Category Archives: How To Fish

FISHING FOR CATFISH IN GEORGIA

FISHING FOR CATFISH IN GEORGIA is fun and produces some good eating.

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (July 2, 2025) – Don’t let summer slip away without heading out to the local fishing hole and casting a line for catfish. There are plenty of locations to land a catfish, and it’s a great experience for both new and experienced anglers, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

“Fishing can be a fun experience for new or young anglers, especially when you target catfish. The gear you need is relatively simple, and catfish are found throughout Georgia so angling locations are plentiful,” says Scott Robinson, WRD Fisheries Management Chief.  “And, while catching fish seems like the best part, it’s really the memories being made. I don’t think anyone ever looks back on their life and says, I took my kid fishing too often. So, get out there and make those memories as you Go Fish Georgia!”

Georgia’s public waterways are home to several species of catfish, including channel, white, blue, flathead, and bullheads (yellow, brown, snail, spotted, and flat). Larger species, like blue and flathead catfish, can even exceed 50 pounds!

What to Use:

  • Use 8- to 14-pound test line and medium-sized hooks (size 2 to 1/0) under a bobber or fished on the bottom when targeting channel and white catfish. Best baits include worms, liver, live minnows, shrimp, cut bait, and stink bait.
  • For large blue or flathead catfish, heavy tackle is a must — large spinning or casting gear with 20- to 50-pound test braid or monofilament line, large hooks (3/0 to 8/0), and heavy weights (1–5 oz) to keep bait on the bottom. Flatheads prefer live or freshly killed fish, while freshly caught gizzard shad is ideal for blue catfish.
  • Other effective catfishing methods include trotlines, limb lines, and jug-lines. Regulation details on these methods are available in the Georgia Sportfishing Regulations Book at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.

Where to Look:
Target rocky shorelines, rip-rap areas, points, and outside bends of rivers or submerged river channels. Catfish often stay in deeper “holes” during the day and move into shallow areas at night to feed. When fishing rivers, look for deep holes with rocky or woody cover during the day and focus on shallow sandbars, flats, and shoals near these holes at dawn, dusk, and nighttime. Flatheads especially favor downed trees and structure on outside bends.

When to Go:
Although catfish can be caught throughout the day, the best summer fishing is typically at dusk and into the night. Catfish bite year-round, but the peak action occurs from early spring through summer. Be prepared to move if you don’t get a bite within 30 minutes.

What are Some Good Locations?

Remember what we said about the best summer catfish fishing at dusk and into the night? Georgia’s Public Fishing Areas (GeorgiaWildlife.com/allpfas) are great places to target catfish, with most PFAs being open 24 hours a day year-round. For more lake and river fishing suggestions, check out the Fishing Forecasts webpage at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

Visit GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com to purchase a fishing license online or to view a list of retail license vendors or buy a license by phone at 1-800-366-2661.

For more fishing information, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.

GEORGIA PUBLIC FISHING AREAS PROVIDE A GREAT PLACE FOR FISHING, FAMILIES AND FUN

GEORGIA PUBLIC FISHING AREAS PROVIDE A GREAT PLACE FOR FISHING, FAMILIES AND FUN and there is one near you

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (July 2, 2025) – Why should you plan a trip to one or more of Georgia’s 11 Public Fishing Areas (PFA)? Naturally, the fishing is great as PFAs are managed for fishing by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), but did you know that most areas also offer additional experiences to entertain the whole family?

“Our fisheries staff takes great pride in managing these locations for the enjoyment of anglers and their families,” says Scott Robinson, WRD Fisheries Management Chief. “And, even if fishing isn’t the activity for all of the family, these locations provide something for everyone, including activities like hiking, bird watching, picnicking and camping.”

Waters on PFAs vary from lakes several hundred acres in size to ponds less than one acre with some designated as kids-only fishing ponds. Anglers can fish from a boat, along the shoreline, or from piers or docks at most locations.

All PFAs have concrete boat ramps, picnic tables, various nature and wildlife observation trails, fish cleaning stations and restroom facilities. Some PFAs offer camping opportunities (from primitive camping to RV) for those wishing to stay overnight on the area. All PFAs are open seven days a week, and except for Rocky Mountain PFA, also allow night fishing year-round.

Make plans to visit one (or more) of the following PFAs today:

  • Rocky Mountain PFA (Floyd County): Includes two lakes totaling 559 acres. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill and redear sunfish, channel catfish, crappie and walleye. Additional amenities: beach and swimming area, camping opportunities (tent, RV and group primitive camping), picnic shelters, archery range. Note: There is a $5 parking pass required to visit this PFA.
  • McDuffie PFA (McDuffie County): Includes seven lakes ranging from five to 37 acres, fish hatchery, and an education center. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish. Additional amenities: camping (tent and RV) opportunities (campground under renovation), archery range, covered pavilions.
  • Big Lazer Creek PFA (Talbot County): Includes a 195-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish, and crappie. Additional amenities: primitive camping opportunities, canoe/kayak launch onto the Flint River, and a firing range.
  • Marben Farms PFA (Jasper/Newton counties): Includes 20 ponds ranging from one to 95 acres, a wildlife management area and the Charlie Elliott Education Center. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie and channel catfish. Additional amenities: RV and tent camping opportunities, archery, shotgun and firearm range, visitors center, covered pavilions.
  • Ocmulgee PFA (Bleckley County): Includes a 106-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass (catch and release), crappie, bluegill, and redear sunfish. Additional amenities: Archery and Shooting Range (Ocmulgee WMA), canoe access.
  • Dodge County PFA (Dodge County): Includes a 104-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and crappie. Additional amenities: primitive boat-in camping opportunities, group shelter facility available for rent, archery range.
  • Evans County PFA (Evans County): Includes three lakes ranging from eight to 84 acres. Species: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, brown bullhead and channel catfish. Additional amenities: camping (tent) opportunities, event center (with commercial kitchen) available for rent, archery range, covered pavilion, boardwalk nature trail.
  • Flat Creek PFA (Houston County): Includes a 102-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie and channel catfish. Additional amenities: Pavilion with picnic tables and grills, archery range.
  • Hugh M. Gillis PFA (Laurens County): Includes a 109-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and crappie. Additional amenities: primitive boat-in camping opportunities, picnic tables, and a fishing pier.
  • Paradise PFA (Berrien & Tift Counties):  Includes 60 lakes totaling 525 acres. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie, and channel catfish. Additional amenities: primitive tent camping opportunities and reserved group camping, canoe/kayak trail.
  • Silver Lake PFA (Decatur County): Includes more than 30 lakes and ponds totaling 537 acres. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish. Additional amenities: Panic Pond (trophy bass pond), primitive camping opportunities, geocaching.

From Fins to Feathers! Let’s add bird watching to our outdoor adventures at Georgia PFAs. With an average of 154 species seen across all 11 PFAs, you are sure to find something to boost your birding life list. And, when you report those sightings through the eBird app, your observations provide great information for biologists and other birders.

Whichever activity you choose to enjoy at a Georgia PFA, be sure you have a valid fishing or hunting license or Lands Pass. Get a license online at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, buy a license by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or visit a license vendor (list of vendors found at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com).

For more information on PFAs in Georgia or for detailed PFA guides and maps, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/allpfas

Two Young Fishermen Give Me Hope for the Future and Night Fishing Memories

This past Sunday I spent seven hours in a boat on West Point with Rob Boswell, his son Brent and Brent’s tournament teammate Dylan Thayer.  They provided me with information for my September Map of the Month article.

    Brent and Dylan won two high school tournaments at West Point during the past tournament year and both impressed me with their skill casting, knowledge of bass and use of electronics. Both just graduated and know more than I do after more than 60 years of bass fishing!

    The thing that impressed me most was the maturity, courtesy and manners of the two young men.  They worked hard trying to catch fish and never gave up. They never had a cross word for each other or me, even when I asked stupid questions.  I told Rob he had trained them right!

    Young men like those two give me hope for the future even on days when the news is full of the opposite kind of youth and adults.

    The day was miserably hot, with bright sun, dead calm wind, water temperature 90 degrees and the air even hotter. It reminded me of why I prefer fishing at night this time of year.

    One of my first night fishing memories is going to Raysville Bridge and fishing under it.  I heard fishing under there was good and even back then I got fired up, just knowing I could catch catfish, bream, crappie and bass. I spent hours getting my rod and reel ready.

    We got a bucket of minnows and walked the long causeway out to the bridge and got under it.  I was tired from the walk and soon got sleepy – and irritable.

    It seemed every cast got hung in the rocks and I had to break off and retie my line with sinker and hook.  And we never got a bite.

    Another memory is of daddy and how patient he usually was with me. We were camping at Elijah Clark State Park on Clarks Hill and could see the big Highway 378 Bridge a half mile across the water.

    We had rented and old wooden jon boat and paddles. I talked daddy into paddling me to the bridge to fish one night. We loaded up the boat with rods, reels, ice chest with drinks, snacks and rope to tie up with and daddy and I, mostly daddy, paddled us to the bridge.

    After tying up I got my rod and started to bait my hook, and there was no minnow bucket! I had forgotten to put it in the boat.  Daddy patiently untied, paddled us back to the campground, got the minnows and paddled us back to the bridge!

    I don’t remember getting a bite that night.

    When I started teaching school in 1972 I had summers off so I often spent a week at a time at our camper at Raysville Boat Club.  I would fish a lot at night, fishing from 6:00 PM to 9:00 AM and then sleep all day for a week at a time.

    A few nights I tied up under Raysville Bridge in my bass boat and fished for whatever would bite.  Two nights really stand out in my memory.

    One trip I planned on fishing all night so I carried food and drinks with me.  I tied up a few feet from a family in a big boat and we all sat there, catching a crappie or hybrid every once in a while.

    About the time I started getting hungry the woman in the boat beside me pulled out a big box of fried chicken. The smell wafting across to me made my mouth water.

    Although I ate my sardines and saltines, which I usually loved, they were just not that good that night. I kept hoping the family would offer me a piece of chicken. I even considered grabbing one of the bones they threw in the water and gnawing any tiny shred of meant left!

    Another night worked out better. There were a dozen boats tied under the bridge but no one was catching anything. It was frustrating, we could see big hybrids holding about five feet down under our lights and sucking in tiny young of the year shad.

    Drifting a shiner minnow in front of them did no good, they ignored it, the shad they were eating were no more than a half inch long.  I remembered the adage “match the hatch” and got an idea.

    I dug around in my tackle and found a black #6 long shank bream hook. I peeled some shiny foil off my pack of cigarettes and wrapped the shank the hook with it. When I dropped it down under a small split shot, the hybrids ate it!

    I think they saw the tiny glint of my foil and mistook it for a little shad. Whatever happened, I caught more than a dozen big hybrids and no one else ever caught one. That laughed at me when I told them the “bait” I was using, I guess they thought I was lying, and they never tried it.

    It’s a good idea to be flexible when fishing!!

Big Bite Debuts New Sensation Fuzzy Stick

  • Big Bite Debuts New Sensation Fuzzy Stick, it looks weird but catches fish
  • By The Fishing Wire

Irving, TX – The Big Bite 4″ Scentsation Fuzzy Stick is creepy, crawly, and killer on bass. Featuring “fuzzy” appendages that are designed to drive fish crazy, the Scentsation Fuzzy Stick is truly unique and already has a proven track record.

“I first started using the Scentsation Fuzzy Stick at the St. Lawrence River tournament last year, which I won,” explains Big Bite pro Michael Neal, referencing his 2024 victory on the Bass Pro Tour. “It’s a bait that can mimic a variety of forage such as shad, bluegill, gobies, and crawfish. It’s all dependent on the color selection.”

The Scentsation Fuzzy Stick also shines in a variety of different techniques. “It can be fished a lot of different ways as well, including on a drop shot, nail weight, or Ned rig,” says Neal. “I feel like the bait shines on pressured fish that need a different profile to react. The skirt material is almost constantly moving with the water, so it looks much different than anything we currently have in the Big Bite lineup.”

