Freshwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of March 29, 2023
- Alan Henry
- FAIR. Water clear; 65 degrees; 10.98 feet below pool. Bass are good Carolina rigs, crankbaits, and live bait. Report by Bait Kandy Corp. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs in 12-28 feet of water. Some fish are spawning, but the cool fronts keep knocking the water temperature slowing the spawn. In honor of April Fools: If you want to go fishing, just let minnow. Report by Randy Britton, Lake Alan Henry Crappie Guide.
- Amistad
- GOOD. Water stained; 63 degrees; 38.35 feet below pool. Black bass are good in 5-15 feet of water on main lake points and flats near deeper water. Texas rigged lizards, senkos, wacky rigged worms are working the best. Rattletraps in shad colors might catch a few.
- Arlington
- SLOW. Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 0.03 feet above pool. Water temperature has dropped after the recent weather. Fish will push deeper but work their way back shallow. Bass can be caught off ledges with spinnerbaits. Crappie can be caught off docks with brush. Channel catfish are biting all over the lake.
- Arrowhead
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 5.85 feet below pool. Catfish are excellent moving out of deeper water onto the flats in 5-12 feet of water biting fresh cut shad or punch bait. Crappie catches around the bridges and at the State Park. Report by Brandon Brown, Brown’s Guide Service.
- Athens
- SLOW. Water clear; 65 degrees; 0.49 feet above pool. Fishing has been slow due to weather. Bass are slow and scattered from 1-22 feet of water. Shallow fish throw small spinnerbaits or chatterbaits in shad colors. Deeper fish dropshot worm or jig. Crappie are slow and scattered because they are sensitive to the temperature changes. Work the outside of deeper docks and brush in 25 feet of water with minnows. Water is clear. Report by Jim Brack, Athens Guide Service.
- Austin
- GOOD. Water clear; 62 degrees; 0.67 feet below pool. Don’Bass are good out to 10 feet of water using Alabama rigs with white swimbaits, or jerkbaits around docks. Crappie and catfish are good in brush piles on minnows. Report Kevin McConnell, McConnell Outdoor Adventure. Lady Bird Lake is 65 degrees. The lower end of the lake has been stained for the last few days from recent rains. Fish are shallow eating lightweight plastics and swimbaits. Upper end of the lake is very clear. Dropshots and small plastics worked around the bank are producing numbers of fish and the occasional nice size bass. Topwater bite is hit-or-miss. Report by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing.
- B.A. Steinhagen
- SLOW. Water stained; 67 degrees; 0.40 feet below pool. Weather conditions have slowed the bite. Bass are slow using weedless swimbaits, chartreuse spinnerbaits, frogs and swim jigs.
- Bastrop
- GOOD. Water clear; 75 degrees. Bass are roaming the shallows and sitting on beds. Throw a fluke or craw worm to get them to bite, or drag a Carolina rigged fluke down and around deeper ledges and grass lines. A frog or wakebait over shallow grass lines has been catching some nice ones as well. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.
- Belton
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 14.26 feet below pool. White bass fishing is very good and will continue to improve into April and May. Mornings are fishing best right now, with the period from 9-11 A.M being consistently most productive. When fish are found tightly hugging bottom, using a slow-smoking tactic with a white, 5/8 ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab with a smooth, consistent retrieve upwards off the bottom has been very effective. When fish are more aggressive, as have frequently been when found under birds, using the MAL Heavy Lure with chartreuse tail either vertically or horizontally has been very effective. When using the MAL Heavy horizontally, counting it down 6-8 seconds after it contacts the water and then doing a plain-Jane retrieve right back to the boat at a moderate cadence has been producing best. Fish are consistently positioning in 17-30 feet of water, very rarely deeper. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfish continue to be scattered after multiple cold fronts. The bite is fair in 5-10 feet of water with muddy bottoms with fresh shad and other cut baits. Flathead catfish are good around shallow cover with live perch. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.
- Benbrook
- SLOW. Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 1.13 feet above pool. Bass are slow after the recent cold spell. As the water temperature increases, look for bass to return to beds. White bass are fair in the backs of creeks.
- Bob Sandlin
- FAIR. Water stained; 60-65 degrees; 0.08 feet below pool. Crappie are good in 2-6 feet of water using minnows under a cork.Sand bass are good on main lake points in 20-30 feet of water. Catfish are fair in 10-15 feet of water on cheese bait. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are good with catches up to 26 pounds in coves on the north side of the lake and sight fishing is in play with chatterbaits, skinny dippers and lizards. Report by Mike Struman, R & R Marine. Black Bass are spawning in creeks and backs of coves. Deceivers and small jig patterns are working well. Try small poppers on cloudy days and low light. Crappie are spawning; work the boat houses and retaining walls with slow sinking wooley patterns. Bream are moving shallow around boathouses and retaining walls, try bead heads and wooly buggers. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
- Brady
- GOOD. Water stained; 60 degrees; 11.04 feet below pool. Largemouth females are staging in the 4-6 feet, but the males have moved up. 20 plus pound stringers are already being caught and should get better and better in the next few weeks. Target the salt cedars with senkos and search for the roaming females outside the salt cedars with a KVD 2.5 sexy shad. White bass are heating up all over the lake. Crappie fishing is really picking up around the few docks on the lake and the marina. Catfishing is good at night in shallow water with cut bait or live perch.
