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Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

Lake Country Fishing – fishing reports on Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, and more. (subscription required)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Freshwater Fishing Reports

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Saltwater Reports

jeffnailfishing@gmail.com

Lake Lanier Weekly Report

Lake Lanier Weekly Fishing Report

September 22, 2023

Water Level: 4.98 feet BELOW full pool and falling.

Water Temp: Water Temps are topping out around 81 on Lowrance in the afternoons. AM temps have been in the upper 70s.

Water Clarity: The clearest water is still on the main lake and in the mouths of the main lake creeks.

I spent the past 5 of the last 7 days on Lanier. Lanier is fishing very well right now with the opportunity for both numbers and size of fish. The fish have started their fall transitions and they are on the move. Locations varied from day to day and even from hour to hour. Forward facing sonar can help eliminate water if you have it. If you don’t have it, make a few casts at a spot and if you do not see fish come up or get bit, move to the next spot.

It is difficult to narrow down the best two baits for this week. That being said, top water ruled the roost. A ~4in walking topwater bait in chrome was a great producer this week. The Ima Skimmer, Vixen, Gunfish all produced well this week. Vary your retrieve speed from medium to fast to see what the fish want on a particular day. Some days they wanted it slower than others.

The Lanier Baits Jerk shad also produce a lot of bites and fish this week. I am still rigging this bait with a small nail weight in the nose and keeping it just below the surface. A constant retrieve with small twitches of the rod tip has generated most of the strikes. This is a bait that should continue to produce well into October and is great for anglers who may not have mastered the coordination needed for a walking bait.

I am focusing on primary/secondary points and humps in the first 1/2 of the major creeks. Additionally, if I have a lot of confidence in a location, I may hit it two or three times over the course of the day. Several times this past week, a spot would be vacant the first time and loaded the second time.

With October right around the corner, it is time to start preparing for, and stocking up for the winter bite while there is still a good selection of those key baits in stock. CAST Prodigy, Keitech, Spotchoker Underspin, guppy heads, damaki baits, and jigging spoons will soon be in short supply at local tackle shops. Now is the time to conduct an inventory and stock up before the rush.

In celebration of the start of my 3rd year guiding, I am giving each client that takes a trip between 14 September 2023 and 25 October 2023 a spool of CAST braid.

If you are looking for more detailed information on my trips over the past week, I publish a daily video covering the conditions, the where, the what, and how I caught fish each day I am on the water. You can sign up at https://jeffnail.uscreen.io

I am booking for October so reach out if you are interested in getting in on the top water action or learning the fall swim bait fishing. I am open Oct. 2-4, 6, 8, 9, 11-14.

Jeff

770-715-9933

Jeffnail.uscreen.io

Jeffnailfishing.net

#TritonBoats #advantageboatcenter #hammondsfishingcenter #LanierBaits #trixstercustombaits #stcroixrods #castfishingco #gillfishing #Spotchoker

Jeff

Captain Macks’ Lake Lanier Fishing Report

Also See:

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

Lake Country Fishing – fishing reports on Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, and more. (subscription required)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Freshwater Fishing Reports

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Saltwater Reports

Need a great reason to go fishing or hunting? I got you covered! Sept 23rd is
National Hunting and Fishing Day! Sept 23rd is also the Autumnal Equinox, the
first day of Fall, beginning at 2:50 AM. That should be more than enough
incentive/excuse to go fish or hunt. Add in a really nice weather forecast, maybe
a little rain mid week, but that may be an enhancement to the bite.

Ironically, I will
not be on the water to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day? I’ll have a
minor medical procedure and the doctor says fishing will be prohibited? Seems to
me that spending some time on the lake would be the best recovery available,
right? I’ll plead my case again with the doc to see if we can get a change order
put in place, lol. Keep an eye on the lake level, it is continuing to drop and some
of your shortcuts may be close to being a land bridge. The lake level as of Friday
mid day was 1066.05 , down .42 from the last report, and 4.95 feet below full
pool. Like the lake level, the surface temps also dropped, 79 degrees was the
reading Friday AM.

Striper Fishing

If you opt for fishing, particularly Striper fishing, the bite remains strong. Last
week’s info will be applicable, although there are still some inconsistencies in the
“summer patterns” of recent weeks. One addition to the list of top techniques is
targeting the schooling fish. This activity has been very good and is no longer a
secondary pattern. As is usually the case, the surfacing fish may show up
anywhere, any time. Be diligent about watching for them as you move around the
lake. Swim baits, The Lanier Baits Hard Swimmers, Spro Sashimmy Shad’s and
Magic Swimmers are a few of the favorites. Top water popper baits, such as the
Spro E Pops, and Chug Bugs, along with Walking Haints, and OG Stickbaits are
also good choices. In addition to casting to the schoolers, you can catch a few
Stripers just blind casting a bait to humps and points. There are plenty of Bass to
keep you entertained on this pattern while you are looking for the Striper bites.
Run and gun is the pattern on the high spots, the same above mentioned top
water or swim baits will apply.

Trolling is still a good pattern, and while there is an open water bite, Lead core,
down riggers, and In line planers, however, that bite is very inconsistent. Trolling
over the humps is the better option on most days. Either the Mini Macks or the
full size umbrella rigs will be effective. Target humps that top out around 30 feet,
and watch for secondary crest and points that are part of the high spot. Generally
the first pull over the high spot will get the bite, with other fish on the hill spooking
after you hook up. The fish will normally return to that place, give it a rest and
come back to it in 30 to 45 minutes and the fish will probably be back there
waiting on you. To make this pattern work think run and gun, and clipping points
in the same depth range will also be productive.

Bass Fishing

Bass fishing is also good if that is your target, and as is the case with the
Stripers, the techniques from last weeks report remain valid with little change.
One pattern we need to add in is casting under spins to the suspended fish that
are shadowing the open water bait schools. This pattern is pretty strong, but is
largely dependent on Forward Facing Sonar. The Fat Hawg Spoons and Flutter
Spoons are also be viable baits on this pattern.

There are plenty of fish in the brush, and starting out on a pile by casting the drop
shot is a good option. Follow that up with a top water, spoon, or under spin. If you
really want to maximize your opportunities, finish up with a vertical presentation
of the drop shot rig. Appling a scent to the plastic may also be a big plus right
now. Keep the Sebiles, Sashimi Shad, or Hard Swimmers nearby to cast to the
frequent schoolers that will running out of the brush to push bait to the top. Get
the bait to them quickly enough and it has generally been an easy bite.

The crank bait bite is out there, probably no where near peak but improving with
cooler weather. Rock Crawlers have been the ticket, and the usual structures are
target. Rocks, either on the banks or submerged rocks are holding fish. Add in
secondary points, shallow brush and blowdowns as other likely targets. This bite
is probably best in mid and upper lake areas, and will have some application on
the lower end. If you stay down lake venture into the creek backs to look for the
same above mentioned structures to get the bite!

Good Fishing!
Capt. Mack

TEXAS WEEKLY FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT

from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Also See:

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

Lake Country Fishing – fishing reports on Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, and more. (subscription required)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Freshwater Fishing Reports

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Saltwater Fishing Reports

Freshwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of September 20, 2023

Alan Henry

GOOD. Water clear; 81 degrees; 4.06 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 20-30 feet of water using minnows and jigs suspended over trees. Catfish are good up river using fresh cut bait and prepared baits. Report by The Bait Shop, Post, Texas.

