B.A. Steinhagen
FAIR. Water stain; 55 degrees; 0.22 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.
Bob Sandlin
FAIR. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.17 feet below 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. Windy, sunny banks and retaining walls are good bets for black bass. Try subsurface fish patterns in 5-10 feet of water. On warm, sunny days, small shad pattern flies might produce bass around submerged vegetation. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
Caddo
SLOW. Water stained; 40 degrees; 0.95 feet above pool. The fishing is still slow on Caddo after a week of lows in the 20s. The water temperature fell so low the Florida bass will take their time coming out the funk they are in. Forecasted highs in the 60s should improve the bite and raise the water temperature into the 50s. When this happens target grass on the main lake with a rattle trap or chatterbait. There is a good current in the river so bass and white bass should be good in the cuts, turns and drops. Try using Alabama rigs, crankbaits, jerk baits, spoons and rattle traps for these fish. We are only a few weeks away from tree fish when the spawn starts coming around but until then look for places near deep water. Females will hold near places they can go deep if we get another cold front. Even in February it is a beautiful time to come and fish this majestic lake that God spoke into existence. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.
Conroe
GREAT. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.22 feet below pool. Water is running 50 degrees on the main lake and mid 40s in the back of the creeks. Catfishing is great across the board from baited holes, drifting, to bank fishing. Lots of reports of trophy class fish being caught drifting natural baits and eater sized fish are pretty much everywhere. Remember, Conroe has special restrictions on blue and channel catfish. You are only allowed to have five fish over 20 inches, of that only one can be over 30 inches. Crappie have been fair on minnows and jigs and are being fished pretty heavy. Largemouth bass have been good on shad schools and offshore structure. Lots of folks out prefishing the big tournament. Report by Bradly with Bradley Guide Service. Hybrids are being caught in 22-42 feet on flats and drop-offs. Some anglers are trolling, but deadsticking has been on fire using a teaser. Always wear your life jacket! Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.
Fork
GOOD. Water Stained; 43 degrees; 1.75 feet below pool. Bass are fair suspending jerk baits, spinner baits, and square bill crankbaits around creek channels in 5-10 feet. Offshore bass bite is fair with Alabama rigs, spoons and dropshots in 17-22 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing has been as up and down as the weather and wind. With surface temperatures in the low 40s some crappie seem to be in shock. If you can get a day with light winds it seems the bite is a little better. If the winds are howling you may want to get some work done around the house or work on tackling that day. Downsizing baits and lines are helping to get a few more bites. Small minnows, small hand ties and small soft plastics are the key until we see the bite pick back up. Hold those baits super still just above crappie and they will either bite or swim off. If they swim off it’s time to find fish that will bite. Don’t spend too much time on one set of fish once the active bitters are caught. We are seeing huge numbers of fish as we cover water. Timber and brush in 20-62ft are holding fish in the mid lake and south areas. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.
Houston County
SLOW. Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.30 feet above pool. Crappie can be caught on brush with minnows and jigs. Bass can be caught on Texas rigs. Catfish can be caught on cut bait.
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; 0.15 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.
Martin Creek
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 54 degrees; 0.07 feet above pool. Bass are slow due to the colder weather and while the power plant runs one generator. The bite should improve with warmer weather. The best fishing is on the discharge side of the lake using crankbaits, spinner baits, Carolina rigged flukes and Texas rigged worms. Crappie are slow in 30-35 feet of water around fallen timber near the dam area using minnows and pintail jigs. Sand bass remain good at the discharge area using small jigging spoons and tail spinners. Reported by Hambone guide service. Report by Hambone Guide Service.
Nacogdoches
GOOD. Water stained; 47 degrees; 0.03 feet above pool. Largemouth bass are fair in shallow grass or on hard spots in 10 feet of water. Crappie are excellent with 1/16 or ⅛ ounce jigs in standing timber in 15 feet of water. Catfish are slow on cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Naconiche
FAIR. Water stained; 49 degrees; 0.50 feet below pool. We still have some bass that are being seen in deeper water in larger groups. Most are hovering just off the bottom, so a drop-shot has been working pretty well. A few have also been boated with a deep-diving crankbait. As always, shad imitations are in vogue, but when the water is off-color, a bold color is good. Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services. Largemouth bass are fair with small swimbaits and Alabama rigs. Crappie are excellent with white and chartreuse jigs suspended on timber in 15 feet of water. Catfish are slow on cut bait or live minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Pinkston
GOOD. normal stained; 47 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent on deep diving crankbaits and Carolina rigs in 12 feet of water. Crappie are slow with 1/16 ounce white crappie jigs. Catfish are slow on cut bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Raven
SLOW. Water light stain; 50 degrees. Anglers report that the bass fishery is slow. No reports of catfish or crappie. Bluegill fishing is good at the boathouse dock and our piers.
Sam Rayburn
FAIR. Water stained; 47 degrees; 0.65 feet above pool. Water is off colored up the creeks. The bite is consistent but expect this to change next week with the forecasted warm up. Target fish on structures and grass. Bass are very lethargic and slow to bite. Target stumps in creek bends for the best bite. The water is off colored in the creeks and pockets. Crappie and white bass are moving up the creek channels. Catfish are good in 15-26 feet of water on cut bait and minnows. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
SLOW. Water normal stain; 48 degrees; 3.14 feet below pool. Rain is forecasted to end just as the weekend begins. Due to the influx of freshwater the creeks are flowing and the crappie bite is slow. Bass bite has been slow, with a few fish coming on spinnerbaits and chatter baits in 4-7 feet of water, Texas and Carolina rigs on main lake points in 12-18 feet, and big crankbaits in 18-25 feet. The deeper bass are moving with shad from day to day. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
Tyler
SLOW. Water normal stain; 55 degrees; 0.23 feet above pool. Few catches of catfish on cut bait and stink bait. Bream are slow. Bass are fair on crankbaits and trick worms. Crappie are slow on minnows in 30 feet of water. Expect all species to begin to move shallow in the next few weeks. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler.
Welsh
FAIR. Water stained. 60 degrees. A few reports and anglers on the water.
Wright Patman
SLOW. Water stained; 65 degrees; 4.55 feet above pool. Fishing should be slow for all species until the water settles.