- Braunig
- GOOD. Water slightly stained, 66 degrees. Largemouth bass are still moving into spawning patterns. Slow jigging, reed beds and fast spinnerbaits can produce a reaction strike. Red drum are picking up, especially on the warming trends of the weather on live bait, frozen shrimp and cut shad in 5-15 feet of water for boaters and recreational fishermen alike. Slow trolling soft plastics white/chartreuse in 20-30 feet of water and small silver spoons can produce on days when red drum are moving a little deeper on poor weather days. Channel and blue catfish no report.
- Bridgeport
- GOOD. Water stained; 56 degrees; 8.30 feet below pool. Crappie are moving in to spawn, so check out docks in the north end with minnows and jigs. Their spawn will move south in the next few weeks or so. Sand bass should be heading upstream to spawn. Heavy rain or cold fronts may push them back into the main lake. Check shallow sandbars and windblown points, especially on the north end, to see if they are active. Largemouth bass should be closing in their spawn. Check points on the outside of known spawning coves using crankbaits, jerkbaits and plastics. All ramps are open. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.
- Brownwood
- SLOW. Water stained; 58-62 degrees; 8.67 feet below pool. Black bass to 10 pounds are excellent on jigs and crankbaits in 2-8 feet of water around spawning areas with a few on beds. Crappie are excellent and spawning near the mouth of the creeks in 2-5 feet of water. White bass are fair and scattered near the mouth of pockets on crankbaits. Catfish are good on cut bait near the flats and spawning areas.
- Bryan
- GOOD. Water clear; 66 degrees. Bass are good fishing crankbaits as close to the rocks as possible. Report by Aggie Anglers. Fish are biting off the boat docks and submerged structure in front of the restaurant. Crappie are good on small minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on worms and stink bait. Report by The Bait Barn.
- Buchanan
- GREAT. Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 18.46 feet below pool. The white bass are good trolling crankbaits, or vertically jigging shallow shorelines under the birds. Striped bass are hit-and-miss, trolling or vertically jigging under the birds. Note to boaters, with the lake level dropping be cautious as there are many treetops just under the water or sticking up only a few inches. Report by Travis Holland, TH Fishing.
- Caddo
- SLOW. Water stained; 60 degrees; 1.48 feet above pool. Bass spawn is in full swing and it seems like any tree you come around will have females and males around them. Throw a fluke or a wacky worm senko around the trees in 2-3 feet. On windy days a spinnerbait or chatterbait will work. Throw red watermelon or black and blue colors on your plastic depending on water clarity and cloud coverage. This is a favorite time to fish and enjoy this majestic lake that God spoke into existence. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.
- Calaveras
- FAIR. Water slightly stained, 65 degrees. Red drum have been good on slow trolled silver spoons and white/chartreuse soft plastics. Red drum have been fair on shrimp, and cut shad in 10-20 feet of water from the recreational shoreline and for boaters alike. Channel and blue catfish have been good on shrimp, cut shad, and cheese bait in 5-15 feet of water for channels and 25-30 feet of water for blues. Hybrid Striper no report.
- Canyon Lake
- FAIR. Water slightly stained; 60 degrees; 11.74 feet below pool. Bass can be caught slowly fishing a trick worm along grass edges, and slow rolling a swimbait over the grass. Report by Evan Coleman, Big Bassin Fishing.
- Cedar Creek
- GOOD. Water normal stain; 54-59 degrees; 0.03 feet below pool. The bite may slow with the cold front, but fishing patterns are similar. Crappie are good, fish are staging on docks and shallow brush piles. 4-12 feet has been the best depth. Bridges are holding fish as well as they are staging there as well on pylons in 18-24 feet. White bass and hybrids are good in creeks and some mainlake humps are producing fish, in a few weeks they will start surfacing on shad. Use a silver slab and tandem rigged 1/8 ounce crappie jigs. Largemouth bass are good, jigs and spinnerbaits around shallow docks and bushes are producing fish around creek channel bends. Report by Kyle Miers, Lake Country Outfitters.
- Choke Canyon
- GOOD. Water stained; 61 degrees; 24.76 feet below pool. Bass are shallow from the bank out to eight feet on white and chartreuse spinnerbaits, senkos, lizards, and flukes. Bass are in every stage of the spawn. Catfish are shallow with cut and stink bait. Crappie are good in the shallows on minnows and small black and chartreuse grubs. Report by Scott Springer, Fish Choke Canyon Lake.
- Cisco
- GOOD. Water stained; 58 degrees; 8.57 feet below pool. Crappie are spawning and biting great off of minnows. Reports of channel catfish eating perch. No bass reports, but they can be seen moving in the shallows. Report by Jason Miller, Lake Cisco Rentals.
- Coleman
- SLOW. Slightly stained; 66 degrees; 5.60 feet below pool. Bass are in all stages of the spawn biting your favorite soft plastics.