Amistad

GOOD. Water stained; 82-89 degrees; 50.45 feet below pool. Black bass are slow on crankbaits, Texas rigged worms, frogs, and jigs on main lake and secondary points in 5-20 feet of water. White bass and stripers are fair in the main river channels in 20-50 feet of water using Lil George’s, sahd patterned rattletraps, and blade baits. Tight lines. Report by Captain Raul Cordero, Far West Guide Service. Catfish are good in 15-20 feet of water close to grass. The lake level is continuing to drop, so navigate with caution. Report by Captain Kent Terrill, 3 T’S Guide Service. Bass are slow and a big bite is hard to come by. Punching grass with creature baits as the sun gets high is producing some bites. Topwater baits in shad pattern for the morning and evening bite. Tight lines and pray for some rain! Report by Olin Jensen, Jensen’s Guide Service.

Arlington

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 85-90 degrees; 5.13 feet below pool. Areas with current are holding bait balls attracting the white bass, catfish and bass. Bass are good on crankbaits and moving baits over rocky areas with current no deeper than six feet of water. Crappie are good on brush piles in 20 feet of water. Report by Chris Rivery, local angler.

Arrowhead

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 8.08 feet below pool. Fishing patterns will remain similar until the water temperature starts to decline. Catfish continue to be good on the main lake drifting with fresh cut shad. Report by Brandon Brown, Brown’s Guide Service.

Athens

FAIR. Water clear; 85-87 degrees; 1.87 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady and bass are schooling all over the lake. Cooler weather and rain in the forecast should improve the bite. Throw small swimbaits in shad patterns and burn them to get the fish to react. Throw jigs and Carolina rigged worms on brush piles as well, down to 25 feet. The bite should get better with the cooler nights and less boat traffic. Crappie should be on deep brush piles with minnows and small jigs. Report by Jim Brack, Athens Guide Service.

Austin

SLOW. Water slightly stained; 82 degrees; 1.87 feet below pool. Recreational traffic is starting to decrease so the bass fishing is improving. Bass are shallow fishing a Texas rigged worm around docks and bulkheads. Shaky head worms and dropshots are getting plenty of bites as well. Catching quite a few small to medium size bass with an occasional big fish. A lot of bait balls off shore with schooling fish around them. Small ball head swimbaits, jerkbaits, and slab spoons are doing good. Overall the lake is fishing well and there is quite a bit of vegetation coming back. Report by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing.

B.A. Steinhagen

SLOW. Water normal stain; 84 degrees; 0.28 feet below pool. The river is fishing great for bass using small crankbaits and Texas rigged soft plastics.

Bastrop

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 95 degrees. Water visibility is about 2-4 feet. The grass near the drills has completely died off. Square bill crankbaits have been good focusing on transitions around 8-10 feet. Swimbaits and flukes have been good up close to the reeds. Dropshot and Texas rigs are fair. Report Jason Hernandez, Bass Institute of Bastrop. Lake Bastrop is fishing well for bass. Lake Bastrop is fishing well. Frogs or wake baits early over grass is a great presentation right now. Working fast moving baits like shallow and medium crankbaits and spinnerbaits along grass edges is getting some quality bites. Later in the day, work a fluke or Texas rigged soft plastics to finish out the day. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Belton

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 17.96 feet below pool. Surface temperature 84 and falling and the level rising after the recent rain. Until turnover occurs, fishing will rise and fall with local weather. Wind and cloud cover enhance fishing, while bright, calm conditions hinder. With the thermocline still firmly in place and topwater action greatly diminished, downrigging for scattered, suspended fish was the best card to play once again this week. With shad continuing to grow, the #13 Pet Spoon downrigger with a multi-lure setup was my go-to presentation this week. For those without downriggers, using the Pet Spoon behind a Jet Diver, Dipsey Diver, or Hellbender is an option. There has been a noticeable uptick in the number of legal hybrids as part of my catch for the first time in a long time over the past two weeks. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfish are excellent in 5-15 feet of water. Slowly drifting with suspended baits around points and river channels has worked best for blue catfish. Flatheads have been caught near structure and rock piles with live perch or shad. Channel catfish have been great in shallow water around timber using punch bait. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.

Benbrook

SLOW. Water stained; 87 degrees; 12.40 feet below pool. All ramps are closed due to low water levels.

Bob Sandlin

GOOD. Water stained; 81-83 degrees; 1.37 feet below pool. Crappie are good on brush piles in 15-20 feet of water using minnows or jigs. Catfish are good on baited holes in 15-20 feet of water on baited holes using cheese bait. Sand bass are fair on main lake points in 15-20 feet of water using slabs. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are slow while fish transition to shallow water. Catches can be had by throwing chatter weights under boat houses on points. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine. Fly fishing for black bass is slow, try topwater or subsurface patterns early and late in the day in the backs of coves and creeks. Look for small schooling bass. Fish poppers around boat houses and main lake points, deceivers and small jig patterns might work well. Try bead heads and wooly buggers for bream. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Brady

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 12.59 feet below pool. Check ramp status before heading out. Luckily there is rain in the forecast, but it has to rain in just the right area for the lake to catch it. Bass fishing has picked up slightly due to the somewhat cooler temperatures and it should continue to improve in the next ten days or so. The cooler, longer nights are what really lower the water temperatures and cooler water means more bass activity. Decent bags are still being caught, but they are skinny and harder to find. In the spring it is possible to catch a 20 pound stringer in a couple of hours but now this can take all day. Flip and pitch the few salt cedars left in the water and do not come out here with monofilament unless you want your heart broken. Yellow catfish are slow on trotlines baited with live perch. Channel catfish and blue catfish are fair on trotlines with cut shad or live perch. White bass are fair schooling mid lake early on crankbaits. Crappie are slow around docks under the lights at night or in the marina.

Braunig

GOOD. Water slightly stained, 90 degrees. Redfish are good on the northeast side of the lake to the dam area on dark color soft plastics and gold spoons. Boaters and recreational shoreline fishermen doing good on live bait and frozen Gulf shrimp. Weather patterns and light rains will have a cooling trend that will continue as we start the week. Largemouth bass around the reeds have been hitting some topwaters early in the morning around the reedbeds switching to dark worm or jigs as the sun gets higher and the temperature starts rising.

Bridgeport

GOOD. Water clear; 81 degrees; 14.03 feet below pool. Check ramp status before heading out. Crappie have been quite good around docks and the bridge. Minnows and jigs have been productive. Sand bass and hybrids have been actively schooling early and late. Keep your baits small as they are chasing very small shad. Largemouth bass have been active at sunrise and sunset. Try a large, noisy topwater bait! Catfish have been good on cut bait and prepared baits, drifting the flats. Look out for low water hazards. Main lake points should be given a lot of room when passing by them. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.

Brownwood

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 82-83 degrees; 7.67 feet below pool. Black bass to 7.21 pounds are fair on jigs and shaky heads. Black bass to 6.84 pounds on crankbaits and frogs in 2-15 feet. Crappie are slow in brush piles and around the docks on minnows in 8-12 feet of water. White bass are fair to 1.00 pounds schooling everywhere on jigs and small moving baits and under the lights on crankbaits and small jigs. Catfish are slow to 8 pounds using prepared or cut bait on jug lines, or rod and reels.

