Freshwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of October 4, 2023

Alan Henry

GOOD. Water clear; 78 degrees; 4.40 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 18-26 feet of water using minnows and jigs suspended over trees. Catfish are fair up river using fresh cut bait and prepared baits. Report by The Bait Shop, Post, Texas.

Amistad

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 81 degrees; 51.03 feet below pool. Bass fishing is fair in 1-15 feet of water using Texas rigged senkos, brush hogs, or trick worms. Watermelon red, watermelon chartreuse, watermelon orange are the best colors. White bass are good on main lake channels in 20-50 feet of water on shad colored slabs, rattletraps, and squarebill crankbaits. Stripers are fair on swimbaits, bucktail jig and crankbaits in 30-50 feet of water on main river ledges. Tight lines. Report by Captain Raul Cordero, Far West Guide Service. Catfish are good in 8-10 feet and 35 feet of water. The lake level is still dropping, with about one foot of water left in elevation before the Box Canyon ramp will be closed. Please pray for rain! Have a great day. Report by Captain Kent Terrill, 3 T’S Guide Service. Bass fishing is tough, you have to grind to catch a limit. Find the grass and you find the bass, there are only a few areas with good grass. Punching creature baits and wacky rigs are producing bites. Tight lines! Report by Olin Jensen, Jensen’s Guide Service.

Arlington

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 85-90 degrees; 4.88 feet below pool. Bass are good on points and in brush piles in 10-15 feet of water using swimbaits and topwater baits. Crappie are good on brush piles in 20 feet of water. Report by Chris Rivery, local angler.

Arrowhead

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 8.33 feet below pool. Fishing patterns will remain similar until the water temperature starts to decline. Catfish continue to be good on the main lake drifting with fresh cut shad. Report by Brandon Brown, Brown’s Guide Service.

Athens

FAIR. Water clear; 82-85 degrees; 1.87 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are similar until the forecasted cold weather and rain. Bass are schooling so it can be easier to catch on small shad patterned swimbaits for spinnerbaits. Plenty of fish in shallow grass 2-8 feet of water. Bass on brush piles were not biting. Crappie are still on brush piles. Report by Jim Brack, Athens Guide Service.

Austin

SLOW. Water slightly stained; 82 degrees; 0.49 feet below pool. Bass are becoming more active throughout the day. Shad imitating baits have been working well around docks, bulkheads and grass. There is quite a bit of vegetation showing up in all areas of the lake. Not seeing as many grass carp in there and this will help the fishery explode. A lot of bluegill and small bass are hanging around the grass. Some grass growing out in 15 feet of water and almost reaching the surface. Jigs and frogs fished around shoreline cover with depth are getting some bigger bites. Bass are grouped up on bait out deep. Alabama rigs, small weighted swimbaits and jerkbaits will be key players after the cold weather arrives. Overall the lake is fishing well and showing great signs of improvement. Report by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing.

B.A. Steinhagen

SLOW. Water normal stain; 84 degrees; 0.12 feet below pool. The river is fishing great for bass using small crankbaits and Texas rigged soft plastics.

Bastrop

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 91 degrees. The water is semi stained with about 3-4 feet of visibility. The South shore is the coolest side of the lake. Bass are good focussing flukes and weightless swimbaits on the edge of the reeds. Crankbaits and dropshots are fair in 8-10 feet focusing on transportations. Report Jason Hernandez, Bass Institute of Bastrop. Bass are good using walking style topwater baits to catch numbers and size in the mornings over grass pockets. Wake baits over the grass are doing good as well. Working fast moving baits like shallow and medium crankbaits and spinnerbaits along grass edges is getting some quality bites. Later in the day, work a fluke or Texas rigged worm, craw or baby brush hog along the grass edges and flipping into the grass to get some quality bites. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Belton

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 18.58 feet below pool. Lake Belton: A strong morning topwater bite developed late last week and ran through the arrival of Wednesday night's cold front which also brought some much needed rains. During the topwater sprees, which went strong until 9 A.M. then tapered to nil by 9:30 A.M, a popping cork with streamer selected to match forage size produced best. After the fish left the surface, bottom-oriented fish stayed active for about another hour through 10:30 A.M. and were readily caught by "smoking" MAL Heavy Lures with white tails up vertically from bottom to top through these bottom-oriented fish. Most of the success came on white bass with hybrid stripers and largemouth bass mixed in. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfishing has been excellent. Blue catfish are in 12-25 feet of water slow drifting with suspended baits around points and river channels. Flatheads are becoming more active at night and have been caught near structure and rock piles with live perch or shad. Channel catfish have been fair in shallow water around timber using punch bait. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.

Benbrook

SLOW. Water stained; 83 degrees; 13.17 feet below pool. All ramps are closed due to low water levels.

