Crappie are excellent in 12-15 feet of water and standing timber and brush piles with 1/16 ounce translucent white crappie jigs on a split shot rig. Catfish are fair on cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
GOOD. Water heavily stained; 58 degrees; 0.50 feet below pool. There are still some large groups of bass in deeper water hovering just off the bottom, so a drop-shot has been working pretty well. A few have also been boated with a deep-diving crankbait. As always, shad imitations are in vogue. Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services. Largemouth bass are excellent on small swimbaits, Carolina rigs and dropshots. Crappie are excellent on brush piles and standing timber with a 1/16 ounce white crappie jig on a split shot. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 57 degrees. 0.43 feet below pool. Bass are fair flipping soft plastics around reed bases in 1-3 feet of water. The key is to cover water until you find a good stretch that holds multiple bass. It is also important to slow down your retrieve this time of year to trigger these lethargic winter bass. Crappie were fair around main lake boat docks on chartreuse jigs and catfish were fair on cut bait and stink bait around river channel bends. Report provided by the Angelo State Fishing Team.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 60 degrees; 1.51 feet below pool. Catfish are excellent with catches up 32 pounds possible from the bank with shad. Crappie are good on brush piles using minnows. The occasional largemouth bass catch when crappie fishing. Report by Navarro Mills Marina.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 55 degrees; 22.81 feet below pool. Mild weather has maintained water temperatures in the mid 50s. The upper end is still clearing from stained and muddy water. Black bass are fair with some catches to 12 pounds with shad patterned swimbaits or crankbaits. The main lake is the best chance for a big fish. Crappie seem to be good on deep trees in river bends in 25-30 feet suspended in tops of trees. Minnows and jigs and white or shad patterns work best. Catfishing are good in 8-12 feet on cut shad and stink bait. Report by Wendell Ramsey, Ramsey Fishing.
SLOW. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 17.92 feet below pool. Fishing continues to be slow with few anglers on the water. The white bass are being caught using small spoons such as the Bomber slab. A few reports of crappie being caught on brush piles with BoneHead jigs. Report by Bronte Guns and Tackle Pro Staff.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 57 degrees; 0.96 feet below pool. Lake level is holding, with our sporadic but relatively light rains, and all launches appear to be open and usable. There have been 2 unseasonable, but short, warm spells lately that have gotten the fishing more active, and I think now we should be prepared for the more normal winter to move in. All fish metabolism will slow to a certain extent as the water cools, the normal seasonal low for Palestine is about 40 degrees. Bass will have breif feeding periods in December and January until they feel the beginnings of the spawn stage, so slower, larger baits with some vibration could be more effective. Catfish should continue to be fair to good. To catch smaller channels and blues in the daytime use smellier baits. Target flatheads and larger bluecatfish at night on larger live and cut bait. Hybrid stripers should be sporadic biters, with the best chances in the mid-morning to early afternoon times on bright days, often trolling. Crappie should remain deep during the winter. Live scopes will find them, as well as fishing with jigs or minnows at 20-25 feet over deeper areas where you can see them schooled, very slowly dragging the bait. White bass will also be sporadic, with short bite periods. Deadsticking a few feet over the deep schools will work in 25-40 feet. Report by Jim Beggerly, Jim’s Fishing Lake Palestine.
SLOW. Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.13 feet below pool. Catfish are biting in 2-3 feet on cut bait or fresh shad. Crappie are slow with very few reports of bites. Sand bass are biting on roadrunners early in the morning and late evening. The lake is full, the water is murky, but the creek is clear. Blue catfish are biting in the creek on limb lines against the bank on cut bait and fresh shed. Report by Lake Palo Pinto RV Park.
