No Fooling: April Puts a Spring in Your Fishing

Reported by TF&G STAFF

APRIL SHOWERS or not, springtime is definitely here in East Texas. Largemouth bass are spawning, white bass are running, crappie are biting and hybrids are matriculating in schools.

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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Location: Lake Conroe
Hotspot: Main Lake
GPS: N 30 24.7379, W 95 34.9259
(30.4123, – 95.5821)

Species: Hybrid Stripers
Best Baits: Live shad or Storm Swim Shad
Contact: Richard Tatsch
936-291-1277
admin@fishdudetx.com
www.fishdudetx.com
Tips: The hybrid stripers are doing great now, and this is the time to catch trophy fish. They will be all around the lake on main lake points and humps. The use of electronics is a necessity! Find the schools of shad and you will find the Hybrids. This time of year, they will range in the water column from 28 foot to 40 feet. Find the depth the bait fish are in and you will find the fish. One mistake a lot of people make in doing this is they don’t constantly watch what depth the fish are in. These fish move up and down in the water column hour to hour and if you don’t follow them you will soon stop catching fish. Live shad will be the bait of choice, but the swim shad will work if you can control the depth.

Location: Lake Cooper
Hotspot: Brush Piles
GPS: N 33 18.323, W 95 38.286
(33.3054, – 95.6381)

Species: Crappie
Best Baits: Live minnows, jigs
Contact: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-593-5077
Tips: Fish live minnows or white/chartreuse jigs. Troll the brush piles. Morning through afternoon.

Location: Lake Fork
Hotspot: Main Lake
GPS: N 32 54.0899, W 95 31.6079
(32.9015, – 95.5268)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Grande Bass AirTail Flash, walking baits, topwater poppers and frogs
Contact: Lance Vick
903-312-0609
lance@lakeforkbass.com
www.guideonlakefork.com
Tips: “April on Lake Fork is my favorite time of year. There are a ton of fish spread out in shallow cover and ready to eat top water lures. Walking baits like the Provoke Bully fished in points get big bites. Topwater poppers and frogs catch them in the cover. If they are not eating topwater lures, a weightless Grande Bass AirTail Flash is the ticket. Rig it with a 3/0 hook weightless and put a rattle in the tail. Cast in shallow grass let sink and slow twitch it back. Hang on!”

Location: Lake Livingston
Hotspot: The Pocket
GPS: N 30 55.662, W 95 15.0479
(30.9277, -95.2508)

Species: White bass
Best Baits: 1oz. slabs and trolled pet spoons
Contact: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service
936-291-9602
dave@palmettoguideservice.com
www.palmettoguideservice.com
Tips: April can be a transition month for White Bass and Black Bass on Livingston. White Bass can be caught in April any where from the creeks and river on the north to the humps in mid and lower lake. Look for the Whites to start stacking up on mid lake humps 12’-17’ in mid to late April.

Location: Lake O the Pines
Hotspot: Billy Bass Slough
GPS: N 32 53.261, W 94 42.763
(32.8877, -94.7127)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Lizards
Contact: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
Tips: Blind cast Carolina-rigged green/pumpkin lizards. Morning through midday.

Location: Lake O the Pines
Hotspot: Lone Star Landing Area
GPS: N 32 53.410, W 94 42.311
(32.8902, – 94.7052)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: Minnows, spinnerbaits
Contact: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
Tips: Watch for surface boils and birds. Dawn through midday.

Location: Lake Nacogdoches
Hotspot: Hidden Point
GPS: N 31 36.173, W 94 49.400
(31.6029, – 94.8233)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Just about any artificial
Contact: TPWD District Fisheries Office
409-698-9114
Tips: Try your entire artificial arsenal until you find what works. Fish deep & shallow until you find the bass. Avoid midday.

Location: Lake Sam Rayburn
Hotspot: Back of Pophers Creek
GPS: N 31 11.893, W 94 23.527
(31.1982, – 94.3921)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Frogs, plastics
Contact: Mike Knight
936-635-2427
notechmike@hotmail.com
www.easttxfishingguide.com
Tips: Run frogs over the acres of lily pads in this area. Dawn to late morning and dusk are best times.

