Hungry Largemouth Prepare for Winter

Reported by TF&G STAFF

 

LARGEMOUTH BASS WILL begin to feed on shad and other prey in preparation for the cold weather when they will begin to selectively feed. On Toledo Bend, bass will begin schooling on the southern end of the lake. Fish early, from before dawn to about 8:30. If you locate a schooling area, it should be dependable all through the month.

Catfish action should be good on most lakes in the morning and late evening. Bottom fishing in six to twenty feet with prepared bait, chum and Carolina-rigged worms should produce all day.

Crappie fishing throughout the east should be excellent this time of year. Jigs, shiners and Roadrunners are sure bets.

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Location: Lake Bob Sandlin
Hotspot: Bob Sandlin Dam
GPS: N 33 4.069, W 95 0.204
(33.0678, -95.0034)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Liver, worms on C-rig, anchor, chum & tightline
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: Liver, worms on C-rig, anchor, chum & tightline; morning, night.

Location: Lake Conroe
Hotspot: Main Lake
GPS: N 30 26.208, W 95 36.654
(30.4368, -95.6109)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Pop’rs, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits
Source: Richard Tatsch
936-661-7920
www.fishdudetx.com
Tips: Baits like Pop’rs and buzzbaits will work well on overcast days. If you’re on the water this time of year immediately after a cold front (up to the 3rd day after) and it is at daylight or an overcast day locate the rip rap rock around the lake and start with a small single blade spinner bait at the rocks. Retrieve it at a fast rate so the bait is waking the surface. The next thing to try would be a Pop’r topwater lure. Work this bait in the same areas and alternate between the spinnerbait to determine which they want on that particular day. Another tried and true method is the Bass Assassin shad. Rig them using a barrel swivel and about a 10-inch leader to keep my line from twisting. Then depending on what you want the bait to do or how fast you want to work it will determine the hook size you use. If you want it on the surface, rig with a 2/0 or 3/0 hook. If you want it deeper, use a 5/0 hook. Work it with an erratic fast twitching action.

Location: Lake Chapman/Cooper
Hotspot: Granny’s Ridge
GPS: N 33 19.066 , W 95 40.827
(33.3178, -95.6805)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Crankbaits
Source: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-593-5077
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: Fish black Carolina rigged crankbaits. Look for the hump and work that. Dawn through afternoon.

Location: Lake Houston
Hotspot: Luce Bayou
GPS: N 30 2.671, W 95 7.106
(30.0445, -95.1184)

Species: Crappie
Best Baits: Shiners, jigs or Roadrunners, freeline or trolling
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: Shiners, jigs or Roadrunners, freeline or trolling

Location: Lake Nacogdoches
Hotspot: Hayter Area
GPS: N 31 37.980, W 94 48.288
(31.6330, -94.8048)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Topwaters, jigs, soft plastics
Source: TPWD District Fisheries Office
409-698-9114
Tips: Work timber and hydrilla. Avoid midday.

Location: Lake O the Pines
Hotspot: Blue Hole
GPS: N 32 47.613, W 94 36.433
(32.7936, -94.6072)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Shrimp, dough bait
Source: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
Tips: Use bottom rigs. This spot is good all day.

Location: Lake Sam Rayburn
Hotspot: Alligator Area
GPS: N 31 16.652, W 94 20.939
(31.2775, -94.3490)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Soft plastics, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jigs
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: Fish pockets, points & humps. Dawn to late morning, dusk.

Location: Lake Toledo Bend
Hotspot: Pendleton Bridge Area and South
GPS: N 31 26.754, W 93 45.234
(31.4459, -93.7539)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Top water lures, Rat-L-Traps, Texas rigged 10-inch worms, heavy football jigs, crankbaits
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: There will be some schooling activity with top water lures and Rat-L-Traps below the bridge. There may be some good action early on main points—5:30 until 8:30 am and then it’s over. There will be lots of big schools offshore, including some giants, but you need to know and trust your electronics. If you find one of those schools they should be dependable all month. Try a Texas rig 10-inch worm, heavy football jigs and crankbaits that will run to 20+ feet deep.

