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 January 22, 2025
GOOD. Water clear; 46 degrees; 0.55 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 10-30 feet on jigs and minnows. Report by The Bait Shop, Post, Texas.
FAIR. Water normal stain; 56 degrees; 65.83 feet below pool. White bass and striper are good in hitting small swimbaits off points. Black bass are fair in 20-30 feet of water on soft plastics. Crappie are good under trees in the coves with jigs and minnows. Blue and channel catfish are fair in deep water. Report by Shon Riley, Lake Amistad Fishing Guides.
GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 1.88 feet below pool. Fishing has improved on the lake. Bass are hitting crankbaits and moving baits in the morning. Bass are moving to offshore structures 10-15 feet in the middle of the day hitting soft plastics, with brush hogs worms working best.
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 43 degrees; 5.60 feet below pool. The fishing pattern is still consistent. Catfish can be caught drifting fresh cut shad and spot locking out on the main part of the lake. Report by Brandon Brown, Brown’s Guide Service.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 0.24 feet below pool. Bass are slow and can be caught in grass 8-15 feet with Texas rig worms, wacky rig senko and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are slow on small jigs over deep brush 25 feet. Report by Reagan Nelson, Lake Athens Bass Guide.
FAIR. Water stained; 48 degrees; 0.58 feet below pool. Bass are good working grass on the north end with worms, spinnerbaits or rattle traps. If the bite is slow, work the rest of the lake around brush, ledges or docks with a creature bait or jig. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. There continues to be a good bass bite in the grass. Lightweight dropshots fished around grass edges and around deep docks have been good. Alabama rigs and jerkbaits have also been producing some fish. Water temperatures are quickly dropping, and the big bite should pick up. Report by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing.
FAIR. Water stain; 55 degrees; 0.67 feet below pool. Bass are fair on soft plastics in the cuts, or with frogs over grass. Crappie are fair with jigs in flooded timber. Catfish are fair on juglines.
GOOD. Water stained; 60 degrees. Fishing patterns are similar, just be sure to slow down your approach. Bass can be caught in deep water with deep crankbait or jigs around ledges, or a Carolina rigged finesse worm. There is now very little grass on the lake. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.
FAIR. Water stained; 45 degrees; 2.49 feet below pool. The cold snap cooled Lake Belton down even further from 51 degrees to the mid 40s. Fish are still using the same locations as before the cold, but the fish are now moving more slowly, chasing shorter distances, and require a change in tactics and more importantly, a change in expectations. Catch rates will fall as the water temperature falls. Those whites and hybrids on bottom features are best targeted with a white Bladed Hazy Eye Slab in ⅝-3/4 ounce. Drop the lure to bottom and then slowly lift it upwards 4-6 feet while observing on 2D or forward facing sonar for a follow, or snap-jig with it. To catch fish seen on side-imaging, cast a 1/2 ounce jighead with white curl-tail grub and work it back with a sawtooth retrieve. Those whites and hybrids which are suspended and roaming after shad are best targeted using a deadstick tactic with a �½ ounce or heavier jighead and 2-3.5 inch soft plastic fluke-style bodies oriented horizontally. Again 2D or forward facing sonar will help anglers position the bait just inches above these fish. Fish will rise and strike once; a solid, instant hookset is a must. Rods with extra fast tips will help with all of these tactics. Birds will continue to be helpful in finding both kinds of white bass and hybrid. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfish are fair. Blue catfish can be found along river ledges in 10 to 20 ft of water. Trolling at slower speeds with fresh cut shad has worked best. Channel catfish have been poor. Flatheads have been slow but can be found around tree piles and rock ledges using live bait. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.
GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 4.49 feet below pool. Catfish are fair in deeper water. Perch are good in shallow water. Crappie are fair on structure with live minnows. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are shallow around structure using chatterbaits and Texas rigged worms.
FAIR. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.17 feet below pool. Water clarity is 1-2 feet in windblown coves and bass have been biting on small-profiled flat sided squarebills in craw colors, dark colored jigs, and dark colored finesse worms on a shaky head. Using slow and small movements have worked the best. Hard cover and relative depth transitions on creek channel bends and ledges are holding good fish during the day, and can also be caught using an Alabama rig in 10 feet or deeper. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service. Windy, sunny banks and retaining walls are good bets for black bass. Try subsurface fish patterns in 5-10 feet of water. On warm, sunny days, small shad pattern flies might produce bass around submerged vegetation. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
SLOW. water stained; 42 degrees; 3.96 feet below pool. Bass are very slow. Deep brush piles are fair working Carolina rigs and small baits very slowly. A few bass can be caught reeling spinnerbaits very slow around bushes and trees in 6-10 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Expect the crappie to become stationary to reserve energy. If the water temperature drops into the 30s a shad kill is possible. If this happens crappie will feed on the shad and follow the fish deep to feed. Crappie are good in 20-60 feet of water on timber in the creek channels. 1-5 fish in a tree but occasionally there will be 20-50 fish. The best approach is a light line with an ⅛ ounce jig. The primary species being caught is black crappie. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 50 degrees; 13.79 feet below pool. Black bass are slow with a few being caught late afternoon before dark around deeper rocky shorelines using senkos and slow rolling spinnerbaits. Catfish are slow with a few caught late afternoon into the night on cut bait. Crappie and white bass are slow.