Location: Toledo Bend
Hotspot: Bear Creek Area
GPS: N 31 48.114, W 93 50.7419
(31.8019, – 93.8457)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: Slab spoons, Rat-L-Traps and shallow diving crank baits
Contact: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages
936-368-7151
gregcrafts@yahoo.com
www.toledobendguide.com
Tips: The White bass will be moving back into the main lake returning from the river after their spawn. Work the north end river channel sand bars with slab spoons, Rat-L-Traps and shallow diving crank baits. Use your electronics to locate the baitfish and watch for the birds. When you do you will find the Whites. Try to locate a number of schools and rotate fishing those areas so as not to over fish one location. The Whites will remain in those locations unless we have a weather change, or the location is over fished.

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Fishing Comes Alive in Central Texas in April

Reported by TF&G Staff

THE CENTRAL REGION comes alive this month, all the way from Texoma on the northern state line down to the southern plains at Coleto Creek.

Striper action on Texoma, Buchanan and Canyon, hybrids on Belton, white bass on Canyon, Eagle Mountain, Stillhouse and Whitney, crappie on Coleto,  LBJ and Richland-Chambers, and largemouth on Cedar Creek, Joe Pool, Palestine and Ray Roberts, and catfish on Ray Hubbard and Somerville are just a few highlights of all the fishing action in store for April anglers

 

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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Location: Belton Lake
Hotspot: Cowhouse Creek Arm
GPS: N 31 8.7899, W 97 32.088
(31.1465, – 97.5348)

Species: White Bass and Hybrids
Best Baits: Storm Thin Fin in Silver Shad color or a 2.75” Storm Smash Shad in Rainbow Smelt color
Contact: Bob Maindelle/Holding the Line Guide Service
254- 368-7411
Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
Tips: Focus on the middle section of the Cowhouse Creek arm, near the old creek channel. Watch sonar closely for suspended pods of fish and fish the Storm Thin Fin on a downrigger if the fish are deep or fish a Smash Shad on a flat line if the fish are within 12 feet of the sur-face.

Location: Lake Buchanan
Hotspot: Main Lake Ridges and Humps
GPS: N 30 49.374, W 98 23.0279
(30.8229, – 98.3838)

Species: Striped Bass and White Bass
Best Baits: Live Shad
Contact: Clancy Terrill
512-633-6742
centraltexasfishing@yahoo.com
www.centraltexasfishing.com
Tips: Striper and White Bass fishing should be excellent using live bait and fishing in 30-40 feet of water near ridges and humps. Concentrate on the upper half of the lake from Rocky Point/Chisholm Bay towards Garrett Island.

Location: Canyon Lake
Hotspot: Cranes Mill Point
GPS: N 29 53.742, W 98 17.0759
(29.8957, – 98.2846)

Species: White Bass and Striped Bass
Best Baits: Sebile Onduspoon Spoon in Halo Color
Contact: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures
210-573-1230
steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com
www.sanantoniofishingguides.com
Tips: “The west shoreline seems to produce the best catches. Fishing the spoon in 15 to 30 feet of water.”

Location: Cedar Creek Lake
Hotspot: Spawning Coves
GPS: N 32 19.392, W 96 6.0539
(32.3232, – 96.1009)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and soft plastics
Contact: Jason Barber
903-603-2047
kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com
www.kingscreekadventures.com
Tips: This month we’re power fishing. Fish all spawning coves as far back as possible. Throw spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and soft plastics around all shoreline cover in 1’ to 3’.

Location: Coleto Creek Lake
Hotspot: Main Lake Shallow Areas
GPS: N 28 44.4959, W 97 10.8299
(28.7416, -97.1805)

Species: Crappie
Best Baits: Jigs and crappie niblets in chartruese or small minnows
Contact: Rocky’s Guide Service
361-960-0566
Tips: April can be a great time to be on the lake. Warmer water means more active fish. I get excited about the crappie spawn. I love trolling the shallow water with a crappie jig and long ultra lite rod and reel. I use 8lb braided line, perferability white. I troll along the banks and drop it in every nook and cranny. Some prefer minnows with small split shot. The females get up along the banks where the water is a little more clear to hatch their eggs. The reason I use white or other colored line is because I watch my line drop and a lot of times I see the bite be-fore I feel it.

