Time to Fish the Depths for Bass and Crappie

Reported by TF&G STAFF

 

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin
HOTSPOT: Monticello Cove
GPS: N 33 4.718, W 95 2.994
(33.0786, -95.0499)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Liver, prepared bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish liver or prepared bait on C-rig, anchor & tightline; morning, night

LOCATION: Caddo Lake
HOTSPOT: Big Cypress River
GPS: N 32 43.9559, W 94 8.682
(32.7326, -94.1447)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits and umbrella rigs in shad or white color, 1/2 oz. chrome jigging spoons
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Concentrate on the bends and cuts in this main channel. When the bass are active, throw the shad or white colored crankbaits and umbrella rigs. When they are not feeding well, drop a 1/2 oz. chrome jigging spoon in these same areas and vertically jig off them off the bottom. Watch visibly and on your electronics for balls of shad to increase your odds of finding these wintertime schools of bass.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 30 22.3499, W 95 33.342
(30.3725, -95.5557)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers
BEST BAITS: Live shad, Storm Swim shad
SOURCE: Richard Tatsch
936-661-7920
admin@fishdudetx.com
www.fishdudetx.com
TIPS: The hybrid stripers are schooling around ledges along the river channel. Find the schools of shad and you will find the hybrids. This time of year, they will run shad up on these ridges during the day they will move deeper around the area. Find the depth the bait is in, and you will find the fish. As the water temperatures drop, they will be in the 30-to-40-foot depths. Live shad will be the bait of choice in deeper water, but the swim shad will work if you can control your retrieve to keep the bait in the depth the fish are going to be in. The depths will vary from one day to the next. Today they may be in 20 foot of water and tomorrow they may be in 40 feet. It all depends on the schools of shad.

LOCATION: Lake Cooper/Chapman
HOTSPOT: Right Side of Dam
GPS: N 33 19.272, W 95 36.688
(33.3212, -95.6115)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-593-5077
TIPS: The fish will be suspended here, so use deep-diving crankbaits and cast into the rocks. Morning to midday

LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Woodpecker Island or Dam Area
GPS: N 32 49.2839, W 95 32.934
(32.8214, -95.5489)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs: 1/8 oz. jig head, pink in color with a chartreuse/pink jig body
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: January is the month to look deep for the schools of crappie located on deep humps and creek channels on Lake Fork. It’s also one of the months you are required to keep the first 25 per person you catch. There is, however, no length limit for the months of December, January, and February. The humps to fish are around the dam area or the flats in the mouth of Little Caney. Also fish the deeper flats off Woodpecker Island or point. Look for the crappie in 30-45 foot of water and you will see the bait fish and the crappie will be around them. This is the time of year you will need good electronics and calmer winds to hold in the open water. Once you locate the crappie, throw out a marker buoy and get out your favorite jig or crappie poles and go to work. If the jig bite is working, Put 2 jigs on the pole about 18 inches apart, using a 1/8 oz. head, pink in color and use a chartreuse/pink jig body. This will catch you a good mess in no time.

LOCATION: Lake Houston
HOTSPOT: Skier’s Cove
GPS: N 29 58.058, W 95 8.896
(29.9676, -95.1483)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish live minnows slow using spider rigs

LOCATION: Lake Murvaul
HOTSPOT: Goat Island Saddle
GPS: N 32 2.263, W 94 27.278
(32.0377, -94.4546)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: RatLTraps
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish near stumps, hit brush near the Wall; dawn, morning, dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches
HOTSPOT: Swimming Hoe Creek
GPS: N 31 35.925, W 94 49.304
(31.5988, -94.8217)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Pop-R rigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
409-698-9114
TIPS: Be very quiet; Midday through afternoon.

LOCATION: Lake O the Pines
HOTSPOT: Alley Creek
GPS: N 32 48.184, W 94 35.064
(32.8031, -94.5844)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Use black/blue or red/black jigs, pitch and flip to visible cover. Morning to midday.

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn
HOTSPOT: Carrizo Creek
GPS: N 31 25.224, W 94 30.596
(31.4204, -94.5099)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs, soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Hit the grass and brush. Dawn to late morning, dusk.