SLOW. Water stained, 60 degrees. Few reports and anglers on the water due to cold weather.
GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 8.83 feet below pool. Hybrids and sand bass have been good using the deadstick method around main lake humps. Always keep an eye out for working birds as they will lead the way to feeding fish. Blue catfish have been good drifting cut bait over deeper flats, especially in the northern end. Crappie can still be found in deeper water on the main lake, minnows fished very close to the bottom may get a fish or two. The front of main lake docks have been best. Largemouth bass have been slow, the earliest pre-spawn fish may be found in wind sheltered water, especially on warmer sunny days. Jig and Pig combinations are a good start. Fish very slowly, one may only get a bite or two but they will be big ones! All ramps are open. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.
FAIR. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.07 feet above pool. Black bass to 6.41 pounds are excellent on squarebill crankbaits in 2-4 feet of water and on jigs around bait balls in open water. Crappie are slow on jigs and minnows in brush piles 10-15 feet of water. White bass are good with catches up to 2 pounds scattered throughout the lake with crankbaits and Alabama rig. Catfish are slow on cut bait and livers.
SLOW. Water stained; 54 degrees. Bass are starting to group off points and offshore structure. The bite is slow, slowly working shaky heads, dropshots, Carolina rigged plastics worked. Expect a slow bite while cold fronts continue to roll in. Report by the Aggie Anglers.
EXCELLENT. Water slight stain; 50 degrees; 17.28 feet below pool. Striper and white bass are all biting in 32-36 feet of water hanging tight to bottom. Vertical jigging, or slabbing, with �½-1 ounce spoons continues to be the best producer. The birds continue to work some nice schools of fish most days. Report by Travis Holland, TH Fishing. Prefrontal fishing patterns were consistent. Striper fishing and white bass are slow, but can be caught on jigging spoons in 35-45 feet of water. Report by Captain Aaron Dick, One Up Fishing Guide Service. Crappie are fair in deep timber with minnows. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service. Bass are good on rock piles in around 10-12 feet of water slowly working jigs or craw worms. You will see your line jump or move to the side when they hit it. Brush is also a good place to work, especially thick trees in an area. Flip the thickest stuff you can find and hold on. A red or dark lipless crankbait or rattle trap works pretty good this time of year as well. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.
GOOD. Water stained; 40 degrees; 1.10 feet above pool. Water temperatures have fallen and continue to do so with the cold mornings. Expect a slow bite until the lake warms back up. Some white bass are in the river system. Typical temperatures for this time of year are forecasted next so expect the bite to improve when water temperature returns to mid to upper 40s. As the water increases to the upper 50s bass will be getting ready to spawn. It is always a majestic trip on Caddo to fish this lake that God spoke into existence even when the bite is slow. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.
SLOW. Water slightly stained, 62 degrees. Few anglers on the water due to the cold weather.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 52 degrees; 28.84 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good dragging along the grass or near hydrilla in 14-20 feet of water with an Alabama rig or underspin with your favorite plastics. Stripers and white bass can be found on deep humps in 35-55 feet of water with jigging spoons. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
GOOD. stained; 47 degrees; 2.68 feet below pool. The hybrid and white bass winter deadsticking bite is on Fire! Use half ounce to 1-1/2 ounce jigs with 4-5 inch plastic flukes depending on what the winds are and drift long lengths of the lake in the deepest water 35-55 feet. Drift at speeds of .2-.6 mph using your drift mode on your trolling motor or using drift socks. If the winds are not too bad you can just drift with the wind. Thumping on the bottom of your boat will attract fish and group them up underneath as you drift. Utilizing a splasher also works well with thumping. You will find the fish suspended between 22-28 feet when deadstricking. Look for Birds and Loons early mornings on shallow flats as the fish will come up to follow the bait and feed early especially on cloudier and colder days. The crappie bite has been tough with reports of fish being scattered. Target crappie with small jigs and minnows in 7-15 feet under bridge pylons, hidden brush piles throughout the lake or under docks. Crappie fisherman have been moving spot to spot finding limits. Lots of crappies in the 7-9 inch range. Limits of crappie will happen but you may catch a lot of small ones getting to your limit. Report by Brent Herbeck, Herbeck’s Lonestar Fishing Guide Service. The water clarity is stained to slightly stained heading south. The best catfish bite is drifting from 18-35 feet using cut shad or rough fish along the bottom. Report by Jason Barber, Kings Creek Adventures.
SLOW. Water stained; 50 degrees; 33.24 feet below pool. Few anglers on the water while the lake level is low. It is possible to launch a flat bottom boat, or kayak. It is possible to fish from the bank at Callahan State Park. Report by Scott Springer, Fish Choke Canyon Lake.
GOOD. Water slight stain; 50 degrees; 12.54 feet below pool. The bite is very slow for anglers who brave the weather. Report by Lake Cisco Rentals.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 0.35 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are dispersed throughout the lake relating primarily near stumps and boat houses. Crappie are slow with jigs and minnows.