Location: Lake Toledo Bend
Hotspot: 2×4 Hole
GPS: N 31 46.6848, W 93 49.986
(31.7781, -93.8331)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: Slab spoons, tail spinners and Rat-L-Traps
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: The fish will start feeding heavy bulking up in anticipation for the coming winter season. The White bass will start migrating to the north end main lake river channel sand bars. Concentrate on the inside river channel bends. Use your electronics to locate the bait- fish. There will usually be plenty of schooling activity in these areas.

Location: Lake Wright Patman
Hotspot: Atlanta State Park
GPS: N 33 14.534, W 94 13.919
(33.2422, -94.2320)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Punchbait, shad
Source: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
Tips: Fish with Carolina-rigged punchbait or shad and work in about 6-20 feet of water. Action good all day.

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Weather and Football Make Fall Fishing Better

Reported by TF&G Staff

 

MORE STABLE WEATHER and less fishing traffic make this time of year great for anglers who aren’t hunting or holed up watching football.

Crappie on most north central lakes will most likely be in 10 to 20 feet of water on submerged timber and brush. Fish jigs in white and chartreuse and black and chartreuse on the 1/16 oz. hook with 6 to 8-pound mono. Brush piles along banks are always solid producers. 

Largemouth bass will be in shallower water early in the mornings. Look for them in one to five feet of water. As the sun gets higher, they will start moving back out to deeper water.

White bass are still in a summer pattern in September, and can be found chasing bait. Best action happens early in the morning and later in the day.

Striped bass on Texoma and Whitney are slipping into the shallows early, then heading for deeper water as the temperature rises with the sun.

 

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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Location: Lake Aquilla
Hotspot: Deep Humps
GPS: N 31 54.204, W97 12.18
(31.9034, -97.2030)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: 1oz Chartreuse slabs, Tail Spinners
Source: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
www.teamredneck.net
Tips: Watch your graph along the humps and you will see the White Bass stacked up on the edges of the humps. Drop slabs down and bounce off bottom making contact with bait as it falls. Carry binoculars and glass the lake occasionally watching for the herons and cranes that land on the water. The white bass push the bait to the surface and the cranes will drop down and feed. Keep a good distance and make long casts with slabs or tail spinners.

Location: Bachman Lake
Hotspot: Main Lake or Bridge Area
GPS: N 32 51.1859, W 96 52.014
(32.8531, -96.8669)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Bass: spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows and jigs
Source: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
Tips: For bass, throw spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps along the weed lines. Crappie are under the bridge this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bets.

Location: Lake Belton
Hotspot: Main Lake
GPS: N 31 8.3459, W 97 31.932
(31.1391, -97.5322)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Crankbaits or spinnerbaits in a white or sexy-shad color
Source: Henry Niemiec
254-368-0294
Tips: The resent flooding in Central Texas has been both good and bad for fishing on Lake Belton. The good news is that the floodwaters have put a great deal of brush in the water, which provides plenty of food and cover for both bait fish and small bass. The bad news is that it has also washed up plenty of food from the flooded shoreline. Fish can still be caught and many are positioning themselves on the outside of the flooded brush for an easy meal. Crankbaits or spinnerbaits in a white or sexy-shad color, worked from the shoreline out have been the best producer. The downside is you will have to cover a lot of water to get a bite, but the upside to that is when you do hold on, the fish are big and healthy.

Location: Lake Buchanan
Hotspot: Mid-Lake to Dam Area
GPS: N 30 45.006, W 98 25.458
(30.7501, -98.4243)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut Shad
Contact: Clancy Terrill
512-633-6742
www.centraltexasfishing.com
Tips: Catfish prospects are good this time of year just about anywhere on the lake. Anchor 40; – 50’ on rod and reel or fish jugs in 30’.