GOOD. slightly stained; 55 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent for numbers with many fish in the 3-5 pound range. Cast small swimbaits in 25 feet of water. Crappie are good on small white jigs on a split shot rig. Catfish are on cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
GOOD. Water stained; 57 degrees; 0.05 feet below pool. Striped bass are fair in 20-40 feet of water with live bait. Your best bet is to just put baits in the water and slowly move around with the trolling motor until you find them. Keep in mind that we are approaching deadstick season. Sand bass are fair in 20-30 feet of water with live shad or small slabs and jigs. Live shad seems to produce a few more fish than artificial. White and silver are good colors, but white seems to be preferred. Catfish are still fair to good near Rock Creek Camp. Cut shad is producing good numbers of fish in 5-20 feet of water fished on or near the bottom. Water clarity is steady at 1-8 feet of visibility and slightly stained. Report by TJ Ranft, Ranft Guide Service. Bass are moving up with the lake level rising. Target points and drop-offs with Carolina rigs, chatterbaits, and jigs. Report by JK Outdoors Bass Fishing Guide.
FAIR. Water light stain; 65 degrees. Bass are good with flukes, worms, and lipless crankbaits near the hydrilla grass edge are reported to be working for bass. No angler reports of crappie or catfish this week, but anglers can try minnows on crappie jigs near brush piles or piers to target crappie. Catfish can be targeted with worms or stink bait fished near the bottom at the prairie branch pier or over towards the dam by the valve release tower. Bluegill are biting on worms and hotdogs over at the boathouse dock. Anglers should try to use them on a free lined hook or with a hook and bobber.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 55 degrees; 2.74 feet below pool. White bass are gathering up in big schools on southern parts of the lake. White bass are gathering up in big schools on southern parts of the lake. Look for big bait balls in 30-38 feet of water with 3/4 ounce slabs with 2 jigs tied above working best spread at least 16 inches apart. When fish come through they are mostly suspended in the 20-30 feet range and reel up to the fish. Crappie are fair and relating to brush 18-28 feet deep moving on and off structure and starting to roam the deep flats. Minnows are working best. Catfish are excellent around the north end of the lake around timber using cut shad working best in 10-20 feet of water on prepared punch bait and cut bait. Larger blues are showing up on the deep flats. Drifting cut bait as shad, buffalo or carp working best. Report by John Varner, John Varner’s Guide Service.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 65 degrees; 1.43 feet below pool. White bass on live bait and slabs.25-45 feet on deep water humps. Crappie are in 15-25 feet on brush piles and small patches of structure, minnows or jigs. Recommend using a half ounce sinker on top of your jig. Blue catfish can be caught drifting or anchored on flats in 20-45 feet with cut bait. Report by Justin Wilson, Wilson Outdoor Connection.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 59 degrees; 2.21 feet below pool. White bass fishing fair to good using a slab and jig combination fished on the bottom in 25-30 feet of water off main lake points and near Pelican Island. Lift the bait slowly as it is almost deadsticking time! Hybrid striper action is fair on live bait and slabs off main lake points and Windsock Point in 30 feet of water. Lots of small hybrids mixed in with the Keepers! Eater size blue and channel catfish are excellent on punch bait in 20-30 feet of water in timber on the Richland Creek Arm of the Lake. Chum with Range Cubes and Fermented Grain for best results. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin’ Guide Service.
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 58 degrees; 2.29 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady. The first two weeks of January are usually when the water really cools down. Bass are chasing shad in the shallows and off points. When you can find grass on the south end there is usually a bass that can be caught on crankbaits. Crappie and white bass are moving in the river channel, but are not stacked up in the river like normal. Catfish are good in 15-26 feet of water on cut bait and minnows. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 55 degrees; 2.25 feet below pool. At Somerville marina the crappie bite is slow, bluegill are fair on crickets and worms, and catfish are fair on minnows and punch bait. On the lake crappie are slow on jigs and minnow over brush 8-16 feet of water. Catfish are good in 6-10 feet of water using cut shad or punch bait. Black bass are slow on slow moving plastics in 6-12 feet of water. White bass slow, trolling with various spoons or anchored with shad and ghost minnows. Hybrids, fair in deeper water, using cut bait and mussels. Below the dam fishing is slow. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 65 degrees. 45.65 feet below pool. Very few anglers on the water. The reports are very slow for black bass. The white bass are actively schooling biting spoons and inline spinners. Catfish are slow, with some reports of channel and blue catfish being caught from shore on cut bait. Report by Bronte Guns and Tackle Pro Staff.