Bob Sandlin

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.55 feet below pool. Crappie are good on brush piles and downed timber in 15-20 feet of water using minnows or jigs. Stone fish are showing up in the timber. Catfish are excellent on baited holes in 15-20 feet of water using cheese bait. Sand bass are good on main lake points using white slabs. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are fair in the back of coves for the fall feeding frenzy. Topwaters and chatterbaits will land catches. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine. Fly fishing for black bass is slow on topwater patterns and subsurface patterns early and late in the backs of coves and creeks. Look for small schooling bass. Fish poppers around boat houses and main lake points with deceivers or small jig patterns. Try bead heads and wooly buggers for bream. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Brady

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 12.83 feet below pool. The bass bite is improving just as the water levels continue to decline. Check ramp status before heading out. Largemouth bass are good fishing in the few remaining salt cedars or rocks early and late. Flip the salt cedars with a watermelon red senko and throw a KVD 2.5 on the rocks. Crappie are fair around the docks and marina on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair schooling early and late with a crankbait. Catfish are fair on trotlines in the creek on live perch or cut shad.

Braunig

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

Bridgeport

GOOD. Water clear; 81 degrees; 14.46 feet below pool. Crappie continue to be good on minnows and jigs. Docks and old timber have been the best areas. Largemouth bass are good on buzzbaits early in the morning, especially on cloudy days. Sand bass and hybrids are moving around the lake chasing bait. Check flats for schooling fish early and around deeper structure for deeper schools as the sun gets up. As usual, chartreuse slabs are the best bait. Catfish good drifting cut Shad around the main lake structure. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.

Brownwood

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 80-84 degrees; 8.01 feet below pool. Black bass to 7.07 pounds are good on jigs and shaky heads, and 6.13 pound fish on whopper plopper, crankbaits and frogs in 2-15 feet of water. Crappie slow in brush piles and around the docks on minnows in 8-12 feet of water. White bass are good to 1.50 pounds under the lights on crankbaits and small jigs. Catfish are slow to 8 pounds on jug lines, or rods using prepared and cut bait.

Bryan

GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees.Bass are good on grass edges, rock piles and brush piles with a consistent bite near the dam. Report by Aggie Anglers. Catfish and a few crappie are biting on small to medium minnows. Report by The Bait Barn.

Buchanan

GREAT. Water lightly stained; 78-80 degrees; 25.34 feet below pool. Striper fishing is good with the best catches trolling, but vertically jigging is still producing. Live bait has slowed some, but being in the right place at the right time can produce a quick limit. New hazards are sowing daily so exercise caution when boating. Report by Travis Holland, TH Fishing.

Caddo

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.14 feet above pool. We finally have some cool weather coming in as we enter October. Lake is still low, so be extremely careful navigating. Bass are good with some schooling action with catches on pop r’s, flukes, or a spinnerbait or a rattletrap on windy days. Still some fish in the river using a dropshot or Texas rig worm, but as the weather becomes cooler a crankbait will work better in those river spots. Caddo looks amazing and always makes for a fun trip to come and see the views that Caddo offers from this place that God spoke into existence. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.

Calaveras

GOOD. Water slightly stained, 87 degrees. Redfish are fair for boaters trolling dark soft plastics and gold spoons. Recreational shoreline anglers and boaters alike catching reds on frozen Gulf shrimp and live baits around the boat ramps and Jet Ski Cove. Channel and blue catfish have been good in the coves throughout the lake on cut bait, live baits and worms.

Canyon Lake

GOOD. Water clear to slightly stained; 82 degrees; 18.40 feet below pool. The bass are starting to move out of the matted grass and are extremely catchable along the outside grass line. Slow rolling a spinnerbait and swimbait have been the baits of choice. Report by Evan Coleman, Big Bassin Fishing.

Cedar Creek

GOOD. Water normal stain; 77-81 degrees; 3.75 feet below pool. Crappie are good, the bite has been real soft but it is picking up quick. Minnows are still the main bait but jigs are making a statement. Brush piles in 13-17 feet of water and boat docks with 5-8 feet have been producing fish. This bite will continue strong until early December. White bass and hybrids are good, they have been schooling in the mornings under birds on flats and points. Once they quit schooling go check a few humps and use silver slabs while casting out and bringing the bait back to the boat. Largemouth bass are good on topwaters early around riprap and shaky head jigs around brush and docks in 8-13 feet. Report by Kyle Miers, Lake Country Outfitters.

Choke Canyon

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees; 26.58 feet below pool. Bass are fair, starting to chase shad off the ends of points or in shallow grass early in the morning biting little spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, and small worms. Catfish are slow with few anglers on the water. Crappie are slow to fair on deep, 20-25 feet of water, brush piles in the main lake using minnows or small grubs. Sand bass fishing will improve as the water temperatures cools. Check ramp status before heading out. Report by Scott Springer, Fish Choke Canyon Lake.

Cisco

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 10.92 feet below pool. The crappie bite is starting to improve, fish are hitting good in the evening on small minnows. The lake has been calm and clear. Report by Lake Cisco Rentals.