LOCATION: Toledo Bend
HOTSPOT: Tucker’s Lake Area
GPS: N 31 51.75, W 93 54.8099
(31.8625, -93.9135)

SPECIES: Black Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, swim baits, jigs, Rat-L-Traps and finesse plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: In February the bass will start moving or staging from their deep water haunts following the creeks and ditches towards the spawning flats in protected areas. The bass will be hungry and feeding heavy bulking up for the spawn. Work the ledges and drops along the creeks looking for the bait- fish. Use your temp gauge to find the warmest water in the area you are working. Rat-L-Traps are a great go to lure to cover a lot of water and to locate the bass. If you get bit, slow down and work that area hard. If you catch one bass, there are usually more around.

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman
HOTSPOT: North Shore Big Creek
GPS: N 33 19.86, W 94 12.125
(33.3310, -94.2021)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Tie two crappie jigs together, 2 feet apart. Fish with a fast retrieve. Dawn through dusk.

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Expect Lowest Water Temps of the Year

Reported by TF&G Staff

 

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Austin
HOTSPOT: Commons Ford Dock
GPS: N 30 20.533, W 97 53.409
(30.3422, -97.8902)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Bait: Spinnerbaits, soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Spinnerbaits, soft plastic worms; all day

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan
HOTSPOT: Upper Main Lake
GPS: N 30 49.9739, W 98 25.512
(30.8329, -98.4252)

SPECIES: Striped Bass and White Bass
BEST BAITS: Striper: Live shad |White Bass: 2”-4” shad, white or chartreuse slabs
SOURCE: Clancy Terrill
512-633-6742
www.centraltexasfishing.com
TIPS: For striper: Fish the upper half of lake drifting or anchored with 4”-6 “ shad on top of ridges and humps. Fish 25’ down in 30’-40’ of water. For White Bass: Fish the upper half of lake drifting or anchored with 2”-4” shad or jigging with white or chartreuse lead slabs on top of ridges and humps near bottom in 25’-35’ of water.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan
HOTSPOT: Silver Creek and Paradise Point
GPS: N 30 50.5139, W 98 24.942
(30.8419, -98.4157)

SPECIES: Striped Bass, Hybrid Striper and White Bass
BEST BAITS: Large shiner, live perch, 1oz or 1/2 oz. silver or chartreuse slabs, Large Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers or any other topwater lure that splashes.
SOURCE: Ken Milam
325-379-2051
www.striperfever.com
TIPS: The stripers will be on the upper end of the lake around the Silver Creek and Paradise Point area as well as around Shaw and Garret Islands. Watch for feeding seagulls. White bass will be in the river channel. Troll shad colored diving baits.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Docks
GPS: N 32 16.552, W 96 09.252
(32.275872, -96.154195)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: 1/4 oz. – 3/8 oz. bass jigs
SOURCE: Jason Barber
903-603-2047
www.kingscreekadventures.com
TIPS: This month we are skipping docks! Fish all docks throughout the lake with 1/4 to 3/8 oz jigs on 14lb to 20lb line. Skip and flip bait under and around docks and fish super slow.

LOCATION: Lake Corpus Christi
HOTSPOT: Submerged Timber
GPS: N 28 2.875, W 97 53.173
(28.0479, -97.8862)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Bait: Live minnow, perch
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Live or cut shad, cheesebait, use heavy line, wire leaders; Year Around.

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake
HOTSPOT: Riverbed
GPS: N 32 53.0786, W 97 28.3675
(32.884644, – 97.472793)

SPECIES: Catfish
Baits: Cut bait
SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service
817-243-5858
kolbymkhun@gmail.com
TIPS: The water temps are dropping to the lowest that they will be this time of the year and the catfish will be schooled up on the deep edges of the riverbed. Focus on the bottom edge of ledges, points, and humps that meet up with the bottom of the riverbed. These fish can be caught by drift fishing at a slow speed or by anchoring

LOCATION: Fayette County
HOTSPOT: Dam Rock Area
GPS: N 29 55.05, W 96 44.55
(29.9175, -96.7425)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: CJ’s Punch Bait
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Water is warming. Channel cats and yellow cats hang out in these rocks. Anchor up in 12’-15’ water and use a cork to drift your bait through the rocks.

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek
HOTSPOT: Discharge Point
GPS: N 30 38.2679, W 96 3.162
(30.6378, -96.0527)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut Shad
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Power Plant is shut down so there is no flow right now. However, water drops off into discharge in deeper water. Look for blue cats in deep water.