SLOW. Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.39 feet below pool. Crappie are good trending towards excellent fishing concrete submerged structures. The crappie house is starting to draw more anglers. Crappie have a belly full of shad. Some bait fish are shallow and on structures attracting the game fish. Bass are fair casting a small squarebill crankbait along shallow rocks. Catfish are fair.
GREAT. Water stained; 60 degrees; 2.18 feet below pool. The white bass and largemouth bass are still putting on a show at Stillhouse with 2-angler catches over 100 fish in a morning. White bass are feeding on the edges of flats in the 20-foot range just after sunrise, then moving quickly deeper and continuing to feed until around 10:45 a.m. Fish can be caught as deep as 48-53 feet, especially on calmer, clearer days when the sun’s rays reach that deep on this lake’s very clear water. As of December 16, the water temperature from top to bottom was still 58-62 degrees, but will likely drop entirely into the high 50s with the chilly weather forecast heading into the weekend. MAL Dense Lures with silver bodies and chartreuse tails worked straight up off the bottom aided by a splasher are getting these results. We will likely drop back to a Bladed Hazy Eye Slab with a spinner and stinger hook going forward as the water cools and the fish slow down. There are plenty of largemouth bass and freshwater drum mixed in with the white bass in these same deep water areas. The shad-imitating 5/8 ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab is the go-to bait for these fish. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 2.94 feet below pool. Lake Tawakoni has shifted from a fall bite to more of a winter pattern as cold front after cold front continues to cool the water temperatures. The hybrid striper bite has been very up and down the last week. Lots of big wind has made it difficult to fish areas that are holding fish. Swimbaits and slab spoons are working best. Seems like the 10-25 feet range is holding fish. The eating sized catfish bite in the 1-4 pound range is still excellent. Baited holes are working best in 15-25 feet with punch bait. The trophy catfishing continues to improve weekly. Fish are being caught on cut bait in 2-15 feet. The largemouth bite has been good on plastics in 1-6 feet. Slow rolling shallow cranks are still putting fish in the boat but downsizing is working best. Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.
FAIR. Water stained; 60 degrees; 5.04 feet below pool. Catfish are good on the south end of the lake. Lake conditions continue to deteriorate with water levels continuing to drop. Certain boat ramps will be closing soon if the water level does not rise, so check before heading out.
GOOD. Water stained; 53 degrees; 0.59 feet above pool. Stripers are biting consistently in 30-40 feet of water near main-lake ledges and humps. Live bait, especially shad, has been the most effective, but white flukes are also producing well. Mid-day has been particularly productive, with fish schooling in deeper water as the day progresses. Look for birds working the surface to locate active schools. Bass fishing has slowed down but can still be rewarding for patient anglers. Target rocky points and submerged structure with finesse jigs or drop-shot rigs. Warm afternoons are your best bet for catching them closer to the shallows on plastics. Catfish are biting well on cut bait near creek channels and in 35-45 feet of water. Drift fishing has been particularly effective this week. Blue catfish have been the most active, with some nice-sized fish showing up. Crappie are holding tight to brush piles in 15-20 feet of water. Minnows and small jigs continue to work well. Focus on areas with good cover near coves for the best results. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Guaranteed Guide Service. Striped bass are good with Alabama rigs or swimbaits in 10-15 feet of water, and deadsticking in deeper water. Birds are working most days. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.
FAIR. Water normal stain; 61 degrees; 3.76 feet below pool. Fishing is good for this time of year with a late fall pattern. Bass can be caught with a swim jig, chatterbait, and spinnerbait on the bank in 1-6 feet of water. Then back out to 10-16 feet of water and catch them with a Texas and Carolina rig, or 18-25 feet of water with a spoon or dropshot. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 57 degrees; 42.98 feet below pool. Bass are chasing shad in the backs of coves and cuts near deeper water. Also work the deeper water docks on the main lake with jigs and Texas-rigged power worms in pumpkin colors. A rattle trap or shallow crank in any craw colors is working well right now as well. Don’t forget to throw a small craw worm or creature bait on a light line if the bite falls off. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Bass are good around grass and hydrilla midlake to the dam with red chatterbaits, or shad colored hybrid hunter. Work Alabama rigs in 15-25 feet of water on the outside of grass. In the river crawfish colored crankbaits are landing bass on bluff walls and points. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
SLOW. Water stained. 53 degrees; 38.64 feet below pool. Water level is very low so navigate with caution. Fishing continues to be slow. Crappie are slow with mostly smaller sized catches in deeper water on structure. Channel catfish are slow on stink bait. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 65 degrees; 0.57 feet below pool. Crappie are slow in 20-25 feet of water. Catfish are slow, scattered in 10-16 feet of water stink bait and nightcrawlers. Bream are slow on red worms in deep water. Bass are slow on trick worms and crankbaits. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler.