GOOD. 55 degrees; 0.42 feet above pool. Comanche Creek continues to draw in those largemouth bass anglers due to the warmer water of this power plant lake. Largemouth bass are being caught in numbers on soft plastics. Channel catfish are also being caught in numbers on prepared baits. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.
GREAT. Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.22 feet below pool. Crappie are fair to good on brush from 12-25 feet on minnows and jigs. Bass have been good cranking rocks and shad schools as well as plastics under shad schools and offshore structures. Catfish are excellent! Eaters are great on baited holes using catfish Bubblegum, liver, worms, and punchbait. Trophy catfish are good drifting natural baits in and around large shad schools. The arctic blast should get the water into the 40s and will probably push all fish deep for this coming week. Report by Bradly with Bradley Guide Service. Hybrids are being caught in 18-42 feet on flats and drop-offs trolling, and deadsticking has been on fire and using a teaser. Always wear your life jacket! Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.
SLOW. Water stained; 50 degrees: 2.00 feet below pool. The lake is low, best to launch near the dam. Historically a strong cold front will shut the bite off when the water temperature is 43 degrees or lower. Expect the crappie to become stationary to reserve energy. If the water temperature drops into the 30s a shad kill is possible. If this happens crappie will feed on the shad and follow the fish deep to feed. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.
SLOW. 60 degrees; 12.87 feet below pool. Catfish are being caught in deep water. Bass can be caught near the surface. Crappie are in the tree stumps near the shore. The recent winds have mostly been from the northeast direction. Anglers looking for relief from the wind can fish in the cove which shares land mass with Carmel Hills Subdivision and Pernitas Point. Report by Weber’s Boat Landing.
FAIR: Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 0.17 feet above pool. Water clarity is 1-2 feet in windblown coves and bass have been biting on small-profiled flat sided squarebills in craw colors, dark colored jigs, and dark colored finesse worms on a shaky head. Using slow and small movements have worked the best. Hard cover and relative depth transitions on creek channel bends and ledges are holding good fish during the day, and can also be caught using an Alabama rig in 10 feet or deeper. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 51 degrees; 4.47 feet below pool. White bass are fair. Look for birds working or schools of bait on the main lake and in mid-depths on chartreuse and white slabs or paddle tail swimbaits. Crappie are being caught on deeper structure cover using larger profile baits and also spider rigging open water, with the colder weather coming in docks will start producing again. Catfish are being caught on punch bait and cut bait in all depths and are moving a lot with the changing water temperatures. The cold this week should bunch them back up again. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
Closed to the public.
GOOD. Water stained; 53 degrees; 43.86 feet below pool. Trophy catfish are good around the marker 7 areas focusing on corners with submerged timber. Keeper catfish are good in 3-10 feet of water with shrimp and small cut bait. Bass are good in brush piles and rocky points early in the morning when the sun comes and warms the water with a square bill crankbait. Bass are being caught on the south end of the lake with football head jigs and power worms. Bow fishing for gar will improve when the temperatures heat back up. Very few reports of crappie. Report by Ram Reyes, Ram Outdoors.
SLOW. Water slightly stained; 55 degrees. Prefrontal bass bite bass was good shallow along the bank with shaky heads. During the front the fish should have moved deeper and slowed, but bass should return shallow as the weather warms. Report by Mark Fransen, Fransen’s Guide Service.
GOOD. Water Stained; 43 degrees; 1.68 feet below pool. Bass are very slow but the bite is fair on Alabama rigs over deeper water 20-25 feet around baitfish. Suspending jerkbaits are fair in 7-12 feet around channels and big wood. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing has been up and down just like the weather the last few weeks. We have settled into the winter pattern and you can find fish from about 18 feet to as deep as you can find. Some fish are just 8-18 feet down on the timber even in sixty-plus feet deep water. You can also find fish down as deep as 45-50 feet on the same timber. We are seeing a lot of fish but we are seeing tons of small fish. Seems like you can pick a bigger fish or two out of a group and then just find you another group of fish. Smaller baits are working well for my boat and 1/16 ounce hand ties on 6-12 pounds fluoro is my best bait in neutral colors. The key is to hold those baits very still and wait for the bite. If you move the bait or the waves move your bait that fish will most likely not bite. You will need to find fish in protected areas if the wind is blowing that day. Minnows and soft plastics will get you bit as well. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 50 degrees; 7.00 feet below pool. Crappie are fair as anglers continue to wait for crappie to move to winter patterns on deep structures. Bass are slow with a shallow crankbait or spinnerbait on rocky structure on the south side.
SLOW. Water stained: 53 degrees; 11.45 feet below pool. Sand bass can be caught with spoons. Bass can be caught in vegetation with crankbaits and Texas rigs.
FAIR. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.72 feet above pool. Bass fishing is slow. Crappie are good in brush in 15 -20 feet on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good in deep water on cut shad. Sand bass and hybrids are schooling around the hot water outlet.
GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.16 feet below pool. Granbury water temperatures have fallen to the middle 40s. Lake levels are normal. Some good sand bass catches have been reported in the river near Tin Top on 3 inch soft plastics bounced on the bottom. Striped bass are good to 12 pounds on flukes and bass assassins fished near the river channel from Indian Harbor to the Peninsula. Some good striped bass catches have also been reported in Striper alley in 25-40 feet of water. Blue and yellow catfish are good on cut shad fished on the upper ends near Hunter Park. Some big catfish to 20-30 pounds are possible. Crappie action continues to be good in deep water near submerged structures. Good crappies are also being caught in the river near Tin Top on small jigs. Largemouth bass are being caught near major creek entrances and in deeper holes in the river above Granbury. Slow presentation of soft plastics is a preferred option this time of the year. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.88 feet below pool. Black bass are fair up the river on jigs and crank baits. Crappie are slow in the river, but some are being caught in the main lake open water. White bass are starting to move up river but the bite is hit-or-miss. Blue catfish are very good to 30 pounds on shad baited jug lines fished in the main lake. Yellow catfish are slow. Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 47 degrees; 0.25 feet below pool. The lake is in great shape with a slight stain. White bass are in 40 feet of water 5-10 feet off the bottom with white slabs on a stinger hook and thumper on the boat. Sandies are full of eggs so the spawn should begin as the water temperature rises to low 50s. This is typically near a full moon in March. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 47.49 feet below pool. Crappie are in standing timber. Sand bass are good. Catfish are good on minnows and worms. Largemouth bass are good.
GOOD. Water slightly stained. 55 degrees. Chain Pickerel are active in shallow water. Concentrate on areas with stumps, brush, and vegetation. Small bass are active in shallow areas relating to vegetation and structure. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.23 feet above pool. Crappie can be caught on brush with minnows and jigs. Bass can be caught on Texas rigs. Catfish can be caught on cut bait.
SLOW. Water Stained; 50 degrees; 13.30 feet below pool. Bass are fair with a few three fish stringers over 10 pounds. Try dragging soft plastics slowly on the bottom in 8-15 feet of water. Blue catfish can be caught on juglines with live bait or cut carp. White bass are schooling throughout the day.
SLOW. Water stained; 48 degrees; 0.16 feet above pool. Few anglers on the water due to the cold front. Bass are slow on rattletraps and squarebills in shallow water.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 55 degrees; 0.55 above pool. Few anglers on the water due to the cold front. Fish will look for deep haunts and very lethargic and slow to eat. If you can brave these cold snaps it is a good time to target big bass with forward facing sonar. You will be fishing for one bite and targeting a big bite. Warming spells will make for temporary bite windows. Report by Gilbert Miller, GTB Outdoors.
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.62 feet above pool. Water clarity is 1-2 feet in windblown coves and bass have been biting on small-profiled flat sided squarebills in craw colors, dark colored jigs, and dark colored finesse worms on a shaky head. Using slow and small movements have worked the best. Hard cover and relative depth transitions on creek channel bends and ledges are holding good fish during the day, and can also be caught using an Alabama rig in 10 feet or deeper. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
EXCELLENT. Water lightly stained; 45 degrees; 1.68 feet below pool. Crappie are in 20-30 feet of water on brush piles and deep submerged timber. There are a few fish sitting 15-18 feet on the structure. Crappie are hugging the bottom so you have to let a ⅛ ounce hand tied jig touch the bottom and then slowly lift to entice a bite. Minnows or soft plastics of any color will produce fish. A lot of times in the winter they will hit it in the fall so be prepared. Use a bigger profile lure, so keep a couple 1/8 ounce jig heads. You can also find Fish spider rigging, or dragging a jig through the depth of the baitfish. Sometimes the fish will be laying on the bottom next to the dam, usually no more than 100 yards off the rocks. Fish are laying at the base of the riprap where it turns into silt, and on the first tier of the riprap going underwater up to the rocks, to the dam. White bass are in 20-30 feet primarily on deepwater humps and levees, but some will be on points. Thumping the boat making noise will attract them to the boat if they are in the area. Slabs and 3-4 inch flukes have been getting them. Black bass are in 1-5 feet on rocks or concrete, and in 5-10 feet of water shoreline structure. Texas rigs and bass jigs are pulling them out of 15-20 feet deep brush piles. The swimbait bite dragged a couple inches or so above brush piles has been stellar. Along with Alabama rigs if you can take the arm beating, it gives you. If you have side imaging, scan to find any kind of anomalies that these fish can hold on. A lot of the fish are out in open water suspended at 20-30 feet with stick baits and lead heads with a soft plastic paddle tail. Blue catfish are great in 35-40, and there is also a nice population in 5-10 feet of water. Bigger fish seem to be shallow with a lot of eaters out in the deeper water. Drag cut gizzard shad, drum, sunfish and carp on a Santee rig behind the boat at approximately .03-.05 mph. Every day the school moves so you have to locate them. One day they’ll be on one side of the lake and the next they will we have traveled 3 to 4 miles to the other side of the lake. There is a great school of 15-25 pound fish roaming out there and once you find them, it can be an incredible outcome. If the wind suddenly changes directions, you will notice on your side imaging, the catfish are now laying in the mud and are not giving you a sonar shadow, but you can see them, sitting there. When they do have a shadow that means they are on the hunt and those fish are catchable. To chase monsters sit 3-10 feet on the north end of the lake. Bluegills are becoming harder to find in numbers but can be found in 20-30 feet of water brush piles. The dam has trees and brush bluegill and crappie are mixed in. Worms on a very small hook and a split shot above just to keep it in the strike zone will still produce a nice table of fish. Crickets have been king as they also catch a few crappies. Using a cricket cage bait holder is imperative. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.