Location: Canyon Lake
Hotspot: Diver’s Point
GPS: N 29 52.2479, W 98 12.276
(29.8708, -98.2046)

Species: Striped Bass
Best Baits: Whopper Plopper
Contact: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures
210-573-1230
capt.steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com
Tips: October is top water time on Canyon Lake. Fish the point from 20 to 50 foot deep and look for schools surface feeding in this area.

Location: Cedar Creek Lake
Hotspot: Main Lake Humps
GPS: N 32 18.8099, W 96 10.068
(32.3135, -96.1678)

Species: Hybrid Striper
Best Baits: Deep diving lures
Source: Jason Barber
903-603-2047
www.kingscreekadventures.com
Tips: Troll main lake humps in 16’ to 24’ of water with deep divers until you locate fish then target that area repeatedly.

Location: Lake Eagle Mountain
Hotspot: Fort Worth Boat Club Point
GPS: N 32 53.460, W 97 29.167
(32.891004, -97.486117)

Species: White Bass
Best Baits: crankbaits, lipless crankbaits
Source: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service
817-243-5858
Tips: The White Bass are still in a summer pattern moving fast throughout the water column chasing bait. Early in the morning or late in the day, look for fish near the surface of the water. Casting a small lipless crankbait will trigger a reaction bite to catch these fish. During the afternoon, trolling small deep diving crankbaits with light line will catch fish that are deeper in the water column. Fish will be cruising around structure such as humps and points and even in open water from the surface up to about 20 feet deep. The key right now is to use lures that cover a lot of water because the fish are on the move.

Location: Fayette County Reservoir
Hotspot: South East Trees
GPS: N 29 54.978, W 96 42.9659
(29.9163, -96.7161)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: CJ’s punch bait
Source: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
Tips: The trees are close to the old roadbed here. Water temperatures are still warm, so fish close to the bottom. Use chum in 10-12 feet of water. Slip cork or tight line is preferred here.

Location: Gibbons Creek Reservoir
Hotspot: Eagle Point South
GPS: N 30 37.92, W 96 2.7899
(30.6320, -96.0465)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Punch Bait, crawfish
Source: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
Tips: This creek runs through this area. Use tight lines, setting on the bottom. Chum close to the boat. Also, cast out away from the boat with extra rods. All breeds of cats frequent this area.

Location: Granger Lake
Hotspot: Main Lake Submerged Structure
GPS: N 30 42.3779, W 97 20.8979
(30.7063, -97.3483)

Species: Crappie
Best Baits: 1/32 oz. marabou jig tipped with a Berkley Crappie Nibble
Source: Tommy Tidwell
512-365-7761
www.gotcrappie.com
Tips: September is the very best time is to catch crappie at Granger Lake. The crappie have been feeding on shad all summer and gain about a quarter inch in length every 20 days (according to TP&W biologists). Fish that were just short in July will all be keepers in September. The best bait is a 1/32 oz. marabou jig tipped with a Berkley Crappie Nibble. Be sure to tie the jig using a loop knot. This makes a big difference in your catch rate. Fish brush or plastic trees in 4 to 15 feet of water.

Location: Lake Joe Pool
Hotspot: Joe Pool Marina Crappie Barge
GPS: N 32 37.618, W 96 59.119
(32.6270, -96.9853)

Species: Crappie
Best Baits: Minnows
Source: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
Tips: Fish live minnows on a bobber, hit in, out and round the brush.

Location: Lake Lavon
Hotspot: Main Lake Points and Submerged Timber and Brush
GPS: N 33 4.4519, W 96 27.57
(33.0742, -96.4595)

Species: Largemouth Bass & Crappie
Best Baits: Bass: Creature baits in sexy shad color | Crappie: Jigs in white/chartreuse and black/chartreuse
Source: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
Tips: Black bass will be very shallow early in the mornings and can usually be found in 1 to 5 feet of water. As the sun comes up, they gradually make their way back out to 12 to 20 foot. Creature baits and the color “sexy shad” by KVD is usually to go to color. Find boat ramps and rip rap as they are a concrete/rock fish—that is what they hold to, structure-wise.