Featuring Scentsation technology designed for bigger and longer bites, the Big Bite Scentsation Fuzzy Stick is available in 6 proven colors and comes 5 per pack. 

For more information on Big Bite Baits, please visit their website HERE, or find them on Facebookand other social media avenues.  

For additional questions or inquiries, please email marketing@gsmorg.com. Or, if you’d like to see the entire family of GSM brands, please visit www.gsmoutdoors.com.

About GSM Outdoors:

Few American outdoor companies enjoy a mutually respected relationship with their customers that span over five generations. GSM Outdoors is among those few! For over 70 years, the GSM family of brands has been helping passionate hunters, shooters, knife enthusiasts and anglers succeed through innovation and the manufacture of high-quality, reliable products that continue to prove themselves in the field, on the range and on the water. GSM Outdoors continues to leverage the latest technology and provide customers with the best products on the market. Tradition, heritage, and loyalty to outdoor enthusiasts of generations past and generations to come…that’s the GSM Outdoors guarantee!

Virginia’s Five Best Lesser-Known Smallmouth Waters


Go To Virginia’s Five Best Lesser-Known Smallmouth Waters for great catches

  • Virginia’s Five Best Lesser-Known Smallmouth Waters

By Dr. Peter Brookes

Photos by Dr. Peter Brookes

When folks talk about places to fish for Virginia’s stupendous smallmouth bass, you hear a lot of the same river names over and over again: the New, South Fork of the Shenandoah, the James, and the Rappahannock. Not that there’s anything wrong with that–these are great rivers for smallies (and other fish species).

Indeed, because of the likes of the New, ‘Doah, the Big Jim, and the Rapp–among other waters–Virginia is easily one of the top 10 smallmouth fishing states in the country; possibly even in the top five. That’s saying something when you’re up against the likes of the northern states that border the Great Lakes Basin.

But, there are a number of other rivers in the Old Dominion besides the Big Four that are definitely worthy of your smallmouth angling attention this year, especially as fishing for bronzebacks heats up with the weather.

If you’re new to smallie fishing, they’re a great game fish for a lot of reasons. These green-brown boulder beasts are aggressive, pull hard and often jump when hooked, aren’t too picky about flies, lures, or presentation, and are famous for their strikes on the water’s surface.

A photo of a boy holding up a smallmouth bass and smiling with a river behind him.

Smallies are a great choice for new anglers to target.

You won’t forget seeing the first time a smallie goes airborne to inhale some unsuspecting flying insect. The bronzeback’s willingness to play as well as the quantity and quality (i,e., 11-inch plus) of them across the Old Dominion make them a great fish for the novice fly fisher or conventional angling, beginning their lifetime of angling adventure.

With that in mind, here are five of the best of the less-celebrated waters for Virginia smallies that you may want to wet a line in this summer:

North Fork of the Shenandoah River

Everyone talks about smallie fishing on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River–and rightfully so, it’s a great fishery. But the North Fork is also worthy of attention for smallies. The North Fork in Shenandoah County holds good quantity and good quality bronzebacks, especially in the middle section near Woodstock and Edinburg and the lower section near Strasburg before it joins with the Main Stem near Front Royal.

The scenic North Fork, which meanders through the Northern Shenandoah Valley, offers riffle pool sequences, opportunities for wading and floating, and less pressure than its cousin on the opposite side of Massanutten Mountain, the South Fork. Possible smallmouth bycatches in the North Fork include: largemouth bass, channel catfish, panfish, or the occasional muskellunge (musky).

A pretty photo of a river taken from the middle of the water, with trees lining the banks.

The North Fork Shenandoah River

Maury River

In Rockbridge County, the Maury receives clean, cold water from the mountains through Goshen Pass on a 40-mile run before disappearing into the mighty James River. The upper section is mostly a (stocked) brown and rainbow trout fishery. In the middle and lower sections, the water warms, creating ideal smallie habitat. The river also has lots of structure (e.g., ledges and boulders), which provide ample ambush points for these piscatorial predators.

Pressure on the Maury is lighter than on the Big Jim due to it’s less-celebrated status as a smallmouth waterway. It has both wadeable and floatable sections. (Spring is best for floating). Expect bronzebacks in the 7-13-inch range with numbers of quality fish increasing.

Not a smallie on your line in the Maury? It could be a panfish, rock bass, or carp; less likely, but possible, is a musky or flathead catfish.

Rivanna River

In Albemarle county, this river near Charlottesville is probably best known as a recreational waterway for tubing and kayaking. But this often-overlooked fishery offers good quantity and good quality smallmouth bass fishing. Designated Virginia’s first scenic river, the Rivanna–a shortened version of “River Anna,” named after an English Queen–flows for 40-plus miles before it disappears into the James River. It’s sometimes historically known as “Mr. (Thomas) Jefferson’s River.”

The Rivanna is known for its deep pools and rock gardens; it’s  both floatable and wadeable with some convenient shoals for wading anglers. Expect the river to offer up lots of smallies in the 8-13 inch range with reports of an occasional trophy-size fish (i.e., 20-inches or 5-lbs.).

While angling the Rivanna, you might also hook into: largemouth bass, panfish, fallfish, crappie, rock bass, and channel cats.

A photo of a smallmouth bass fish being held up out of the water with a fly in its mouth.

A Rivanna River bronzeback.

Clinch River

Located in Southwest Virginia, the Clinch is considered one of the most biodiverse rivers in North America–and perhaps the world–with a large variety of aquatic life (e.g., mussels) and non-game fish species (e.g., darters and minnows). If that’s not enough, the Clinch also has more species of fish than any other Virginia river.

Mostly known as a top-notch tailwater trout fishery downstream in Tennessee, the Clinch offers deep pools and rocky runs for smallies on the Virginia side of the border. The one-time stomping grounds of Daniel Boone are scenic and offer low fishing pressure. The river has good fishing access, with wadeable and floatable sections. (Good news: It’s generally floatable all summer). The Clinch provides good quantity and good quality smallmouth bass fishing; expect smallies in the 10-16 inch range with an occasional citation-size fish.

Besides solid smallmouth fishing, smallie bycatches in the Clinch include musky, walleye (a native Virginia strain), rock bass, and panfish.

Rapidan River

waterway usually known for its upper section in Shenandoah National Park that includes top-notch brook trout fishing and historic Camp Hoover, the lower Rapidan in Culpeper County offers excellent smallmouth fishing. The river is both floatable and wadeable, with good structure and clear water. This often passed-over warmwater fishery provides great sight-fishing opportunities for bronzebacks before it eventually dumps into the Rappahannock.

A trophy smallie is possible, but if the tug on your line isn’t a bronzeback in the Rapidan, it might be a largemouth, panfish, rock bass, fallfish, cat–or even a juvenile striped bass that has migrated up from the tidal reaches below Fredericksburg.

Other Virginia smallmouth rivers could have easily made this list such as the North Fork of the Holston, the Staunton, the Powell, the North Fork and South Fork of the Anna, Shenandoah Main Stem, and the lower Jackson River. The point is that Virginia has a lot of superb smallmouth bass fishing in big and small rivers across the state, so if you haven’t already gotten your Virginia freshwater fishing license, you can get it right now online here.

Overshadowed by bigger-name smallie rivers, these less-celebrated waterways offer not only great fishing, but because they’re often overlooked, they can put you on the fish while being away from the crowds. That’s what I call a dog days of summer good deal.


Dr. Peter Brookes is an award-winning, Virginia outdoor writer at Brookes Outdoors. Connect at Brookesoutdoors@aol.com.

How To Post-Spawn Through Summer Smallies

  • Post-Spawn Through Summer Smallies
  • By The Fishing Wire

Whitewater Fishing B.A.S.S. tournament pro, Alex Redwine, talks fishing the transition period

Muskegon, MI – On most waters, smallmouth bass have either transitioned from post-spawn into summer behavior – or are already in summer mode. Smallmouth bass will spawn in water temperatures between 58 and 70 degrees – and water temps are steadily rising, especially with recent warm spells. 

What better way to figure out a program for tracking transition period smallies than talk to a pro angler, in this case, Whitewater Fishing B.A.S.S. tournament pro, Alex Redwine. 

Having spent the last week fishing Lake St. Clair, Redwine was thrown into exactly this situation: Where are the bass now that they finished up the spawn? Many anglers are facing the same situation, so we quizzed him on recent and current on-the-water experience fighting the good fight.  

“This part of June can always be a tricky time of year. Smallies are just getting off their beds and they get less grouped up as they start moving to their summertime spots,” said Redwine. 

“There might be a few leftover fish, but 90% of them are done spawning. They’re in transition and aren’t 100% feeding up yet because the summer water temperatures in a lot of cases haven’t arrived.” 

On St. Clair, Redwine found shallow water temps around 69-70 degrees and out a little deeper, in the 62- to 64-degree range. He felt like the deeper water had to warm up more before the fish would really start feeding, as well as the shallower waters warming up a little bit more to get them to start pulling out. 

Where to look? Redwine worked both shallower and in-between depths looking for fish, as well as hitting transition spots like points where fish will often group up. 

He also discovered a mayfly hatch, something he urges anglers to watch for in late June across the Upper Midwest. “After the spawn, the fish are pretty skinny and wanting to feed up, so if you can find where the mayflies are hatching, you can intercept them feeding on the carcasses, even if they haven’t moved entirely deep to feed up on baitfish.”

image 122
Post-Spawn Through Summer Smallies 1

Top Presentations

“During this transition period, the first thing I’ll do is throw a 3- to 4-inch swimbait – like a Keitech – something I can cover a lot of water with. The fish can be really spread out during this period but still aggressive, so this is a perfect bait for putting the gas on the trolling motor.”

Redwine says that covering real estate with a swimbait allows him to find out where fish might be starting to group up. 

Then, if he gains confidence in an area, Redwine will put the swimbait rod down and pick up a Ned Rig or dropshot rod and really dial into an area. 

Dialing into gear, Redwine throws swimbaits and Ned Rigs on a 7-foot medium-power, fast-action rod with a 2500 or 3000 size reel and 10- or 15-pound braid depending on how rocky and snagging the terrain is – which he terminates to either an 8- or 10-pound fluoro leader. 

“On St. Clair, the bass will spawn anywhere from 3 to 10 feet of water – and the depth in the middle is 18 to 20 feet – so I caught most of my fish targeting that 9- to 14-foot range because there were still some fish that weren’t fully out deep.” 

For anglers stuck in this predicament right now, Redwine suggests mapping where you think the smallmouth spawned and then draw out paths from there – first stops for where the fish will move post-spawn, like a secondary point coming out of a pocket or creek.

“Obviously, you need to intercept them on that path from their spawning site to deeper waters,” noted Redwine. “It can take a lot of looking around.” 

image 123
Post-Spawn Through Summer Smallies 2

Smallie Summer Mode

Redwine says when the water temp in shallower and mid-depths reaches about 75 degrees is when smallmouth bass have transitioned to summer mode and head deeper collectively. That’s when he’ll start fishing deeper, relying heavily on his electronics, and fishing four basic ways – Ned Rig, shakey head, FFS minnow, or topwater. 

“And not only is it a water temperature thing that pushes the bass out deeper,” noted Redwine. “They’re following baitfish that are leaving shallower spots and taking up residence over deeper water. Follow the food, find the fish.”

Redwine added that not all his deeper water summer smallie fishing is in no man’s land. A lot of times he’s looking for the shade of deeper banks near shore where the fish will congregate. 

“In terms of presentations, my summertime smallie confidence bait is a shaky head. Seems like when the fishing gets tougher, I can always rely on it to put fish in the boat. The other thing is fishing topwaters over the bait high in the water column. When the bass really want to feed up after the spawn you can do some serious damage with a popper or walking bait.” 

image 124
Post-Spawn Through Summer Smallies 3

Stay Comfortable

To follow—and catch—smallies the entire open-water season, an angler must be prepared for cold, snow, rain, and then heat. Redwine says he starts off in the early spring in the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Jacket and Bib, which gives him “excellent range of movement” and “isn’t bulky for how warm it is.”