 

 

Location: Eagle Mountain Lake
Hotspot: Mud Flats east of Church Point
GPS: N 32 55.492, W 97 30.051
(32.9249, -97.5009)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: Slab with a fly 12 in. above. A spinner with a shiny blade on it
Contact: Johnny Stevens
817-597-6598
johnnystevens@1scon.net
Tips: This area is composed of many humps and slopes. Water depth is normally 12 to 24 ft. deep. When the water approaches 60 degrees many sand Bass will spawn on these slopes and humps. Look on each slope and hump with your electronics until you see what appears to be a series of fire ant mounds. Throw out a marker and anchor over them and jig up and down with a slab and a fly about 12 above it. On many occasions you will catch two at a time. Another productive method is to cast to the hump with a lure that has a shiny blade on it.

Location: Lake Joe Pool
Hotspot: Haul Road
GPS: N 32 38.123, W 97 01.015
(32.6354, – 97.0169)

Species: Largemouth
Best Baits: Flukes, worms
Contact: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas@gmail.com
whitebassfishingtexas.com
Tips: Drop shot flukes or finesse worms on Texas rig in 10-15 feet of water. Avoid midday.

Location: Lake LBJ
Hotspot: Dry Creek Area
GPS: N 30 36.18, W 98 23.4179
(30.6030, -98.3903)

Species: Crappie and Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Crappie: 1” to 2” small crank baits and jigs or live minnows, Bass: hard plastic jerk baits, soft plastic jerk baits, top-water, slow-rolling spinnerbaits, lipless or square-bill crank-baits
Contact: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd
210-771-0123
barry@teachemtofish.net
www.teachemtofish.net
Tips: Look for prime areas for spawning in shallow water. This is one of the best times of the year to fish the back of coves and other shallow water areas. Bass and crappie will hit just about anything during the spawning season. The main difference in lure selection is the sizes. The best fishing occurs just before frontal passage and then a couple days after when the winds return from the south. Generally, the best fishing is in the afternoons on north banks protected from the north winds and areas which receive lots of sunshine.

Location: Lake Palestine
Hotspot: Kickapoo Creek and Chimney Creek Cove
GPS: N 32 4.9379, W 95 24.942
(32.0823, – 95.4157)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Best lure will be fishing shallow with a blk/brown Amber Big Eye Jig, a Shimmy Shaker and the Mr. Twister Comida worm.
Contact: Ricky Vandergriff
903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201
ricky@rickysguideservice.com
www.rickysguideservice.com
Tips: Fishing will be very good in both the north end in Kickapoo Creek and down south in the Chimney Creek cove. Fish the shallow pockets in your creeks and fish very slow.

Location: Lake Ray Hubbard
Hotspot: Main Lake Points
GPS: N 32 49.7459, W 96 32.166
(32.8291, – 96.5361)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut shad or buffalo
Contact: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell
972- 814-8942
cajunguide@att.net
www.johnnyprocell.com
Tips: “Catfish will be on a tear and will hit cut shad or buffalo in 2 to 8 feet of water off all the main points. Good areas are the two points below Bass Pro and the one out from the Power Plant on the lake side.”

Location: Lake Ray Roberts
Hotspot: Sand Branch
GPS: N 33 22.850, W 96 59.478
(33.380834, -96.991307)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: jerk baits, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs and square bill crankbaits
Contact: Jim Walling
940-391-5534
jimwwalling@icloud.com
Tips: Sand Branch has historically been one of the best places on the lake for catching Large-mouth Bass at this time of year. It has produced many trophy size fish over the years, especial-ly in March. Fish the flats from where they drop into the feeder creeks up to the bank to locate fish.

Location: Lake Richland Chambers
Hotspot: Coves at Fisherman’s Point Marina
GPS: N 31 56.2799, W 96 7.404
(31.9380, – 96.1234)

Species: Crappie
Best Baits: Small minnows or jigs
Contact: Royce Simmons
903-389-4117
simmonsroyce@hotmail.com
www.gonefishin.biz
Tips: Check out the Coves at the marina for early spawning Crappie. Small minnows or jigs in the 2 feet of water could result in a nice catch!