Location: Lake Lewisville
Hotspot: 17’ Hump East of Old Spillway
GPS: N 33 6.911, W 96 59.301
(33.1152, -96.9884)

Species: Hybrid Striped Bass
Best Baits: Live shad on bottom rigs
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: Live shad on bottom rigs; all day.

Location: Lake Palestine
Hotspot: Cherokee Point
GPS: N 32 4.908, W 95 25.278
(32.0818, -95.4213)

Species: Largemouth Bass and Crappie
Best Baits: Bass: Mister Twister Comida Worm | Crappie: jigs
Source: Ricky Vandergriff
903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201
www.rickysguideservice.com
Tips: Bass fishing should be good on points near the dam on Carolina rigs using the Mister Twister Comida Worm. Fish slow, covering this point very well. Crappie very good on jigs under the 155 Bridge. Fish 20 feet or so deep.

Location: Lake Ray Roberts
Hotspot: Brush Pile
GPS: N 33 24.127, W 97 5.314
(33.4021, -97.0886)

Species: Crappie and White bass
Best Baits: Minnows, 3/4-1oz slabs
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: Still feels like summer out there but the cool nights are starting to lower the water temps. White bass are still good. Not seeing as much topwater as the past months but starting to see some big schools off the main lake points in 20-40 foot of water. Once you find them, jigging slabs off the bottom can make quick work of filling a cooler. The crappie bite is good, still catching quite a few smaller fish but the keeper/throwback ratio has been getting better with the occasional big fish. Look for these fish holding close to brush piles in 25-30 foot of water. Smaller piles that aren’t getting as much pressure are producing more keepers than some of the other popular piles. Jigs are working but the quality of fish seems to be better on minnows.

Location: Lake Richland Chambers
Hotspot: Highway 287 Bridge
GPS: N 32 0.3179, W 96 12.5279
(32.0053, -96.2088)

Species: Crappie
Best Baits: Small minnows, crappie jigs
Source: Royce Simmons
903-389-4117
www.gonefishin.biz
Tips: The late summer and early fall can be some of the very best crappie fishing of the entire year. Some folks prefer to fish around the Highway 287 bridge columns and avoid the heat but most of the more serious crappie fishermen find and fish brush piles. The crappie prefer structure and brush piles attract bait fish as well. While some fishermen fish with crappie jigs, most prefer small minnows tight lined on light line.

Location: Lake Somerville
Hotspot: Rock Island Shoreline
GPS: N 30 18.708, W 96 31.674
(30.3118, -96.5279)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: CJ’s punch bait, cut shad
Source: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
Tips: Water is deep here as it drops off the rock ledge. Chum the edge of drop-off. Fish straight down with tight line near the bottom.

Location: Lake Tawakoni
Hotspot: Wrist Point
GPS: N 32 52.521, W 96 0.061
(32.8754, -96.0010)

Species: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut shad, use jugline for bottom rigs for freeliners
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
Tips: Cut shad, use jugline for bottom rigs for freeliners; September-October, mid-day

Location: Lake Texoma
Hotspot: North Island and Tabletop
GPS: N 33 52.068, W 96 41.67
(33.8678, -96.6945)

Species: Striped Bass
Best Baits: Top water plugs, Sassy Shad jigs
Source: Bill Carey
903-786-4477
www.striperexpress.com
Tips: The big fish are on the banks early mornings in October. Cast Pencil Poppers and big Chug Bugs for vicious strikes in shallow water. Mid-morning change your lures to 4 inches. Sassy Shad jigs on a 1 oz. jig head. Favorite colors are white glow and chartreuse fleck. Keep your eyes on the seagulls. They can locate schools of stripers roaming open water. Live shad fishing is also an excellent way to catch stripers. Locate the fish on the ledges, anchor up and place your bait 3 turns off the bottom. Best depth is 30 feet.

