Pineywoods Region Week of January 14, 2026

B.A. Steinhagen

FAIR. Water stained; 54 degrees; 0.42 below pool. Very few anglers on the water. Target bass in shaded areas or submerged vegetation with a slow approach.

Bob Sandlin

EXCELLENT. Water stained; 56 degrees; 1.37 feet below pool. Crappie are excellent with jigs or minnows. Target river channels and secondary channels with timber in 30-50 feet of water. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Caddo

GOOD.Water stained; 56 degrees; water level at 168.88 feet. The water temperature increased to 60 degrees confusing the fish with some even trying to spawn on timber. Cooler nights are dropping the water temperature back to the mid 50s. Bass are good with Alabama rigs, shad color rattle traps, spinnerbaits, suspended jerkbaits and underspins. A fluke will still do good in the salvina, if you see them chasing shad in that junk. White bass are biting rooster tails, jigging spoons and Alabama rigs. The crappie were good but slowed after the warm weather. It is still a favorite time of year to come visit and fish this majestic and divine lake we call Caddo Lake. Report by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.

Conroe

GREAT. Water stained; 60.6 degrees; 1.11 feet under pool. Catfish fishing continues to be strong, with both eaters and trophies being caught in 10-40 feet of water. Largemouth bass have been active both nearshore and off shore, chasing shad schools. Brad personally caught one in 37 feet of water on a slab while fishing for hybrids. Report by Brad Doyle with Bradley’s Guide Service. Crappie have been productive in 17-25 feet on and near structure, with minnows giving the best results, though plastics and hair jigs are also working; bites can be light, but some areas are producing good numbers. Hybrid striped bass are being caught in good numbers in 24-35 feet using slabs, spoons, large minnows, or shad, with both keepers and juvenile fish schooling alongside some white bass. Anglers can check the tooth patch on Texas Parks and Wildlife or the Outdoor Annual App for identification. Always wear your life jacket. Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.

Fork

GOOD. normal stain; 55 degrees; 3.03 feet below pool. The morning bass bite is slow but improves midday and evening. Chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits, squarebill crankbaits are fair in 3-5 feet along break line and outside edges of docks. Texas rigs and jigs are fair on docks with cover 3-5 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Mitchell's Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing is nothing short of on fire right now. This is the best time to catch limits of fish consistently with the occasional big fish. Fish are in 14-60 feet of water related to timber, brush, tires, bridges, ledges and points. These fish are very hungry and feeding on shad. Any crappie bait you want to try should work right now. Small hand tied jigs and minnows are working extremely well and soft plastic baits of all kinds should also work. Use small baits most days, but many fish we clean have shad in the 3-4 inch range. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

Houston County

FAIR. Water stained; 53 degrees; 0.23 feet above pool. As the weather cools, bass should transition to shallow water to feed on bait fish. Cast reaction baits to land a catch.

Lake O' the Pines

GOOD. Water normal stain; 53 degrees; 0.07 feet above pool. Lake O’ the Pines is holding near full pool for the winter season, with the conservation pool around 228.5 feet above mean sea level, which is typical for this time of year. Unseasonably warm temperatures paired with gusty winds have left crappie scattered and not holding to a predictable pattern. Fish have been located in depths from 13-30 feet, often around brush piles, standing timber, and roaming mid-water. Many of the fish cleaned this week were stuffed with shad, which contributed to a tougher bite. A dead-stick presentation with a smaller profile jig produced the most consistent results, and 1.5 inch soft plastics were especially effective in these conditions. As colder temperatures return in the coming week, expect crappie to tighten back up on timber and structure along the creek channels. We are still a few weeks away from a full shift to deeper water by the dam. Bass anglers found a good bite in 4-6 feet of water along the creek channels this week. Carolina rigs, Alabama rigs, chatterbaits, and rattle traps all worked well to trigger bites in this depth range. Report by ETX Outdoors.

Livingston

GOOD. Light stain; 64 degrees; 0.18 feet above pool. Lake level is fluctuating around normal or slightly varied depending on recent rains, so expect typical reservoir conditions and check local conditions before you go. Largemouth bass are fair and being caught on plastics, spinners, and crankbaits around standing timber and creek structures, while striped bass are producing on spoons and live shad near deeper structures like the bridge area. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs around docks and cover, white bass are fair on spoons and Alabama rigs, and catfish are fair to good on live bait throughout the lake. Overall, fishing is steady but not blazing, with better action likely around structure and during low light periods.

