B.A. Steinhagen
FAIR. Water stain; 75 degrees; 0.17 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.
Bob Sandlin
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 80 degrees; 0.88 feet below pool. Bass have been good around shallow docks with grass throwing shad colored bladed jigs, or finesse jigs in natural colors under docks. Healthy grass has been crucial. Water clarity has been best in the backs of shallow coves. Big bass can be caught on a 6-7 inch line through swimbait, casting parallel to grass edges. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
Caddo
GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.35 feet above pool. There is some current in the lake after the recent rains. Pair this with cooler temperatures and the fish should begin to transition to the fall and winter patterns. Topwaters, flukes, chatterbaits and frogs will still work on the flats around the grass and lily pads, and be sure to look for the birds. The river bite will improve on the cuts, points and grass lines using crankbaits, rattle traps, spoons and Alabama rigs. It is an amazing time to come out to Caddo Lake and enjoy this majestic lake that God spoke into existence. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.
Conroe
GOOD. Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.97 feet below pool. Catfish are excellent on baited holes from 10-30 feet deep. Large quantities can be caught on Catfish Bubblegum, liver, worms and punch bait. Drifting natural baits has been pretty good as well. Bream have been plentiful on brushy points to 20 feet deep. Bass are moving up shallow early and late. On ledges and structure during the day. Dark plastic Carolina rigs doing well. Report by Brad Doyle with Bradley’s Guide Service. Crappie are in 13-21 feet of water on or close to structures. Minnows, plastic and hair jigs have been working. You might catch a few then find another spot, they turn on as quickly as they turn off. Hybrids, with a few white bass mixed in, have been schooling in 13-22 feet hanging off flats and drop. Be sure to check the tooth patch on Texas Park and Wildlife website to determine the differences between the species. Many folks are trolling with a deep diver and a pet spoon trailer, others are using slabs from Bradley Outdoors to jig for them, as well as casting swim baits or crankbaits. Always wear your life jacket! Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.
Fork
GOOD. Water Stained; 81 degrees; 2.22 feet below pool. Bass are good on topwaters and small spinnerbaits. Mid morning bite is good cast long 1.5 inch squarebill crankbaits or lipless crankbaits in the 3-5 feet on flats. Shaky Heads are good around docks and shallow ridges 5-7 feet. Carolina rigs are good on long points and ridges 5-10 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. The crappie fishing on Lake Fork is just phenomenal right now going into the early winter months. We have fish in depths from 14-58 feet. You can find crappie almost everywhere on the lake but if you find the right area they are loaded up. We are seeing some black crappie grouped up in numbers. The huge white crappie has been showing off the past month also. We are catching fish on timber mostly and pole timber and Bois D Arc trees are both good. Some fish will be holding to bridges as they migrate as well. Minnows continue to be the best bait, but jigs will work too. The catfish bite on Lake Fork is nothing short of incredible. There are so many catfish in the 20-25 feet range around timber you can almost fish anywhere. If you drop some cattle cubes or sour grain in an area you will be catching fish within 30 minutes on any prepared catfish bait you drop down. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.
Houston County
SLOW. Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.45 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are consistent, but this should change as the weather begins to cool. Crappie can be caught on brush with minnows and jigs. Bass can be caught on topwater early and late in the day. Later in the day cast Carolina rigs, dropshots and crankbaits.
Lake O’ the Pines
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 75 degrees; 0.96 feet above pool. Bass have been good around shallow docks with grass throwing shad colored bladed jigs, or finesse jigs in natural colors under docks. Healthy grass has been crucial. Water clarity has been best in the backs of shallow coves. Big bass can be caught on a 6-7 inch line through swimbait, casting parallel to grass edges. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
Livingston
GOOD. slightly stained; 76 degrees; 1.02 feet below pool. Water is a little stained in some areas, but the bite is still good. Lots of white bass in 7-15 feet of water using chartreuse and white Duck Tracker slabs. Report by Michael Richardson, Lake Livingston Adventures.
Martin Creek
GOOD. Water slight stain; 76 degrees; 1.83 feet below pool. Bass are good with swimbaits over the hydrilla along with wacky rigged worms. Crappie are fair to good in standing timber from 15-25 feet using minnows. Report by Hambone Guide service.
Nacogdoches
GOOD. Water stained; 72 degrees; 1.19 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are good on Carolina rigs and deep diving crankbaits in 12-15 feet of water. Crappie are good white crappie jigs or live minnows. Catfish are slow on cut bait, stink bait or minnows. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Naconiche
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 71 degrees; 0.50 feet below pool. The fall turnover looks to have finished. Some bass 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. Speed cranking with a one second pause gets bit. Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services. Largemouth bass are excellent on small swimbaits or dropshots in 24 feet of water. Crappie are excellent for keeper sized fish biting white crappie jigs. Catfish are fair in live minnows, cut bait or stink bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Pinkston
FAIR. slightly stained; 72 degrees. Largemouth bass are good with small swimbaits or dropshots. Crappie are fair on white crappie jigs or live minnows. Catfish are fair on live minnows or stink bait. Report by Cal Cameron, Cal’s ETX Guide Service.
Raven
FAIR. Water light stain; 79 degrees. Leaves are dropping from trees and fall fishing patterns are here. A strong cold front pushed south mid-week. Water is slightly stained. Bass are good with flukes, worms, and lipless crankbaits near the hydrilla grass edge are reported to be working for bass. No angler reports of crappie or catfish this week, but anglers can try minnows on crappie jigs near brush piles or piers to target crappie. Catfish can be targeted with worms or stink bait fished near the bottom at the prairie branch pier or over towards the dam by the valve release tower. Bluegill are biting on worms and hotdogs over at the boathouse dock. Anglers should try to use them on a free lined hook or with a hook and bobber.
Sam Rayburn
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 72 degrees; 2.43 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; 4.18 feet below pool. Cooler weather is finally here and this first touch of fall will help to improve the bite. Shallow bass are still best with swim jigs, swimbaits, topwater, and frogs. The bite in the creek should start this week on lipless, square bill crankbaits and small spinnerbaits in 4-8 feet of water. We did get some rain, but not enough to muddy up the creeks. There are numbers of deep fish just not quality, but this should improve as the temperature drops on spoons, tail spins and dropshots. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
Tyler
SLOW. Water normal stain; 77 degrees; 0.77 feet below pool. Forecasted weather change should improve the bite. Crappie are slow with some decent size fish suspended in 16-20 feet of water with minnows. Catfish are fair in 10-16 feet of water stink bait, liver and nightcrawlers. Bream are fair on red worms off the barge and throughout the lake. Bass are fair on topwater baits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits scattered throughout the lake. Report by The Boulders at Lake Tyler. Crappie are good scattered on docks in 6-8 feet of water, or on the southern end of the lake chasing shad on minnows. Report by Caleb Hensley, 903 Fishing.
Welsh
FAIR. Water stained. 80 degrees. A few reports that catches of bass are good.
Wright Patman
GOOD. Water stained; 80 degrees; 4.20 feet above pool. Catfish are good with stink bait. Crappie are good with minnows and jigs.