Bryan

GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees. Bass are fair in shallow water structure biting soft plastics, and shallow crankbaits. Report by Aggie Anglers.

Buchanan

GREAT. Water lightly stained; 79-82 degrees; 24.67 feet below pool. The lake is showing signs of possible turnover. Striper fishing has been hit-and-miss due to the unsettled weather pattern. If you hit them at the right time it has been good vertically jigging or trolling in 15-45 feet of water. Live bait is still working, but the bite can be slow until the fish turn on. White bass are showing up more regularly with some early morning surface activity. Best catches vertically jigging �½ ounce spoons. Report by Travis Holland, TH Fishing.

Caddo

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.19 feet below pool. The water levels continue to be low, navigate with caution and do not let the beauty of the lake distract you as some anglers are hitting stumps in the boat runs. Lily pads are everywhere so keep a frog handy to throw over the pads. Still some schooling action with fish being caught on rattletraps, flukes and Texas rigged worms. The heat and low water levels can make days seem long if bites are slow, but the views of this majestic lake that God spoke into existence are still incredible. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.

Calaveras

GOOD. Water slightly stained, 90 degrees. Redfish are fair for boaters trolling dark soft plastics and gold spoons. Recreational shoreline anglers and boaters alike catching reds on frozen Gulf shrimp and live baits around the boat ramps and Jet Ski Cove. Channel and blue catfish have been good in the coves throughout the lake on cut bait, live baits and worms.

Canyon Lake

GOOD. Water clear to slightly stained; 80 degrees; 17.64 feet below pool. With water temperature dropping, fish are starting to feed first thing in the morning. Catch these bass with a topwater or crankbait around shallow rock, or shallow grass on a swimbait. Report by Evan Coleman, Big Bassin Fishing.

Cedar Creek

GOOD. Water normal stain; 85 degrees; 3.51 feet below pool. Crappie are good using minnows around main lake brush piles in 16-23 feet of water near docks and bridge pylons. Largemouth bass are good in 14-18 feet of water using Carolina rigs or Texas rigs with green pumpkin and California 420 colors. White bass and hybrids are excellent, trolling using hellbenders and pet spoons in 11-14 feet of water on flats and hump will give you plenty of fish. Report by Kyle Miers, Lake Country Outfitters.

Choke Canyon

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees; 26.41 feet below pool. Bass are slow with a few catches the first hour of sunlight in 4 feet of water with topwaters in the grass. Then fish brush piles or timber or the edge points in 8-15 feet of water with plastic worms and Carolina rigs. No report for white bass. Catfish are slow with few anglers on the water. Crappie are slow on deep, 20-25 feet of water, brush piles in the main lake using minnows or small grubs. Check ramp status before heading out. Report by Scott Springer, Fish Choke Canyon Lake.

Cisco

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 10.64 feet below pool. Catfish and crappie are good on worms and minnows in 15 feet of water. Report by Lake Cisco Rentals.

Coleman

SLOW. Slightly stained; 82-86 degrees; 8.00 feet below pool. Bass are fair to five pounds on Hags soft plastics and jigs tipped with a Hags Undertaker Jr. White and hybrids are fair under the lights on fast moving baits. Crappie are excellent mid lake to the river mouth in the trees along the channel on minnows and jigs.

Conroe

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees; 2.04 feet below pool. Catfish are good on midlake humps and ledges, as well as, wind blown points on Catfish Bubblegum, liver, worms, and punch bait. Report by Brad Doyle, Bradley’s Guide Service. The bass bite is fair, fishing deeper water patterns while the heat persists. A crankbait worked across a ledge or through a brush pile is a good producer now. Most larger bass will be caught in deeper waters up to 21 feet deep using Carolina Rigs, crankbaits and heavier Texas rigged worms or lizards. Before sunrise, trick worms, lighter Texas rigged worms and jerk baits are working in relation to bulkheads , docks and rocks near deeper water and brush piles. Report by Bryan Brawner, Lake Conroe Charters. Hybrids are scattered in 17-25 feet of water, with some fish in small schools, and seeing many juveniles. Target points and flats Trolling with a pet spoon and a diver, or jigging with MTPockets slabs. Crappie continue to be slow, frequently moving locations to get the hotties. Thumps continue to be lighter using a longer rod with Lone Star Crappie Jigs, Stunna jigs, smaller jigs or pitching. Minnows are hit-or-miss in 14-27 feet of water on or close to structures. Finding a thermocline in 31 feet of water. Always wear your life jacket. Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy Lake Conroe Guide.

Cooper

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 83 degrees: 1.00 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to heat. Catfish continue to be good on shad. White bass can be caught with slabs in deeper water. This is the time of year birds start working the lake, so they can lead you to schooling fish.

Corpus Christi Lake

GOOD. 85 degrees; 6.44 feet below pool. Catfish are good in 10-15 feet of water with cut carp. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good in 10-15 feet of water on minnows. Alligator gar are great in the river channel on cut carp. Conditions look great for fishing this week. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters.

Cypress Springs

GOOD: Water stained; 90 degrees; 1.25 feet below pool. Crappie are good on brush piles in 15-20 feet of water using minnows or jigs. Catfish are good on baited holes in 15-20 feet of water on baited holes using cheese bait. Sand bass are fair on main lake points in 15-20 feet of water using slabs. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are slow while fish transition to shallow water. Catches can be had throwing chatter weights under boat houses on points. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine.

Eagle Mountain

GOOD. Water normal stain; 79 degrees; 7.94 feet below pool. White bass are good on main lake structure using slabs, or in mid depths using cocahoe minnows. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles and main lake structure on jigs. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait on structure. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.

Fairfield

Closed to the public.

Falcon

GOOD. Water stained; 84-88 degrees; 43.61 feet below pool. Trophy catfish are good with cut or live bait 10-30 feet of water. Gar fishing is good with a rod and reel on cut carp or tilapia in the middle or back of creeks. Bow fishing mouth of the creek of midlake. Crappie are slow and scattered on isolated brush and timber in 30 plus feet of water along the river channel. Black bass are fair on crankbaits or soft plastics in 8-20 feet of water. Report by Ram Reyes, Ram Outdoors.

Fayette

SLOW. Water stained; 88 degrees. The water temperature will slowly decline with the cooler evenings improving the bite. Reports that bass are slow.

Fork

GOOD. Water Stained; 83 degrees; 2.29 feet below pool. Bass are good early on topwaters and spinnerbaits in the back of the pockets and windy points on the main lake. Points and humps are good with Texas rigs and Carolina Rigs in 4-8 feet. Shad patterned squarebill crankbaits are good in front of flooded weeds in 2-5 feet of water. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Fly fishing for black bass is slow, targeting shallow water near brush and timber, or windy banks. Bream are shallow, try bead heads with spinners. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. The Lake Fork crappie fishing continues to be excellent. We are beginning to see eggs starting to grow and the fat building up in the females. Brush piles and the bottom of trees in 14-18 feet is the best bite. A few crappie are suspended in deeper trees at 26-32 feet. Minnows continue to be the best bait, but a few can still be caught using soft plastics and hand tied jigs. The jig bite should heat up as water temperatures begin to decrease. The catfish bite is excellent on holes baited in advance with cattle cubes. Trees along creek channels in 18-25 feet have been excellent areas to find the catfish and get them grouping up. Any prepared catfish baits like punch bait or dough bait will work and help you load the boat. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

Ft. Phantom Hill

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees; 5.86 feet below pool. Hybrids are good vertically jigging. White bass are schooling windswept areas biting a rooster tail. Bass can be caught on the rocks early in the morning with topwaters. Blue catfish can be caught drifting with live bait or shad.