- Conroe
- GOOD. Water stained; 69 degrees; 0.09 feet above pool. Catfish are great on the bulkheads, deep, and shallow using catfish bubblegum, liver, worms, punch bait and minnows. A 26 and 17 pound catch using catfish bubblegum. Trophy catfish are doing good along creek channels and points on natural baits. Report by Brad Doyle, Bradley’s Guide Service. Bass are good throughout the lake. Anglers can expect to find them in the shallower waters near the docks, bulkheads and around the submerged structures such as brush piles, stumps, and drop-offs. Effective lures for this time of year include soft plastic baits such as worms, crawfish, and lizards in green pumpkin or watermelon colors, as well as topwater lures like small poppers, buzzbaits, and frogs in natural colors. Crankbaits in shad or crawfish patterns can also be effective, especially when targeting deeper structures, trying to cover as much water as possible. Report by Bryan Brawner, Lake Conroe Charters. Crappie are aggressive in 12-26 feet of water. The bite is more of solid thumps than a lite bite using Lone Star Crappie Jigs, plastic or hair. Crappie should be back on the move this week. Hybrids are good jigging, or casting swimbaits, or live bait on the edge of drop off 17-31 feet of water near and on flats. Some schools have been tight where others have been scattered. Always wear your life jacket Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy Lake Conroe Guide.
- Cooper
- FAIR. Water lightly stained; 59 degrees. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish catches are good drifting with cut bait.
- Corpus Christi Lake
- GREAT. 70 degrees; 4.72 feet below pool. Catfish are great 1-3 feet of water on cheese bait, cut shad, soap baits, shrimp, and worms. Largemouth bass are good in 1-3 feet of water on jigs, senkos, and small crankbaits. White bass are slow in the lake but are great in the Nueces River north of the lake. Live minnows and small swim baits are the ticket. Crappie are good in one foot of water near structures with live minnows or white jigs. The spawn is slowing down and fish are beginning to scatter but can still be found shallow. Alligator gar are good on cut shad and carp. Bow Fishermen are finding great success in the shallows. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters.
- Cypress Springs
- FAIR: Water stained; 58-62 degrees; 0.22 feet above pool. Crappie are fair with some fish starting to show up shallow biting minnows under a slip cork. Catfish are good on 15-20 feet of water on baited holes using cheese baits. Sand bass are good in 25-30 feet of water on slabs. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are on beds on the north side of the lake with skinny dippers, flukes, lizards and chatterbaits. Sight fishing is difficult due to water clarity. Report by Mike Struman, R & R Marine.
- Eagle Mountain
- GOOD. Water normal stain, 63 degrees; 2.64 feet below pool. White bass are fair on main lake structures using slabs, and in creeks using rooster tails and inline spinners. Crappie are fair in boat slips and on brush on jigs and some crappie are being reported shallow on jigs. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on punch bait and shad in multiple depths. All fish patterns are changing with warm and cool days so patterns may change daily. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service. Black bass fishing is heating up, catching good numbers shallow in creeks on square bills and Texas rigged stick baits. Main lake secondary points are producing some big fish. Shaky head rigged baits in shad patterns have been working well around rock and hard bottom. Jig bite is good around docks and structures close to spawning flats. Report by Jeremy Matthews, local angler.
- Fairfield
- Water normal stain; 62-70 degrees. Largemouth bass are good out to three feet with bass on beds. Sight fishing is in play working swim jigs, Texas rigs, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Crappie are good out to seven feet on minnows. Catfish out to 10 feet on cut bait. White bass are good out to seven feet using squarebill crankbaits, silver jigging spoons, and spinnerbaits. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com.
- Falcon
- GOOD. Water stained; 68-75 degrees; 45.79 feet below pool. Bass are excellent in 5-15 feet of water on flats near deep water. Bigger bass are being caught dragging football jigs and crankbaits. Crappie and white bass are transitioning to 5-15 feet of water for the spawn. Keeper catfish are in 10-20 feet of water using cut bait and shrimp. Bigger catfish are being caught at the edge of the river channel on fresh cut bait. Gar are suspended at the surface biting tilapia, cut carp and shad. White bass are shallow on wind blown rocks near The Tigers using crankbaits and three inch swimbait and speck rigs. Report by Ram Reyes, Ram Outdoors.
- Fayette
- EXCELLENT. Water clear; 67 degrees; 0.00 feet full pool. Warmer weather and water temperatures have improved the bite for all species. Why do fish swim in schools? Because they cannot walk. Bass are spawning and the bite is excellent on shallow points and along dam rocks 10-14 feet of water with various shad color crankbaits, rattletraps, and crawfish plastics. Top water bite is good early morning in shallow water with frog poppers. Catfish are fair hitting punch bait and chicken livers 8-15 feet of water, on tight lines over chum. Bluegill and perch are good on worms and crickets around structures. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
- Fork
- GOOD. Water Stained; 55-62 degrees; 1.53 feet below pool. Bass bite has its good days and slow days. Points and the edge of grass lines are best with Texas rigs and Carolina rigs with lizards and creature baits 2-4 feet. Frogs over grass and some buzz baits are also working. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Pro. Bass are excellent on topwater patterns in early morning and evening. Suspending subsurface patterns and small crayfish patterns are working in flooded grass and timber. Crappie are moving towards the banks, try small bead heads fished slowly 3’-4’. Carp and gar are spawning in shallow water. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing is phenomenal in 32 feet of water. Still waiting for females to show up in numbers in the shallows. Biggest fish are in the 18-28 feet range this past week. Fish with small hand tied jigs in chartreuse colors or soft plastics and minnows. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins’ Guide Service.