Then, as spring wears on, he’s never without his Great Lakes Pro Jacket and Bib in case of routine wet, cool, and drizzly weather. 

“I’ve put that stuff away for the season, but have been living in my Whitewater Rays Performance Hoodie with the built-in gaiter that protects my face and neck—as well as the rest of me from UV while being in the sun all day. For the same reason, I’m wearing the Prevail Pants to protect my legs. And it’s all super breathable and cool.”

Looking Ahead

Currently on break from B.A.S.S., but looking at two events in August, Redwine has been fishing “a lot of local stuff” and has his fingers crossed to qualify for the 2026 Bassmaster Classic. Whitewater continues to root for the young gunslinger and thanks him for sharing a few tips to catch more smallmouth bass in this time of post-spawn to summer transition. 

About Whitewater

Whitewater performance fishing apparel gives anglers distinct advantages whenever Mother Nature’s unpredictability conspires to ruin angling adventures. Whether faced with wind, rain, snow, sun, or extreme temperatures, Whitewater apparel equips anglers with the ability and confidence to overcome the elements, so they apply their focus and energies on fighting fish, not the conditions. Whitewater is a brand by Nexus Outdoors, headquartered in Muskegon, Michigan, USA. Learn more and order at whitewaterfish.com.

TEXAS WEEKLY FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT

from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Also See:

Jeff Nail’s Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report

Lake Hartwell Fishing Report from Captain Mack

Lake Lanier Fishing Report from Captain Mack

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 June 4, 2025

Alan Henry

FAIR. Water clear; 76 degrees; 1.03 feet below pool. Crappie are fair in 25-40 feet on jigs and minnows. Report by The Bait Shop, Post, Texas.

Amistad

GREAT. Water normal stain; 84 degrees; 68.09 feet below pool. White bass are good off points and ledges with small swimbaits, jigs, and spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs moving deeper midday. Report by Shon Riley, Lake Amistad Fishing Guides.

Arlington

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.20 feet above pool. Conditions are still the same. The lake has received a lot of rain so the clarity is stained. Bass continue to be shallow, or on deep points with crankbaits.

Arrowhead

SLOW. Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.35 feet below pool. Catfish bite is slow while the spawn is on. Still waiting on mature catfish to show. Report by Brandon Brown, Brown’s Guide Service.

Athens

GOOD. Water normal stain; 80 degrees; 0.58 feet above pool. Bass are good in 8-12 feet of water in grass with Texas rigged worms, wacky rigged senkos, and crankbaits. Crappie are slow on small jigs over brush. Report by Reagan Nelson, Lake Athens Bass Guide.

Austin

GOOD. Water stained; 78 degrees; 0.64 feet below pool. Summertime patterns are in play right now on Lake Austin. Bass are deep around bait and setting up on brush piles. Early morning bites can be found on the bank and as the day goes on fish are pulling out deeper around creek mouths and open water. Small swimbaits, dropshots, Texas rigs and shaky heads fished deep are getting bites. Quite a bit of grass growing deeper on both ends of the lake. Mostly hydrilla and eel grass. Lightweight Texas rigs fished deep are getting bites. Report by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing.

B.A. Steinhagen

FAIR. Water stain; 75 degrees; 0.27 feet below pool. Very few anglers on the water. Expect fish to start pushing shallow as the water warms.

Bastrop

GREAT. Water stained; 80 degrees. Lake Bastrop is fishing well. Bass are schooling up in the mornings in the discharge. Throw small swimbaits, flukes, jerkbaits and Texas-rigged worms or a shaky head. Later move out off the dam to find some schoolies and throw topwaters or cranks or a tiny jighead and 2 inch minnow style bait. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Summer pattern has locked in, so slow your approach. A good summertime pattern is to target bass dragging the bottom with Alabama rigs in 20 feet of water. The schooling activity has slowed and fish are deep. A few fish can be caught in patchy grass and reeds the first and last two hours of the day. Continue to cast clear topwaters, shad colored squarebill crankbaits, or Alabama rigs rolled extremely slow off the bottom.

Belton

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.53 feet below pool. Belton has climbed another 0.38 feet since last week. Fishing for white bass has gotten tougher now that young-of-the-year shad are in abundance, and the water is stratifying as the thermocline develops. The best success is during the first few hours of light in the morning and again in the last hour of light on either side of sunset. The MAL Heavy with silver blade and chartreuse tail is the only lure I’ve used for the past four weeks, and it continued to produce well this week. It shows up remarkably well on forward-facing sonar and 2-D sonar. Drop it either to the bottom if fish are on bottom, or below the level of suspended fish, and crank it up at a steady cadence at least two cranks above the fish showing highest in the water column. If a chase occurs, keep cranking at that same steady cadence until the fish either catches it, or turns away. When a strike occurs, keep right on cranking without a hard hookset. Some topwater action is also taking place, although it has not become predictable. Be on the lookout for herons feeding repetitively over open water, then go in stealthily for a look so as not to spook the fish and push them off the surface. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfish are fair. As we start the spawning cycle anglers should expect the catfish activity to slow for a few weeks. Shallow water around timber with fresh shad or prepared bait can produce smaller blue catfish under 10 pounds. Flatheads are fair on live bluegill around river mouths and log piles. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.

Benbrook

GOOD. Water stained; 78 degrees; 0.88 feet above pool. Catfish are good on live and cut bait 10-25 feet of water. Hybrids are good on live bait 15-30 feet of water. Bass are good with hard plastics off ledges, and soft plastics around brush. Report by Hundley’s Guide Service.

Bob Sandlin

GOOD. Water stained; 81 degrees; 0.55 feet above pool. Crappie are loaded on the brush piles in all depths and are doing great on jigs. White bass are numerous cruising around deeper structures and will hit almost anything. Catfish have been slower this week, but should start biting in 15-20 feet of water on stink bait. Bass are in a summer pattern biting early morning and late night around lights. Lots of spotted bass and yellow bass are being caught right now too. Report by Chris Caswell, Lake Bob Sandlin Crappie Fishing Guide. Check out the backs of coves for hydrilla and milfoil, fish patterns should draw bass out from cover. Top water patterns in lilies should be good at mid day.. Catfish are moving shallow, wooly buggers should work well. Clousers on sunny rocky shores might draw a strike. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Crappie are excellent in timber and brush piles in 14-30 feet of water. Minnows are preferred over jigs. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Bois d’Arc

GOOD. water normal stain; 76 degrees; 0.34 feet above pool. Morning bass bite has picked up. Grassy or weed areas around main lake points and secondary points are good with spook type baits and poppers in 1-4 feet of water. Wind blown points with shad in 2-4 feet of water are good with spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and rage swimmers. Road beds with bigger timber are really good with Texas rigs creature baits in 4-7 feet. Some fish are showing up on offshore structures in 12-19 feet of water. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Crappie are excellent on structure from 15-25 feet of water. Minnows are out performing jigs. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Brady

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 15.14 feet below pool. The lake is very low and ramps are closed. There is a temporary use ramp available. It is possible to catch crappie and bass from the crappie house and from the bank.

Braunig

FAIR. Water stained, 88 degrees. Redfish are slow congregating in schools in front of the power plant, the dam, and old Corpus Christi Road. Redfish can be caught with gold and silver spoons, or imitation shad. a variety of colors from bass assassin plastics, or trolling soft plastics. A few catches anchored with shrimp, perch, and gizzard chad. Stripers and catfish are slow. Report by Manny Martinez, Fishing With Manny.

Bridgeport

FAIR. Water stained; 77 degrees; 0.34 feet above pool. Crappie are primarily roaming but finding some active fish on dock poles or brush. Largemouth bass bite is decent in shallow water using topwaters and crankbaits. White bass and hybrids are good on main lake humps with slabs or live shad. Catfish bite is good on cut bait. Report by Jack Pellegrini, Lake Bridgeport Crappie Guide Service.

Brownwood

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 79 degrees; 0.80 feet above pool. Black bass to 4.97 pounds are good in 8-25 feet of water on shaky heads, Hag’s Jigs or Tornados and topwaters. Bass have moved into an early summer pattern. Crappie are excellent with catches up to 15 inches on minnows and jigs in 18-25 feet of water main lake brush piles. White bass are good to 2.5 pounds on crankbaits out of the lights at night. Catfish are Fair on cut shad, nightcrawlers and chicken livers on the main lake flats.

Bryan

GOOD. Water stained; 77 degrees. Brush piles have been a huge factor to catch bass after the shad spawn. Bass can still be caught shallow, but offshore points and rock have produced the best. Report by the Aggie Anglers.

Buchanan

EXCELLENT. Water slight stain; 76 degrees; 18.32 feet below pool. Boating hazards are prevalent on the north end after the recent inflow, so exercise caution while boating. The shad spawn is still going but not lake wide and they are holding just off the bank on some rocky shorelines. The white bass and striper are around the spawn and are biting on just about anything thrown. Several days last week there were abundant top water white bass schools and a few stripers. The stripers are biting excellent on live shad in 9-45 feet of water. White bass continue to bite on slabs and soft plastics 20-36 feet of water on wind-blown points and humps. The trolling bite for stripers has picked up but has not had a day to day consistency. Report by Travis Holland, TH Fishing. Fishing patterns are consistent with increased topwater action. Hybrids and stripers are hitting umbrella rigs in 15-30 feet of water, or live bait in 30-50 feet of water over sand points and trees. Increased topwater and trolling action. Report by Captain Aaron Dick, One Up Fishing Guide Service. Bigger bass are being caught on rock piles in 5-15 feet on jigs, swimbaits and most Texas-rigged soft plastics. Flipping trees is good right now as well with flukes and craws. The topwater bite is starting to turn on as well and you can catch some big bass throwing around rocky points and shallow ledges. Crankbaits are always a good choice as well. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good in 15-20 feet of water around standing timber and main lake points. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service.

Caddo

SLOW. Water stained; 67 degrees; 1.41 feet above pool. Caddo is over pool with a good current. The clarity is stained and muddy near the river and bayou, but looks really good on the main lake. The pad and grass bass are starting to heat up with flukes, ribbits, buzzbaits, frogs and such. As the lake level falls expect bass to hold tight to trees hitting big worms, senkos, flukes or frogs. The river bite has slowed due to the muddy water, and may slow until the water clears. Conditions are improving, and even with a slower bite it is always a great time to come see a lake majestic and divine like Caddo. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.

Calaveras

GOOD. Water stained, 91 degrees. Fishing is excellent for redfish between 10-20 pounds with imitation shad, or gold and silver spoons. Target redfish shallow or in 15-25 feet of water. Channel catfish and blue catfish are excellent with catches between 5-15 pounds possible with stink bait, perch, and shad. Stripers are slow. Tilapia are good from the bank using shad, and shrimp. Redfish and catfish average between 5-10 pounds off the bank. Report by Manny Martinez, Fishing With Manny.

Canyon Lake

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 78 degrees; 31.80 feet below pool. Striped bass and white bass are good fishing humps on the lower end and long drawn out points in 20-30 feet of water with shad colored swimbaits and jigging spoons. Bass are excellent around the grass with topwaters in the morning and your favorite plastics during the day. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.

Cedar Creek

GOOD. stained; 77 degrees; 0.04 feet above pool. The hybrid striped bass and white bass are on a feeding frenzy! Start looking for heavy bird activity throughout the lake on flats and near the dam, or on the edges of drop-offs especially on cloudy and overcast days. Focus drop-offs and along seawalls early in the mornings in 5-14 feet with slabs. Reports of great catches using silver or white slabs and spinners and retrieving off the bottom at a very slow retrieve to catch these fish in depths of 17-26 feet of water. The crappie have also migrated back into the main lake. Look for them under bridge pylons or under docks where the depths are between 3-10 feet. Guides have been reporting exceptionally nice catches on sunny warmer days. Report by Brent Herbeck, Herbeck’s Lonestar Fishing Guide Service. Catfish are good on humps in 5-20 feet on fresh shad, or drifting in 15-25 feet of water for bigger fish. Report by Jason Barber, Kings Creek Adventures.