Location: Lake Somerville
Hotspot: Snake Island
GPS: N 30 18.75, W 96 35.634
(30.3125, – 96.5939)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Shad, Punch bait
Contact: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
weldon_edna@hotmail.com
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
Tips: Fish the south side of this island with wind blowing into shore. Shad should be gathering shallow now. Us tight line and cast close to shore.

 

 

Location: Stillhouse Hollow Lake
Hotspot: Upper End of Main Lake
GPS: N 31 0.4218, W 97 38.8559
(31.0070, – 97.6476)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: 2.75” Storm Smash Shad in Rainbow Smelt color
Contact: Bob Maindelle/Holding the Line Guide Service
254- 368-7411
Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
Tips: Troll along the edges of the old river channel, maintaining your bearings using sonar. If you catch fish consistently in the same area, focus just on that area until the fish quit.

Location: Lake Texoma
Hotspot: Paw Paw Creek & Mill Creek Cut
GPS: N 33 53.9879, W 96 53.796
(33.8998, – 96.8966)

Species: Striped Bass
Best Baits: Road Runner and Sassy Shad jigs in white or chartreuse
Contact: Bill Carey
903-786-4477
bigfish@striperexpress.com
www.striperexpress.com
Tips: In March, the white bass have already spawned, and the stripers are staging up the main tributaries. Structure like main lake points, ditches and creeks will hold stripers. Fish the creeks in 12’ to 20’ of water with a slow retrieve for fish up to 20 pounds. Pay attention to the sea-gulls as they can be your fish finder. When you are fishing under the birds keep your lure in the top 15’ of the water. Most activity will be west of the Willis bridge and north of the railroad bridge on the Washita arm of the lake. Bank Access: Slickem Slough or Paw Paw Creek.

Location: Lake Whitney
Hotspot: Nolan at the Brazos
GPS: N 32 5.202, W 97 28.1459
(32.0867, – 97.4691)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: Sassy Shad and Flea Fly
Contact: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
teamredneck01@hotmail.com
www.teamredneck.net
Tips: This is good time to head upriver to the mouth of the Nolan river for spawning whites, but they can also be caught main lake. Use a small swim bait and tie a flea fly about 10 above it and make long casts up on points and bounce up and down along edge of point back to boat. Catch them two at a time!

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Time to Get Out There and Do Some Fishing!

Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

IT’S TIME TO get out and enjoy spring. Everything has spawned or is spawning. Look for stripers, white bass and hybrids, plus catfish and, of course, largemouth. On Possum Kingdom, stripers are biting at the 20 foot breaklines.

Water temperatures are in the upper 70’s depending on the location and spring patterns are definitely here.  The passage of cool fronts continues to dominant the weather patterns around spring thunderstorms.  Most wintering birds have left.  White bass and crappie spawns are generally complete but the catfish and black bass are still in spawn. Striped bass are transitioning back to warmer weather locales. Catfish catches can be good on prepared baits, hot dogs or cut shad, best near creek channels.

 

Email Dean Heffner at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Location: Lake Alan Henry
Hotspot: Gobbler and Ince Creeks
GPS: N 33 1.506, W 101 9.3179
(33.0251, – 101.1553)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Shad colored crankbaits, Shakey Head jigs with a blue, camo, or green pumpkin worm, Bomber Fat Free Shad in Foxy Shad Color, Strike King XDS in Sexy Shad color
Contact: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services
806-792-9220
nclayton42@sbcglobal.net
www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm
Tips: March is when I get out my shad colored crankbaits and a shakey head jig. Look for the warmest water you can find, and you will find the bass. The northwest creek will warm up first except for Big Grape Creek. Even though Big Grape is a south creek, it still is one of the warm-est creeks in the early spring. Creeks to check out in March are Gobbler, Ince, and the north-west smaller creeks and coves. If you do not have any luck in the creeks, go to the steep banks close to deep water, and throw a shaky head jig with a blue, camo, or green pumpkin worm. Almost any steep bank will work, but the most productive will be the steep banks up the creeks. Also try the steep banks on the main lake area.

Location: Lake Amistad
Hotspot: California Creek
GPS: N 29 32.856, W 101 00.898
(29.5476, – 101.0150)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Grubs, minnows, jigs
Contact: Stan Gerzsenyl
830-768-3648
stan@amistadbass.com
www.amistadbass.com
Tips: Use grubs, live minnows, tube jigs. Work the grass and rocks. Dawn to mid-morning; dusk.