- Ft. Phantom Hill
- GOOD. Water stained; 66 degrees; 7.04 feet below pool. Catfish are good with cut bait. Bass are in all stages of the spawn biting soft plastics.
- Graham
- SLOW. Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 4.38 feet below pool. Bass are good and feeding well as the water warms. Baitfish type lures are working best, such as lipless crankbaits and jerkbaits.
- Granbury
- FAIR. Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 1.36 feet below pool. Granbury water conditions look great after the golden alga bloom. Limits of striped bass on the lower end of the lake. Crappie and bass are in the creeks where previously the alga was present. Crappie are biting jigs worked under a cork in the Slough. Baitfish and bream are also moving in the creeks which is a good sign. Largemouth bass fishing continues to be fair to good on lipless crankbaits and soft plastics worked near creek entrances and on the beds in the back of the creeks. Big blue catfish continue to be caught on the upper ends on cut bait. Some white bass are returning to the main lake biting slabs worked near Indian Harbor. Some good sand bass reports are still coming in from the river near Tin Top. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. Shad are starting to stage on shallow flats and will be moving to the banks soon with warmer weather. Catfish bite is slow, but should improve as the weather stabilizes. Cut carp is outperforming shad. Granbury catfish are biting well on cut bait shallow. I have not fished or looked in any deep water this week Report by Jeffery Sojourner, Sojourner Fishing LLC. Granbury is recovering from the golden alga outbreak but the Brazos River coming into Granbury is fishing good right now. The bass are shallow getting ready to spawn. Catching them on dark colored soft plastics and jerk baits. Report by James Moore, North Texas Bass Fishing and Cmoore Striper Guide.
- Granger
- SLOW. Water lightly stained; 62` degrees; 0.15 feet above pool. Black bass are good on jigs and spinnerbaits fished in shallow timber. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows fished in 1-2 feet of water in spawning areas. White bass are good up river around Dickerson's Bottom. Blue catfish are good on jug lines baited with Zote Soap or shad. Yellow catfish are fair on live perch fished on trotlines. Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.
- Grapevine
- FAIR. Water clear; 55-58 degrees; 1.35 feet above pool. White bass are excellent with slabs under the birds. Fish can be spooked so be sure to drift, or use a trolling motor. What do you call an angler with one foot on the dock and one on the boat holding a 5-horsepower motor? A split shot with a sinker. Target crappie on shallow brush piles. Deeper brush piles can be hard to locate while the water level is high. Catfish are in shallow water feeding on spawning carp and shad. Bass are shallow, look in shallow spawning areas with spinnerbaits. Water is high, so be prepared when launching. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.
- Greenbelt
- SLOW. Water stained; 55 degrees; 45.74 feet below pool. Few reports due to few anglers on the water.
- Hawkins
- EXCELLENT. Water slightly stained. 63-70 degrees. Black bass are spawning so use small crayfish patterns and bream imitations are working. Crappie are moving shallow; try clean banks in 12-18 inches with #6 or #8 wooly buggers. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
- Houston County
- GOOD. Water stained; 67 degrees; 0.12 feet above pool. Largemouth bass are good out to three feet with bass on beds. Sight fishing is in play working swim jigs, Texas rigs, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Crappie are good out to seven feet on minnows. Catfish out to 10 feet on cut bait. White bass are good out to seven feet using squarebill crankbaits, silver jigging spoons, and spinnerbaits. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com.
- Hubbard Creek
- SLOW. Water Stained; 66 degrees; 7.78 feet below pool. Bass should be pushing shallow gearing up for the spawn. Target rocks and rock cuts with creature baits and crankbaits. Crappie are good in the Hubbard Creek and Sandy Creek arm using minnows.
- Jacksonville
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 0.08 feet below pool. Bass are good on soft plastics on the bank for new fish moving in, and deeper water as well for fish that have already moved out. Topwater frog bite is getting better in grass and pads.
- Joe Pool
- FAIR. Water slightly stained; 65 degrees; 0.44 feet above pool. The bass bite is improving as the water temperature reaches the mid to upper 50s. White vibrating jigs are working well in 1-6 feet of water all over the lake. The fish are moving up, but some can still be caught on a Carolina rigged soft plastic creature bait or worm in 10-15 feet on underwater ledges near the mouth of any pocket or cove. A lipless crankbait is a great way to cover water to locate fish. Report by Ben Robertson, Ben’s Bass Excursions.
- Lake O' the Pines
- GOOD. Water stained; 60-65 degrees; 0.69 feet above pool.Crappie are good in 2-6 feet of water using minnows under a cork.Sand bass are good on main lake points in 20-30 feet of water. Catfish are fair in 10-15 feet of water on cheese bait. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are good with catches up to 26 pounds in coves on the north side of the lake and sight fishing is in play with chatterbaits, skinny dippers and lizards. Report by Mike Struman, R & R Marine.