Choke Canyon

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees; 35.39 feet below pool. All boat ramps are closed at this time. Fishing off the bank is excellent for catfish, blues, and channel on stink bait, perch, and gizzard chad. Some crappie and freshwater drum are being caught off the bank. Some kayaks and flat bottom boats are being allowed at this time. Report by Manny Martinez, Fishing With Manny.

Cisco

GREAT. Water stained; 75 degrees; 13.17 feet below pool. Overall the lake is fishing great. Crappie are being caught in 10 feet of water. Channel catfish are biting in less than 10 feet of water. Report by Lake Cisco Rentals.

Coleman

FAIR. Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.12 feet below pool. Black bass to 3 pounds are excellent in 1-10 feet of water throughout the lake in the grass and bushes with a white and chartreuse spinnerbait. A few fish are on the docks with a dropshot or Neko rig, Hag’s Tornados in Morning Dawn, Tsunami Jigs and spinnerbaits. Most bass in the 1.5-3 pound range are guarding fry. Crappie are slow to 10 inches on jigs in 8-15 feet in the stumps and under docks. Hybrid bass are Excellent to 10 pounds on squarebill crankbaits on lighted docks and chasing the shad spawn on the dam early and late. Catfish are slow on prepared bait, nightcrawlers and chicken livers.

Coleto Creek

GOOD. Water slightly stained, 87 degrees; 1.43 feet below. Bass are fair, mostly on soft plastic. Report by Scott Springer, Fish Choke Canyon Lake.

Comanche Creek

0.44 feet above pool. Comanche Creek is closed for the summer and will reopen in October.

Conroe

GREAT. Water stained; 84 degrees; 0.01 feet above pool. Catfish are good in 10-40 feet of water. They are spawning at this time, use a floater to suspend bait off the bottom. Catfish will be very structure oriented until the spawn is over. Crappie are fair to poor as they have been hit hard this spring. Target fish in 10-25 feet of water, but only expect a few bites. Big bluegill are everywhere from 3-25 feet of water. It is a great time to take kids out for some good action. Largemouth bass are good on the edges, docks as well as offshore structure during the day. Report by Bradley Doyle, Bradley’s Guide Service. Hybrids and white bass are on flats and drop-offs in 14-26 feet of water using live large goldfish or minnows, slabs, spoons, and crankbaits. I have been removing one of the treble hooks to make it easier when action is good. Check the tooth patch to distinguish the difference between the two species. Juvenile hybrids are prominent as well as large white bass. Always wear your life jacket! Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.

Cooper

SLOW. Water stained; 75 degrees: 2.00 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 10-20 feet of water on timber. Minnows are outperforming jigs. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Corpus Christi Lake

SLOW. 80 degrees; 14.85 feet below pool. The lake level is very low with mild wind conditions in the mornings becoming windier towards the afternoon. Some reports of blue catfish and yellow catfish averaging between 3-40 pounds. Report by Weber’s Landing.

Cypress Springs

FAIR: Water normal stain; 78 degrees; 0.37 feet above pool. Crappie are loaded on the brush piles in all depths and are doing great on jigs. White bass are numerous cruising around deeper structures and will hit almost anything. Catfish have been slower this week, but should start biting in 15-20 feet of water on stink bait. Bass are in a summer pattern biting early morning and late night around lights. Lots of spotted bass and yellow bass are being caught right now too. Report by Chris Caswell, Lake Bob Sandlin Crappie Fishing Guide. Crappie are congregating on boat docks and brush piles. Some bigger fish are roaming. The best bite is a hand tied ⅛ ounce jig tipped with a minnow. You will have to weed through small fish to find the keepers. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Eagle Mountain

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.36 feet above pool. Channel catfish are good on manufactured bait on deep water humps, points and drop-offs. Sand bass are fair to good green and white slabs on deep water humps, points and ridges. Crappie are slow to fair on minnows around docks and deep water brush piles. The north end of the lake is stained like chocolate milk, the south end is trying to clear but continues to be stained. Report by Captain Bobby Mann, Catch a Dream Guide Service.

Falcon

GOOD. Water stained; 71 degrees; 47.04 feet below pool. Black bass are great in 3-15 feet of water on hard bottoms with crankbaits, senkos or power worms. Spinnerbaits are good in shallow water along rocks. Keeper catfish are good in 10-20 feet of water using stink bait, shrimp, or small cut bait. Trophy catfish are fair while fish are in a spawn transition. Target fish 3-15 feet of water with live shad or fresh cut bait. Bow fishing for gar is excellent, and rod and reel is good with cut bait on the south end at the mouth of Tigers Creek. Crappie are slow with fish scattered. Report by Ram Reyes, Ram Outdoors.

Fayette

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 87 degrees. The early morning bass bite is starting to slow. Bass are good with underspins, rattle traps and spinnerbaits in less than 4 feet of water. Shaky heads and Carolina rigs are still working in 12-20 feet of water. Bass are still not suspending. Perch are in 10 feet of water on nightcrawlers with catfish mixed in. Report by Mark Fransen, Fransen’s Guide Service.

Fork

GOOD. Water Stained; 73 degrees; 0.25 feet above pool. The early morning bass bite is good on points and around grass with topwaters, and chatterbaits. Points with shad are best in 2-4 feet of water with chatterbaits, and squarebill crankbaits. The grog bite is good over shallow grass. The offshore bite has been good in 15-22 feet of water on Carolina rigs with flukes or big worms on points, humps, road beds. Deep crankbaits are starting to improve in channel swings in 20-25 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Lily fields are filling in, hydrilla and milfoil are reaching for the surface. Fish this type of cover at midday when bass are seeking cover. Frog patterns are working in the shallow vegetation early and late. Drop a clouser on an isolated cover for black bass. Large bream have moved shallow, wooly buggers are producing good fish. Channel catfish are cruising 2-4 feet, clousers are a good choice. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing improves daily as we head into the summer pattern. The bigger fish are finally stacking up with all the small fish we have been seeing the last few weeks. Crappie are on underwater bridges, underwater roadbeds, bridges, lay downs, brush piles, tire reefs and of timber in the 14-32 feet range. Minnows, soft plastics and hand tied jigs will work as these fish are aggressive and hungry coming off the spawn. Great success has come using small 1/16 ounce hand ties with or without a 1/4 ounce egg weight pegged above it. The winds dictate whether or not we can fish that jig solo. Color does not seem to matter, if you swim or even hold that bait above the fish. The most important part of the presentation is to stay above the fish always. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

Ft. Phantom Hill

FAIR. Water stained; 75 degrees; 5.05 feet below pool. Few reports from anglers. Bass are in all stages of the spawn hitting creature baits and soft plastics. Crappie can be caught with minnows or jigs in shade and brush.

Georgetown

GOOD. normal stain; 77 degrees; 10.13 feet below pool. Bass fishing remains consistent. Look for some spawning fish mid to up river and use soft plastics like lizards, creature baits and worms for those. Some bass are a bit deeper and a shaky head works wonders on this lake around offshore humps and ledges. Find some lay laydowns in around 3-5 feet and flip those for some good bites. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Graham

FAIR. Water stained; 76 degrees; 0.04 feet above pool. Water is still high and muddy. Bass are slow feeding on shad in shallow water. Crappie are good on brush in 14 feet of water with minows and jigs. Sand bass and hybrids are schooling on the main lake points feeding on shad. The bite is good with minnows and spoons. Catfish are on the main lake flats feeding on shad. The bite is good on cut shad and chicken liver.

Granbury

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.23 feet below pool. Water is stained slightly on the upper ends, but is generally clear from midlake to the dam. After the recent rains the lake is full pool, so watch for floating debris. Striped bass and sand bass can be caught near channel breaks near feeding flats at several locations from Ports–O-Call to Sandy Point and near the dam. Bigger striped bass are being taken on 1ounce slabs and live shad fished mainly on the lower ends from Decordova to near the pump stations close to the dam. Smaller stripers and sand bass are easily being caught on slabs and spinnerbaits all over the lake from Bentwater to Blue Water Shores. Largemouth bass are good to 6 pounds on soft plastics and lipless crankbaits fished in the back of sloughs and near main lake points. Look for topwater action on feeding flats. Crappies are holdings to structure near deeper docks, underwater timber and near bridge pilings and are good on small minnows and jigs. Blue catfish continue to be good from Water’s Edge to Hunter Park on cut shad. An occasional bigger blue or yellow catfish to 25 pounds plus are possible. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.

Granger

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 0.92 feet above pool. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits fished around cover. Crappie are good to 2 pounds on minnows fished over brush piles. White bass are fair on crankbaits trolled along shallow roadbeds. Blue catfish are good on jug lines baited with shad. Yellow catfish are good on live bait fished around timber. Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.

Grapevine

GOOD. Water stained; 75 degrees; 5.82 feet above pool. White bass are in all depths feeding on shad. Use inline spinners shallow and slabs in deeper water. Keep an eye out for birds working. Really nice catfish mixed in with the white bass. Check ramp status before heading out. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.

Greenbelt

SLOW. Water normal stain; 75 degrees; 47.67 feet below pool. Reports of good catches of sand bass on minnows. Few reports of crappie. The lake did receive some rain, but be sure to call to inquire about launching conditions before heading out.

Hawkins

GOOD. Water slightly stained. 75 degrees. Topwater lures early and late will produce good black bass action. Bream should be making their move shallow for their spawn. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Houston County

FAIR. Water stained; 78 degrees; 0.53 feet above pool. Bass should start schooling in deeper water hitting Carolina rigs and crankbaits. Crappie should be on brush piles biting jigs or minnows.

Hubbard Creek

FAIR. Water Stained; 75 degrees; 12.03 feet below pool. Bass are fair with primarily smaller sized fish up to 3 pounds. The best bite is early morning in shallow water spinnerbaits or chatterbaits. Crappie are good under docks hitting minnows or jigs. A bass was caught while targeting crappie.

Inks

GREAT: Water normal stain; 80 degrees; 0.85 feet below pool. Inks Lake has been fishing well all year for bass. Working the grass with worms or flukes will land a good bite. Skipping docks is a great way to get some big bites as well. A frog in the shallows will get some big bites and a shallow crankbait or even dropshots around the bulkheads will get some good bites as well. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Jacksonville

GOOD. Water stained; 78 degrees; 0.17 feet above pool. Water is clearing up, but is still a little high. Fish are biting on brush piles with soft plastics, jigs, and swim baits. Also on shallow lay downs with soft plastics and crank baits.

Joe Pool

GOOD. Water normal stain; 80 degrees; 0.70 above pool. Water level is going down slowly back to normal pool. Summer is hear so it is time to look out for pleasure boaters. Bass fishing has improved in all depths. Crappie are moving out to the deeper cover for summer. White bass schools are popping up all over the lake, just look for concentrations of bait. Catfish are mixed in with white bass, below the schools. Be safe and wear your life jackets! Report by Gilbert Miller, GTB Outdoors.

Lake O’ the Pines

GOOD. Water normal stain; 83 degrees; 1.93 feet above pool. Bass are good on main lake points, submerged bridges and road beds with shad colored crankbaits and Carolina rigs. Topwaters are good around shallow grass early morning and late evening. Crappie are good on standing timber and brush piles ranging 12-15 feet with slip cork jigs in blue and chartreuse and shad colors. The lake is at normal pool, so be careful when navigating outside of the boat lanes. Report by Brian Vickery Fishing.