LOCATION: Granger Lake
HOTSPOT: River Sloughs
GPS: N 30 39.984, W 97 23.2679
(30.6664, -97.3878)

SPECIES: Crappie and White Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs, Road Runners, crankbaits
SOURCE: Tommy Tidwell
512-365-7761
www.gotcrappie.com
TIPS: This month is a lot like January except that around the middle of February, the white bass start moving up the creek and river. Fish just like you would during the spawn using moving baits. Crappie also move into the shallow sloughs on warm days and can be caught with slip bobbers fished in two feet of water. If you get 3-foot warm nights in a row, try for the shallow crappie. Good luck and good fishing.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool
HOTSPOT: State Park Brush Pile
GPS: N 32 37.746, W 96 59.265
(32.6291, -96.9878)

SPECIES: Largemouth
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, soft plastics
SOURCE: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
TIPS: Fish deep-diving crankbaits or Carolina rigged soft plastic worms & lizards. Avoid midday.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville
HOTSPOT: Hickory Creek
GPS: N 33 7.339, W 97 5.058
(33.1223, -97.0843)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Fish the deep holes in winter and spring, minnows
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish the deep holes in winter and spring, minnows; morn-dusk

LOCATION: Lake Palestine
HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek
GPS: N 32 17.7299, W 95 30.2699
(32.2955, -95.5045)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Texas Spinnerbait Company spinnerbaits in chartreuse and white, the famous Shimmy Shakers in Skeeter color, 3/8 oz. Big Eye Jig in black/blue, Mister Twister Swim Station in black/blue
SOURCE: Ricky Vandergriff
903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201
www.rickysguideservice.com
TIPS: Bass fishing is now and in the beginning of the spawn. Fish your Big Eye Jig along the creek channels and back waters around the islands and on the river. Fish the stumps and any brush you can find in two to four feet. Fish slow for best results.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard
HOTSPOT: Yankee Creek
GPS: N 32 50.028, W 96 29.878
(32.8338, -96.4980)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Bait: Pumpkin, watermelon worms, lizards, work tree lines
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Pumpkin, watermelon worms, lizards, work tree lines; morning & afternoon

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts
HOTSPOT: Main Lake/Creeks
GPS: N 33 23.9603, W 97 3.1223
(33.3993, -97.0520)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs
SOURCE: Dannie Golden, Get Bit Guide Service
817-228-5999
www.get-bit.com
TIPS: With February being the shortest month of the year, it can almost be like two different months with how much the fishing can change. Early in the month you can still do the same things you were doing in January. Late February can be fantastic. It all depends on the weather. If it is still cold at the end of the month, it will stay the same as early February. Fishing mainly on the main lake and the mouth of the major creeks on the North end of the lake. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs will be a main pattern in most of February. Sexy Shad and Firetiger are great colors to use on your jerkbaits. I recommend a suspending jerkbait. The key is too fish it slow. Make sure you are waiting in between jerks. You want that bait to come to a complete stop. Most of the bites come when it is sitting still. If it warms toward the end of the month, the creeks will also start to heat up. You can use the same patterns but concentrate on the secondary points. A trap and square bill will also start to produce with the warmer weather.

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Res.
HOTSPOT: Richland Creek Arm/Crab Creek
GPS: N 31 58.7579, W 96 18.7919
(31.9793, -96.3132)

SPECIES: Channel and Blue Catfish
BEST BAITS: Danny Kings Punch Bait
Contact: Royce Simmons
903-389-4117
www.gonefishin.biz
TIPS: February is traditionally the toughest month of the year on RC as the weather plays such an important role in the bite. However, for my Customers and I, we’ll stick with the Catfish which will be on a good bite regardless of the weather, temps, fresh water or anything else that normally slows the other fish from biting! The best location will be up the Richland Creek Arm of the Lake in the heavy timber near Crab Creek. Fish the 20’-25’ depths with Danny King’s Blood Punch Bait on a # 4 Treble Hook and you’ll go home with lots of filets. There are no specific GPS Coordinates, but just look for where the Comorrants are roosting and there you will find the Catfish!

LOCATION: Lake Somerville
HOTSPOT: Deer Island
GPS: N 30 17.904, W 96 35.3099
(30.2984, -96.5885)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: CJ’s Punch Bait/Crawdad
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Fish the sunny side of the island where the water is warming, and the wind is blowing into the island. Use a tight line and cast toward the stumps.