GOOD. Water slight stain; 65 degrees. Water levels remain extremely low, and the boat ramp is still closed for power boats due to ongoing repairs. Kayaks and canoes can still launch, and bank fishing is possible, but the low water and exposed rock piles are making things tricky. Fishing around the reeds has been tough with the water levels so low and grass mats so thick. Instead, focus on open flats with submerged vegetation. Try moving techniques like weedless swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs are also worth a shot in open water. Around the grass mats, weedless soft plastics, stick baits, dropshot rigs, and jigs are good options. Start transitioning to winter patterns by slowing down your presentation and working sections of submerged grass in the 8-10 foot range. Report by Team YAKUSA.
SLOW. Water heavily stained; 53 degrees; 5.17 feet below pool. Bass are slow. Crappie are good in the crappie house on jigs or minnows. Catfish are fair off rocks with punch bait and shad. Water visibility is 4 inches.
FAIR. Water normal stain; 57 degrees; 0.03 feet below pool. Catfish are good using punch bait in 20-25 feet of water. The striped bass bite has improved deadsticking with flukes in 30-45 feet of water. Crappie are good on small jigs and minnows in timber in 15-20 feet on the north end of the lake. White bass fishing is slow but some are being caught up the river on flukes and slabs. Largemouth bass are good around the docks. Report by Captain Cory Vinson, Guaranteed Guide Service.
FAIR. Water normal stain; 56 degrees; 2.68 feet below pool. White Bass are fair, look for birds working or schools of bait on the main lake and in mid-depths on chartreuse and white slabs or paddle tail swim baits. Some white bass are still being caught in black water on 3-4 inch paddle tail swimbaits. Crappie are being caught on deeper structure and cover using larger profile baits and also spider rigging open water. Catfish are being caught on punch bait and cut bait in basically all depths and are moving a lot with the changing water temperatures. The warmer weather scattered the fish so you willl have to work to find feeding fish, and expect the pattern to change daily. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 60 degrees; 0.04 feet above pool. White bass are on fire just about everywhere in the lake eating to be ready for winter. The sandies are very active early mornings and late afternoons eating swimbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Largemouth bass are on docks and structure eating just about anything as well. Catfish are decent on the drop offs being caught with fresh caught shad. Crappie are deep and very tight to structure on the bottom being caught with minnows and small jigs but need to be enticed to bite a bit. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Zebra Mussel AlertTo prevent the spread of zebra mussels, the law requires draining of water from boats and onboard receptacles when leaving or approaching public fresh waters. Get details.
Zebra Mussel AlertTo prevent the spread of zebra mussels, the law requires draining of water from boats and onboard receptacles when leaving or approaching public fresh waters. Get details.
Saltwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of December 25, 2024
Redfish Bay
FAIR. 66 degrees. Black drum can be caught with dead shrimp around crushed shells or sand flats. Redfish are biting as shallow as you can get on dead shrimp, or live piggy perch. Trout bite is sporadic on piggy perch. Sheepshead are around the jetty and on structures with live shrimp. Flounder giggers are producing catches of flounder. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.
San Antonio Bay
SLOW. 61 degrees. Lots of trout along the shoreline with artificials. Water is high so redfish will be in the back lakes. Report Captain Lynn Smith, Back Bay Guide Service.