Location: Lake Whitney
Hotspot: Whitney Hump
GPS: N 31 54.672, W 97 20.868
(31.9112, -97.3478)

Species: Striped Bass
Best Baits: Cut shad, jigs with trailers
Source: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
www.teamredneck.net
Tips: Use cut gizzard shad on a Carolina rig and make long casts on Whitney Hump. Big stripers are moving up on the hump early. After the sun comes up good, we are backing out and using live shad and fishing about 22 feet down along the edge of the hump in 32 feet of water. Mid-day downrigging, trolling with white striper jigs and white or chartreuse worm trailers at areas like McCowan Flats N31 55.452’. W97 24.628 is producing good stringers of fish.

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The Water’s Still Hot, But So Is the Fishing

Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

 

WEST TEXAS LAKES are still hot, but water temperatures are starting to cool down and fish are getting ready to migrate. On striper lakes, such as Possum Kingdom, they are still catching fish downrigging with jigs and Mister Twister curly tails on a fast troll. Fish are best early and late and under the lights till about midnight. Stick with your basic colors with some flash and you’ll do fine! 

Crappie on most lakes are still in 20 to 40 feet of water with minnows and/jigs fished suspended and better at night with a green light. Some nice big slabs are being caught on Possum Kingdom this year.

Catfish are great anywhere, just fish the 20-foot breakline. Anything will work for channel cats, but if you want the blues, fish with shad or cut shad for the best bite.

 

Email Dean Heffner at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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Location: Lake Alan Henry
Hotspot: Little Grape Creek
GPS: N 33 2.754, W 101 3.6659
(33.0459, -101.0611)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Shaky head jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwater lures
Source: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services
806-792-9220
www.lakealanhenry.com/fishing-guides.html
Tips: In October, as the cold fronts start coming in, the bass will begin moving into all the creeks on the lake. On Lake Alan Henry, fall is one of the best fishing times on the lake. Not much boat traffic and the bass will be fattening up for the winter.

Location: Lake Amistad
Hotspot: Main Lake Flats
GPS: N 29 29.218, W 101 06.676
(29.4870, -101.1113)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Crankbaits
Source: Stan Gerzsenyl
830-768-3648
Tips: Use big crankbaits on grass edges early, fish points later. Avoid midday, night.

Location: Lake Cisco
Hotspot: Main Lake
GPS: N 32 26.497, W 99 00.092
(32.441616, -99.001537)

Species: White Bass and Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Topwaters, stick worms
Source: Lance Benson, TPWD Inland Fisheries-Abilene
325-692-0921
Tips: Lake Cisco has several lighted boat docks that can be fished at night for white bass and largemouth bass. The lights attract smaller bait fish therefore attracting feeding white bass and largemouth. Popper type top water baits work very well for enticing strikes. Fishing at night also allows fishermen to escape the hot summer days. Weightless stick worm baits are also a great option.

Location: Lake Falcon
Hotspot: North Arroyo Veleno
GPS: N 26 54.794, W 99 13.398
(26.9132, -99.2233)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Spinnerbaits, soft plastics, crankbaits
Source: Robert Amaya, Robert’s Fishing Tackle
956-765-1442
Tips: Fish spinners near brush, flip plastics, crankbaits on deep points. Dawn through afternoon, dusk.

Location: Lake Granbury
Hotspot: Decordova Area on the Lower Ends
GPS: N 32 25.269, W 97 41.402
(32 25.269, -97 41.402)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Texas Rigged Soft plastics, Spinner baits or lipless crankbaits
Source: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters
254-396-4855
Tips: Look for shaded docks and stick ups with some deeper water close by. Work main lake points and creek channels. Early top water bite is possible.

Location: Possum Kingdom
Hotspot: Gaines Bend
GPS: N 32 52.689, W98 28.001
(32.8781, -98.4667)

Species: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: live shad, perch, plastic worms, topwaters
Source: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
Fav7734@aceweb.com
Tips: Bass love free swimming shad or perch, but jigs & pigs and worms are the staple this time of year. But don’t forget topwaters; bass are suckers for that bait.

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