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni
HOTSPOT: Two Mile Bridge
GPS: N 32 54.401, W 95 58.641
(32.9067, -95.9774)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows, 1/8 oz. jigs, fish bridge pilings, shadows
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Live minnows, 1/8 oz. jigs, fish bridge pilings, shadows; Dec-March, dawn thru mid-day.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma
HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek and Willis Bridge
GPS: N 33 53.9879, W 96 53.796
(33.8998, -96.8966)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: Live shad, Road Runners and Sassy Shad jigs
SOURCE: Bill Carey
903-786-4477
www.striperexpress.com
TIPS: January is a big fish month at Lake Texoma. The cool water winter fishing is legendary. Large stripers up to 20 pounds will hold on structure. A 7-foot medium heavy fishing rod with 20-pound test is recommended. The 1 oz. Road Runner jig with a white 9-inch worm will produce fish located on main lake points and the mouths of creeks and humps with deep water nearby.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney
HOTSPOT: State Park and Brazos River at the mouth of Nolan Rive
GPS: N 31 55.074, W 97 21.8219
(31.9179, -97.3637)

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass
BEST BAITS: 3” chartreuse swim baits from RSR lures and chartreuse Bass Assassins
SOURCE: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
www.teamredneck.net
TIPS: The water temp has dropped. The shad have been pushed from the creeks, ganging up in a “safety in numbers” type of pattern in the open water. The stripers and whites are following and gorging on them. The water is cold, the bait fish are lethargic and not moving as fast as normal so when you think your fishing slow enough, slow down even more.

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Try Dead Sticking in the Dead of Winter

Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

 

Email Dean Heffner at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Abilene
HOTSPOT: West End
GPS: N 32 14.0552, W 99 54.3623
(32.234254, -99.906039)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, worms
SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD
325-692-0921
TIPS: Try fishing slow rolling spinnerbaits or Texas rigged worms on drop offs and deeper creek edges. Multi bait setups such as Alabama rigs should also work well in cold wa-ter. Lake Abilene is located inside Abilene State Park and a code is needed to enter the lake. If crappie fishing is your goal Lake Abilene has some quality size white crappie. Crappie jigs or minnows work well near the dam.

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry
HOTSPOT: Cat Hollow
GPS: N 33 2.868, W 101 5.9039
(33.0478, -101.0984)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Deep diving crankbaits, jigs, spoons
SOURCE: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services
806-792-9220
www.lakealanhenry.com/fishing-guides.html
TIPS: January will find the bass following the shad and perch into deep water. Every-thing will depend on the weather. Some bass will remain shallow if the water temps stay in the 50’s. If the water drops below 50, the bass will move into the deep water. Use your elec-tronics to find balls of shad and you will find bass.

LOCATION: Lake Daniel
HOTSPOT: Gunsolus Creek
GPS: N 32 37.9674, W 98 50.6224
(32.632790, -98.843707)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs, minnows
SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD
325-692-0921
TIPS: Try crappie fishing at Lake Daniels in the Gonsolus Creek area for wintertime crappie. Gonsolus Creek is lined with many willow trees and deep enough water to hold schools of crappie feeding on silverside minnows and small shad. Crappie jigs or minnows should work well during the winter. During this time crappie are feeding heavy to prepare for the rigors of the upcoming spawn.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury
HOTSPOT: Deep Water Ledge
GPS: N 32 23.014, W 97 42.55
(32.3836, -97.7092)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: 3/4 to 1oz jig heads with 5-inch swimbaits/jerkbaits in blue/chartreuse
SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters
254-396-4855
TIPS: Work over structure slowly and work deeper until you locate the best depth. Very little movement is required to get bit.

LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Reservoir
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 32 45.7988, W 99 0.6078
(32.7633, -99.0101)

SPECIES: White crappie
BEST BAITS: live minnows, worms, jigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
325-692-0921
TIPS: Hubbard Creek Reservoir has seen a resurgence of its crappie since catching full. February may provide a great opportunity to catch the early spawning crappie. Lures such as 1/16-1/8 oz. jigs in white or chartreuse may produce a bite. Live minnows and worms may also serve well as a bait.

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Oil Well Slough
GPS: N 32 55.322, W 98 27.857
(32.9220, -98.4642)

SPECIES: Striped Bass, Hybrids
BEST BAITS: Jigs, slabs
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
Fav7734@gmail.com
TIPS: Jigs with Mister Twister Curly Tails and 1-oz. slabs in white and chartreuse are hot this time of year.

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