Graham

FAIR. Water stained; 85 degrees; 5.26 feet below pool. Catfish are good with cut bait and cheese bait. Bass are slow around brush piles in deeper water on jigs and deep diving crankbaits. Sand bass are schooling biting slabs.

Granbury

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 78-81 degrees; 1.27 feet below pool. Granbury water temperatures are in the low 80s and falling slowly. The fall feeding frenzy is starting and many are reporting surface action. Striped bass continues to be fair to good to 10 pounds on the lower ends on live bait and downriggers, or trolling baits. Sandbass action is improving near Decordova subdivision and near Indian Harbor. Big blue catfish are being caught mainly on the upper ends near Hunter Park on cut bait. Largemouth bass are good in numbers with an occasional bigger fish. Largemouth are good near points and creek entrances on spinners and crankbaits early and soft plastics later in the morning. Crappie limits are being caught midlake near submerged timber on small minnows and jigs. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. Water clarity is improving as the water temperatures start to decline. Crappie are good for bank anglers using minnows around bridges and docks. Largemouth are slow with some sizable catches. Stripers are fair on minnows from the bank. Catfish are hitting on large minnows or cut bait. It is best when the bait has an odor. Perch and bluegill are hitting around the shore. Report by Terry Hodges, local angler. Striped bass can be caught on the south end from Decordova to the dam on live shad, swimbaits, umbrella-rigs and deep diving crankbaits along ledges and points. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton’s Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney. Catfish are slow in the evening on cut bait. Report by Jeffery Sojourner, Sojourner Fishing.

Granger

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 3.16 feet below pool. Black bass are good to six pounds on spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished around timber or hydrilla. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows fished over structure in 4-6 feet of water. White bass are fair on crankbaits and spoons fished along shallow road beds. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and shad fished on jug lines. Yellow catfish are fair in live perch fished up river on trotlines. Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.

Grapevine

GOOD. Water clear; 83 degrees; 4.51 feet below pool. White bass catches on the mainlake on isolated hills with mostly undersized catches with a few keepers using white or chartreuse slabs with a stinger hook or an assist hook. The bite is very light, so pay attention. Look for birds working the surface to lead the way to fish. Bass are transitioning to shallow water. Check ramp status before heading out. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.

Greenbelt

GOOD. Water normal stain; 80 degrees; 45.60 feet below pool. Few anglers on the lake but fishing conditions will only improve as the cooler weather settles in. Catfish and bass are biting on minnows. Check ramp status before heading out. Report by Greenbelt Lakeside Marina.

Hawkins

SLOW. Water slightly stained. 84 degrees. Fly fishing is slow for black bass, try small poppers and streamers fished above grass or near lily pads in the backs of creeks. Bream can be caught with small poppers and bead heads. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Houston County

FAIR. Water clear; 85 degrees; 2.15 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 6-14 feet of water on standing timber and brush using minnows. Largemouth are good in 4-14 feet of water on squarebill crankbaits or shaky heads. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com.

Hubbard Creek

FAIR. Water Stained; 85-88 degrees; 10.88 feet below pool. White bass should be schooling in coves. When the water is calm, scan the lake to find them. There are some hydrilla near the boat ramps so use a senko or topwater for bass, or fish in deeper water with Carolina rigs or deep diving crankbaits.

Jacksonville

SLOW. Water clear; 85 degrees; 2.10 feet below pool. Bass are moving shallow to the bank biting on squarebill crankbaits and swim jigs. Bass can still be caught on brush piles using soft plastics and jerkbaits.

Joe Pool

FAIR. Water clear; 85 degrees; 1.92 feet below pool. Fishing is steady, with some bass found up shallow on squarebills. Crappie on the bridge pillars. Water is beginning to cool slightly but expect it to decrease more in the weeks to come then we will experience the lake turnover. Report by Gilbert Miller, GTB Outdoors.

Lake O’ the Pines

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.35 feet below pool. Crappie are slow on standing timber in 25 feet of water using minnows or jigs. Catfish are fair on baited holes in 15-20 feet of water on baited holes using cheese bait. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are slow biting above the 155 Bridge in the lily pads and grass, and on the south end brush piles off points 15 feet of water using chatterbaits, buzz baits, frogs, worms and jigs. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine.

Lavon

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 84-86 degrees; 5.01 feet below pool. Crappie are stacked up on submerged trees in 8-12 feet of water, with a few deeper, but brush piles in 7-11 feet of water are gold. 1/16 ounce jigs are outproducing minnows. Bushy top submerged trees are fishing great, single branch trees will hold 1-7 fish. Condo and bushy trees hold up to 100 or more fish. White Bass are in 7-15 feet of water on flats and ledges, and main lake points and the very end of boat ramps. Some sporadic topwater action can be found. At the boat ramps 7 feet or deeper, look for white bass hunting the shad that are using the ramp as structure. Some days your thumper will end up spooking the fish. Try taking a broken rod and slapping the water over and over like the fish popping and feeding on the surface. Sometimes that triggers them to come in and feed. Use a 1 ounce white or chartreuse slab. If fish surface or you see a bird along the bank on points or flats out 10 feet throw 3-4 inch paddle tails, or swimbaits. If you do not get a bite after 10 casts, move to the next bird. Black bass are good in 10-15 feet of water using diving crankbaits Series 5 KVD sexy Shad 12 foot diver, zoom motor, oil worm, BeaverTails in watermelon-red, and watermelon Green. Bass are near ramps, rock piles, brush piles, on standing timber, underwater points, tire reefs and submerged boat ramps. Catfish are in 10-20 feet on ledges and slopes or flats in 15-18 feet of water using cut shad or cut bluegill. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.

LBJ

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.19 feet below pool. Fishing patterns will hold steady until the winter months. Catfish are good in 30 feet of water with punch bait. Crappie continue to be good with minnows and chartreuse jigs in 16-22 feet of water over brush piles. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service.

Lewisville

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 81-83 degrees; 4.44 feet below pool. Water temperatures are now in the lower 80s. White bass are fair on the bottom near humps, points, and drop off ledges in 10-26 feet of water and shallow in 2-8 feet of water. Fish off the bottom with slabs, jigs, and live bait. Keeper sized hybrid stripers are fair in similar depths as the white bass, and there can be topwater action on large flats and points. 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. Catfish are fair drifting in 12-26 feet with cut shad or chicken breasts. Check near wind blown points, humps, and flats near creek channels if drifting. Crappie are fair in 8-32 feet of water on standing timber, rock piles, stumps, laydowns, and bridge columns using minnows and jigs. Report by Wes Campbell, BendaRod Fishing.

