Spring Spawns Hit High Gear on East Lakes

Reported by TF&G STAFF

 

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin
HOTSPOT: Brushy Creek
GPS: N 33 0.395, W 95 9.204
(33.0066, -95.1534)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Darkness is your friend and nighttime is the best time to fish this spot.

LOCATION: Caddo Lake
HOTSPOT: Ames Basin and Clinton Lake areas
GPS: N 32 42.6059, W 94 5.214
(32.7101, -94.0869)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Black colored frogs, Texas-rigged Worms in colors of black/blue or June bug
SOURCE: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith
318-455-3437
www.caddolakefishing.com
TIPS: The spawn is in full gear in April. I like to throw black colored frogs over the shal-low vegetation and around the base of the cypress trees in 1-3 feet of water. Pitching the large Texas rigged worms in 3-5 feet of water around the base of the cypress trees is also a good choice for April. Worm colors of black/blue or June bug with a 3/8 to 1/2 oz weight are good choices for Caddo Lake.

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
SOURCE: Richard Tatsch
936-291-1277
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 ne-cessity! 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: Doctors Creek
GPS: N 33 21.036, W 95 42.073
(33.3506, -95.7012)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-593-5077
TIPS: This is a great spawning area. Fish weed beds with minnows. Morning through afternoon.

LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Creeks
GPS: N 32 50.652, W 95 33.5579
(32.8442, -95.5593)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged watermelon red or green pumpkin baby brush hog, wacky worm in same colors, lizards in the same colors and the Senko type baits.
SOURCE: Doug Shampine
940-902-3855
www.lakeforktrophybass.com
TIPS: April is known as the spawn month on Lake Fork. Many different baits will catch those bass in shallow water. Look for protected areas from a north wind and a strong south wind in 1-7 feet deep. You can find this type of areas in Burch, Little Caney, and Bell Creek. You will find bass on beds in the month of April. Fish slow and you will find that trophy bass!

LOCATION: Lake Houston
HOTSPOT: Riverbed
GPS: N 29 57.01, W 95 9.367
(29.9502, -95.1561)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut minnows, use Mudcat flagging juglines
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
TIPS: Cut minnows, use Mudcat flagging juglines

LOCATION: Lake Livingston
HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek
GPS: N 30 51.582, W 95 26.2739
(30.8597, -95.4379)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs and Rat-L-Traps
SOURCE: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service
936-291-9602
www.palmettoguideservice.com
TIPS: Cast jigs and chrome/blue Rat-L-Traps in the deep holes off sandy points. Troll the deep holes with the same baits.

LOCATION: Lake Murvaul
HOTSPOT: CR 175 at Sands Creek
GPS: N 32 2.055, W 94 27.667
(32.0343, -94.4611)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish the deep bank along road, flip to vegetation; dawn, morning, dusk; dawn, morning, dusk

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches
HOTSPOT: 1st Cove
GPS: N 31 35.925, W 94 49.304
(31.5988, -94.8217)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits, frogs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
409-698-9114
TIPS: Look for spawners in hydrilla and cottontails. Avoid midday.

LOCATION: Lake O the Pines
HOTSPOT: Hijacker Point
GPS: N 32 51.335, W 94 41.941
(32.8556, -94.6990)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Hard baits, topwaters, wacky worms
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Use hard baits and cast into grass. Work topwaters and medium wacky worms on the grassline. Dawn through midday.

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn
HOTSPOT: Five Fingers
GPS: N 31 08.071, W 94 07.210
(31.1345, -94.1202)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut bait, night crawlers
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish in 5- to 25-foot water.