Martin Creek

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 60 degrees; 1.97 feet below pool. Bass fishing remains good. Some are spawning in the dry creek area. Fishing the hydrilla with chatterbaits, swimbaits and wacky rig worms will do good. Crappie are good with schools beginning to bunch up in standing timber and brush piles in 20-30 feet. Larger jigs, small spoons and minnows will catch fish. Reported by Hambone fishing.

Murvaul

GOOD. Stained; 57 degrees; 0.67 below pool. Largemouth bass are fair with a Colorado bladed spinnerbait on main lake points in 5 feet of water or a shallow diving crankbait. Crappie are excellent on chartreuse and black crappie jigs on a split shot rig or live minnows. Crappie are deep and suspended on timber, so it is best to timber hop with live-scope. Catfish are excellent with live minnows, cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal's ETX Guide Service.

Nacogdoches

GOOD. Water stained; 52 degrees; 1.97 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are excellent on suspended jerkbaits and small swimbaits on creek channel swings. Crappie are excellent grouped up standing timber with white or chartreuse crappie jigs. Catfish are slow on cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal's ETX Guide Service.

Naconiche

FAIR. Water stained; 53 degrees; full pool. The lake is at full pool and has started to clear, with some good fish beginning to stack up. This is a great time to run power-fishing presentations such as square-bills, jerkbaits, glide baits, topwaters, and deep-divers. Early morning and late afternoon bites have been best, though mid-day action can still produce through the rest of the fall and winter. Crappie populations are strong, while catfish have been slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services. Largemouth bass are fair suspended jerkbaits and Alabama rigs. Crappie are fair grouped up standing timber with white or chartreuse crappie jigs. Catfish are slow with cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal's ETX Guide Service.

Pinkston

FAIR. Water slightly stain; 53 degrees. The bite is consistent. Largemouth bass are good suspending jerkbaits or small swimbaits in shallow water. Crappie are good on deep brush piles with white and clear crappie jigs. Catfish are fair on stink bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal's ETX Guide Service.

Raven

FAIR. Water stained; 55 degrees. There hasn’t been much to report lately due to very light fishing pressure in the area. A few anglers are still seen on the fishing piers from time to time, but there have been no confirmed reports of fish being caught, although water conditions are clear at this time. Report by Aric Brooks, Huntsville State Park.

Sam Rayburn

SLOW. Water muddy; 54 degrees; 9.28 feet below pool. Conditions remain about the same, with water temperatures around 55 degrees and lake levels holding steady. Previous report-Fishing conditions remain about the same as recent reports, with no major changes in patterns. Water temperatures are holding in the high 50s to low 60s, keeping fish activity steady but somewhat limited across the lake. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.

Toledo Bend

FAIR. 56 degrees; 4.03 feet below pool. Recent rains have dropped water temperatures back into the high 50s to low 60s, and while bass fishing has been on fire, the bite is expected to slow as cooler, wetter weather moves in with rain forecasted five out of the next seven days and highs in the 50s, bringing conditions back to normal for this time of year. The shallow bite in 3-8 feet of water will become tougher, with fish holding tight to cover, so slowing down with Texas-rigged brush hogs, lizards, and wacky worms will be key. Mid-depth fish should improve, with crankbaits and Carolina rigs producing in 12-18 feet, and once the colder weather fully sets in next week, deeper fish in 20-28 feet should turn on again, with spoons, drop shots, and tail spinners. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.

Tyler

SLOW. Water normal stain; 55 degrees; 1.13 feet below pool. Crappie are slow with fish scattered on brush piles in 16-20 feet of water with minnows. Catfish are being caught in 20 feet of water with minnows. Bass are slow in 8-10 feet of water. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler.

Welsh

GOOD. Water stained. 55 degrees. Crappie are good with fish loaded up on brush piles in 12-25 feet of water. The best bite is on hand tied jigs. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Wright Patman

FAIR. Water normal stain; 53 degrees; 3.00 feet above pool. Crappie are good on laydowns in 10-18 feet of water up river. Fishing is good on structure in the channels on the main lake. The closer to the dam you get the better. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

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