B.A. Steinhagen
FAIR. Water stain; 55 degrees; 0.17 feet below pool. Bass are fair on soft plastics in the cuts, or with frogs over grass. Crappie are fair with jigs in flooded timber. Catfish are fair on juglines.
Caddo
SLOW. Water stained; 52 degrees; 1.19 feet above pool. The lake is warming back up due to the warm weather with water temperatures increasing from 39 degrees to 52 degrees in a week. Water is little stained with a current in the river, so navigate with caution watching for floating debris. The salvina will be floating around as the lake rises, pulling fish from the back waters to the main lake. You still have current bites happening, but the grass bite with a red rattle trap is starting to heat up. Try the north bank of the lake and look for old pad stems or grass and a chatterbait or red trap should be the ticket. In the current use an Alabama rig, crankbait, or spoon. In a few weeks the bass pattern will change when fish move to trees. It is always a beautiful time to come out here and enjoy this majestic lake that God spoke into existence. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.
Conroe
GREAT. Water stained; 51 degrees; 0.15 feet below pool. Bass are good feeding on shad schools early in the morning then moving offshore as the day progresses. Swimbaits, chatterbaits, rattle traps, and Texas rigs are best. Catfish are great on baited holes with liver, catfish Bubblegum, and punch bait. Drifting natural baits will produce nice catches as well and quite a few trophy blues. Report by Roy Crush IV and Bradley Doyle, Bradley’s Guide Service. Crappie are being caught in 13-22 feet on or near standing timber and other structures. Minnows and hair jigs have been producing better than plastics. Many of the hits are light. Deadsticking for hybrids is on fire in 22-42 feet of water on flats and drop-offs. The ticket has been using a white and chartreuse teaser. Always wear your life jacket! Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.
Lake O’ the Pines
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.13 feet above pool. Water clarity is 1-2 feet in windblown coves and bass have been biting on small-profiled flat sided squarebills in craw colors, dark colored jigs, and dark colored finesse worms on a shaky head. Using slow and small movements have worked the best. Hard cover and relative depth transitions on creek channel bends and ledges are holding good fish during the day, and can also be caught using an Alabama rig in 10 feet or deeper. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
Livingston
GOOD. slightly stained; 63 degrees; 0.65 feet above pool. Water is a little off color north and midlake but still green on the south end. Catching a lot of white bass in 15-25 feet on the south end with Ducktracker slabs. Look for catfish in the mouths of the creek due to running water. Report by Michael Richardson, Lake Livingston Adventures.
Nacogdoches
GOOD. Water stained; 47 degrees; 0.01 feet above pool. Largemouth bass are fair on shallow bladed jigs, rattle traps in 1-6 feet in grassy areas on the north end. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs roaming timber. Catfish are slow on live minnows and cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Sam Rayburn
FAIR. Water stained; 57 degrees; 0.31 feet above pool. Conditions on the lake are improving as the grass slowly makes a comeback and lily pads begin to bloom. Bass fishing has improved in the creeks as fish transition to spawning areas. Timber areas will be warmer, so flick crankbaits and jigs into the timber. Target points with Carolina rigs. Crappie are in the creek channels and river. Catfish are in the creeks. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
SLOW. Water stained; 53 degrees; 2.77 feet below pool. The main lake is stained, but is a good color for fishing and the bite improves daily. Bass are good on spinnerbaits and chatterbaits from 2-4 feet around flooded bushes, lipless baits are good over the top of grass or hay grass in 4-7 feet, Texas and Carolina rigged lizards are good on main lake points from 12-18 feet.
No crappie report, but expect this bite to begin any day. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
Tyler
SLOW. Water normal stain; 57 degrees; 0.32 feet above pool. Hopefully the warming trend will move fish shallow and into the creeks to spawn. Few catches of catfish on nightcrawlers and stink bait. Bream are slow. Bass are slow on crankbaits and trick worms. Crappie are slow on minnows in 25-30 feet of water. No catches of break to report. Expect all species to begin to move shallow in the next few weeks. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler.