FAIR. Water stained; 48 degrees; 0.26 feet below pool. Crappie are good in open water in 20-25 feet with orange and chartreuse jigs. White bass are good in 30-35 feet of water with white jigging spoons. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service. Fishing patterns are similar, just be sure to slow down your approach. Bass are good on rock piles and brush piles on sunny days. Docks always come into play on this lake so if you find the right ones you can catch a mess of bass. Look for deeper docks but if you do not find any bass try the outside edges. There are some nice grass patches around the lake as well and lots of bass can be found around some of those. Baits working are Texas-rigged plastics like worms and craws and wacky rigged stick worms. A shallow to mid crankbait and spinnerbaits are working as well. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Largemouth bass can be caught in 7-15 feet of water on the outer edge of grass with shad patterned Alabama rigs, or crawfish colored rattle trap or chatterbait, or dragging senkos or 6 inch trick worms on the outer edge of grass. Some fish are on humps long drawn out points Texas rigs or Carolina rigs, or in boat docks wacky rigged senkos. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
FAIR. Water stained; 48 degrees; 2.17 feet below pool. White bass are fair on deep flats and in river channels in 40-60 feet of water with jigs, slabs, and live bait. Keeper sized hybrid stripers are fair as well. They have been in similar depths as the white bass. If you are keeping fish, please be aware that there are a lot of undersized hybrid stripers in the lake that look very similar to a white bass. Blue catfish are fair to good on cut shad. Drifting main lake flats near the river channel and the river channel has produced bites in 20-48 feet of water. Crappie are fair in 4-38 feet of water. Check brush piles, bridge pilings, and submerged cover close to a drop off ledge. The creeks have also started to produce. Minnows and jigs are catching those fish. Report by Wes Campbell, BendARod Fishing.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 49 degrees; 2.44 feet below pool. Winter patterns continue with fish feeding like crazy to fatten up before hitting spring spawning beds. Crappie, white bass and catfish have been as deep as 20 feet this week. Crappie are in 10-18 feet on offshore brush with minnows, or tight lining straight down in standing timber. White bass are schooling under the surface in 7-17 feet. Catfish are being caught in 10-20 feet on cut bait and minnows. Largemouth bass can be caught from 2-18 feet this week on docks, timber, bulkheads, rocks with Texas rigs, jigs, chatterbaits, and spinnerbait. Numbers of bass are in 5-7 feet of water. Catfish and white bass are on points, flats, and roaming open water. Report by Colan Gonzales, CG’s Just Fishing Guide Service.
GOOD. slightly stained; 63 degrees; 0.15 feet above pool. Hi, the lake is a few inches high due to rain from last week. Water is a little off color north and midlake but still green on the south end. Catching a lot of white bass in 15-25ft on the south end. Ducktracker slabs. Look for catfish in the mouths of the creek due to running water. Report by Michael Richardson, Lake Livingston Adventures.
GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.05 feet above pool. Bass are good in the warmer water from the scrapper cut into Dry creek. With the spawn under way in this area spinnerbaits, rattle traps and Texas rigged worms or creature baits work well. Crappie are slow while fish are primarily scattered with a few found in deeper brush piles using minnows. Catfish are good at the hot water discharge using live and cut bait. Sand bass are good at the discharge using small slab spoons and little George’s. Report by Hambone Guide Service.
SLOW. Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 92.54 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to limited access and low water level.
FAIR. Water stained; 43 degrees; 47.53 feet below pool. White bass are good on silver blue rapalas and minnows. Largemouth bass have been caught on artificial grubs and minnows in Sanford Yake Cove and Bugbee. Catfish are good around Harbor Bay. Many are catching catfish on chicken liver and minnows. Crappie are slow with no reports this week. Bluegill and perch are fair underneath the docks and shallow areas around the lake with worms. Walleye are great on minnows. Floating worm harnesses and red head jigs are good. The Stilling Basing, Spring Canyon, has lots of trout and channel catfish. Report by Dave Wright, Wright-On Bait, Tackle and Watercraft Rental.
SLOW. Water stained; 52 degrees; 2.49 feet below pool. Bass are slow. Hybrids are still scattered, expect them to start schooling mid-December. Blue catfish are fair on shad in 14-20 feet of water. Very few catches of channel catfish. Crappie are slow in 14 feet of water.
GOOD. Water stained; 46 degrees; 0.05 feet above pool. Largemouth bass are good in 15-20 feet of water Carolina rigs, and deep diving crankbaits. Bass are in deep schools with fish ranging 2-4 pounds. Crappie are excellent with fish 15-16 inches roaming in standing timber. Catfish are fair on cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 49 degrees; 0.50 feet below pool. We still have some bass that are being seen in deeper water in larger groups. Most are hovering just off the bottom, so a drop-shot has been working pretty well. A few have also been boated with a deep-diving crankbait. As always, shad imitations are in vogue, but when the water is off-color, a bold color is good. Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services. Largemouth bass are excellent with many fish 2-6 pounds. Small swimbaits and dropshots are good suspended over 20 feet of water. Crappie are excellent with white and chartreuse jigs suspended on timber in 20 feet of water. Forward facing sonar can be beneficial. Catfish are slow on cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 50 degrees. 0.46 feet below pool. The bass bite has been fair flipping soft plastics around reed bases in 1-3 feet of water. The key is to cover water until you find a good stretch that holds multiple bass. It is also important to slow down your retrieve this time of year to trigger these lethargic winter largemouth. 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.