Limestone

GOOD. Water clear; 83-85 degrees; 3.40 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good in 2-12 feet of water using Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, spinnerbait, chatterbaits. White bass are good in 8-14 feet of water using silver slabs, or at night near docks with lights using white beetle spins. Crappie are on offshore brush of standing timber suspended in 6-13 feet with minnows. Still 100 fish days on crappie trips. Catfish are good on points, humps and creek channels in 10-20 feet. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com.

Livingston

GOOD. Stained; 85 degrees; 3.56 feet below pool. Navigate with caution as water level is low with many exposed obstacles or just below the surface. Check ramp status before heading out. White bass are fair to good in 10-15 feet of water jigging off the bottom of main lake humps with �¾- 1 ounce slabs. Striped bass are slow. Catfish are fair to good off the edges of the river. Crappie are slow. Largemouth bass are slow. Report by Jeff Friederick, Fishin’ Addiction Guide Service.

Martin Creek

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 86 degrees; 3.29 feet below pool. The lake level is low revealing exposed obstacles, with many just below the surface so navigate with caution. Bass fishing is improving with the cooler weather. Swimbaits and rattletraps over the hydrilla work well. Plum and watermelon red worms do well along the outer edge of the grass. Crappie are good with many limits caught suspended over brush using Bobby Garland jigs and minnows. Catfish remain good fishing on bottom in 15-20 feet of water using punch bait, nightcrawlers and minnows.

Medina

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 86.43 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to the limited access and low water level.

Meredith

GOOD. Water stained; 77 degrees; 44.21 feet below pool. Bass are fair on minnows and artificials. Catfish are good on crawlers, minnows, chicken liver and frozen shad. Crappie are fair on artificial baits and minnows. White bass are excellent on minnows, slabs, or any vertical presentations. Trout are slow on powerbaits, minnows, worms, small spinners and flies. Walleye are good with lots of small fish being caught using minnows, grubs, crankbaits and other artificial baits. Reports that the night bite is good. Please be safe out there, watch weather reports. Life vests save lives. Report by Kenneth Wysong, SharKens Honey Hole.

Millers Creek

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 8.62 feet below pool. Fishing patterns will remain similar until the water temperature starts to decline. Bass are slow on topwaters early in the morning, then on soft plastics off drop-offs. White bass are fair trolling with slabs. Blue and channel catfish are fair on cut bait. Crappie are on submerged structures with minnows and jigs.

Nacogdoches

FAIR. Water clear; 84-88 degrees; 2.92 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good, and the bite should only improve as we enter into fall fishing patterns. Late September and October is a great time to be on the water. Crappie are good with brush piles holding good numbers of crappie and bream. Report by Blake Oestreich, Brushbuster Guide Service.

Naconiche

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 83 degrees; 2.00 feet below pool. The bass bite has tightened up a bit which is somewhat typical for September. As the water temperatures begin to cool fish will start to transition into the fall pattern. Topwaters are getting bit very early in 3-8 feet of water. Fish continue to be in the 8-12 foot zone, so use bottom contact baits or square bill crankbaits. Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services.

Nasworthy

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees. 0.51 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady. Bass are fair on white chatterbaits or flipping soft plastics in the reeds in 1-3 feet of water. Crappie are good around boat docks on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and stink bait around the dam. Report provided by the Angelo State Fishing Team.

Navarro Mills

SLOW. Water clear; 87-92 degrees; 1.91 feet below pool. White bass are good on chartreuse slabs in the main lake. Crappie are fair on dead minnows in deep water adjacent to sharp depth changes. Catfish are good on cut bait and Danny Kings stink bait near timber. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits along the dam and main lake points. Report by Clay Major, Major Guide Service.

O.C. Fisher

SLOW. Water stained; 87 degrees; 50.26 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers fishing due to low lake levels.

O.H. Ivie

GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees; 28.29 feet below pool. White bass are fair on live or plastic baits. Crappie are fair on live bait or jigs. Largemouth bass are fair. Catfish are fair. Navigate with caution as the lake level drops, watching for exposed trees along the channel. Report by Concho Park and Marina.

Oak Creek

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 14.78 feet below pool. Bass are slow with most catches on crankbaits and soft plastics. White bass are good, 14-15 inch catches, schooling early in the morning rattletraps and smaller hard baits, then deeper midday. Channel and blue catfish are good, 2-4 pound fish, from punch baits, chicken liver to cut shad. Report by Randall Pate, Sportsman’s Lodge.

Palestine

GOOD. Water clear; 83-88 degrees; 2.18 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady. Crappie are good using minnows and jigs on brush piles in 10-20 feet of water, standing timber and bridge pillars in 18-25 feet of water. Crappie will be suspended between 10-18 feet down. Thermocline is at 20-22 feet, so very few fish will be deeper than that. Sand bass and hybrids are good during the early daylight hours on Hwy 155 bridge and main lake humps. Largemouth bass are good offshore in 8-18 feet of water. Catfish are good in 15-20 feet of water with cut bait. Baiting areas helps. Channel catfish are best with stink bait. Report by Sam Parker, Freshwater Fishing Adventures.

Palo Pinto

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 10.39 feet below pool. Few reports and angler activity while the lake level is low and ramps are closed. Check ramp status before heading out.

Possum Kingdom

FAIR. Water clear; 81-84 degrees; 2.80 feet below pool. Striper are good on live bait in 20-30 feet of water. The fish are moving fast and not staying still very long so be prepared to stay on the move. Sand bass are fair using small live bait and small slabs in 15-30 feet of water. Catfish are good fishing small cut or live shad on the bottom in 3-20 feet of water. Water clarity is staying steady at 5-15 feet of visibility. Report by TJ Ranft, Ranft Guide Service. Striped bass action is excellent on live bait and downrigger jigs on the lower ends. Some good topwater reported near Hogs Bend. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.

Proctor

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 13.12 feet below pool. Catfish are good in the shallows on cut bait. Crappie are good in 8 feet of water on structure using a minnow. White bass are biting blade baits and hybrids a pencil popper with fish schooling on the surface in the mornings. Boat ramps are closed, but it is possible to launch a kayak. Report by Richard Wade, Richard Wade’s Guide Service.

Raven

GOOD. Water clear; 87 degrees; 2.00 feet low. Fishing patterns will remain similar until the water temperature starts to decline. Anglers are trying topwaters on bass by the grass. Minnows and artificial worms on crappie near the piers. Hot dogs will land catches of bluegill under the piers. Morning and evening might bring better chances. Lake level is down almost 2 feet. Hydrilla is slowly receding, but in need of rain to flush it out.

Ray Hubbard

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 79-81 degrees; 4.00 feet below pool. White bass are fair scattered along the edges of flats in 13-16 feet of water. Later in the morning fish can be caught on humps in 16-27 feet of water. Crappie are on bridge pylons, and brush piles in deep water keeping jigs or minnows in 17-24 feet. Catfish are roaming on points in 13-21 feet of water. Report by John Varner, John Varner’s Guide Service.

Ray Roberts

GOOD. Water is clear; 79 degrees; 1.93 feet below pool. Bass are good with topwater bite for an hour at sunrise, then dropshots rigged with a flat worm in 10-20 feet of water. Sand bass are fair in 30 feet of water with slabs. The schooling action has concluded for the year and should resume in the spring. Crappie are fair in standing timber 15-30 feet of water using minnows, brush piles are holding smaller fish. Report by Jim Walling, Ucatchem Guide Service.