Coleman

SLOW. Slightly stained; 83 degrees; 8.28 feet below pool. Bass are fair to five pounds on Hags soft plastics and jigs tipped with a Hags Undertaker Jr. White and hybrids are fair under the lights on fast moving baits. Crappie are excellent mid lake to the river mouth in the trees along the channel on minnows and jigs.

Conroe

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees; 2.23 feet below pool. Catfish bite is improving as the water temperature cools. Baited holes and wind blown ledges have been producing well on Catfish Bubblegum, liver, and punch bait. Trophy catfish have been caught with the eaters, but are pretty few and far between. Trophy catches will improve once the weather and water become chilly. Report by Brad Doyle, Bradley’s Guide Service. Bass are slower for the most part now mainly due to persistent higher water temperature. The most productive bites are happening early around riprap, docks, and deeper bulkheads where anglers are finding success using shallow running crankbaits, Texas rigs, and wacky worms. As the day progresses, larger fish are being caught around brush piles and structures on main lake points and drop-offs in water depths up to 20 feet. Carolina rigged lizards and deep-running crankbaits remain effective tactics during the day. Report by Bryan Brawner, Lake Conroe Charters. Hybrids are in 13-23 feet of water with some in good schools. Target points or flats trolling with a pet spoon and a diver, jigging with MTPockets slabs, or using large minnows. The crappie bite has picked up over the past days due to the cooler temperatures, but you will still need to fish several spots and thumps have been lighter. Lone Star Crappie Jigs, Stunna jigs, smaller jigs and minnows have been a hit-or-miss in 12-22 feet of water on or close to the structure. Always wear your life jacket. Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy Lake Conroe Guide.

Cooper

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 83 degrees: 1.00 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to water levels.

Corpus Christi Lake

GOOD. 85 degrees; 6.74 feet below pool. The first forecasted front will come through this weekend. Leading up to this fishing will be good but will decline during and after the front. Catfish are good in 10-15 feet of water with dip baits or cut carp. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good in 10-15 feet of water on minnows. Alligator gar are great in the river channel on cut carp. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters.

Cypress Springs

GOOD: Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.38 feet below pool. Crappie are good drifting minnows over tire reefs. Catfish are good with cheese bait over tire reefs. Sand bass are excellent on main lake points 20-25 feet of water on slabs. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are fair in the back of coves for the fall feeding frenzy. Topwaters and chatterbaits will land catches. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine.

Eagle Mountain

GOOD. Water normal stain; 79 degrees; 8.60 feet below pool. White bass are good on main lake structure using slabs, or in mid depths using cocahoe minnows. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles and main lake structure on jigs. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait on structure. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.

Fairfield

Closed to the public.

Falcon

GOOD. Water stained; 84-88 degrees; 44.26 feet below pool. Bigger catfish and keeper catfish are becoming more active as the weather cools. Target catfish in 8-20 feet of water cut or live bait. Crappie are fair on structure and mouths of creeks leading to flats on vertical structure. Rock piles and brush are key using live minnows or chartreuse, white or monkeys milk jigs. Bass are good in 8-15 feet of water on rocky bottoms dragging watermelon red or watermelon seed senkos, cherry seed power worms, or crankbaits. Bow fishing for gar is excellent at the mouths of creeks and main lake on the surface. Report by Ram Reyes, Ram Outdoors.

Fayette

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees. The water temperature will slowly decline with the cooler evenings improving the bite. Reports that bass are fair on Texas rigs and crankbaits.

Fork

GOOD. Water Stained; 83 degrees; 2.55 feet below pool. Early morning bite is good on topwaters and buzz baits and frogs around vegetation. Squarebill crankbaits and rattletraps are good on the outside edge of vegetation. Carolina rigs are good in 4-6 feet of water on points and humps. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Black bass are shallow around brush and timber. Look for windy banks late in the day. Larger fish are starting to chase shad in the backs of coves. Bream are shallow, try bead heads with spinners. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. The Lake Fork crappie fishing is kicking into full fall pattern for us this past week. Fish are moving towards deeper water and feeding hard on shad along the way. Timber in 18-32 feet has been on fire with brush piles also fishing well in 14-22 feet. Still seeing lots of fish stacked up on lay downs in 15-25 feet also. The minnow bite continues to be incredible but some days we can catch fish on small hand tied jigs well. Catfishing is on fire as well on baited holes in 18-28 feet of water. Seems like timber along creek channels in areas that have good shad population are the best place to bait out a good hole with some cattle cubes or sour grains. Use your prepared catfish baits to load the boat with lots of good water size channel cats with the occasional big fish up to 10 pounds. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

Ft. Phantom Hill

SLOW. Water stained; 85 degrees; 6.23 feet below pool. Hybrids are good vertically jigging. White bass are schooling windswept areas biting a rooster tail. Bass can be caught on the rocks early in the morning with topwaters. Blue catfish can be caught drifting with live bait or shad.