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 48 degrees; 0.96 feet below pool. Few anglers on the water after the cold front. The prefrontal bite was excellent for catfish using carp. Crappie were fair on jigs or hand ties. Report by Navarro Mills Marina.
SLOW. Water stained; 45 degrees; 38.85 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers fishing due to low lake levels.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 48 degrees; 23.11 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are fair with 9 pound catches possible on rage swimmers on umbrella rigs, small shad patterns swimbaits and jerkbaits to 10 feet suspended over deep water. Some bass reported upriver on hags half ounce tsunami jigs green pumpkin with trailer. Crappie are fair on minnows around Elm Creek, mouth of bullhollow and Ranger Cove suspended over deep water trees. White bass good on mine like in 30-45 feet of water on slabs and jigging spoons. Report by Wendell Ramsey, Ramsey Fishing.
SLOW. Water lightly stained; 45 degrees; 18.21 feet below pool. Anglers are reporting a slow bite for all species. We have received some reports of crappie being caught in 8-10 feet of water. Black bass can be caught with Alabama rigs. Report by Bronte Guns and Tackle Pro Staff.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.26 feet below pool. Now getting ready for the Spring crappie spawning season. Typically this begins around the first week of February near a full moon, but is highly dependent on lake level and water temperature. Lake level is good with water reaching up into the shoreline reed level, but water is very cold. We had a late and warm fall, and winter seems to have just begun with at least two more weeks of cold. Crappie are still being found in the normal winter habitat in about 13-23 feet of water by the Live Scope anglers. Very few scattered reports of a few males coming up into the shallows, some reports of males working into the shallow lead in areas of piers and boathouses in 6-12 feet. White bass are also highly dependent on water temperature but not so much on water level. A few reports of males coming up into Kickapoo and Neches, but not a run yet. Report by Jim Beggerly, Jim’s Fishing Lake Palestine.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 52 degrees; 0.16 feet below pool. Blue catfish fair on cut bait and fresh shad. Crappie are in deep water around brush piles on minnows. No reports of sand bass or hybrids. The lake is starting winter off full, so crappie season should be great in March. Report by Lake Palo Pinto RV Park.
GOOD. normal stained; 46 degrees. Largemouth bass are good to excellent on small swimbaits suspended in 12-18 feet of water. Forward facing sonar can help while fish are roaming. Crappie are slow with 1/16 ounce white crappie jig. Catfish are slow on cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
FAIR. Water stained; 47 degrees; 0.10 feet below pool. Striper are fair in 20-40 feet of water with live bait. The water should now be cold enough to try deadsticking, but it may need to drop a few more degrees to really be worth trying. Look for them in 20-40 feet of water. Stay on the trolling motor and keep moving. If deadsticking, stay still and let the fish come to you. Hold your rod still and set the hook at the slightest hint of a bite. The fish are constantly moving and you should be moving too unless deadsticking. Sand bass are fair in 20-30 feet of water with live shad or small slabs and jigs. White and silver are good colors, but white seems to be preferred. Catfish are still fair to good. Fish up the river near Rock Creek Camp. Cut shad is producing good numbers of fish in 5-20 feet of water fished on or near the bottom. Some people like to use cut carp and Buffalo and have good luck with that. It might be worth a try if no other fresh bait is available. Water clarity is steady at 1-8 feet of visibility and slightly stained. Report by TJ Ranft, Ranft Guide Service. Bass slow but will bite when located. Bottom baits such as jigs and bottom bumping crank baits. Bass biting from deep to shallow depths following shad movement. Located in typical winter locations. Report by JK Outdoors Bass Fishing Guide.
FAIR. Water stained; 45 degrees; 0.11 feet above pool. Catfish are good on cut bait. Hybrid bass are good on swimbaits.
SLOW. Water light stain; 50 degrees. Anglers report that the bass fishery is slow. No reports of catfish or crappie. Bluegill fishing is good at the boathouse dock and our piers.
GOOD. Water stained; 45 degrees; 1.19 feet below pool. White bass are in big schools on the southern and middle part of the lake. Look for big bait balls in 35-39 feet of water using 3/4 ounce slabs with 2 jigs tied above spread at least 16 inches apart. Hybrids are near the bottom with 1 ounce jig heads with 4 inch flukes. Drifting has been best with drift socks. When fish come through they are mostly suspended about 5-10 feet range and reel up to the fish. Crappie are fair and relating to brush 18-28 feet deep moving on and off structure and starting to roam the deep flats. Minnows working best. Catfish are good drifting cut bait on the deep flats. Blue catfish up to 25-30 pounds are possible on long drifts. Report by John Varner, John Varner’s Guide Service.