Lavon

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 1.56 feet above pool. There is not a discernible white bass pattern while the gates are open. Fish early morning while sand bass are surfacing blowing shad out of the water using topwaters or a swimbait. The white egrets will be on the banks telling you pretty much where they should be. If you are not getting bit within the first 30 minutes of sunlight, you will probably have to move out to 10-20 feet of water and use 1 ounce white or chartreuse slabs. While the gates are opening and closing the crappie bite is hit-or-miss. Look on timber and brush piles in 10-20 feet. Once the gates close this should be the pattern the rest of the summer. Start shallow the work your way deeper to search for fish. Channel catfish are good on baited holes, rip rap and brush. Bait the rocks and bushes with soured grain to hold fish in there long enough to catch limits. Black bass are biting white and chartreuse spinnerbaits in the morning around the rip wrap, concrete and shallow submerged brush on points and secondary points. Bass are not biting at the back of the coves anymore. Cast creature baits, and Texas rigged worms on rock piles and large brush piles, or underwater points in 10-15 feet of water Carolina rigs. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.

LBJ

GOOD. Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.25 feet below pool. Crappie are fair in 18-24 feet of water with minnows. Catfish are good in 25 feet of water with punch bait. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service. Bass are good on docks and bulkheads in 3-10 feet of water. Skipping a light jig or Texas-rigged fluke or worm will get you bit well in those spots. Some fish are deeper on rock and brush piles in 10 feet of water. Flip a soft plastic in those areas to get good bites. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Lewisville

FAIR. Water stained; 78 degrees; 1.44 feet above pool. White bass are fair to good on points and humps in 15-32 feet of water with jigs, slabs, and live bait. Keeper sized hybrid stripers are fair in similar depths. 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 good on cut shad drifting humps and flats in 15-32 feet of water. Check wind blown banks where herons are present early in the morning. Crappie are slow to fair in 8-28 feet of water on brush piles, submerged timber, and submerged cover near drop-offs with minnows and jigs. Report by Wes Campbell, BendARod Fishing.

Limestone

GOOD. Water normal stain; 82 degrees; 0.25 feet above pool. Crappie are in 10-18 feet of water on power lines, standing timber, or offshore brush with minnows. White bass are in 7-17 feet of water with super slabs. Catfish are good in 10-20 feet with cutbait, or large minnows. Largemouth bass are good in 4-14 feet of water with boat docks, bulkheads, and rocks with chatterbaits, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, and spinnerbaits. Report by Colan Gonzales, Lake Limestone Guide Service.

Livingston

GOOD. normal stain; 76 degrees; 0.39 feet above pool. White bass are great in 6-15 feet of water on wind blown points and ledges with white and chartreuse slabs. Catfish are in 1-4 feet of water on bulkheads with best action at daylight. Report by Michael Richardson, Lake Livingston Adventures.

Marble Falls

normal stain; 76 degrees; 0.58 feet below pool. Bass are good skipping docks with craws, flukes and worms, or cranking bulkheads and shallow rocks. Topwater action is good with frogs and topwaters. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Martin Creek

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 86 degrees; 0.02 above pool. Bass remain good along the edge of hydrilla with Texas rigged worms. Crappie have loaded up on brush piles in 20-30 feet with minnows and pintail jigs. Catfish are good on baited holes in 10-15 feet with nightcrawlers and punch bait.

Medina

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 74 degrees; 94.41 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to limited access and low water level.

Meredith

FAIR. Water stained; 68 degrees; 46.14 feet below pool. Sand bass are great throughout the lake with silver spoon lures, and artificial grubs in chartreuse, pearl blue and yellow. Catfish are good near Harbor Bay and Bugbee with cut bait and frozen shad. The Stilling Basin, or Spring Canyon, is producing catfish with chicken liver, minnows, worms, and shrimp. Crappie are great with the best bite on Rosie red minnows near Sanford Yake area, off of the dock, and a few fish pulled out of Bugbee in the shallow areas. Bluegill and perch are good underneath the docks and shallow areas around the lake with worms. Walleye are great in the evening hours and early mornings in many areas of the lake. Minnows, bottom bouncers or floating worm harnesses, chartreuse, red mouth jerkbait or slab spoons are great choices. Trout are good in Spring Canyon with a power bait and number 10 snell hook or split shots. Report by Dave Wright, Wright-On Bait, Tackle and Watercraft Rental.

Millers Creek

FAIR. Water stained; 70 degrees; 1.43 feet below pool. Crappie have improved to fair in 3-4 feet of water. Fish are a few weeks from spawning. Sand bass are fair around the dam when shad are surfacing. Shad are spawning so the bite should improve the bite for all species. Channel and blue catfish are slow in 15 feet of water. Black bass are slow on main lake points with soft plastics.

Nacogdoches

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.14 feet below pool. Water clarity is heavily stained to muddy. Largemouth bass are fair on bladed jigs and swim jigs around shallow grass points. Crappie are good on main lake timber and brush piles in the creeks. Catfish are slow on cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.

Naconiche

GOOD. Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.50 feet above pool. Bass are suspended 8 feet down over deeper water biting jerkbaits plus 1. Keep an eye on the thermocline and be sure to fish above it. Some larger bites in 8-10 feet of water near the bottom with a square bill crankbait. Cranking it in and around the timber that is immediately adjacent to the boat lanes near the backs of the creeks was the ticket. Do not forget to run an Alabama rig and topwater, early and late, for some aggressive feeding fish! Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services. Largemouth bass are good on Carolina rigs or medium diving crankbaits on main lake points. Crappie are excellent on main lake timber utilizing forward facing sonar. Catfish are slow on cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.

Nasworthy

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 79 degrees. 0.41 feet below pool. The bass bite has been good flipping soft plastics around reed bases in 1-3 feet of water. The spawn is ending and bass are staying in the shallows as the water temperature rises to the 80s. The key is to cover water until you find a good stretch that holds multiple bass. Focus on holes in the reed banks where bass will set up on their beds. Watch for balls of bass fry because a fry guarder will be close by. 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.

Navarro Mills

GOOD. Water stained; 75 degrees; 2.41 feet above pool. Sand bass are excellent with spoons in brush piles. Sandies are running in schools with the better bite in the evenings over the morning. Crappie are starting to stack up in deeper brush piles hitting jigs or minnows. Some keepers, but primarily smaller sized fish. Catfish are shallow with primarily catches of small eaters. Report by Navarro Mills Marina.

O.C. Fisher

SLOW. Water stained; 80 degrees; 39.96 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers fishing due to low lake levels.

O.H. Ivie

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 77 degrees; 22.62 feet below pool. Black bass are good to 10 pounds on a variety of baits in 8-18 feet of water. Some fish still targeted scoping on main lake with crappie imitation baits. Some fish are being caught on 10-in worms and plum apple, plum or red bug in the brush next to channel swings and bends mainly 10-12 feet of water. Topwaters also seem to be coming into play around perch beds in 2-7 feet of water. Crappie starting to pick up around bigger trees suspended 5-8 feet. Trees can be in anywhere from 15-25 feet of water. Minnows working best. White bass are fair at night on live minnows. Catfish are good on rod-and-reel with a variety of cheese baits and stink baits 5-15 feet. Report by Wendell Ramsey, Ramsey Fishing.

Oak Creek

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 18.79 feet below pool. Black bass bite is good to very good on topwater and crankbaits. The Whopper Plopper has been excellent along with deep diving crankbaits. Crappie bite is steady with schools being located using forward facing sonar and caught using the Bone Head jigs. Catfish are good. Always wear your life jacket and stay aware. Report by Bronte Guns and Tackle Pro Staff.

Palestine

GOOD. Water stained; 74 degrees; 0.83 feet above pool. Crappie are good on brush and timber in 12-22 feet of water. White bass and hybrids are good on clay points early and late in the day. Catfish are spawning with a good bite on bulkheads or rip rap and nightcrawlers and punch bait.

Palo Pinto

SLOW. Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.31 feet above pool. Conditions are looking good on the lake and the water level is 4 inches over the spillway, but forecasted storms may muddy the water. Catfish are biting great on cut bait and fresh shad. Crappie are biting in deep water on minnows. Hybrids and sand bass are biting on minnows. Report by Lake Palo Pinto RV Park.

Pinkston

GOOD. slightly stained; 80 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent on large swimbaits and dropshots. Crappie are fair on standing timber with small crappie jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.

Possum Kingdom

FAIR. Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.09 feet below pool. Stripers are finally picking up in 20-40 feet of water. Live bait is good, but bait can be hard to find, and nothing is being caught trolling. Fish are moving fast when found, so your best bet is to just sit and wait for them to move through. Sand bass are fair in 20-30 feet of water on main lake points. Chrome seems to be out producing all other colors, but try white, and chartreuse. Catfish are good on cut shad in 2-10 feet of water fished on the bottom. Baited holes are your best bet to catch numbers but will not produce big fish. Bait with cattle cubes and wait 2-3 hours before fishing. Use punch bait for best results on baited holes. Catfish should be going into spawn soon, which will slow the bite. Water clarity is less than 1 feet on the north end. The south end is better at 2-4 feet of visibility, but still heavily stained. Report by TJ Ranft, Ranft Guide Service.

Proctor

FAIR. Water stained; 76 degrees; 1.04 feet above pool. The water is above full pool and fishing has slowed some for anglers. Reports of white bass caught trolling in shallow water. Crappie are transitioning to brush piles.

Raven

SLOW. Water slight stain; 70 degrees. Lake Raven water clarity is slightly stained. The lake is seeing hydrilla die back due to recent herbicide treatment. Largemouth bass are good on weedless rigged artificial worms in red-tinted colors with glitter. Anglers should target the cove where the boathouse is located. This area has seen recent success when working the hydrilla grass line. No reports of crappie or catfish in recent weeks. Bluegill are good off of the boathouse dock on hotdogs and worms under a bobber.

Ray Hubbard

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.11 feet below pool. White bass have been spotty in the mornings with some surface activity. Throw small swimbaits, tail spinners or rattle traps. Later in the morning white bass are moving out to deeper water on long points, road beds and levees. Crappie are related to brush piles 12-18 feet of water. Crappie are showing up at bridge columns, and moving around drop-offs going from structure to structure. Catfish are good on the rocks around the lake using a slip cork and prepared punch bait. Chumming will help bring the schools into your areas. Report by John Varner, John Varner’s Guide Service.

Ray Roberts

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 80 degrees; 1.10 feet above pool. Crappie are stacking up on timber, bridge pylons and brush piles in 20-25 feet of water. A minnow is the preferred bait, but a 1.5-2 inch jig is catching fish too. Largemouth bass are moving to offshore rock piles and main lake points. Some bass can be targeted on shallow laydowns or shaded areas. Best baits have been 10 inch forms, weightless flukes or weightless senkos. Sand bass are on humps and points in 30-50 feet of water with slabs. Blue catfish can be caught under the white bass with 3-6 inch shad. Channel catfish are good in 10-25 feet of water on flats. Report by Daniel Koberna, Lt. Dan’s Crappie Co.

Richland Chambers

FAIR. Water normal stain; 82 degrees; 0.66 feet above pool. The lake is 6 inches above full pool level with four of the twenty-four spillway gates open. White bass action has slowed to fair in 20-25 feet of water off main lake points, roadbeds, and humps. A slab and jig combination is hard to beat. Check out the south shoreline around the Lighthouse for early morning top water action. Hybrid striper action is good with live bait or shad off the 309 Flats and South Shoreline near Fisherman’s Point Marina. Blue catfish action is fair on cut bait and shad in the shallow water off windblown points. Catfish can be caught on punch bait below Schools of feeding white bass. Crappie action is slow. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin’ Guide Service. Black Bass are fair, with the water stained. The temperature is low 80s but does cool down a little with the storms that hit. This is when you can start checking those deeper spots. I like to fish stump rows, rock piles, and brush piles. Fishing ahead of the upcoming patterns can payoff if you hit it right. Deep crank baits, jigs, and dragging plastics can be great right now. With the water level the way it is now there are always some fish shallow also. Boat docks continue to get better and better on the lake. I personally always prefer the deep bite better in June. Good fishing, Terry Hawkins Guide Service. Report by Terry Hawkins Guide Service.