Location: Lake Amistad
Hotspot: East Side of Devil’s River
GPS: N 29 30.708, W 100 58.256
(29.5118, – 100.9709)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Jerkbaits, crankbaits
Contact: Stan Gerzsenyl
830-768-3648
stan@amistadbass.com
www.amistadbass.com
Tips: Fish flats to the back during spawn, early morning through the afternoon.

Location: Lake Falcon
Hotspot: Benevides Creek/Marker 5
GPS: N 26 41.724, W 99 9.51
(26.6954, – 99.1585)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Texas-rigged Rage Tail Menace in Green Pumpkin color and a half oz. Jobaby spin-nerbait in “Falcon Special” color
Contact: Jim Behnken
210-414-8048
jimbehnken@hotmail.com
www.fishlakefalcon.com
Tips: Flip the Rage Tail Menace to bushes on the points at the mouth of the creeks, and slow roll the spinnerbait down the center of the creeks.

Location: Lake Falcon
Hotspot: Little Tiger
GPS: N 26 41.285, W 99 08.912
(26.6881, – 99.1485)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Crankbaits
Contact: Robert Amaya, Robert’s Fishing Tackle
956-765-1442
www.robertsfishntackle.com
Tips: Fish chartreuse/white crankbaits with green back. Work the trees.

Location: Lake Granbury
Hotspot: Near Blue Water Shores on the lower ends
GPS: N 32 23.189, W 97 42.441
(32 23.189, 97 42.441)

Species: White bass (sandbass)
Best Baits: Chartruese and Silver 1oz holographic slabs
Contact: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters
817-578-0023
Tips: Jig points and humps off the main channel. Tie crappie jigs about 15 inches above the slab to get more action.

 

 

Location: Hubbard Creek Res.
Hotspot: Lower Creek Arm
GPS: N 32 45.468, W 99 0.6751
(32.7578, – 99.0113)

Species: White Crappie
Best Baits: jigs, small spinnerbaits
Contact: Michael D. Homer Jr., Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
325-692-0921
michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov
Tips: With Hubbard Creek Reservoir catching full in 2016, the crappie production is expected to be substantial in 2017. Historically, anglers have reported catching great numbers of crappie in the lower creek arm in the southern end of the reservoir. Fishing the submersed brush and vegetation with curly-tailed jigs and small spinners may yield a bite.

Location: Kirby Lake
Hotspot: Dam
GPS: N 32 23.1205, W 99 44.0777
(32.3853, -99.7346)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Live or cut carp, sunfish, punch baits
Contact: Michael D. Homer, Jr., Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.
325-692-0921
michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov
Tips: Kirby Lake is a catfishing gem in the Big Country. The reservoir is home to productive blue and flathead catfishes. While winds often blow from the south toward the dam, rigging your line heavy will allow you to cast in the windiest of days. Fishing off the dam can yield a catch of a large fish hanging out in the deeper waters. Cut carp, shad, or sunfish on slip sinker, three-way, or slip bobber rigs work well for landing big blues. However, use of live 3-5” carp or live sunfish works well for landing flatheads. Punch baits, cut shad, and carp also work well for landing smaller fish. Be sure to use heavy test line and round sinkers to avoid getting snagged on the rocks too badly—it’s going to happen.

Location: Possum Kingdom
Hotspot: Peanut Patch
GPS: N 32 53.43, W 98 29.998
(32.8905, – 98.5000)

Species: Hybrid, Striped Bass, White Bass
Best Baits: Crankbaits, RatLTraps, jigs, live shad.
Contact: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
fav7734@aceweb.com
Tips: It`s time for most of the fish to be spawned or spawning. Look for Stripers, Hybrids and white bass to be back in the main lake and finished spawning. So, they will be on main lake points and feeding in the mouths of the many coves and sand flats. That is why on a cloudy day the Peanut patch might light up for hours with schooling/feeding fish. You can flatline (troll) crankbaits and RatLTraps this time of month and fish jigs and topwaters, but the best bait is live shad. Bait is easy at PK and most of the time you can catch fish right out in front of wher-ever you get the bait.

 

 

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