- Lavon
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.30 feet above pool.Crappie are in spawning grounds in 1-5 feet in flooded grass or submerged buttonwillow bushes vertically fishing a 1/16 to 1/8 ounce jig. Solitary fish are in 5-12 feet of water, or fishes in packs near structures using LiveScope. Use 1/16 ounce jigs or under a slip bobber at whatever depth they are hanging. The colors doesn't seem to matter, but black and chartreuse or white and chartreuse will produce. White bass are showing up in the creeks and rivers. When scouting the creeks, look in eddies along the banks near the creek rapids. Focus on bank cave-ins, debris piles,and riprap, and structure that deflects the current and forms a small eddy downstream. The fish do not want to exert to much energy so they will hide in the current breaks. Early in the year the white bass school up in these deep holes, waiting to push further and further up the creek systems and river systems. Everytime it floods, the fish migrate further and further upstream. I have seen them get on their side in 2 inches of water and flutter up the shallow rapids by the 100s. A four pound mono line and small crappie style jigs or minnows. In line spinners 1/8 ounce rooster tails in white, silver, chartreuse, or black, or tiny flukes on 1/16 th ounce jig heads under a small bobber or just cast and retrieve. Black bass are bedded up for the spawn and some are still looking for their place to spawn. Target 1-7 feet of water in the early morning with chatterbaits, topwater lures, and white and chartreuse spinnerbaits. As the sun comes up, switch your presentation to have a Texas rig or jigs and work them very very slowly. Squarebill crankbaits out to six feet of water will work all day. Look for riprap, submerged bushes, grass or gravel bottom. Fish will hold on timber as well, and flooded grass and bushes. Focus on points and secondary points. Channel catfish limits on baited holes in 10-15 feet of water on cut shad or stink baits. Chum a spot with rocks so the chum falls in between the cracks in rocks so work at it longer to get fish out. This will keep the fish in the same area longer. Bait up at least three spots. The power house producing catfish in the currents no chum required. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.
- LBJ
- GOOD. Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.27 feet below pool. Catfish are good in 15-20 feet of open water with punch bait. Crappie are fair with live minnows or chartreuse jigs in 4-10 feet of water over brush piles. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service.
- Lewisville
- FAIR. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.50 feet above pool. White bass are fair to good on the bottom near humps, points, and drop-off ledges in 20-30 feet of water or suspended near creek channels and flats close by in 32-55 feet of water. Flukes, small swimbaits, slabs, and live bait are working. Keeper sized hybrid striper are slow, but can be picked off every once in a while hanging around 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. Catfish are good. Anchoring in 5 feet or less close to the feeder creeks or drifting 12-34 feet with cut shad or chicken breasts has produced. Check near wind blown points, humps, and flats near creek channels if drifting. Crappie are fair in depths ranging from 4-34 feet of water with minnows and jigs. The main lake and feeder creeks are producing fish focusing on warm banks, brush piles, standing timber, rock piles, stumps, laydowns, leaf piles, and bridge columns. Report by Wes Campbell, BendaRod Fishing.
- Limestone
- GOOD. Water clear; 62-70 degrees; 2.80 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good out to three feet with bass on beds. Sight fishing is in play working swim jigs, Texas rigs, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Crappie are good out to seven feet on minnows. Catfish out to 10 feet on cut bait. White bass are good out to seven feet using squarebill crankbaits, silver jigging spoons, and spinnerbaits. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com.
- Livingston
- FAIR. Stained; 68 degrees; 0.03 feet above pool. Don’t be fooled the fish are biting this weekend! White bass are fair to good showing up on the humps and points on the mid to south end of the lake trolling with ¾ ounce slabs and jigging off the bottom near the island. Catfish are good on the main lake drifting with cut bait on flats near the river channel. Report by Jeff Friederick, Fishin’ Addiction Guide Service.
- Martin Creek
- GOOD. Water slightly stained; 70 degrees; 0.08 feet above pool. Bass are still good over hydrilla and deep water points with brush using Texas rigged big plum colored worms. Crappie are good using minnows and jigs over brush in 20-25 feet of water off the bottom. The catfish are good on cut bait, live bait, or juglines in 5-10 feet of water.
- Medina
- SLOW. Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; 82.39 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers on the water. Reports of kayakers having success near the dam.
- Meredith
- SLOW. Water stained; 48 degrees; 55.18 feet below pool. Bass are good on minnows and artificials. Catfish are slow on minnows and frozen shad. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on minnows, and jig heads with a curly tailed grub. Trout are good on minnows, power baits, worms, small spinners and flies. Walleye are good on minnows and grubs. Several reports of walleye and crappie caught at the end of shallow docks. Please be safe out there, watch weather reports. Life vests save lives. Hope this helps you enjoy Lake Meredith. Report by Kenneth Wysong, SharKens Honey Hole.
- Millers Creek
- GOOD. Water stained; 65 degrees; 5.62 feet below pool. Bass are in all stages of the spawn. Crappie are good on standing timber and brush piles with minnows or small jigs. Catfish are good on cut baits and cheese bait. White bass should begin moving towards the creek channels.
- Nacogdoches
- GOOD. Water clear; 65-70 degrees; 0.22 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good. Spring fishing is in full swing. Fish can be found up shallow on grass edges or shallow creek channels. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are beginning to get on brush piles and post spawn bite is right around the corner. Report by Blake Oestreich, Brushbuster Guide Service.
- Naconiche
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 67 degrees. The water temperature increased 10 degrees after the warmer weather. This has some fish active just off shore in 6-10 feet of water. Some buck bass are still on beds, but some are patrolling their hatch. Typical lures for bedding bass are creatures, lizards, craws in red colors, or flake. The fluke has been getting the most bites for those fish just off shore. The Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services.