Sabine Lake
GOOD. 68 degrees. Neches River is good for sheepshead, drum and redfish off the rocks and shell flats with live shrimp under a popping cork or on a Carolina rig. Some channel catfish are mixed in with the brackish water. Target the points, flats and rocks leaving the bayou where shrimp are flushing out. Trout are good at the Bessie Heights Marsh cuts and flats under the birds. There is a lot of shrimp in the marsh for game fish to gorge on. This pattern should continue through January. North Levy Wall and Pleasure Island are producing phenomenal speckled trout and limits of redfish with ⅜ ounce jigheads or �¾ ounce gold spoons. Sabine Lake is producing nice speckled trout and redfish mid to north lake under the birds with a �¾ ounce gold spoon, topwaters, and ⅜ ounce jigheads in white or white ice. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 67 degrees. Water levels are swapping back-and-forth this week with the north winds pushing the tide out, and the incoming tide is clear. Anglers are still catching plenty of redfish everywhere. The big croakers are still being caught along with a few more sand trout, black drum, redfish, speckled trout, and crabs caught along the jetty with a few small stingrays and sharks. The surf is producing numbers of redfish, black drum, the occasional speckled trout and crabs along the whole peninsula with more activity towards Gilchrist, High Island mainly. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
Trinity Bay
SLOW. 63 degrees. The back end of the bay is good for scattered reds and speckled trout on live shrimp and artificial lures. Marshes are good for redfish. Fish are moving north, with good catches of speckled trout from above I-10 in the San Jacinto river. Live shrimp and soft plastics are effective. Still plenty of fish between Fred Hartman Bridge and I-10. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Water clarity is good. Redfish are being caught well in the current and near drop-offs feeding heavily in the bottom using swimbaits, gulp curly tails and gulp shrimp. Trout are fantastic in current over rock flats and shell flats being caught on swim baits and shrimp imitation baits. Flounder are starting to really pick up on drains using swim baits and gulp baits. Drum are heavy on rock flats being caught on live or dead shrimp. Always wear your kill switch when underway. God is great! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
GOOD. 62 degrees. Back water drains and lakes producing speckled trout and redfish on hard plastic baits and soft plastic lures. Reefs are good for black drum and sheepshead. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Surface water temperature 62 degrees. The water clarity is excellent now for East Galveston Bay. The trout bite has remained steady, catching good numbers and some oversize fish as well on our artificial only trips. The ticket the past few days has been fishing very slowly on the bottom over deeper shell with 1/4 ounce jig heads with WACky shad XL tails by Wac Attack, with Rollover Moon, securing the most bites. The redfish bite has been on fire around grass lines and in the shallow water areas where we see active bait using imitation shrimp lures and Deadly Dudley Rat tails under popping corks, with a 1-foot leader. As in previous weeks, if you do not see active bait in the area move on rather quickly if you are not getting any bites. Do not let the less-than-ideal weather keep you off the water, as this time of year brings some of the best fishing conditions for larger fish. Get out and make it happen with your family and friends. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service, LLC.