Graham

FAIR. Water stained; 85 degrees; 5.66 feet below pool. Catfish are good with cut bait and cheese bait. Bass are slow around brush piles in deeper water on jigs and deep diving crankbaits. Sand bass are schooling biting slabs.

Granbury

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 78-81 degrees; 1.66 feet below pool. Crappie fishing continues to be excellent on small minnows and jigs fished near submerged structure midlake and near bridge pilings. Sand bass are schooling on the surface on many areas of the lake to include Blue Water Shores, Decordova and the Shores. Bigger striped bass continue to be on the lower ends and are good to 10 pounds on live bait and trolling Alabama rigs. Largemouth bass are good in numbers with an occasional bigger fish to 7 pounds. Some good topwater is reported early near main lake points. Many bigger largemouth are on shallow flats near drop-offs and are best caught on crankbaits or Texas rigged worms. Catfish are active and can be caught on various areas of the lake on cut bait. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. Largemouth bass are hitting on minnows around bridges and docks from the bank. Catfish are picking up nicely on minnows, and cutbait from the bank. Stripers are hitting minnows with some sizable catches from the bank. Crappie have slowed down for now. Report by Terry Hodges, local angler. Striped bass can be caught on the south end from Decordova to the dam on live shad, swimbaits, umbrella-rigs and deep diving crankbaits along ledges and points. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton's Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney.

Granger

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 3.45 feet below pool. Black bass are good to 6 pounds on spinnerbaits fished around hydrilla. Crappie are good to two pounds on jigs fished around any cover all over the lake. White bass are slow. Blue catfish are good on jug lines baited with shad. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch. Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.

Grapevine

GOOD. Water clear; 83 degrees; 4.73 feet below pool. White bass are good and on the move. Best success using a trolling motor until you find fish then use slabs double rigged with a stinger hook. Reports that bass are shallow near egrets, fishing shad pattern baits. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.

Greenbelt

GOOD. Water normal stain; 80 degrees; 46.03 feet below pool. Few anglers on the lake but fishing conditions will only improve as the cooler weather settles in. Catfish and bass are biting on minnows. Check ramp status before heading out. Report by Greenbelt Lakeside Marina.

Hawkins

SLOW. Water slightly stained. 75-80 degrees. Black bass are slow on small poppers and streamers fished above the grass and near lily pads in the backs of creeks. Bream are slow with small poppers and bead heads. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Houston County

FAIR. Water clear; 80-84 degrees; 2.28 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 6-14 feet of water on standing timber and brush using minnows. Largemouth are good in 4-14 feet of water on squarebill crankbaits or shaky heads. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com.

Hubbard Creek

FAIR. Water Stained; 85 degrees; 11.22 feet below pool. White bass should be schooling in coves. When the water is calm, scan the lake to find them. There is some hydrilla near the boat ramps so use a senko or topwater for bass, or fish in deeper water with Carolina rigs or deep diving crankbaits.

Jacksonville

SLOW. Water clear; 83 degrees; 2.04 feet below pool. Bass are biting like crazy in deep and shallow water on about any color of soft plastic you want to throw. The frog bite is on the pads, and swim jigs and squarebill crankbaits are working well.

Joe Pool

FAIR. Water clear; 85 degrees; 2.20 feet below pool. The bite is picking up and fish are starting to follow the shad to shallower water. Bass are biting squarebill crankbaits, or shallow crankbaits. Crappie are biting minnows near bridge pillars. Report by Gilbert Miller, GTB Outdoors.

Lake O' the Pines

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.70 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 15-20 feet of water on brush piles using minnows or jigs. Catfish are excellent in 15 feet of water baited holes. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are good in the lily pads, grass and points, or transitioning midway to the back of coves using topwaters, chatterbaits, and skinny dippers. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine.

Lavon

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 84-86 degrees; 5.33 feet below pool. Fishing patterns were holding steady leading into the cold front. Crappie are stacked up on submerged trees in 8-12 feet of water, with a few deeper, but brush piles in 7-11 feet of water are gold. 1/16 ounce jigs are outproducing minnows. Bushy top submerged trees are fishing great, single branch trees will hold 1-7 fish. Condo and bushy trees hold up to 100 or more fish. White Bass are in 7-15 feet of water on flats and ledges, and main lake points and the very end of boat ramps. Some sporadic topwater action can be found. At the boat ramps 7 feet or deeper, look for white bass hunting the shad that are using the ramp as structure. Some days your thumper will end up spooking the fish. Try taking a broken rod and slapping the water over and over like the fish popping and feeding on the surface. Sometimes that triggers them to come in and feed. Use a 1 ounce white or chartreuse slab. If fish surface or you see a bird along the bank on points or flats out 10 feet throw 3-4 inch paddle tails, or swimbaits. If you do not get a bite after 10 casts, move to the next bird. Black bass are good in 10-15 feet of water using diving crankbaits Series 5 KVD sexy Shad 12 foot diver, zoom motor, oil worm, BeaverTails in watermelon-red, and watermelon Green. Bass are near ramps, rock piles, brush piles, on standing timber, underwater points, tire reefs and submerged boat ramps. Catfish are in 10-20 feet on ledges and slopes or flats in 15-18 feet of water using cut shad or cut bluegill. Gizzard Shad are roaming in 1-4 feet of water in the back of coves and flats. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.