Sam Rayburn

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.45 feet above pool. Water is being released and the level is slowly dropping. Numbers of bass are shallow in the buckbrush, so flip plastics and jigs. Topwater bite around pencil grass and reeds. Grass and pads are coming back slowly. Target bass on points and drains with crankbaits, or with jigs and Carolina rigs off ledges and structure. Crappie are slowly move out to brush and timber. White bass are schooling off points. Catfish move out to deeper water and creek channels cut bait doing good. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.

Somerville

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.57 feet above pool. At the Marina the crappie bite is fair, and the catfish are fair on minnows or punch bait. Bluegill are fair on crickets or worms. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows over brush in 8-18 feet of water. Catfish are good in 3-10 feet of water with cut shad or punch bait. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and shiny spinnerbaits in 2-8 feet of water. White bass are very good trolling with various spoons or anchored with shad and ghost minnows. Hybrids are good with many undersized fish being caught in deeper water using cut bait or mussels. Below the dam fishing is slow. since no water is being released. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.

Spence

SLOW. Water stained; 80 degrees. 47.86 feet below pool. Black bass catches have been improving greatly. The fish are being caught on plastics. Reports of bass caught exceeding 5 pounds, with many in the 2-3 pound range. Good reports of catfish being caught on blood punch bait. Always wear your life jacket and stay aware. Report by Bronte Guns and Tackle Pro Staff.

Stamford

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.89 feet above pool. Water is cleaning and the level is slowly receding. Very few anglers on the water for reports.

Stillhouse

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 2.12 feet below pool. Stillhouse has risen another 0.06 feet since last week. The water is warming rapidly and the fish are suspending more and more each day. The two drivers for this is the stratification of the water by temperature which will eventually lead to the creation of the thermocline by mid-June, and the increasing presence of young-of-the-year shad making their way into open water. When fish are suspended, I rely heavily on my 2-D sonar, traditional sonar or colored sonar, as the three-dimensional cone it makes use of extends the echo signature of the fish into long arches which are larger and much more easily seen on a screen then the shorter rice grain signatures seen on side-imaging and down-imaging. The MAL Heavy with silver blade and chartreuse tail is the only lure I have used for the past four weeks. It shows up remarkably well on forward-facing sonar and 2-D sonar. Drop it either to the bottom if fish are on bottom, or below the level of suspended fish, and crank it up at a steady cadence at least two cranks above the fish showing highest in the water column. If a chase occurs, keep cranking at that same steady cadence until the fish either catches it, or turns away. When a strike occurs, keep right on cranking without a hard hookset. Mornings are best, from 7:20 a.m. to around 10:15 a.m. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.

Tawakoni

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 77 degrees; 0.49 feet above pool. Lake Tawakoni is fishing good and is in its full summer pattern. The hybrid striper and white bass bite is good. Fish are feeding on thread-fin shad suspended over deeper water. Slabs, swimbaits and live bait are working best. The eating sized catfish bite is red hot. Baited holes in 20 feet are working best. Prepared baits such as punch bait and dip baits are catching more fish. Crappie are decent on bridge pilings and shallower brush in 8-14 feet. Docks are also holding fish. Jigs are out-fishing minnows currently. Look for that to chance as water warms into the 80s. Largemouth bite is good. Shallow crankbaits, flukes and frogs are catching best. First hour and last hour for the frog, and the cranks mid morning into the mid day around shallow dock pilings, rip-rap and isolated underwater irrigation pumps. Use your side-imaging to locate these. Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.

Texana

SLOW. Water stained; 80 degrees; 2.69 feet below pool. Catfish are good on trotlines.

Texoma

FAIR. Water stained; 74 degrees; 12.08 feet above pool. Catfishing is still excellent using punch bait along rock banks for channel cats in 15-25 feet of water. Cut shad and whole shad on ledges in 30-45 feet of water for keeper blues and look for bigger fish in shallow creeks and coves. Striper fishing is very inconsistent with the current lake conditions. Top waters, swimbaits and live shad on humps and flats in 20-25 feet of water fishing any clear water you can find. Look for the lake to clear once they turn down the outflow. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Texoma, Guaranteed Guide Service. Striped bass are hit-or-miss with slabs in 15-30 feet of water, with a better bite on live bait. Midlake to the dam water is clearing. Very little floating debris left on the lake. Channel catfish can be targeted around big rocks and drop-offs in 20-30 feet of water cut bait. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.

Toledo Bend

GOOD. Water stained; 81 degrees; 0.61 feet below pool. It is finally summer time, everything around Toledo is getting right, most storms are gone and the sun is cooking. Bass are good. Shallow fish are still strong on frogs, topwaters, swim jigs and wacky-worms from 2-7 feet of water. The deeper bite is coming on strong in 14-18 feet of water with big crankbaits and Carolina rigs. A few great reports of 7 pound bass being caught at night with spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits along the edge of the flooded grass. Crappie are good on brush piles, standing timber, and main lake docks with jigs or live bait. The water temperature is starting to reach the mid to low 80s, pushing crappie out of the creeks. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.

Travis

GOOD. Water normal stain; 82 degrees; 43.67 feet below pool. Lake Travis is fishing great. Bass are on the verge of schooling up as the water temperatures rise into the 80s. Most fish are being caught on worms, creature baits, craws and swimbaits or flukes. Look for grass on the channel swings on the main lake for a lot of bass. Some of the bigger bass are on the deeper outer side especially in the isolated patches of grass. There are some good bass on the deeper ledges as well in 15-30 feet of water. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Time to fish marinas in 30-40 feet of water for bass, white bass, crappie and bluegill. Grass action for bass has slowed. Bounce between shaded bluff walls with a craw and marinas with small swimbaits and small spoons. The water is crystal clear when there is no wind, so downsize baits. Report by Randal Frisbie, Central Texas Fishing Guide, LLC.

Twin Buttes

SLOW. Water stained. 82 degrees; 33.49 feet below pool. Channel catfish are slow in shallow water with punch bait. White bass and crappie can be caught under the lights at night with minnows or shad. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.

Tyler

GOOD. Water normal stain; 75 degrees; 0.30 feet above pool. Crappie are good on brush piles with minnows and jigs in 10-16 feet of water. Catfish are good in 5-6 feet of water with liver and nightcrawlers. Bass are scattered with a fair topwater bite or feeler with trick worms, spinnerbaits and topwaters. Bream are good on red worms throughout the lake. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler. Bass are great with a phenomenal topwater bite the first hour of fishable light, but will shut off quickly as the sun rises. Dropshots and Texas rigs are producing very well on normal summer patterns until the evening topwater bite in that last hour of the day. Crappie are holding in 10-20 feet on brush. Catfish are fairly shallow on nightcrawlers and prepared baits but are working deeper and are lethargic recovering from the spawn. Thermocline was around 22 feet on the main lake but will be moving up around 18-20 feet in the next week or two. Report by Holton Walker, Holton Walker Fishing.

Waco

GOOD. Water stained; 78 degrees; 0.01 feet above pool. Crappie are on fire in the summer pattern hanging out in 10-18 feet of water on structure. Minnows always work well but a purple crappie jig with a chartreuse tail is a good artificial. Black bass are suspended over structure in 20 feet of water hitting crankbaits or a silver spoon. Report by Greg Culverhouse, Crappie King.

Walter E. Long

GOOD. Water normal stain; 80 degrees. The boat ramp continues to be closed and blocked off through 2025, kayaks and canoes can still be launched from the bank. The lake has seen increased pressure from a growing number of kayaks and personal watercraft. Recommended techniques include moving baits like lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and A-rigs. Texas-rigged soft plastics also work well, with Senkos, dropshots, and shaky heads being effective. Report by Team YAKUSA.

Weatherford

FAIR. Water stained; 79 degrees; 3.16 feet below pool. Crappie are fair in 15 feet of water on brush piles with minnows and jigs. Bass are slow on soft plastics or crankbaits in deeper water. Catfish are fair with cut bait and shad on rocks. Water clarity is 7 inches.

Welsh

FAIR. Water stained. 80 degrees. A few reports and anglers on the water.

White River

FAIR. Water normal stain; 72 degrees; 19.98 feet below pool. Crappie are good 2-8 feet on jigs and minnows. Catfish slow in cut and prepared baits. Report by The Bait Shop, Post, Texas.

Whitney

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 76 degrees; 1.73 feet above pool. Water is lightly stained 76 degrees. Catfish are good using cut bait in 25-30 feet of water. Striped bass bite is fair on live bait in 25-30 feet of water. Crappie are on main lake brush piles in 15-30 feet of water. White bass fishing is good on slabs on main lake humps in 25-30 feet of water. Largemouth bass fishing is good using soft plastics on deep structure. Report by Captain Cory Vinson, Guaranteed Guide Service.

Worth

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.63 feet above pool. Very few reports after the recent weather.

Wright Patman

GOOD. Water normal stain; 79 degrees; 7.95 feet above pool. Crappie are moving into brush piles and structure setting up in a summer pattern. Downsize to small hair jigs in 10-15 feet of water. Channel catfish are good near brush along the bank with stinkbait. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Houston

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.33 feet above pool. Discharge at the 59 bridge is 2630 CFS. Water is starting to clear up nicely making for a decent largemouth bite in the shallows. Grubs and worms rigged Texas rigged seem to do the trick. Drop-offs in cypress trees are a great place to start then venture shallow to structure and shaded banks. Crappie are picking up quite a bit in Luces Bayou, tight to structure being enticed with minnows and hand tied jigs in 6-10 feet of water. Catfish are fantastic still in bulk heads eating fresh caught shad both under a slip cork and bottom fishing. Always wear your kill switch and be prepared. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

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Also See:

Jeff Nail’s Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report

Lake Hartwell Fishing Report from Captain Mack

Lake Lanier Fishing Report from Captain Mack

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 ReportsWeek of June 4, 2025

Redfish Bay

GOOD. 80 degrees. Tide levels are on the rise again. Trout are great on croaker in about 4 feet of water. Drum are consistent over reefs on dead shrimp. Redfish have been coming off of shallow flats on shad. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

San Antonio Bay

FAIR. 80 degrees. The water is in great shape but the wind has picked up. The tide has also come up and the redfish are moving into the back lakes. Trout action has picked up along the shorelines. Live shrimp are hard to find but other live bait is available. With the high tide topwaters are working well in the back lakes. Report Captain Lynn Smith, Back Bay Guide Service.