Richland Chambers

FAIR. Water clear; 83-88 degrees; 2.40 feet below pool. Some much needed rain dropped nearly two inches of rain. The air temperatures were in the 70s and 80s and this lowered the water temperature to the mid to low 80s. Water clarity is good. The most consistent bite continues to be hybrid stripers and eater size blue and channel catfish. Hybrid striper guides are using live gizzard shad to catch fish off humps near the 309 flats. Water depths vary but most fish are coming from 25 feet of water. Eater size blue and channel catfish are very good and can be caught on shad or Danny King’s Punch Bait in the timber off the Richland Creek Channel in 25-30 feet of water. The early morning bite has been good and the fish are often suspended at various depths. No reports from the white bass, crappie or largemouth bass anglers. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin’ Guide Service.

Sam Rayburn

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 81 degrees; 4.69 feet below pool. The lake should turn over as the water temperature reaches the mid 70s. Bass are good in the lily pads with frogs, along the edges of the pads with senkos and wacky worms, in the drains and points with Texas rigs and crankbaits. Crappie and a few bluegill are stacking up on brush in 16-22 feet of water biting on minnows or jigs. Catfish are good around brush piles and creek channels points in 12-24 feet of water. White bass are good schooling on the flats and points on jigs and crankbaits. The lake level is low so navigate with caution watching for obstacles. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.

Somerville

FAIR. Water clear; 85 degrees; 5.01 feet below pool. The heat dome finally broke after the recent rains and the dam gates have closed. Water temperatures are now in the mid 80s. Catfish, bluegill, and crappie are fair on minnows and worms at Somerville Marina early morning. Black bass are fair hitting slow moving plastics and spinnerbaits on drop offs and brush in 8-14 feet of water. Crappie are fair on main lake brush piles and pilings using minnows and various jigs. Catfish are fair early in the morning in 8-14 feet of water. Larger catfish are slow in deep water drifting or using jug lines baited with shad or cut bait. White bass are slow trolling Pet spoons on points or using shad and ghost minnows on humps in 6-10 feet of water. Hybrids are slow using cut bait and 2 ounce jigs. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.

Spence

FAIR. Water stained; 86 degrees. 46.72 feet below pool. Bass are slow on topwaters and reaction baits in shallow water. A few bites are possible in deep water using plastics. Wear your life jacket and stay safe. Report by Bill Brasher, Bronte Fishing Guide Service.

Squaw Creek

GREAT. Water stained. 83 degrees; 0.29 feet below pool. Closed for the season. Scheduled to reopen October 1, 2023.

Stamford

SLOW. Water normal stain; 85 degrees; 2.64 feet below pool. Fishing should start to improve with the cooler temperatures. Crappie are fair at the crappie house. Blue catfish are biting stink bait. White bass bite has improved with the cooler temperatures and fish are schooling hitting minnows. Report by Anchor Marina.

Stillhouse

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 18.51 feet below pool. Until turnover occurs, fishing will rise and fall with local weather. Wind and cloud cover enhance fishing, while bright, calm conditions hinder. With the thermocline still firmly in place, downrigging for scattered, suspended fish was the best card to play this week. With shad continuing to grow, the #13 Pet Spoon downrigger with a multi-lure setup was my go-to presentation this week. For those without downriggers, using the Pet Spoon behind a Jet Diver, Dipsey Diver, or Hellbender is an option. Quality largemouth bass fishing continues with dark, naturally colored soft plastics fished on the outside edge of the hydrilla now standing in 20 feet of water both early morning and just before and after sunset. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.

Tawakoni

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 90 degrees; 1.63 feet below pool. Tawakoni continues to fish good as we begin to come out of our summer pattern. A series of cool fronts has cooled water temperatures to the lower 80s and we are seeing active fish feeding in many areas of the lake. The hybrid striper and white bass are herded up in big schools on many different lake points in 8-15 feet. Best lures have been slabs and small swimbaits. The eating size catfish have been very good over baited holes in 20 feet. Prepared baits, such as punch baits and dough baits are working best. We are starting to see Trophy Catfish caught up to 30 pounds using fresh cut gizzard shad in water 15-25 feet. The crappie bite is not bad in 10-20 feet using minnows near bridge pilings and brush piles. The largemouth bass bite has improved in the last 10 days. Early morning frogs and flukes are the ticket then follow it up with a square bill on the rip rap. Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.

Texana

GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees; 4.90 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to low lake levels.

Texoma

GOOD. Water stained; 86-88 degrees; 3.10 feet below pool. Fish are more active with the cooler weather. Striped bass are good with a majority of catches on shallow flats using topwaters early in the morning, but some catches on slabs in deep water. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors. Striped bass fishing is good using topwaters early in the morning along shallow flats on the west end of the lake. Swimbaits can catch fish in 10-15 feet of water on humps near creeks. Live bait fishing is still producing numbers in 35-40 feet of water in creek channels. Crappie fishing is slow on brush in the little mineral arm using electronics to find active fish using jigs with a slow presentation. Bass fishing is slow on topwaters early in the morning off the boulders, or with live shad along the island bluffs in 5-10 feet of water. Seeing a lot of short smallmouth and skinny largemouth. Catfishing is good on shad or prepared baits in 35-45 feet of water. Seeing a lot of keeper fish with the occasional bigger fish. Large blues will be staging along flats near creeks and the river mouths. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Texoma Guaranteed Guide Service.

Toledo Bend

FAIR. Water clear; 90 degrees; 3.81 feet below pool. Weather is finally cooling and there is rain in the forecast so this will improve the bite. Bass fishing has picked up some with a few more bass schooling on top. Best baits for this are chrome topwater and chrome lipless baits. A few fish are showing up in the creeks on light Texas rigs, squarebill crankbaits, and 1.5 or 2.5 size crankbaits. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.

Travis

FAIR. Water slight stain; 83-85 degrees; 51.29 feet below pool. Lake Travis is fishing great for bass. The topwater bite has been good using walking style baits along the shores as the bass are chasing bait up tight. You can move out to deep water ledges, points and humps to catch some good ones as well. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Twin Buttes

GOOD. Water stained. 83 degrees; 30.02 feet below pool. All species will start transitioning to fall patterns as the water temperature declines. Channel catfish are fair in 12-15 feet of water on prepared baits. White bass are in open water drop-offs in 15 feet of water using slabs or live bait. Crappie are on the edge of creeks and rivers on brush and trees biting jigs. Yellow catfish will start to become active. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.

Tyler

FAIR. Water stained; 83 degrees; 2.38 feet below pool. Catfish are good all over the lake on nightcrawlers and stinkbait. Bass are good on crankbaits in 8 feet of water. Crappie are fair in 10-30 feet of water on minnows. Bluegill are fair on red worms all over the lake. Report by Paul Taylor, The Boulders at Lake Tyler.

Waco

GREAT. Water stained; 85 degrees; 11.12 feet below pool. The crappie bite has gone from good to great due to the cooler weather. Water temperatures have dropped about 4-5 degrees sending the fish into a frenzy! Lake Waco and Aquilla Lake are fishing with similar results working brush piles on main lake points and drops in 8-18 feet of water. Starting to move away from minnows to straight jigs with the Snacky Lures fs200 in snacky flash on a Crappie Magnet eye hole jig head in 1/16th ounce and a small Crappie Magnet “pop eye” jig. Lake levels are still dropping but still navigable. Report by Robert Stover, Workingman Crappie Guide.

