Pineywoods Region Week of October 22, 2025

B.A. Steinhagen

FAIR. Water stained; 87 degrees; 0.23 below pool. Very few anglers on the water. Target bass in shaded areas or submerged vegetation with a slow approach.

Bob Sandlin

GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.20 feet below pool. Crappie are excellent from 10-25 feet of water in the river channels. Fish will transition to creek channels for the next few weeks. Focus fishing efforts west of the Highway 21 bridge to midlake. Minnows are best, but jigs will catch a few bites. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

Caddo

GOOD. Water stained; 77 degrees; water level at 168.63 feet. The bass are hunkered down in a transitional mode with the cold mornings and hot afternoons, they do not know if it is November or August. We need some 40 degree nights and highs in the upper 60s to really turn on the bite. Try a fluke in red watermelon or a plopper in a shad color running up and down the grass lines or lily pad lines along the river and bayou. A shad pattern frog over the pads will get bit and a junebug worm on a drop shot or light Texas rig will get bit in all the cuts along the river or bayou. Look for bait by listening for the plop of bait beneath the lily pads, or watch for birds to show you. The trees are turning red making for gorgeous scenic view. Fall is always a good time of year to come see this majestic and divine lake we call Caddo. Report by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.

Conroe

GREAT. Water stained; 82.6 degrees; 0.87 feet above pool. Catfishing has been good in baited holes in 15-50 feet deep using Bubblegum, liver, worms, and punch bait, with nice blues coming from drifting natural baits along 15-foot flats. Bass action is improving on wind-blown points, docks, and offshore structure in 2-20 feet of water. Report by Brad Doyle with Bradley’s Guide Service. Crappie are being found around structure and timber in 12-20 feet, with many juveniles caught; hair jigs are producing best, though minnows and plastics are also working. Hybrid and white bass are schooling in smaller groups on flats and drop-offs in 14-21 feet, biting slabs, spoons, and shad. Anglers are reminded to check the tooth patch to identify hybrids versus whites using the Outdoor Annual app. Always wear your life jacket. Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.

Fork

GOOD. normal stain; 78 degrees; 2.05 feet below pool. Morning bass bite is good until the sun rises. The best baits are topwaters and mini chatterbaits around vegetation or grass. Some main lake points also productive early. Mid morning switch to squarebill crankbaits and regular chatterbaits in the back of windy pockets in 1-5 feet. Texas rigs with 7 inch worms and creature baits are good around wood in 5-7 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Mitchell's Guide Service. Black Bass are beginning to school in open water. Fly fish with small top water patterns. Cooler nights will drop water temperatures and bass will move shallower. Streamers are enticing bass early and late. Bream are shallow, try small hoppers. Sandbass are schooling mid-lake. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing is getting better and better as we head into fall. Fish are beginning to stack up and feed well. Black crappie are loading up at the base of trees, some brush piles, underwater bridges and we should see them on bridges soon. Look for those fish in 13-22 feet of water. White crappie are loading up on trees and brush piles in 13-32 feet and should be moving towards the dam and deeper water soon. Minnows are working well and small hand tied jigs are also producing. We have had good luck with larger minnows threaded onto 1/16 ounce jig heads for white crappie on timber. Soft plastics should also get you bit as water temperatures drop down. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

Houston County

FAIR. Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.18 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; 78 degrees; 0.05 feet above pool. Crappie are good in 12-20 feet of water at the base of trees off creek channels and main channel, or in ditches off the main channel using 1/16 ounce hair jigs. Catfish can be caught chumming near shallow stumps. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service. Bass activity has been productive during early morning hours with topwater presentations. Buzzbaits and hollow-body frogs are producing strikes around lily pads, shallow grass lines, and moss-covered areas near the bank. As the day progresses, bass are transitioning to deeper ambush points. Swimbaits and shallow-diving crankbaits are effective along secondary points and channel swings. Afternoon fish are holding around deeper brush piles and submerged timber. Carolina rigs and shaky head jigs rigged with magnum trick worms continue to perform well for these fish. Crappie fishing remains consistent across the lake. Productive areas include standing timber in 15–20 feet of water, with fish suspended 8–12 feet down. Anglers are reporting success using 1/8 oz Gray Ghost jigs and jig heads tipped with minnows. Laydowns are producing regular bites, while the brush pile bite remains slow as water temperatures are still warm. Fishing is expected to improve near structure as cooler temperatures move in later this week. Catfishing has been steady near stump fields by the Big Pines boat ramp. Chumming with range cubes has been effective for drawing fish into the area, followed by fishing Stubby’s cheese bait on bottom rigs. Channel catfish make up the majority of catches, with occasional blues mixed in. Report by ETX Outdoors.