- Nasworthy
- GOOD. Water slightly stained; 69 degrees. 1.02 feet below pool. Bass are fair on white chatterbaits around the reeds and flipping soft plastics in 1-3 feet of water in the river. Crappie are good around boat docks on chartreuse jigs and catfish were good on cut bait and stink bait around the dam. Report provided by the Angelo State Fishing Team.
- Navarro Mills
- SLOW. Stained; 66 degrees; 0.07 feet below pool. Bass should be shallow on beds biting creature baits, or on ledges biting a Carolina rigged worm. Crappie are fair with minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.
- O.C. Fisher
- SLOW. Water stained; 70 degrees; 48.70 feet below pool. Few reports and anglers fishing due to weather, and low lake levels.
- O.H. Ivie
- GOOD. Water stained; 65 degrees; 24.17 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good using soft plastics. White bass are fair with live bait and crankbaits. Crappie good using minnows. Catfish are good on live bait. Report by Concho Park and Marina.
- Oak Creek
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 11.59 feet below pool. Bass are good shallow with pumpkin seed eight inch worms. Crappie are good in the deeper water near the dam with minnows. Threadfin shad are schooling the banks, so the white bass should follow soon. Report provided by Randall Pate, Sportsman’s Lodge.
- Palestine
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.40 feet above pooWhite bass and hybrids are good off points with topwater lures. Catfish are biting 2-4 feet of water under boat houses on nightcrawlers, chicken heart and livers. Good catches in the river on baited holes in 17 feet of water on baited holes with nightcrawlers. Report by Ricky Vandergriff, Ricky’s Guide Service.
- Palo Pinto
- SLOW. Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 6.31 feet below pool. Bass are entering the creeks seeing good numbers of males moving in before the females. The bigger fish should be in the creeks soon. Report by James Moore, North Texas Bass Fishing and Cmoore Striper Guide.
- Possum Kingdom
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 56-62 degrees; 5.43 feet below pool. Striper fishing is fair to good. Most fish are caught using live shad but trolling jigs is definitely an option. Every day seems to be a different color; white, chartreuse, pink, and green seem to be the most consistent. Fish are scattered anywhere from 20-55 feet of water, so be willing to cover ground looking for them. Sandbass are hit or miss. They should be spawning now and will be up the creeks and off the lake points. Some may be caught using small shad and possibly minnows. Catfish are fair. Cut shad fished in heavy cover in 15-30 feet of water. Water clarity is 4-14 feet depending on location on the lake. Report by TJ Ranft, Ranft Guide Service.
- Proctor
- SLOW. Water stained; 66 degrees; 9.38 feet below pool. Blue catfish are biting best at night in deeper water. Marking fish on ledges and deeper structure from 10-18 feet of water. Shad are hard to find, and the day bite is slow. Report by Jeffery Sojourner, Sojourner Fishing LLC.
- Raven
- FAIR. Water clear; 60 degrees; 0.00 feet full pool. Don’t be fooled the fish are biting! Catfish are fair on cut bluegill or liver. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Bass have finished the spawn, and have mostly moved off the beds. A few late bloomers are still on bed, but mostly smaller male fry guarders are in the shallows, with larger post spawn females hanging in deeper water not far away. Paddle tail plastic five inch swimbaits in a bluegill color are a great bet right now, followed closely by a junebug chatterbait or senko just off the grass lines.
- Ray Hubbard
- FAIR. Water lightly stained; 57-59 degrees; 0.03 feet below pool. White bass are good fishing flats in 28-30 feet of water adjacent to shallow spawning areas, and suspended four feet off the bottom in some areas. A lot of white bass are spawning and are full of eggs. Reports of white bass in the creeks. Crappie are good in flooded cattails in the creeks and in water as shallow as three feet using cork jigs or minnows. Catfish are around timber areas of the lake in 2-8 feet of water using cut shad and bubbas punch bait. Report by John Varner, John Varner's Guide Service.
- Ray Roberts
- SLOW. Water is stained; 53 degrees; 0.83 feet above pool. Fishing has been slow due to inclement weather, but this should improve as spring-like weather is in the forecast. White bass are in the creek spawning. Some undersized catches in the main lake. Crappie are fair in the mouths of creeks biting on jigs and minnows in 3-12 feet of water. Bass are fair in shallow water on beds using spinnerbaits. Shad should be on the bulkheads in the coming weeks, but are not there just yet. Where there is baitfish there is game fish. Report by Jim Walling, Ucatchem Guide Service.
- Richland Chambers
- GOOD. Water clear; 60-64 degrees; 1.87 feet below pool. The old saying about "March coming in like a lion" certainly has been true in 2023 as the wind and storms kept anglers off the lake. Here's hoping "March goes out like a lamb" and we have a good start to April! White bass and hybrid striper action is fair on the 309 flats and main lake points in 20-30 feet of water using a slab and jig combination. Eatersize blue and channel catfish are good and can be caught with punch bait on a # 4 Treble Hook. Nice blue catfish can be caught in the same area as the feeding White Bass. Crappie spawn is on as there are numerous reports of catches in shallow water and around boat docks using minnows. Very few reports of largemouth bass being caught, but fish should be in the shallows as it is spawning time! Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin' Guide Service.