Walter E. Long

GOOD. Water stained; 1.00 above pool; 87 degrees. Bass are good in shallow water early in the morning, with some schooling action until a few hours after sunrise. Bass can be caught on worms, crankbaits and frogs. Bream and panfish are good. Report by David Townsend, Austin Fishing Guide. Bass are good with Texas rigged 4 and 5 inch worms in the grass. Always have some small swimbaits or jerkbaits ready to catch some big fish when the bass begin schooling later in the day. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Crappie are good in 12-18 feet of water using chartreuse and black jigs. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service.

Weatherford

SLOW. Water stained; 80 degrees; 8.81 feet below pool. Crappie are fair in 15 feet of water on rocks and brush piles with minnows or jigs. Catfish are fair with a few catches on the rocks near the dam on cut bait or shrimp. Bass are slow still in deeper water on crankbaits and Texas rigged worms.

White River

FAIR. Water stained; 87 degrees; 20.52 feet below pool. Catfish are good on worms and cut shad. Crappie are good on minnows.

Whitney

GREAT. Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 7.82 feet below pool. Striped bass topwater action is good near the Mccown flats. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. Striped bass are excellent from Bear Creek to the dam in 25-45 feet of water on live bait, flutter spoons, umbrella-rigs or swim baits. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton’s Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney.

Worth

FAIR. Water normally stained; 79 degrees; 2.68 feet below pool. White bass are good on main lake structure using slabs, or in mid depths on cocahoe minnows. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles and main lake structure on jigs. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait on structure. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.

Wright Patman

GOOD. Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.01 feet above pool. Fishing patterns remain similar. Crappie are good in the spillway on minnows or jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait off the rocks and in the spillway.

Houston

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.16 feet above pool. Fishing patterns are similar. Blue catfish are good on shad in the mouths of rivers. Crappie are fair on submerged structures in 10-20 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows. Bass are fair with an early morning topwater bite, transitioning to deeper structure with crankbaits and Texas or Carolina rigged worms.

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Also See:

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

Lake Country Fishing – fishing reports on Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, and more. (subscription required)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Freshwater Fishing Reports

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Saltwater Reports

Saltwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of September 20, 2023

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 90 degrees. Sharks and limits of speckled trout near the rigs. Ling are showing up. Jetties to the channel are good for redfish, trout and flounder along the rocks with shrimp on a popping cork. South Levy and the first and second pike at the North Levy are good for trout with topwaters in the morning, then crankbaits. Beautiful catches of trout at Pleasure Island using 5 inch glo chartreuse plastics with a 1/16th ounce jighead. Neches River to the I-10 Bridge holding slot redfish and some undersized speckled trout on points, drops, and shell or oyster in 4-20 feet of water using a popping cork with shrimp or live mullet. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 87 degrees. The surf is holding lots of black drum, shark, and some big redfish on cut bait or live bait on the bottom. The gulf side of the North Jetty is holding limits of trout, redfish, sheepshead, jack crevalle against the rocks with live bait and artificials. Jack crevalle are running in the surf biting big spoons or big deer hair jigs. The cuts leading in the bay from ICW holding fish against the shorelines. Lots of black drum around Goat Island. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Trinity Bay

GOOD. 84 degrees. Gas wells are holding a good number of speckled trout, but you have to cull through them in order to land a few keepers. Increasing number of birds working open schools of speckled trout. Rocks along the upper Houston ship channel holding black drum and redfish. Best bite on live shrimp under corks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

FAIR. 86 degrees. Birds are beginning to work over schools of speckled trout. Anglers are finding better numbers of speckled trout, redfish, and flounder fishing near marsh drains. Still some fish over shell reefs in open water. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 84 degrees, water clarity very good. Fishing continues to improve in East Galveston Bay with shorter days, cooler weather, and some good tide movement. Off the shore reefs have worked well again resulting in good catches of trout and redfish, with a few black drum, when you are able to find active bait in the area. We have found a few birds working as well and the trout have been actively eating shrimp underneath them. The redfish bite continued to improve this week when we were targeting them, resulting in solid slots, as well as some large bulls stretching our line on most outings. Shrimp imitation lures under popping corks with 12-18 inch leaders have still been producing the most bites for our anglers, and the Deadly Dudley, Slammin Sammy Chartreuse Tail Bay Chovey has worked well with �¼ oz jig heads fished with & without a popping cork at various depths. Until next time. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC. The cuts that come through the Intracoastal waterway, Siever’s and Stingarees, are holding fish against the shorelines coming into the bay, using live shrimp with a popping cork on a 12-16 inch leader. Hanna’s Reef, Potluck Reef, Fat Pat’s all holding fish early. Keep a watch on the birds and the restless bait. The big Poppa Pure Pearl DSL working earlyReport provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Galveston Bay

FAIR. 85 degrees. Lots of undersized speckled trout in the gas wells. Rock piles along the ship channel holding good numbers of black drum and a few keeper reds. Shorelines holding a few trout, and the occasional redfish and some flounder. Best action on live shrimp, followed by soft plastics. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Redfish Island holding some nice trout drifting the inside with croaker or strawberry with white artificials. The A-1 gas wells off the ship channel near Brothel Island are holding some nice trout with a chatterweight and croaker. Redfish at rocks by Brothel Island on popping cork with shrimp or gulp shrimp. The speckled trout are on croaker and artificial. The end of the South Jetty is holding big redfish with a few nice slots, and nice sharks. The gulf side of the jetty is on fire for catches of speckled trout, sheepshead, pompano and redfish close to rocks using live shrimp under a popping cork or freelined, Carolina rigged float with shrimp, or chatterweight and croaker. The surf is also on fire again for speckled trout, and redfish. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 87 degrees. Redfish catches are improving in the open bay. best bite on live shrimp and soft plastics. Still some good trout being caught by those wading with live croaker. Anglers are beginning to see more flounder. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The south shore is holding a lot of speckled trout and redfish for wade anglers, or drift fishing around the coves and grass lines from Waterman’s to Bay Harbor using a chatterweight with a 12 inch fluorocarbon leader 3/0 k hook. Both sides of Bird Island are holding fish, and the flats continue to hold good numbers of speckled trout and redfish for wade anglers. North shorelines between Carancahua Reef and Confederate Reef holding good trout and redfish with an occasional flounder drifting. Drift the four poles between Carancahua and Confederate Reef’s start at the poles, and drift toward the island or from the island and drift towards the poles with chatterweight and croaker or popping cork with shrimp. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Texas City

FAIR. 85 degrees. Bull redfish action is heating up at night off the Texas City Dike. Galveston jetty anglers are finding their fair share of big redfish along with a few big black drum. Galveston fishing piers seeing a few speckled trout, good numbers of Spanish Mackerel, and bull redfish. Still some sharks to be caught nearshore. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The rock shoals in front of Swan Lake are producing some catches of black drum and speckled trout with shrimp under a popping cork. Trout are in the guts between the shoals drifting croaker across Campbell’s Reef. The shoreline on the right side as you get on the dike is holding nice trout for wade anglers using artificial or live bait. Mosquito Inland holding trout with an occasional redfish on artificials, bone color working the best. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Freeport