SLOW. Water slightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.97 feet below pool. White bass can be caught on live bait and slabs on humps near creek channels in 35-55 feet. Blue catfish can be caught drifting or anchored with cut bait in 20-55 feet near the creek channels and around schools of white bass. Report by Justin Wilson, Wilson Outdoor Connection.
FAIR. Water normal stain; 48 degrees; 1.68 feet below pool. Recent rains, wintry mix, and much colder weather resulting in less water usage has the Lake Level up about a foot higher than just a couple of weeks ago. White bass are fair with a few reported catches being made with a slab and jig combination fished on the bottom in 25-30 feet of water off main lake points and Pelican Island. It is deadsticking time so slow the movement down. Hybrid striper action is also fair on live bait and slabs off main lake points, Pelican Island and Windsock Point in 30 feet of water or deeper. Lots of small hybrids mixed in with the keepers. Eatersize blue and channel catfish have slowed but are still fair on punch bait in 20-30 feet of water in timber on the Richland Creek Arm of the Lake. Fish a little deeper for the Eater Size fish as the water temperature is as cold. Chum with range cubes and fermented grain for best results. Drift Fishing with cut bait or shad along creek channels and flats is producing trophy blue catfish for those looking for larger catfish and do not mind a slower bite. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin’ Guide Service.
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 47 degrees; 1.34 feet above pool. Bass are very lethargic and slow to bite. Target stumps in creek bends for the best bite. The water is off colored in the creeks and pockets. Crappie and white bass are moving up the creek channels. Catfish are good in 15-26 feet of water on cut bait and minnows. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 47 degrees; 2.19 feet below pool. The weather continues to be cold. At Somerville marina the crappie bite is slow, bluegill are fair on crickets and worms, and catfish are fair on minnows and punch bait. On the lake crappie are fair on jigs and minnow over brush 8-16 feet of water. Catfish are fair in 6-10 feet of water using cut shad or punch bait. Black bass are slow moving plastics in 6-12 feet of water. White bass slow, trolling with various spoons or anchored with shad and ghost minnows. Hybrids, slow in deeper water, using cut bait and mussels. Below the dam fishing is slow. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 50 degrees. 46.03 feet below pool. Very few anglers on the water. The reports are very slow for black bass. The white bass are actively schooling biting spoons and inline spinners. Catfish are slow, with some reports of channel and blue catfish being caught from shore on cut bait. Report by Bronte Guns and Tackle Pro Staff.
GOOD. Water stained; 46 degrees; 0.58 feet below pool. Crappie are good throughout the lake on jigs and minnows. Some bait fish are shallow and on structures attracting the game fish. Bass are fair or typical for this time of year. Bass are not shallow just yet. Catfish are good with more anglers setting up juglines.
FAIR. Water stained; 45 degrees; 2.72 feet below pool. The cold snap cooled Lake Belton down even further from 51 degrees to the mid 40s. Fish are still using the same locations as before the cold, but the fish are now moving more slowly, chasing shorter distances, and require a change in tactics and more importantly, a change in expectations. Catch rates will fall as the water temperature falls. Those whites and hybrids on bottom features are best targeted with a white Bladed Hazy Eye Slab in ⅝-3/4 ounce. Drop the lure to bottom and then slowly lift it upwards 4-6 feet while observing on 2D or forward facing sonar for a follow, or snap-jig with it. To catch fish seen on side-imaging, cast a 1/2 ounce jighead with white curl-tail grub and work it back with a sawtooth retrieve. Those whites and hybrids which are suspended and roaming after shad are best targeted using a deadstick tactic with a �½ ounce or heavier jighead and 2-3 inch soft plastic fluke-style bodies oriented horizontally. Again 2D or forward facing sonar will help anglers position the bait just inches above these fish. Fish will rise and strike once; a solid, instant hookset is a must. Rods with extra fast tips will help with all of these tactics. Birds will continue to be helpful in finding both kinds of white bass and hybrid. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.
FAIR. Water lightly stained; 44 degrees; 1.94 feet below pool. Lake Tawakoni continues to fish well despite dropping temperatures on the main lake. The hybrid striper and white bass bite is decent. Fishing is very technical at this point targeting schools of fish in open water. Presenting crappie jigs or small flukes and swimbaits is key suspended over deep water. If you locate the massive schools of threadfin shad, that is a great place to start. The eating sized catfish bite has been slow. The trophy blue catfish bite has been good. We are seeing fish to 60 pounds and most fish are coming from 30-50 feet. Fresh gizzard shad and drum are working best. Crappie are good on bridge pilings and deep timber in 30 feet of water. Jigs are out fishing minnows. The largemouth bite has been very slow. Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.
FAIR. Water stained; 50 degrees; 4.66 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to cold weather and low water levels.