- Sam Rayburn
- GOOD. Water stained; 69 degrees; 0.50 feet below pool. Bass males are shallow, waiting on a woman. Anticipate a big spawn wave the next full moon. Soft plastics, trick works and senkos around brush and cypress trees and points will produce catches. Crappie are in brush piles, but we are still waiting on the spawn. Catfish are moving into the creek channel. Sand bass are in the creeks. Report by Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
- Somerville
- GOOD. Water slightly clear; 66 degrees; 2.51 feet below pool. Why do fish swim in schools? Because they cannot walk. Catfish, bluegill, and crappie are good on minnows and worms at Somerville Marina early morning and late evening. Black bass are good on spawning beds hitting slow moving spinnerbaits and shad color crankbait on drop-offs in 6-10 feet of water, and around rocky points. Crappie are fair on the main lake brush piles using minnows and various jigs. Catfish are good early morning, 2-8 feet of water. Larger catfish are good in deep water on Jug lines baited with shad. Hybrids are fair. White bass are good trolling Pet spoons for trolling or using shad and pencil minnows 6-10 feet of water. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
- Spence
- FAIR. Water stained; 63 degrees. 45.33 feet below pool. Water is warming and bass are moving shallow biting creature baits or senko in combination with a stout rod and heavy line they are mean. Some boats are catching white bass in good numbers and size. Report by Bill Brasher, Bronte Fishing Guide Service.
- Squaw Creek
- GREAT. Water stained. 75 degrees; 0.45 feet above pool. Channel catfish are good on punch bait, minnows, cut bait or hot dogs throughout the reservoir in 22-45 creek channels and ledges. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton's Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney.
- Stamford
- SLOW. Water stained; 64 degrees; 3.39 feet below pool. Crappie fishing is good at the Crappie House on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on juglines. Bass should be shallow on beds with creature baits. Report by Anchor Marina.
- Stillhouse
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 61 degrees; 12.65 feet below pool. The typically solid spring white bass on this body of water was a bust this year due to low water levels and near zero flow of water through the the dam. Fishing attention on Stillhouse is now mainly focused on largemouth bass fishing in the remaining hydrilla still standing after the annual winter die-back and the loss of much vegetation due to falling water. Most of the hydrilla is now limited to the lower part of the lake's middle third and to the lower third. With water temperature and weather fluctuations, largemouth bass are now being found from water as deep as 30 plus feet right up into shallow water in the backs of coves. Presentations should vary with weather and fish mood, with slower, soft plastic presentations when the weather and the bite are tough, and faster presentations like crankbaits and lipless crankbaits when the weather has fish turned on. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.
- Tawakoni
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.29 feet above pool. Hybrid striper and white bass bite are good with many fish spawned out but some with eggs. Seeing lots of fish in open water and numbers on humps and points. Slabs and swimbaits are working best. Trophy catfish bite is winding down. Eatersized blue catfish bite is in full swing using fresh cut shad in 1-5 feet of water. Crappie bite is hit-or-miss on warmer days in 1-3 feet of water. Jigs are out fishing minnows. Largemouth bass are pitching buck brush, or near the dam throwing crankbaits and rattletraps. Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.
- Texana
- FAIR. Water stained; 69 degrees; 0.81 feet below pool. Bass are in all stages for the spawn biting on soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Crappie are good in structure using minnows and jigs. Catfish are good throughout the lake on punch bait and cut bait.
- Texoma
- GOOD. Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.50 feet below pool. Striped bass are slow on artificials, but anglers fishing with live bait are having success in deep water. Striped bass are in the peak of the spawn, which can make the bite tough. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors. Striped bass are good on live bait drifting flats in 30-50 feet of water. A few warmer weeks and the stripers will go spawn. A lot of smaller fish on humps in 25-30 feet of water fishing live bait. Crappie are fair on brush in 8-10 feet of water fishing jigs but the minnow bite will turn on in the creeks soon. Catfish are slow anchoring with cut shad in 5-15 feet of water near the rivers. Warmer weather ahead will have them feeding before the spawn. Report by Jacob Orr Lake Texoma Guaranteed Guide Service.
- Toledo Bend
- GOOD. Water stained; 62-68 degrees; 2.17 feet below pool. GOOD. The water level is 169.86 with both generators running 24 hours. Water temperature at the dam is 62 degrees. North of the three-mile Pendleton bridge, temperatures have been running 65-68 degrees. Good numbers of bass have been caught on bladed jigs in colors of black/blue, white chartreuse, and red crawfish. Jig-n-pigs in ½ and ¾ ounce in colors black/blue, brown/orange, and a Carolina rig with plastic lizards in watermelon red and plum apple are also producing. Some bigger bass have been caught on Senko's in black/blue flake, watermelon red, black/red flake and motor oil colors rigged wacky or Texas style and the Natural Forage bait, a forage bug in the tequila sunrise color and also the new RW45 in WM Bluegill color have been good producers. Crappie bite is a moving target shallow; are they shallow or deep today. Some Crappie have spawned, and others are fluctuating in and out depending on water depth and water temperatures. Don't pass up those fly rods for crappie. Use an indicator with a Clouser minnow tied on about 12-14 inches below with a weighted fly 1/80 or 1/64 ounce. Best colors have been white and blue, all black, orange head, orange body with a chartreuse tail feather. The cadence is slow in 1-3 feet around cypress knees and buck brush. Also using a 1/80-ounce mop fly with success in colors of chartreuse, yellow, and tan. White Bass are still running north up in the feeder creeks using red head, white, yellow, and black chartreuse curly tails. Small Bluegill are starting to show up in shallow water and around boat houses. Catfish are being caught in shallow water current in the feeder creeks on punch baits, shrimp, and homemade weenie concoctions. Kids Bank and Bulkhead Report: Six Mile Park, South of Hemphill, Texas on Highway 86. Six Mile Park is a new facility that features a T-head pier with handrails and fencing. You can catch bluegill, bass, catfish, and crappie off the pier. Best baits are earthworms, crickets, minnows, or catfish stink baits. This facility is free of charge and is handicap accessible with a public restroom, boat ramp and covered picnic areas. Get the family outdoors and have some fun. Remember, it is always better to play it safe by telling a loved one or friend the area you will be fishing, how many people are in your party and the expected return time. Good luck and keep casting forward! Report from Master Captain Steve “Scooby” Stubbe, Mudfish Adventures LLC, Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide, and Mudfish Custom Rod Shop.