Galveston Bay
SLOW. 64 degrees. Upper Galveston bay around Sylvan Beach good for speckled trout on soft plastics. Clear Lake produces scattered trout catches on live shrimp and soft plastics. A few redfish in both areas. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
West Galveston Bay
GOOD. 64 degrees. Drifting the dirty streaks in the open bay producing scattered catches of speckled trout. Those fishing in Chocolate and even Hall’s Bayou catching speckled trout, black drum, and redfish on soft plastics and live shrimp are effective. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Texas City
GOOD. 62 degrees. All eyes have turned to flounder. Good catches of flounder are coming from the Galveston channel, with the best bite on live shrimp and gulps. Fish up to 7 pounds have been caught. Those gigging at night are doing well. Still bull redfish and oversized black drum being caught off the dike and the Galveston jetties. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Anglers are still catching plenty of speckled trout, redfish, and black drum with the occasional sand trout, gafftop and big croaker. Wade fishing has been sporadic, but great during the incoming tides. Along the dike has been productive from the beginning to the end still. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
Freeport
GOOD. 62 degrees. Fishing has been good in between fronts. Redfish and trout have been good working under the birds with plastic or gulp under a popping cork. In Bastrop Bay, Christmas Bay, Chocolate Bay, Salt Lake and Oyster Lake. Brazos River has been good with reds, trout, drum, sand trout with either live shrimp or fresh dead shrimp. Flounder have been good on gulp, new penny shrimp and live finger mullet. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures
East Matagorda Bay
GOOD. 55 degrees. Fishing patterns are holding steady with a consistent bite for trout in the The Colorado River with artificials, or live shrimp. Very little bird action. Redfish are good wade fishing or drifting with artificials. As the weather warms the redfish venture into the marsh and can be caught with artificials or cut mullet. On calm days the jetties are producing a few catches of drum and sheepshead. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
GOOD. 55 degrees. Fishing patterns are holding steady with a consistent bite for trout in the The Colorado River with artificials, or live shrimp. Very little bird action. Redfish are good in the sloughs and shallow water with cut bait. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
GOOD. 60 degrees. Good numbers of trout can be caught on the outside of the jetties with live shrimp. Oversized and slot redfish outside and end of both jetties with blue crab or Spanish sardines. Sheepshead are biting throughout the jetty with live shrimp. Black drums are biting on the apron of the jetty with dead shrimp. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.
Rockport
GOOD. 71 degrees. Tides will be lower this week. Trout are good on live shrimp and your favorite soft plastic drifting flats and in drains. Redfish are great on shrimp or cut mullet in flats fishing drains and guts. Black drum are great on live or dead shrimp and fish bites in drains, guts and along oyster beds. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Port Aransas
GOOD. 71 degrees. Redfish have been great on live shrimp and cut mullet on the north and south jetty. Oversized redfish have been good on cut crab and mullet. Trout are good with shrimp free lined along rocks. Black drums are fair on shrimp. Sheepshead are starting to show up using shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
FAIR. 66 degrees. Black drum can be caught with dead shrimp around crushed shells or sand flats. Redfish are biting as shallow as you can get on dead shrimp, or live piggy perch. Trout bite is sporadic on piggy perch. Sheepshead are around the jetty and on structures with live shrimp. Flounder giggers are producing catches of flounder. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.
Baffin Bay
GOOD. 75 degrees. Baffin Bay is on fire with the big trout eating heavily when times are good. This is the time of year to focus on that one big fish that you want to catch really honing in on your soft plastics and corky game. When water temperatures drop fish will fall off into deeper areas closer to the deep deep areas where they go when things get very dicey for their survival. Between cold fronts when there is a sunny warm up with warm winds, the shallow water is the first place to heat up and that’s where they go to feed. So be thoughtful in your presentations during these two periods of time that we will yo-yo back-and-forth from all winter long. Use soft plastics like the 6 or even 8 inch Coastal Brew darts in natural colors as well as Down South Lures Big Smooth and Super Models on lightweight jig heads. Try Texas Custom Corky Fat Boys in the colder times and down-size a little to Texas Custom Corky Softdines during warmer periods. Report by Captain Sally Black.
Port Mansfield
GOOD. 76 degrees. The weather has stabilized and fishing is strong. Winds have kicked up a bit, but we are able to work through it easily. Concentrate on small potholes scattered over big flats. The best depth has been around 2 feet deep. Trout and redfish have been eager for suspending baits such as the Darter by Mansfield Knockers. There have even been some flounder catches near the pass. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
GOOD. 68 degrees. Windy gusts to high teens in the afternoons. Trout are in feeder channels and the edge of the intercoastal at Three Islands using live shrimp. Redfish good drifting on gaswell flats. Sheepshead are at the old causeway. Redfish and trout are fair drifting South Bay. Mangrove Snapper are good at the end of Brownsville Channel free shrimping with live shrimp. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
GOOD. 68 degrees. Windy gusts to high teens in the afternoons. Trout are in feeder channels and the edge of the intercoastal at Three Islands using live shrimp. Redfish good drifting on gaswell flats. Sheepshead are at the old causeway. Redfish and trout are fair drifting South Bay. Mangrove Snapper are good at the end of Brownsville Channel free shrimping with live shrimp. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
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