LBJ

GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.18 feet below pool. Look for fish to push shallow after the forecasted cold fronts and cooler nights. Catfish are good in 30 feet of water with punch bait. Crappie are good with minnows and chartreuse jigs in 16-22 feet of water over brush piles. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service.

Lewisville

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 81-83 degrees; 4.95 feet below pool. White bass are fair on the bottom near humps, points, and drop off ledges in 8-28 feet of water. Slabs, jigs, and live bait are working. Keeper sized hybrid stripers are fair in the same depths as the white bass. There has been topwater action some days on large flats and points. If you are keeping fish, please be aware that there are a lot of undersized hybrid stripers in the lake that look very similar to a white bass. Catfish are fair drifting 12-26 feet with cut shad or chicken breasts. Check near wind blown points, humps, and flats near creek channels if drifting. Crappie are fair in depths ranging from 6-32 feet of water on brush piles, standing timber, rock piles, stumps, laydowns, and bridge columns using minnows and jigs. Report by Wes Campbell, BendaRod Fishing.

Limestone

GOOD. Water clear; 80-84 degrees; 3.81 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good in 2-12 feet of water using Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, spinnerbait, chatterbaits. White bass are good in 8-14 feet of water using silver slabs, or at night near docks with lights using white beetle spins. Crappie are on offshore brush of standing timber suspended in 6-13 feet with minnows. Still 100 fish days on crappie trips. Catfish are good on points, humps and creek channels in 10-20 feet. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com. Crappie are excellent on brush piles and timber in 12-20 feet of water using ⅛ ounce grease bath Slab Syndicate jigs. Report by Zach Minnix, Jig N’ Jerk Guide Service.

Livingston

GOOD. Stained; 85 degrees; 4.05 feet below pool. Navigate with caution as water level is low with many exposed obstacles or just below the surface. Check ramp status before heading out. White bass are fair transitioning to the fall bite. The typical fall pattern will be early morning schooling action, or fishing humps and points. This pattern could change due to low lake levels. Striped bass are slow. Catfish are fair to good off the edges of the river. Crappie are slow. Largemouth bass are slow. Report by Jeff Friederick, Fishin’ Addiction Guide Service.

Martin Creek

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 91 degrees; 3.62 feet below pool. Bass are slow using watermelon red and plum worms wacky rigged along the outside edge of hydrilla. Crappie are good suspended over timber and brush fishing 25 feet deep. Minnows work best, but shad colored jigs well too. No report on catfish.

Medina

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 86.97 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to the limited access and low water level.

Meredith

GOOD. Water stained; 71-73 degrees; 44.39 feet below pool. Bass are fair on minnows and artificials. Catfish are good on crawlers, minnows, chicken liver and frozen shad. Crappie are fair on artificial baits and minnows. White bass are excellent on minnows, slabs, or any vertical presentations. Trout are slow on powerbaits, minnows, worms, small spinners and flies. Walleye are good with lots of small fish being caught using minnows, grubs, crankbaits and other artificial baits. Reports that the night bite is good. Please be safe out there, watch weather reports. Reports of a nice catfish from North Canyon, and a good crappie from the docks over the weekend. Best of luck on finding your next catch. Life vests save lives. Report by Kenneth Wysong, SharKens Honey Hole.

Millers Creek

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 8.96 feet below pool. Fishing patterns will remain similar until the water temperature starts to decline. Bass are slow on topwaters early in the morning, then on soft plastics off drop-offs. White bass are fair trolling with slabs. Blue and channel catfish are fair on cut bait. Crappie are on submerged structures with minnows and jigs.

Nacogdoches

FAIR. Water clear; 78-84 degrees; 3.19 feet below pool. Recent rains and some cooler mornings have lowered the water temperatures a few degrees. Fall fishing is right around the corner. Largemouth bass are good. We are still a few weeks away before any real transition begins. Once water temperatures get into the low 70s fish will begin their fall transition. Crappie are good on minnows, but as the water temperature cools jigs will begin to excel. Report by Blake Oestreich, Brushbuster Guide Service.

Naconiche

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 1.50 feet below pool. We did receive the most rain, in one event, since early spring. This should help the lake level and ultimately the bite. The overall bite has tightened up a bit which is somewhat typical for September., as the water temperatures start to cool and as we head toward the fall transition. Some bass wolfpacks of fish offshore in the main lake area. Keep in mind the thermocline and do not fish below it. Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services.