Sabine Lake

FAIR. 82 degrees. Jetties are producing limits of beautiful speckled trout, limits of redfish, and some drum in the morning. Fish are averaging 15-20 inches, throwing back quite a few oversized fish. Once the wind starts blowing and sun rises focus efforts inside the channel along rocks, shell flats with live shrimp on a popping cork. Drum and sheepshead can be caught on the points, drops and along our banks with live shrimp Carolina rigged. The south end of Sabine Lake produced some nice trout drifting in 2-4 feet of water using 3.5 inch plastics in red shad or morning glory chartreuse with quarter inch jig heads that bite. Salinity in the lake is improving and the bite is turning on. There are a few birds working along the shoreline and in the middle of the lake and nice shrimp. Catching some trout beneath the birds late in the evenings. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 78 degrees. This week will be a little cloudy with lots of sun this weekend for great fishing like last week! The tides and water levels will be changing from 3-4 to twice daily Saturday. Water temperatures are in the 70s. Last week there were fewer big 25 in plus trout in the surf, and more on the bayside. Water levels are back and forth per normal with a lot of sargassum washing in. Anglers are still catching plenty of redfish everywhere. There are plenty of keeper speckled trout being caught along with sand trout, black drum, sheepshead and crabs caught along the jetty. The flounder are here for the Spring but mostly 16-20 inches. The bigger stingrays and sharks are definitely here and the real action has begun. Seeing more sharks while shrimping in the bay the past few days. The surf is still producing lots of redfish and huge black drum, some big speckled trout and a lot of sharks along the whole peninsula with more activity towards Gilchrist and High Island. Anglers are using cut mullet, big menhaden or shad, and stingray chunks for bait with awesome results. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Trinity Bay

FAIR. 76 degrees. With the hard south, southeast winds this time of year fresh water is now being blown into Baytown from the Trinity lowering the parts per unit significantly. Good water is in the ship channel by the blue atoll. The west shoreline by Eagle point is holding good fish and believe it or not, smith point has some good looking salt water. Remember, fishing structure is your best bet. Reefs seem to be ok but shell sandbars have been producing well on the ambush side with the current flowing around using Redemption Outdoor gear popping corks and live shrimp. Additionally, grass shorelines with bait present are where it is at for redfish but takes patience as you must stick with it. We have been catching good redfish in this scenario using WAC Attacks WACky Shad XL in the sparkle chartreuse color married with a redfish magic spinner bait to mimic button shad by and in grass. Flounder are being caught well with lures and live shrimp on rocks as well. Always be prepared and wear your kill switch, it could save your families lives. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 83 degrees. Snapper season kicked off and there were plenty of fish for all those that went offshore of Galveston. Even some kingfish were landed. Bay fishing continues to be good, borderline great. Plenty of speckled trout are being caught throughout the bay system with live shrimp, croakers, and artificial lures. Plenty of black drum being caught along with some really big sheepshead from the middle to upper Galveston Bay on rocks and oyster shell bottom. The surf finally greened up and anglers caught some speckled trout along the Galveston beachfront. Most of Trinity Bay remains fresh with water coming out of the Trinity River. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. This week will be a little cloudy with lots of sun this weekend for great fishing like last week! The tides and water levels will be changing from 3-4 to twice daily Saturday. Only changes have been the heat. Fishing remains great by boat and wading around oyster beds. Still catching a lot of speckled trout everywhere, sheepshead and bull redfish with some gaff tops/hardheads under a popping with live shrimp and soft plastics. Report by Captain Jack Blume, North Jetty Bait Camp. Surface water temperature 80 degrees. The water clarity is very good for East Galveston Bay, with average clarity throughout the bay system. The redfish bite was excellent again for us this week, around drains and in the very shallow water areas back in the marsh. We are still using Imitation shrimp lures & tails under popping corks, with a 1-foot leader to trigger bites, as well as Deadly Dudley Rat Tails, and WacAttack Flukes, in lighter colors with 1/8 ounce jig heads. Jerkbaits and swimbaits are still triggering some bites as well, if you like throwing those style baits. The last few days on the flats we have enjoyed most of our success on the Popping Cork with artificial catching the best trout, as well as the most numbers. We have been catching some nice Flounder on our trips on high tides up in the flooded grass. The reef action has continued to pick up, when the wind conditions allow it, so keep that in mind as well as you venture out into the bay. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service, LLC.

Galveston Bay

FAIR. 80 degrees. Snapper season kicked off and there were plenty of fish for all those that went offshore of Galveston. Even some kingfish were landed. Bay fishing continues to be good, borderline great. Plenty of speckled trout are being caught throughout the bay system with live shrimp, croakers, and artificial lures. Plenty of black drum being caught along with some really big sheepshead from the middle to upper Galveston Bay on rocks and oyster shell bottom. The surf finally greened up and anglers caught some speckled trout along the Galveston beachfront. Most of Trinity Bay remains fresh with water coming out of the Trinity River. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 80 degrees. Snapper season kicked off and there were plenty of fish for all those that went offshore of Galveston. Even some kingfish were landed. Bay fishing continues to be good, borderline great. Plenty of speckled trout are being caught throughout the bay system with live shrimp, croakers, and artificial lures. Plenty of black drum being caught along with some really big sheepshead from the middle to upper Galveston Bay on rocks and oyster shell bottom. The surf finally greened up and anglers caught some speckled trout along the Galveston beachfront. Most of Trinity Bay remains fresh with water coming out of the Trinity River. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Texas City

GOOD. 75 degrees. This week will be a little cloudy with lots of sun this weekend for great fishing like last week! The tides and water levels will be changing from 3-4 to twice daily Saturday. Water temperatures are just right. Anglers are catching speckled trout, redfish, and black drum with some occasional sand trout, gafftop, and croakers. The sheepshead are around structures and piers. Wade fishing along the levee or anywhere from 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

FAIR. 81 degrees. Surf has been good as the winds laid down in the morning throwing live shrimp or croakers using chatter weights. Topwater and soft plastic have been good for trout and some redfish in the first gut. West of Galveston has been good with trout fishing under the birds with live shrimp under a popping cork catching trout, and big gafftop catfish. There had been schools of jack crevalle working big pops of mullet. Freeport Harbor has been holding good numbers of mangroves snapper, trout, sheepshead, redfish and big sand trout using live shrimp with a light weight. Anglers are catching trout, sheephead, redfish, pompano, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle and some sharks near at the jetties on surfside and Bryan Beach. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 78 degrees. Calm weather has turned on a good surf bite wading, or out of the boat at the jetties. Redfish, and trout are biting live shrimp, cut mullet and artificials. Catches of drum near the surf or on the shallow reefs. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 78 degrees. Calm weather has turned on a good surf bite wading, or out of the boat at the jetties. Redfish, and trout are biting live shrimp, cut mullet and artificials. Catches of drum near the surf or on the shallow reefs. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O’Connor

GOOD. 78 degrees. Trout are good early morning at Bird Island with live croaker. Jack crevalle and bull redfish are schooling on the surface between the jetties and Bird Island early morning during the incoming tide with blue crab or Spanish Sardines. Keeper black drum in the apron of the jetties. Slot redfish are biting inside and outside of both the jetties with blue crab of Spanish sardines. Sharks are biting in both jetties on cut jack crevalle and skipjack. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GOOD. 80 degrees. Trout are great on live shrimp, piggy perch and croaker in flats and along channels. Redfish are fair on shrimp, mullet, pin perch and menhaden in sand pockets and along mangroves. Black drum are fair on live or dead shrimp and fish bites. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 80 degrees. Red snapper season has opened up and the bite is great on squid cigar minnows and live perch. Redfish are good on live shrimp finger mullet and shad on the north and south jetty. Oversized redfish are great on cut crab and mullet. Trout are great with croaker and shrimp free lined along rocks. Redfish and trout have been great in surf using croaker and live shrimp. Sharks have been being caught in the surf using mullet, jacks and stingray.. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 80 degrees. Tide levels are on the rise again. Trout are great on croaker in about 4 feet of water. Drum are consistent over reefs on dead shrimp. Redfish have been coming off of shallow flats on shad. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

Baffin Bay

GOOD. 83 degrees. Moderate weather has really turned the big trout bite on in Baffin Bay! The past week was just a dream with many upper size trout in the 27-31 inch range up to nearly 10 pounds. Target areas with lots of bait, as well as grass strips near the shoreline, and middle level potholes and edges. There was a good topwater bite shallow when the winds were light and potholes when it was a little windier. The She Dog in black/gold chrome/orange was a killer. As usual, the Coastal Brew Baits 6 inch darts in Pothole Pimp, Watermelon Red and Hoochie Coochie were very, very effective. Here is hoping this trend continues for a while! See you on the water! Report by Captain Sally Black. Conditions this week will be great for fishing Baffin Bay. Early in the morning is the time to take advantage of the speckled trout and bite. Once the heat starts to set in, fishing up shallow for speckled trout becomes difficult. Late in the morning to afternoon you can find redfish in shallow grassy areas. Oftentimes you can have the opportunity to sight-cast to these redfish cruising the flats or when you find them tailing. Top water bites in the morning have been eventful, with the best producing lure being a DownSouth Supermodel in “Rootbeer Hopper” or “Big poppa pearl”. Anything roach color, with gold or red flakes has been working wonders in Baffin Bay. This summer heat can be seriously dangerous, stay hydrated and most importantly remember to practice safety and courtesy out on the waterways. Tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures.

Port Mansfield

GOOD. 78 degrees. It has been good one day and fair the next recently. Our fish have been moving around a bit but not far from any previous day. Small adjustments in your wading or drifting has been paying off. We have fresh gulf water entering our bay and it is helping. Redfish are also grouping up. Most are in about 2-3 feet of water and some even deeper. Trout are holding in the same areas also. Best baits are swimbaits in pearl and hot, and soft plastics. Offshore bite is starting to heat up for red snapper. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.

South Padre

GOOD. 83 degrees. Light southeast wind with bay temperature 83 degrees and holding. Trout are good on the edges of the intercoastal, gas well flats and south of the new causeway. Redfish are spotty on the east side from Three Islands to south bay. Small black drums and sheepshead are good at the old causeway. Mangrove snapper are good at the end of Brownsville Channel and the south jetties. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 83 degrees. Light southeast wind with bay temperature 83 degrees and holding. Trout are good on the edges of the intercoastal, gas well flats and south of the new causeway. Redfish are spotty on the east side from Three Islands to south bay. Small black drums and sheepshead are good at the old causeway. Mangrove snapper are good at the end of Brownsville Channel and the south jetties. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin

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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.

Fishing reports are produced with support from Toyota and the federal Sport Fish Restoration program.

Tips, Techniques, And Tackle For Post-Spawn Bass

What Are Some Tips, Techniques, And Tackle For Post-Spawn Bass

  • By The Fishing Wire

The post-spawn largemouth bass transition period is one of the best times to be on the water, but the party doesn’t last long

What’s so great about the post-spawn? It’s a recuperation period. Bass are hungry and rapidly becoming more aggressive. But it’s also a relocation period, which means the locations where post-spawn bass may be found can change from day to day. Thankfully, while post-spawn bass locations are variable, they are also highly predictable.

Post-Spawn Behavior
Think of post-spawn largie behavior like this: All post-spawn bass are eager to feed, but there are two primary things going on. Most male bass engage in a distinct fry-guarding ritual for about a week or ten days immediately following the hatch. Meanwhile, the females are immediately out, abandoning their spawning sites – and their baby daddies – headed back towards deeper water. Once the neurotic males abandon their posts (often after snapping and devouring a good percentage of their own offspring), they may follow the same basic routes offshore as the females. The whole post-spawn transition usually lasts around a month.

Post-Spawn Locations
Post-spawn bass routes often mirror pre-spawn routes. Their first stop is usually the first major drop off, which varies by location, but is often an emerging weed line or a secondary point leading to deeper water. Regardless of the actual depth, which may be anywhere from 7 or 8 feet to 15 or 20, structure is key. It doesn’t matter what it is, but something will attract and hold the bass (and forage) while they feed and adjust to the shallow-to-deep transition. In reservoirs that have creek channels, the locations where those channels intersect with structure can be golden. From these first, primary recuperation stops, post-spawn bass will continue to migrate to places like shallow humps, weed beds, and primary lake points. Some will spend the rest of the year there, and others will depart and disperse throughout the system.

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Tips, Techniques, And Tackle For Post-Spawn Bass 1

Post-Spawn Presentations
Once anglers understand a bit about the ways post-spawn largemouths behave and have a good idea where to find them, the next step is dialing in the specific presentations to which they’re vulnerable.

Fry-guarding males stationed near cover or structure on the first break off the spawning flats can be very easy to catch, despite the fact that they’re not programmed to eat during this brief period. Capitalize on their plight by offering baits that threaten the offspring they’re programmed to defend. Soft plastic jerkbaits and stickbaits are a favorite here, but  topwaters, and moving baits like crankbaits, swimbaits, underspin swimbaits, and spinnerbaits all resemble threatening school-raiders and will elicit strikes.

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For true post-spawn bass transitioning to deep water, specific presentations should be dictated by the structure, cover, and depth at which the bass are holding, as well as available forage. This may be crayfish, bluegills, frogs, shad… you name it… but it’s worth noting that a shad spawn can sometimes coincide with the largemouth’s post-spawn period. When this brief but significant event happens, bass key in, actively hunting and targeting weak or dying individuals within the swarms. When present, a shad spawn will dictate post-spawn bass locations and it should also dictate an angler’s presentations. Top post-spawn transition baits include hard and soft jerkbaits, topwater lures, frogs, jigs, shakeyhead jigs, wobblehead jigs, Texas and Carolina rigs, swimbaits, and Damiki rigs/jighead minnows.