Livingston

GOOD. Normal stain; 82 degrees; 1.24 feet above pool. Lake Livingston is in great shape with normal water levels and strong fishing across all species, with fall patterns expected to hold through November. Crappie fishing is heating up and should remain solid in the coming weeks, while white bass are being caught in the main lake, upper river, and below the dam. Largemouth bass up to 7-pounds are hitting medium-diving crankbaits off main lake rocky points and riprap, as well as Charlie’s Flippin Bugs on shaky heads around mid and lower-lake boathouses. Texas-rigged June Bug lizards are working well around log jams and rocks in the Riverside area, especially midday. Catfish are biting on fresh cut chas drifted on jug lines in Carolina and Bethy Creeks, with blue catfish taking shad and chicken liver near the old 190 bridge in 12-17 feet and under cormorant roosts in Harmon Creek. Crappie are steady in the Riverside area and major creeks like Bethy, White Rock, and Harmon, hitting minnows and black-and-chartreuse tube jigs near log jams and laydowns about 6 feet down. White bass action is improving in the upper river channel and mid-lake humps in 12-19 feet, with whites and occasional stripers hitting slabs, crankbaits, and Tsunami Zombie Eye jigs. Freshwater drum are active in the upper river channel, biting best early to midmorning on fresh cut shad near the cuts.

Martin Creek

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 82 degrees; 1.52 feet below pool. Bass are good with chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits and weightless senkos over the hydrilla. Crappie are fair around brush piles in 18-28 feet on minnows. Sand bass are in 20 feet of water hitting small slab spoons. Fish are in big schools between the railway tressel and dam. Report by Hambone Fishing.

Nacogdoches

GOOD. Water stained; 78 degrees; 1.55 feet below pool. Bass are good on Carolina rigged flukes, and Texas rig ribbon tails on deep creek channel swings. Bass are in nice size schools in 12-15 feet of water. Bass are good on bottom baits and deep diving crankbaits. Crappie are excellent in the standing timber, with quality fish and numbers possible. Crappie are in brush piles and secondary points in 12 feet of water, with big ones isolated in 20-25 feet. Catfish are fair on cut bait and liver. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal's ETX Guide Service.

Naconiche

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 78 degrees; full pool. The summer pattern is starting to shift toward a fall bite, and with cooler weather just around the corner, it’s a great time to break out the power-fishing gear. Square-bills, jerkbaits, glide baits, topwaters, and underspins are all producing action and make for a lot more fun than dragging a worm along the bottom. For now, don’t forget to throw a frog or popper early and late in the day for some aggressive topwater strikes. Crappie remains good, while catfish have been slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Service. Largemouth bass are excellent on a Carolina rig on a secondary point and 12-15 feet, but fish are primarily schooling. The bite on topwater baits and flukes is slowing. Crappie are excellent with white and chartreuse lightweight jigs. Dropping the jig down there and hovering over them with a slow retrieve has been the ideal method. Catfish are poor. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal's ETX Guide Service.

Pinkston

GOOD. Water light stain; 77 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent on topwater, poppers, small walking baits as well as flukes. In clear water you want to use a translucent white fluke or topwater bait. Crappie are fair with a white crappie jig. Catfish are fair with live minnows or noodling.

Raven

FAIR. Water stained; 79 degrees. Two 4-pound largemouth bass were caught on swimbaits along with several smaller 1-2 pound bass taken on Ridge Lizards and Palmetto Bugz. With the cooler weather, crappie are likely still biting - many anglers have been fishing from the piers this past week, and it appears crappie are what they’re after. Report by Aric Brooks, Huntsville State Park.

Sam Rayburn

SLOW. Water stained; 80 degrees; 8.36 feet below pool. The lake is slowly falling, creating lots of humps and shallow areas, so boaters should use caution. Water temperature is around 90 degrees, and bass are being caught shallow on points and pockets with topwater frogs and senkos, while crankbaits are working on points and drains and jigs or Carolina rigs are producing off ledges and structure. Crappie are starting to stack up on brush and timber, white bass are schooling off points, and catfish have moved into deeper water and creek channels with cut bait working well. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.

Toledo Bend

FAIR. 90 degrees; 4.25 feet below pool. Cooler weather has finally arrived with morning air temperatures at 53 degrees, and it’ll take a few days for the water to cool down. More rain is expected over the next couple of days, which could affect conditions. The shallow bite is picking up with chatterbaits, swim jigs, and swimbaits working well in 1-5 feet of water. Try a Texas rig, wacky work, or weightless fluke along grass edges and creek bends around stumps. Out deeper, big crankbaits and Carolina rigs are producing on main lake points and ridges in 18-22 feet - look for shad, as bass are starting to follow the bait. Crappie fishing should improve some but will depend on how much rain falls this week, as the bite remains a bit slow for now. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.

Tyler

GOOD. Water normal stain; 81 degrees; 1.48 feet below pool. Bream are good on red worms throughout the lake. Channel catfish are good on minnows and nightcrawlers. Blue catfish are good on liver as shallow as 6 feet of water. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs in 8-12 feet of water, and on brush piles in 25 feet. Bass are slow on trick worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler.

Welsh

FAIR. Water stained. 90 degrees. Crappie will start roaming as the weather cools.

Wright Patman

GOOD. Water normal stain; 78 degrees; 4.06 feet above pool. Crappie are good in 12-20 feet of water at the base of trees off creek channels and main channel, or in ditches off the main channel using 1/16 ounce hair jigs. Catfish can be caught chumming near shallow stumps. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.

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