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.
Caddo
GOOD. Water stained; 53 degrees; 0.23 feet above pool. Caddo is starting to see its winter season kick in with water temperatures in the low 50s now. We still need a bunch of rain but as of now it is still dry. Beginning to see crappie anglers out here more, and the white bass are running better. Anything that looks like a shad should work, rattle traps, swimbaits, Alabama rigs, chatterbaits and crankbaits. Keep your fluke tied on for when they are being hard to bite or a drop shot. This is one of my favorite times of the year to be on this majestic lake that God spoke into existence.
Conroe
GOOD. Water stained; 66 degrees; 1.26 feet below pool. Catfish are excellent on baited holes using catfish Bubblegum, liver, worms, and punch bait and drifting natural baits is producing pretty good numbers. Bass are good up shallow and offshore on structure and shad schools. Report by Brad Doyle with Bradley’s Guide Service. Crappie are in 13-22 feet of water close or in structure. Hair jigs have been producing a little better than plastics, minnows have been producing as well. Hybrids have been schooling in 16-25 feet on flats and drops, with occasional whites mixed in. To distinguish the difference in the species check the tooth patch on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for identification. 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 swimbaits or crankbaits when schooled up. Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy.
Sam Rayburn
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 62 degrees; 2.70 feet below pool. Bass are improving in shallow water where fish are chasing the bait into pockets. Target whatever brush and grass you can find and flip into it with your favorite lure. Crappie are slowly moving up the river. 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
FAIR. Water normal stain; 68 degrees; 4.43 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady with very little change. Expect the bass to be good shallow with chatterbaits, small spinnerbaits and swimbaits. Target fish in 1-5 feet of water in flooded stumps or shallow grass. The creek bite will take a few days to turn on after the water clears. Best baits are going to be lipless crankbaits, square bills crankbaits and Texas rigs in 6-10 feet. The deep bite will improve this week after the strong winds pass. Cast spoons, dropshots and tail spinners.
No reports on crappie. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