Post-Spawn Tackle Recommendations
Given the wide variety of effective post-spawn presentations, suffice it to say that almost any spinning or casting setup has its place. That said optimizing rods, reels, and lines for specific presentations always yields more success. Here are some solid recommendations.

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Hard and Soft Jerkbaits – A 6’6” to 7’ medium power, fast or extra-fast action spinning or casting rod is ideal, with a 68MXF being the sweet spot. 10-20 lb. fluorocarbon line is preferred because it sinks and has minimal stretch. Pair jerkbait casting rods with a slow- or medium-speed casting reel like the SEVIIN GFC166, GFC173GSC166, or GSC 173.

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Crankbaits – Crankbait rods should have a softer, moderate action to absorb the shock of a bass slashing at a moving bait and to keep the treble hooks in place during the fight. Rod length starts at 6’6” when accurate casts to specific target windows are required and can go up to 8’ when long casts are needed in order to get deep-diving crankbaits down to depth. In most cases, a 72MM, 72HM, or 72MHMF are ideal. 12 to 20-lb. fluorocarbon line is preferred. Reels should prioritize power over speed. A SEVIIN GFC166 or GSC166 is an ideal choice.

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Topwaters – Tackle choices will vary due to the variety of lure styles and retrieves. Moving baits like buzzbaits and propbaits deserve a softer moderate or moderate-fast action like a 70MHMF. Popping baits, frogs, and walk-the-dog-style baits need a faster tip to animate the lure. Choose medium to heavy power depending on the cover you’re fishing. Thicker vegetation and areas with wood, dock pilings or other trouble call for a heavy stick like a 74HF. A rod like a 70MF or 71MHF is ideal for areas with less cover. Medium-speed casting reels like the SEVIIN GFC173 and GSC173 work great for most topwaters, but many anglers prefer a faster 8.1:1 (GFC181 or GSC181) for frogging and other presentations that require picking line up quickly.

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Spinnerbaits – Similar to crankbaits and chatterbaits, a spinnerbait is a reaction bait, meaning bass strike it while it is moving. This requires a softer rod to convert strikes and land fish. A medium-heavy power, moderate-fast action rod like you would use for a buzzbait or surface prop-bait is also perfect for spinnerbaits. A rod like this can also fish most common crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, and chatterbaits effectively. A 70MHMF is a perfect choice. Most anglers present spinnerbaits on 12-20 lb. fluorocarbon line and use a 6.1:1 or 7.3:1 casting reel.

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Stickbaits – Whether rigged Texas-style or wacky, stickbaits can be deadly on post-spawn bass. Spinning tackle gets the nod in this finesse presentation. The most popular stickbait rods range from 6’8” to 7’6” in medium-light to medium-heavy power, depending on nearby structure. Fast or extra-fast tips are helpful in detecting strikes on falling baits. Solid candidates are a 68MXF, 70MF, 70MHF, 610MLXF, or 73MLXF, with a 73MXF perhaps being the best all-arounder. 10-lb. braided line in a high-vis color also aids in detecting strikes but be sure to use an 8 to 15-lb. fluoro leader. A smooth and powerful 2500 or 3000 size SEVIIN GFGS, or GX spinning reel is a perfect match.

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Swimbaits & Swimjigs – Paddletail soft-plastic swimbaits in the 3-4-in. range rigged on ¼ to ½-oz. jigheads or underspin jigheads catch bass everywhere. They’re a go-to choice for targeting post-spawn bass above weed beds, through sparse grass, along thick weed edges, around docks, on points, or in open water. They are versatile in that they can be counted down and fished at a variety of depths, and retrieves can be varied as well. Almost any casting or spinning rod can fish one of these baits. Moderate-fast or fast actions are ideal when paired with medium or medium-heavy power. A 71MHF is a great choice. Once again, 10 to 20-lb. fluorocarbon line is preferred. A medium-speed SEVIIN GFC173 or GSC173 reel gets the nod for casting rods, while a 3000-size GF, GS, or GX pairs great for swimbait fishing with spinning rods. Duplicate these setups for swimjigs.

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Bottom-Contact Baits – Jigs, shakeyhead jigs, wobblehead jigs, Texas rigs, and Carolina rigs all play for post-spawn bass. Highly sensitive, powerful rods are the rule, with 7’ to 7’5” medium-heavy to heavy, extra-fast action casting models serving anglers best. One exception is the Carolina rig, which are often fished in thicker vegetation. Rods for this technique still need loads of power but require a more moderate action. Shakeyhead jigs are another exception. More of a finesse technique, shakeyheads are often fished on spinning tackle – specifically a longer, medium-to-medium-heavy power rod like a 73MXF or 73MHF. Most of these bottom contact presentations are best fished on braided lines in the 15-40-lb. range. Preferred casting reels have a fast 8.1:1 retrieve to pick up line quickly before hooksets (GFC181 or GSC181). Shakeyhead spinning presentations call for a large-capacity 3000 size GF, GS, or GX spinning reel loaded with 20 to 30-lb braid and a 15-lb. fluoro leader.

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Damiki Rigs / Jigging Minnows – Primarily a forward-facing sonar technique, Damiki rigs/jigging minnows are a finesse technique best presented on medium-light to medium power, extra-fast spinning rods between 6’3” and 7’ in length. Your stickbait setup can be used to fish these lures. 63MLXF, 63MXF, 66MLF, 610MLXF, and 70MFspinning rods are popular choices. Use the extra capacity of a 3000-size spinning reel to manage the lighter lines used for these techniques. The SEVIIN GX3000 is ideal. You can use straight 6-to-10-lb. fluorocarbon line or very light 10-lb. braided line, but if you go the braid route, be sure to use an extra-long 8-to-10-lb. fluoro leader.

About SEVIIN Reels

Wherever and however you fish, the reel in your hand should help create better experiences. Born from St. Croix Rod’s seven decades of design and manufacturing expertise, industry-leading customer service, and unbroken private ownership by the Schluter family dating back to 1977, SEVIIN reels are meticulously engineered and purpose-built to help anglers conquer every species on every piece of water on the planet. SEVIIN focuses on reels and reels only, designing and marketing products that improve the angling experience, regardless of the rods anglers choose. Seven seas, seven continents, seven days a week, SEVIIN reels are fueled by a collective love of fishing surpassed only by our passionate desire to deliver the most reliable reels on the water. Learn more at seviinreels.com. The St. Croix Family of Brands includes St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.

Segar Pros Offer Two Different Shallow Water Bass Approaches

Two Different Shallow Water Bass Approaches

Once the bass spawn, some bass move to deeper water, but plenty stick around in the shallows. This is when the shallows are alive with bass guarding fry and spawning activity for bluegill, shad, and herring—all of which keep the bass in shallow water.

Professional bass anglers and Segar Pro Staff, Luke Clausen and Drew Gill, know this and stay in skinny water for much of the post-spawn with various approaches.

Clausen’s Mix of the Old and New School

Like most professional anglers, Luke Clausen’s bass boat and office on the water is decked out with plenty of big electronic screens and the most up-to-date technology. He uses it plenty, but the Bassmaster Classic and Forrest Wood Cup champion often relies on the old-fashioned way during the post-spawn: using his eyes and paying attention to clues from his surroundings.

After the bass spawn, one of his main focuses is the spawns of some of their favorite meals. The bluegill, shad, and herring spawns are critical to his approach. His electronics help, but years of experience and some hints from the environment guide his approach.

“Tools like side scan are good for locating bluegill beds, and you can use your forward-facing sonar to find baitfish and bass guarding fry this time of year, but so much of it is just done by watching and using your eyes,” he said. “Your electronics help a bunch with deeper bluegill beds, but the shallower ones are best just looking around on flat places, around vegetation, or the back of a pocket. They rarely spawn on something that’s not very flat, and it needs to be somewhat protected.”

He’ll mix various techniques to catch these bass feasting on spawning bluegill, from a wacky rig to topwater lures like frogs, walking baits, prop baits, and poppers.

“I like a popper for the sound and the ability to stop it in place, and a small walking bait is a great choice,” he said. “I fish it on 30 lb Seaguar Smackdown in the Stealth Gray color, and that thin line is great for accurate casts with those light baits. The worst thing you can do with a topwater is to pull a topwater bait away from a fish, so I keep the bait in place when one rolls on it, and you’ll hook a lot of those fish because there’s no stretch in the line.”

Clausen goes white-colored baits like a spinnerbait, buzzbait, or swim jig when targeting bass feeding on spawning shad. “The shad spawn is always going to happen first thing in the morning, and they’ll always spawn around hard places, either rocks, docks, or somewhere with a hard surface,” he said. “It’s hard to beat fast-moving baits like swim jigs and buzzbaits, and I fish all of those on 50 lb Seaguar Smackdown, which is still very thin to get long casts to reach any surface activity you see. I like 15 lb Seaguar Red Label for my spinnerbaits because it has a little less stretch, which is important for short-range hooksets.”

Gill’s New Age Approach

Bass Pro Tour angler Drew Gill is one of the poster boys of the new generation of professional bass anglers, getting the most out of his electronics to find bass. While many consider forward-facing sonar an offshore approach dominated by finesse techniques, he finds it successful in shallow water with a wide range of baits. It’s something that he employs all spring, especially in the post-spawn.

“After the bass spawn, you have the bluegill bed thing and throwing topwaters around shallow cover,” said Gill. “It’s a tandem thing, and forward-facing sonar plays a role in both. It helps you locate the bluegill beds, showing the harder bottom areas they use to spawn. It’s also great for finding shallow targets that provide shade to cast a topwater lure to.”

Once he finds bedding bluegill, Gill will use standard finesse techniques but likes to use heavier weights. “I’m going to use a plastic worm in some form or fashion, but want something fast and snappy, so I use heavier weights than I normally use,” he said. “I want something a little more intrusive, whether a Texas rig, drop-shot, shaky head, or some other way to rig the worm. The heavier weights allow me to get that bass to react when fishing around bluegill beds.”

Even though Gill primarily uses spinning gear and finesse tactics, he likes to beef up his fluorocarbon leader material to 15 or 17-lb Seaguar Tatsu.

“This time of year, fishing this way, your average size of bass goes way up,” he said. “I like to use heavier lines to manhandle the fish because you tend to catch some really big post-spawn fish doing this.”

Gill also likes to stay back on bluegill beds he finds with his electronics, sticking to 50 to 80 feet away and making casts to what he sees. “Fishing at a distance is critical in shallow water because the bass are very mobile this time of year as they roam chasing bluegill and tend to be very aware of their surroundings,” he said.

Aside from soft plastics, Gill also likes to mix in moving baits like topwater lures. “It’s a one-two punch for me, and I also like to use a lure that will call them up to the surface, either a walking topwater or some sort of bait that will draw them like a glide bait,” he said. “These baits are great when searching and looking across shallow flats. For topwater walking baits, I like 20 lb Seaguar Smackdown in Stealth Gray with a very short leader of 15 or 17-pound Seaguar Tatsu to keep the braid from wrapping around the treble hooks. It seems light, but I like how the bait reacts to each movement, and heavier braids tend to overpower a bait.”

Bass fishing in shallow water is an excellent approach almost any time of the year, but around the spawn and for a few weeks afterward, it can be the way to find big and hungry bass.

Seaguar Smackdown braid is available in high visibility Flash Green and low visibility Stealth Gray. It is available in 150- and 300-yard spools in sizes ranging from 10 to 65 lb tests

Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon mainline is available in 200- and 1,000-yard spools from 4 to 25 lb tests

Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon mainline is available in 200- and 1,000-yard spools from 4 to 20 lb tests.