Nasworthy

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees. 0.46 feet below pool. Fishing patterns will start to change in the coming weeks due to cold fronts and cooler water temperature. Bass are fair on white chatterbaits or flipping soft plastics in the reeds in 1-3 feet of water. Crappie are good around boat docks on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and stink bait around the dam. Report provided by the Angelo State Fishing Team.

Navarro Mills

GOOD. Water clear; 82-84 degrees; 2.22 feet below pool. White bass are fair on chartreuse slabs in the main lake. Crappie are fair on live minnows around brush and trees. Catfish are good on cut bait and Danny King’s stink bait near timber. Largemouth bass are good on rat-L-traps along the dam and main lake points. Report by Clay Major, Major Guide Service.

O.C. Fisher

SLOW. Water stained; 84 degrees; 50.55 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers fishing due to low lake levels.

O.H. Ivie

FAIR. Water stained; 85 degrees; 28.78 feet below pool. White bass are fair live baits and plastic baits. Crappie are good on live bait or jigs. Largemouth are fair. As the lake level continues to drop, navigate with caution watching for trees. Report by Concho Park and Marina.

Oak Creek

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 15.10 feet below pool. Channel and blue catfish are good on stink baits or punch baits 8-12 feet of water. Bass are slow 15 feet of water using crawfish colored soft plastics, or a few catches on rattletraps. White bass are slow in 20 feet of water on flashy shad colored baits. Few reports of crappie catches off of docks. Report by Randall Pate, Sportsman’s Lodge.

Palestine

GOOD. Water normal stain; 81-86 degrees; 2.30 feet below pool. Crappie fishing is good on minnows and jigs in 10-20 feet of water on brush, 18-25 feet of water on standing timber, and 18-25 feet of water on bridge pillars. Crappie will be suspended between 10-18 feet down. Sand bass and hybrids are good during early daylight hours on Hwy 155 Bridge and main lake humps. Largemouth bass are good offshore in 8-18 feet of water. Catfish are good in 15-20 feet of water with cut bait. Baiting areas helps. Report by Sam Parker, Freshwater Fishing Adventures.

Palo Pinto

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 10.98 feet below pool. Few anglers on the water due to low lake levels.

Possum Kingdom

FAIR. Water clear; 81-84 degrees; 3.42 feet below pool. Striped bass are great and the key to success continues to be live bait in 20-30 feet of water. The fish are on the move in small areas and do not want to stay under the boat. It is best to find a school and stay in that area. Sand bass are fair on small live bait, small slabs or small swim tail on a jig head. Some catches trolling crankbaits in 20-30 feet of water.

Proctor

FAIR. Water stained; 80 degrees; 13.42 feet below pool.Black bass are slow. Catfish on punch bait in shallow water. Hybrid and sand bass can be caught on top water. Crappie are hitting minnows around rock structures. Boat ramps are closed, but it is possible to launch a kayak. Report by Richard Wade, Richard Wade’s Guide Service.

Raven

GOOD. Water clear; 85 degrees; 2.00 feet low. Water levels are low and the hydrilla is breaking up. It still seems like the bass are rolling more than biting. Reports of a nice bass catch across the lake from the camping loop in the grass. Bluegill are biting under the piers.

Ray Hubbard

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 79-81 degrees; 4.44 feet below pool. White bass are fair scattered along edges 13-16 feet of water on flats, some schooling activity, using small lures like baby rattletraps, tail spinners and in line spinners working best. Fish are also showing up on humps 16-27 feet later in the mornings. Crappie on brush piles in deep water, jigs or minnows keeping the baits 17-24 feet with a few showing up on bridge pylons. Catfish are moving deeper on points roaming in 17-28 feet of water. Report by John Varner, John Varner's Guide Service.

Ray Roberts

GOOD. Water is clear; 79 degrees; 2.16 feet below pool. Bass are good with topwaters for an hour at sunrise, then dropshots rigged with a flat worm in 10-20 feet of water. Sand bass are good on the bottom in 30 feet of water with slabs with a hair jig as trailer. Crappie are slow to fair for keeper sized fish in standing timber in 15-30 feet of water. Report by Jim Walling, Ucatchem Guide Service.

Richland Chambers

FAIR. Water clear; 83 degrees; 2.68 feet below pool. Fishing is poor for white bass. Best bet for hybrids will be to fish with live bait off the 309 Flats in 25 feet of water. Cool weather will improve the bite in the late fall. Eater size blue and channel catfish are excellent and continue to be the best bet to consistently catch fish. They can be caught on Shad or Danny King's Punch Bait in the timber off the Richland Creek Channel in 30 feet of water. The early morning bite has been best and the fish are often suspended at various depths. No reports from the crappie or largemouth bass anglers. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin' Guide Service.

