B.A. Steinhagen
FAIR. Water stain; 75 degrees; 0.32 feet below pool. Mayflies are hatching, so expect some topwater bass action. 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.
Livingston
GOOD. slightly stained; 80 degrees; 1.98 feet below pool. Very little boater traffic. White bass are in depths at 8-20 feet of water. Report by Michael Richardson, Lake Livingston Adventures.
Nacogdoches
GOOD. Water slight stained; 72 degrees; 2.09 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are excellent with an abundance of 2-4 pound fish schooling in 12-15 feet. Fish can be caught with Carolina rigs and deep diving crankbaits. Crappie are good with numbers of keepers being caught on white jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Naconiche
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 70 degrees; 0.50 feet below pool. The fall turnover looks to have officially started. The north end of the lake have turned chocolate brown, and the main body of the lake will soon be next. The cold nights but hot days might extend the turnover a bit longer. Throw flash and rattle lures during the turnover. Spinnerbaits, squarebill crankbaits, and chatterbaits in less than 10 feet of water. Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow.
Sam Rayburn
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 77 degrees; 2.37 feet below pool. There is an abundance of shad in shallow water. Shallow bass feeding on the shad can be caught with spinnerbaits and topwater frogs. Crappie are transitioning from brush main lake brush to creek channels. Blue and channel catfish are fair in 24-27 feet of water and in the river bends on cut bait and minnows. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service. Expect the lake level to continue to drop slowly through the winter. Shallow bass are centered around shoreline brush and hay grass along with high spots, shallow ditches and creek channel swings. These fish can be caught on Texas rigs, wacky rigs, shallow water crankbaits and topwaters. There is a large population of schooling bass heavily chasing bait balls around main lake ledges in 17-22 feet, main lake drains in 10-17 feet, and main lake and secondary points. Cast a dropshot, Carolina rig, ½-¾ ounce jig, or deep diving crankbait. Report by Hank Harrison, Double H Precision Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
FAIR. Water normal stain; 80 degrees; 4.75 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are steady. Water temperature is finally staying in the low 80s, dipping into the upper 70s in the mornings. Bass fishing has improved with catches up to 9 pounds this week. Bass are shallow in 1-5 feet of water on topwater lures, swimbaits and chatterbaits during the first couple of hours. Then target mid range fish in 8-14 feet of water on Texas rigs and crankbaits. There is a deep bite on dropshots and spoons in 18-25 feet. There are a good number of fish, just not many big fish yet. Few more crappie getting caught this week on shallow brush and at night on lighted deeper docks. All live bait. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