FAIR. Water stained; 48 degrees; 1.02 feet below pool. Striper fishing is good on flukes in deep water around 60-80 feet, look for bait and fish near them. Swimbaits are working on structure and humps in 15-35 feet of water slow rolled across the bottom. Crappie are in 18-25 feet of water near drop-offs and rocky points. Jigs tipped with a minnow using electronics to locate active fish. Bass fishing can be caught with soft plastics off main lake points and creek points off the banks. Look for structures and flats with stumps in 8-12 feet of water. Catfishing is slow, look for bigger fish to be near the rivers and on shallow flats in 10-25 feet of water. Drift whole gizzard shad and anchored up casting off ledges and drop offs. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Guaranteed Guide Service. Prefrontal patterns should resume as the weather warms after the cold front. Striped bass can be caught on Alabama rigs or shad on structure in 15-25 feet of water. When this bite ends, the bigger fish are being caught in deeper water deadsticking or with Alabama rigs. There are fewer birds working. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 46 degrees; 3.08 feet below pool. The recent cold front has kept anglers off the water. Bass fishing is slow. Most creeks are still running mud, but the main lake is still clear. Few bass can be caught on main lake points with Carolina rigs and big crankbaits in 12-18 feet. Most of the deeper fish are now off bottom and have started to swim around. No crappie report. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 52 degrees; 43.49 feet below pool. Bass are good working cliffs and ledges slow with jigs and Texas-rigged plastics such as worms, craw worms and creature baits to get most bites. Fish are gathering near or at the mouths of creeks and cuts. Work cliffs and ledges slow with jigs and Texas-rigged plastics such as worms, craw worms and creature baits to get most bites. A deep crankbait working it slowly will get some big bites as well. Colors are still pumpkin or watermelon based for plastics and shad or firetiger/red for deep or lipless cranks. Water temps are in the low 50s or high 40s. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Largemouth bass can be caught on the lower end hydrilla and grass with underpins and Alabama rigs. The best bite has been between the dam and Sandy Creek. Target bluff walls with an ⅛ ounce Ned rig or Alabama rig. Some bass are under docks ⅜ ounce pumpkin jig or wacky rigged senko. At night the white bass and stripers can be caught in the lights with jigging spoons and small swimbaits. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
SLOW. Water stained. 47 degrees; 38.96 feet below pool. The water level is very low so navigate with caution. Cold weather and wind have kept anglers off the water. Fishing continues to be slow. Crappie are slow with mostly smaller sized catches in deeper water on structure. Channel catfish are slow on stink bait. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 48 degrees; 0.12 feet above pool. Very few anglers on the water due to the cold fronts. Expect the bite to continue to be slow for all species. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler.
SLOW. Water stained; 47 degrees; 2.37 feet below pool. Few anglers on the water due to the cold front. Catfish are being caught in 12 feet of water under trees with cut bait. Crappie are hit-or-miss with the best bite in the morning at 9 a.m. in 17 feet of water on structure with jigs. Report by Greg Culverhouse, Crappie King.
GOOD. Water slight stain; 60 degrees. Water levels remain extremely low, and the boat ramp continues to be closed to power boats due to scheduled repairs. Small personal watercraft, like kayaks and canoes, can still launch from the shore, and bank fishing is possible, but the low water and exposed rock piles make the ramps essentially unusable. Where you can find it, focus on submerged vegetation with a couple feet of water above it. Try moving techniques like weedless swimbaits, chatterbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Weedless soft plastics, stick baits, and dropshot rigs can also be effective at grass edges and on top of submerged vegetation. On colder winter days, target deeper water and slow your presentations to entice lethargic bass. This can be an effective strategy using Alabama rigs, Carolina rigs, and jigs. Report by Team YAKUSA.
SLOW. Water heavily stained; 43 degrees; 4.91 feet below pool. Crappie are good in the Crappie House on jigs and minnows. Bass and catfish are slow deep and around rocks. Water visibility is 12 inches.
FAIR. Water stained. 60 degrees. A few reports and anglers on the water.
SLOW. Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 22.65 feet below pool. Fishing is slow for all species. Reports of walleye catch.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 53 degrees; 0.06 feet above pool. Catfish are good using punch bait in 20-25 feet of water. The Striped bass bite is getting better while dead sticking with flukes, or live bait in 30-45 feet of water. Crappie are good on small jigs and minnows in timber in 15-20 feet on the north end of the lake. White bass fishing is fair on flukes and slabs. Largemouth bass fishing is good around the docks. Report by Captain Cory Vinson, Guaranteed Guide Service.
FAIR. Water normal stain; 51 degrees; 2.46 feet below pool. White bass are fair, look for birds working or schools of bait on the main lake and in mid-depths on chartreuse and white slabs or paddle tail swimbaits. Crappie are being caught on deeper structure and cover using larger profile baits and also spider rigging open water, with the colder weather coming in docks will start producing again. Catfish are being caught on punch bait and cut bait in all depths and are moving a lot with the changing water temperatures. The cold this week should bunch them back up again. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
SLOW. Water stained; 65 degrees; 8.39 feet above pool. Fishing should be slow for all species until the water settles.
GOOD. Water normal stain; 60 degrees; 0.02 feet above pool. The lake is still a bit muddy and stained, but there are some back areas that are clearing quickly. Largemouth bass are in those areas eating grubs with 1/8 ounce and 1/4 ounce jig heads crawl imitations seem to work the best around structure. White bass are great on paddle tails and small spins early in the mornings and late in the evening. Catfish bite seems to be good using fresh cut shed and live perch or stink bait around the bridge and bulkhead with deeper water. The crappie bite is slowly coming back, but the crappie are finicky and seem to be deep, hanging tight to structure in Luces Bayou, and in the East Fork. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
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