Sam Rayburn

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 81 degrees; 5.24 feet below pool. Forecasted cold front and rain will improve the bite and water levels. Bass have moved shallow chasing the bait fish. Bass continue to be good in the lily pads with frogs, along the edges of the pads with senkos and wacky worms, 15-20 feet of water on Carolina rigs. Crappie are stacking up on brush in 16-22 feet of water biting on minnows or jigs. Catfish are good around brush piles and creek channels points in 12-18 feet of water. White bass continue to school on the flats and points on jigs and crankbaits. The lake level is low so navigate with caution watching for obstacles. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.

Somerville

FAIR. Water clear; 85 degrees; 5.25 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady but migrating birds are showing up an indication that the fall bite is close. Catfish, bluegill, and crappie are fair on minnows and worms at Somerville Marina early morning. Black bass are fair hitting slow moving plastics and jerk baits on drop offs and brush in 8-14 feet of water. Crappie are fair on main lake brush piles and pilings using minnows and various jigs. Catfish are fair early in the morning in 8-14 feet of water. Larger catfish are slow in deep water drifting or using jug lines baited with shad or cut bait. White bass are slow trolling Pet spoons on points or using shad and ghost minnows on humps in 6-10 feet of water. Hybrids are slow using cut bait and 2 ounce jigs. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.

Spence

FAIR. Water stained; 86 degrees. 46.69 feet below pool. Bass are slow on topwaters and reaction baits in shallow water. A few bites are possible in deep water using plastics. Wear your life jacket and stay safe. Report by Bill Brasher, Bronte Fishing Guide Service.

Squaw Creek

GREAT. Water stained. 95 degrees; 0.24 feet below pool. Comanche Creek, previously called Squaw Creek, reopened on October 1. Numerous reports of easy limits of channel catfish are being reported. This reservoir is also known for its large population of largemouth bass and tilapia. More reports to follow on this reservoir. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. The water is still very warm hovering around 95 degrees. Catfish are biting sporadically in the warm waters. Tilapia are hitting slowly on minnows. Boaters are coming in early with a few largemouth bass caught in deeper cooler water. The reservoir should pick up around mid November. Report by Terry Hodges, local angler. Catfish are biting punch bait on the bottom in 25-35 feet of water. Report by Jeffery Sojourner, Soujourner’s Fishing. Channel catfish are good in 12-30 feet of water on punch bait, minnows as well as other baits throughout the reservoir along the top and bottom of creek channel ledges. Water temperature is 92 degrees and increases as you move south towards the plant. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton's Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney.

Stamford

SLOW. Water normal stain; 85 degrees; 2.93 feet below pool. Forecasted cold front should bring out the anglers and improve the bite and reports. Fishing is slow for all species with few reports. Report by Anchor Marina.

Stillhouse

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 18.82 feet below pool. Until turnover occurs, fishing will rise and fall with local weather. Wind and cloud cover enhance fishing, while bright, calm conditions hinder. With the thermocline still firmly in place, downrigging for scattered, suspended fish was the best card to play this week. With shad continuing to grow, the #13 Pet Spoon downrigger with a multi-lure setup was my go-to presentation this week. For those without downriggers, using the Pet Spoon behind a Jet Diver, Dipsey Diver, or Hellbender is an option. Quality largemouth bass fishing continues with dark, naturally colored soft plastics fished on the outside edge of the hydrilla now standing in 20 feet of water both early morning and just before and after sunset. Frog fishing for largemouth along the visible, outside edge of hydrilla and in holes in the hydrilla is also producing. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.

Tawakoni

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 90 degrees; 1.71 feet below pool. A series of cool fronts has cooled water temperatures to the lower 80s and we are seeing active fish feeding in many areas of the lake. The hybrid striper and white bass are herded up in big schools on many different lake points in 8-15 feet. Best lures have been slabs and small swimbaits. The eating size catfish have been very good over baited holes in 20 feet. Prepared baits, such as punch baits and dough baits are working best. We are starting to see Trophy Catfish caught up to 30 pounds using fresh cut gizzard shad in water 15-25 feet. The crappie bite is not bad in 10-20 feet using minnows near bridge pilings and brush piles. The largemouth bass bite has improved in the last 10 days. Early morning frogs and flukes are the ticket then follow it up with a square bill on the rip rap. Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.

Texana

GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees; 5.13 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water due to low lake levels.

Texoma

GOOD. Water stained; 86-88 degrees; 3.45 feet below pool. Striped bass continue to be hit-or-miss with smaller sized fish being caught under the birds, then blind casting shallow flats in 1-6 feet of water for larger fish. Best baits have been pencil poppers, slabs and now swimbaits are in play. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors. Striped bass fishing is great. Big fish are along flats in 5-15 feet of water drifting gizzard shad, or working topwaters along the banks. Box fish are running the ledges in 30-40 feet of water on threadfin shad picking through a lot of smaller fish. Catfish are good drifting cut shad along flats in 15-25 feet of water and catching numbers on anchor in 30-40 feet of water off the bottom. Bass fishing is slow with the low lake levels but it’s a great opportunity to drop waypoints on exposed boulders or lay downs that will be covered this fall and spring. Crappie are slow on minnows fishing brush piles in the little mineral arm using electronics to locate active fish. Seeing a lot of small fish. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Texoma Guaranteed Guide Service.