- Travis
- GOOD. Water clear; 67 degrees; 42.17 feet below pool. Bass fishing is weather dependent. On days without wind, fishing can be tough. Baifish were holding in 30 feet of water, with catches in 20 feet of water. On days with wind target main lake bluff walls with swimbaits. Report by Randal Frisbie, Central Texas Fishing Guide, LLC.
- Twin Buttes
- GOOD. Water stained. 64 degrees; 23.01 feet below pool. Don’t be fooled the fish are biting. Crappie are fair to slow in the rivers and stickups. White bass are running in the middle channels of the river on any type of small shiny spinnerbaits. The white bass spawn is close. Channel catfish are good up to eight pounds in 8-27 feet of water prepared baits. Reports of largemouth bass catches in 5-25 feet of water. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.
- Tyler
- GOOD. Water stained; 66 degrees; 0.22 feet above pool. Bass are good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and worms in 3-4 feet of water. Crappie are good in 2-12 feet of water on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good with chicken liver and nightcrawlers. Bluegill are slow on red worms. Report by Paul Taylor, The Boulders at Lake Tyler.
- Waco
- GREAT. Water stained; 66 degrees; 11.05 feet below pool. Crappie are in 10-25 feet in open water suspended anywhere from 5-15 feet deep. Focus on main creek channels close to spawning areas fishing with Snacky lures FS200 with eyehole jig heads in 1/16th ounce and we used the "bucks ultimate" rods from BNM Poles in 10 feet. Look for standing timber or brush in these areas as they usually hold a few fish in them as well. Report by Robert Stover, Workingman Crappie Guide. White and black bass are spawning. Male crappie are shallow and the females are in 8-12 feet of water. Report by Zach Minnix, JigNJerk Guide Service.
- Walter E. Long
- GOOD. Water stained; 67 degrees. Bass fishing has improved with a few smaller fish on beds. There are a few more days of pre-spawn then the big mamas will start bedding. Report by David Townsend, Austin Fishing Guide.
- Weatherford
- SLOW. Water stained; 67 degrees; 7.73 feet below pool. Don’t let the fish fool you this weekend they are biting! Bass are slow moving shallow to spawning beds. Cast chatterbaits, flukes and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair along the rocks near the crappie house with jigs and minnows. Catfish are slow off rocks near the dam with cut bait and stink bait. White bass are slow on slabs.
- White River
- SLOW. Water stained; 66 degrees; 24.57 feet below pool. Reports of crappie and bass catches being caught off piers. As the water warms, look for bass to begin staging for the prespawn biting Texas rigged worms or craw patterned artificials.
- Whitney
- GREAT. Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 5.82 feet below pool. Bass are good on watermelon soft plastics and the fish are moving into the creeks. Striper are excellent on swimbaits and slabs. Report by James Moore, North Texas Bass Fishing and Cmoore Striper Guide. Lake Whitney striped bass limits are good on live bait and Alabama Rigs fished from the State Park north to Bear Creek. Sand bass catches are good upstream on the Nolan and up above Hamm’s Creek. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.
- Worth
- GOOD. Water normally stained; 68 degrees; 2.69 feet below pool. Don’t let the fish fool you this weekend they are biting! White bass are good in the river and in creeks. Crappie are good in the river and in creeks and some catches have been reported shallow. Blue catfish and channel catfish are fair to good in multiple depths on shad and punch bait. All fish patterns are changing with warm and cool days so patterns may change daily. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
- Wright Patman
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; 4.57 feet above pool. Don’t let the fish fool you this weekend they are biting! Bass are in all stages of the spawn. Catches on spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are shallow on minnows and jigs. Catfish are biting nightcrawlers and cut bait.
- Houston
- FAIR. Water stained; 69 degrees; 0.09 feet below pool. Bass are shallow in cover on spawning beds out to 12 feet biting crankbaits. White bass are running in the creeks biting roadrunners. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good in 12 feet of water and near docks biting on cut bait.
Zebra Mussel Alert To prevent the spread of zebra mussels, the law requires draining of water from boats and onboard receptacles when leaving or approaching public fresh waters. Get details.


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