GOOD. 86 degrees. Fishing patterns continue to hold steady. The bays in Bastrop, Christmas and the west end of Galveston Bay are good for trout, redfish and some flounder drifting in the morning using live shrimp with popping corks. The surf is good for trout, redfish, bull redfish, and sharks. The Brazos and San Bernard are producing catches of trout, redfish and flounder early in the mornings and late in the evening. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 89 degrees. Fishing is fair but should improve when the equinox tide raises water level. Few catches of trout on artificials. Redfish are best on cut mullet in shallow water. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 89 degrees. Fishing is fair but should improve when the equinox tide raises water level. Few catches of trout on artificials. Redfish are best on cut mullet in shallow water. The Colorado River is clear but the bite is slow. The fish typically move into The Colorado River in October. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O’Connor

GOOD. 87 degrees. Black drum are the end of the north jetty on dead shrimp. Slot redfish are the ends of the jetties on Spanish sardines. Spade fish are numerous biting all baits on the outside of both jetties. Very few catches of trout on live croaker outside the jetty. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GREAT. 88 degrees. Speckled trout are good in 2-4 feet of water over grass and sand on live bait, topwaters, and soft plastics. Redfish are great as shallow as one foot around the islands and marsh inlets on gulp and cut bait. Sheepshead are good near structure on live shrimp. Black drum are good in 3-6 feet of water on dead shrimp and Fishbites. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 89 degrees. Redfish are biting at the jetties on finger mullet, shrimp, and cut ladyfinger. Tarpon are at the jetties. Redfish are biting in Aransas Bay on cut mullet. Flounder are starting to become more abundant. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 89 degrees. Nice catches of redfish at Shamrock Island on cut mullet or croaker. Trout continue to bite at the wells on freelined croaker or shrimp. Flounder are starting to become more abundant. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Baffin Bay

GREAT. 86-95 degrees. The slight change in the weather sparked more activity in Baffin Bay. Schools of baitfish are migrating early in the morning along shorelines, drop-offs and parallel guts. Baitfish, birds flying above and activity on the surface will guide you to where the big fish are and what to throw. Read it all carefully as it changes throughout the morning, it will guide you through your journey on tricking a personal best fish or a nice stringer to take home. Match the hatch and mimic the same patterns of the baitfish around you. Smaller profile plastics with lots of hinge action as well as dark colored topwaters have been a hit all summer long. Switching between the two depending on the baitfish activity. If you notice a lot of action on top of the surface such as “big eats” “blow ups” “tail slaps,” you’re gonna want to throw a top water and walk it across the water, pause every once in a while, this makes it appear as a wounded baitfish. If the topwater activity ceases, switch over to a soft plastic and work the bottom to mid depth. Stay confident in your technique and surely you will persuade a fish of a lifestyle!

Port Mansfield

GREAT. 88-91 degrees. Fishing is improving some with good catches of redfish. Mansfield Knockers have been working great until noon, and if there is cloud cover then topwaters are good most of the day. Still fishing in shallow water and potholes and bait have been key. Offshore is also on fire for Kingfish and snapper. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.

South Padre

GOOD. 88 degrees. It has been windy, so check the wind forecast before heading out. The water is clear in the early mornings. Trout holding in the Intracoastal and in pot holes behind Three Islands and the gas well flats. Black drum are in small schools along the east side grass lines. Flounder are becoming more abundant along the edges of the intracoastal and mouth of Arroyo Colorado. Sheepshead are good near structure and best at the old causeway and jetties. Redfish are very good in deeper water at both jetties. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

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Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

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Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

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Fishing Report, Lake Guntersville 7/29/23

I haven’t put up a report for 2 weeks as I had a little personal travel that I was doing but
fishing is really good the first three hours of the morning if it overcast it lasted maybe another
hour or so. The fish have been feeding early until the heat and sun set in.
Baits are fairly common summertime baits, big worms, Missile Bait worms, SPRO Pop-r’s,
Tight-Line jigs and swim jigs. We have been using a few others just to see what they might
chase bit these are the baits catching fish for us. You have to get on the water at or before
first light to maximize the chances of catching fish in the heat.

Different Ways to Rig a Senko

In the summertime you have to be able to adjust to the lethargic action from most bass this
time of year; one way to do this is to fish a Senko and there are many ways to present it that
can help you catch fish.

One of the most common ways in the summer so you get a slow drop into the grass is to
Texas rig it weightless; I like using a 4.0 hook as the size of the hook adds just enough drop
from the size to make it slowly fall into the holes of the grass. Doing this allows you to be
patient, feel the bite and let the bait do the work for you.

One way to use a Senko especially when fish are suspending is to hook it directly in the end of
the worm and use a very light weight to let it drop through the deeper water at a slow rate.

Suspending fish will react to this presentation, you can rig it like a drop shot and hang the
weight below the Senko or just use a light slider weight either pegged or not and let the fall
of the bait drop through the fish. Finding schools of fish on your electronics and then
dropping the end hooked Senko through them is a great way to catch numbers. Your
electronics can be key in the summer for this to gain immediate positive results.

I also like wacky rigging it on a Shakey head that is maybe only 1/8 oz. in weight, doing this
gives the Senko more action and entices the bass to react to the different movement of the
wacky rig. Using this in water of 10 ft. or more can be deadly as the bait moves and sways
back and forth to the bottom. The 1/8 oz. amount of weight is just enough to get the bait to
drop to the depth where the fish are and cause the bait to move and cause a reaction. Shakey
heads are just great in the summer and this presentation just makes it better. Summers in the
summer catch fish and using different set-ups just make it better.

Big Worms for Summer

Over my many years of guiding I have found that most fisherman believe that using a big
worm in the heat of the summer is not the smartest of decisions; well, I believe it’s all in
technique and if you choose it correctly their very effective. There are so many little things to
consider when using a big worm in the heat of the summer but when you make the correct
decision based on the conditions you can have a great day in the heat.

First of all, the best summer technique for a big worm is dragging it on the bottom, bottom
hugging a big worm instead of moving it in an up and down is the key to success as most bass
in the heat are located on the bottom especially past 9am or so in the morning as the sun
comes up. However, this technique requires some thought especially if the deep water has
developed a thermocline on the bottom, which with the correct sensitivity of your electronics
you can actually see. Thermocline destroys the oxygen on the bottom and fishing it with any
bait is a waste of time; you have to move shallower when this occurs for the fish to bite as
they will move to better levels of oxygen. Another key is current, big worms in the summer
are very effective when there is current as it moves the bait as you drag it on the bottom
creating a movement bass will strike.

I like any big worm from 8 inches to 10 inches in the summer and the more tail action you get
from it the better the bait works for you. I also believe that the worm that floats up from the
bottom the better the worm works in the heat of the summer. So, dragging a floating worm
with lots of tail movement really makes for a great bait in the warm water as it projects off
the bottom making for a tantalizing bait. Color can also be key don’t be stuck on one color, if
you’re not successful try a different color to see if it changes the bite for you. Big worms, big
fish in the summer, try it you like it!

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Captain Mack’s Lake Hartwell Fishing Report

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