Toledo Bend

FAIR. Water clear; 86-88 degrees; 4.08 feet below pool. The cold front heading into the weekend should improve the bite. Bass are tough, with some topwater action and some schooling action. The best bite is in 12-18 feet of water slowly working crankbaits in a shad color, and a Texas rig in a dark color, like June bug. Crappie are slow to fair in 10-15 feet of water on standing timber on minnows and jigs. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.

Travis

FAIR. Water slight stain; 81 degrees; 52.46 feet below pool. Bass are great and the topwater bite has been good using walking style baits along the shores as the bass are chasing bait up tight. You can move out to deep water ledges, points and humps to catch some good ones as well throwing shaky head trick worms or Texas-rigged 4 and 5 inch worms or craws and even some deep cranks along the walls. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs. Bass are good using crankbaits on main lake points and backs of creek. Fish are all over as shallow as 6 inches of water to 20 feet of water in the grass. The bass are biting everything so fish your strength and you will land catches. All public ramps are closed, so plan accordingly. Report by Randal Frisbie, .

Twin Buttes

GOOD. Water stained. 80 degrees; 30.57 feet below pool. Forecasted cold front will improve the bite for all species heading into the weekend. Catfish are good on cheese bait or nightcrawlers in 12-15 feet of water. Crappie are fair in 10-12 feet of water holding tight to cover using jigs. Sand bass are chasing shad staying above the thermocline at 15 feet of water. The lake turnover is just around the corner. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.

Tyler

GOOD. Water stained; 78 degrees; 2.57 feet below pool. Catfish are good all over the lake on nightcrawlers and stinkbait. Bass are good on crankbaits, black finesse worms, and spinnerbaits in 8 feet of water. Crappie are good in 12-16 feet of water on brush piles using minnows. Bluegill are good on red worms all over the lake. Report by Paul Taylor, The Boulders at Lake Tyler.

Waco

GREAT. Water stained; 85 degrees; 11.51 feet below pool. Crappie are excellent in 3-10 feet of water, and on brush piles in 10-18 feet of water using ⅛ ounce grease bath Slab Syndicate jigs. Report by Zach Minnix, Jig N’ Jerk Guide Service. Conditions are improving for the fall bite. Crappie are on or near brush piles first thing in the morning until the sun rises then fish settle into the brush. This pattern should remain consistent for the next few weeks. Brush piles on points, along drop-offs in 6-20 feet of water using a 14 foot crappie rod baited with Snacky lures FS200 in the color snacky flash on a crappie magnet eye hole jig in 1/16th ounce. With the cooler weather the fish will follow the bait more and more, so if you are not getting bites then find the bait fish and the predator fish should not be too far behind. Report by Robert Stover, Workingman Crappie Guide.

Walter E. Long

GOOD. Water stained; 87 degrees. Walter E. Long boat ramp is closed while water levels are low. It is possible to fish from the shoreline or launch a kayak. Bass are good with Texas rigged 4 and 5 inch worms in the grass catching some nice ones. Always have some small swimbaits or jerkbaits ready for when the bass begin schooling later in the day. A topwater or deep crankbait around the schools will also catch some nice hybrid striper. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Weatherford

SLOW. Water stained; 82 degrees; 8.76 feet below pool. Crappie are fair with a few keepers on brush piles near the dam with minnows or jigs. Catfish are fair with a few catches on the rocks near the dam on cut bait or shad. Bass are slow still in deeper water on crankbaits and Texas rigged worms.

White River

FAIR. Water stained; 87 degrees; 20.80 feet below pool. Catfish continue to be good on cut shad and minnows. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Water clarity is stained due to runoff.

Whitney

GREAT. Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 8.30 feet below pool. Lake Whitney continues to boast good catches of striped bass fishing downrigger jigs or live shad. Some good top water action is being reported as well. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. Striped bass are excellent from Bear Creek to the dam in 25-45 feet of water on live bait, flutter spoons, umbrella-rigs or swim baits. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton's Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney.

Worth

FAIR. Water normally stained; 79 degrees; 3.24 feet below pool. White bass are good on main lake structure using slabs, or in mid depths on cocahoe minnows. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles and main lake structure on jigs. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait on structure. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.

Wright Patman

GOOD. Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.34 feet above pool. Fishing patterns remain similar. Crappie are good in the spillway on minnows or jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait off the rocks and in the spillway.

Houston

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.23 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are similar, look for the best bite at night and early in the morning. Blue catfish are good on shad in the mouths of rivers. Crappie are fair on submerged structures in 10-20 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows. Bass are fair with an early morning topwater bite, transitioning to deeper structure with crankbaits and Texas or Carolina rigged worms.

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