LOCATION: Toledo Bend
HOTSPOT: Wilson Creek (the Polly Farm)
GPS: N 31 38.7239, W 93 50.958
(31.6454, -93.8493)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, soft plastics, frogs, tubes, jigs, spinnerbaits, top water baits, stick baits and shallow diving crank baits. Just about anything in your tackle box.
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Statistics over the last five years have shown that more lunkers” (bass weighing 10lbs or more) are caught in March than any other month of the year. If you are lucky enough to land a lunker” and have it weighed and certified at a registered Toledo Bend Lake Associa-tion station, the TBLA will give you a mounted replica. what a deal! Visit the TBLA website for more information. The bass are in shallow water moving in and out of the spawning flats. If a cold front moves in, the fish will stay in the same area but will move out to the closest drop into deep water. Start off with a fast-moving bait like a Rat-L-Trap or spinnerbait to cover a lot of water to locate the fish. If you catch one, slow down because there will usually be more fish in the same area.

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman
HOTSPOT: Burns Island
GPS: N 33 15.011, W 94 20.781
(33.2502, -94.3464)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: This is a great spawning area. Fish weed beds with minnows. Morning through afternoon.

 

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Reported by TF&G Staff

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Austin
HOTSPOT: Emma Long Park
GPS: N 30 19.498, W 97 50.546
(30.3250, -97.8424)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Crankbaits work best; all day; All year, all day

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Windy Points
GPS: N 30 48.1499, W 98 26.0099
(30.8025, -98.4335)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: Top water lures: Zaro Spook, Red fin, Long A bomber or Pencil poppers
SOURCE: Ken Milam
325-379-2051
www.striperfever.com
TIPS: Stripers will be on windy points where shad are running. Fish topwater baits. White bass will be in these areas as well.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake
HOTSPOT: Guadalupe River Area
GPS: N 29 53.514, W 98 19.302
(29.8919, -98.3217)

SPECIES: Crappie & Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crappie: soft plastic baits 2”-3” long and minnows | Bass: crankbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits and top water lures
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Water temperature will vary from the mid 50’s to mid 60’s in March and this is the time of year for the bass and crappie to be spawning. Look for prime areas for spawning in shallow water. Fish the back of coves and other shallow water areas. Bass and crappie will hit just about anything during spawning season.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Main Lake Retaining Walls and Points
GPS: N 32 16.3979, W 96 7.7219
(32.2733, -96.1287)

SPECIES: White Bass and Hybrid Striper
BEST BAITS: Live Shad
SOURCE: Jason Barber
903-603-2047
www.kingscreekadventures.com
TIPS: Fish a small Carolina rig on the bottom near main lake retaining walls and points.

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 28 43.812, W 97 10.38
(28.7302, -97.1730)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits in white with small Colorado blades (brass blades), jig and craw combo
SOURCE: Rocky’s Guide Service
361-250-3959
www.coletocreekguidefishing.com
TIPS: Spawn in South Texas depends on how winter is going. On most lakes the pre-spawn starts in February. Often, it starts in March at Coleto. Don’t discount the very back of the creeks for lunkers. Focus on creek mouths, slow rolling the spinner. .

LOCATION: Lake Corpus Christi
HOTSPOT: Nueces River Channel at Dam
GPS: N 28 2.55, W 97 52.132
(28.0425, -97.8689)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Live minnow, perch
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Live or cut shad, cheesebait, use bottom rigs; March thru November

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake
HOTSPOT: Pelican Island
GPS: N 32 54.418, W 97 29.789
(32.906973, -97.496489)

SPECIES: Blue catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut bait
SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service
814-243-5858
kolbymkuhn@gmail.com
TIPS: When the water starts to warm up, the bait moves to shallower water. The blue catfish will follow the bait. Look for wind-blown points and shoreline with cover such as brush or lay downs mixed in. The best way to catch these fish is by anchoring the boat and casting several lines with cut bait out on the bottom on the edge of the brush.

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake
HOTSPOT: Main lake hump
GPS: N 32 55.828, W 97 29.815
(32.9304727, -97.4969096)

SPECIES: White bass
BEST BAITS: slabs
SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service
814-243-5858
kolbymkuhn@gmail.com
TIPS: Once water temps reach the upper 50’s and lower 60’s, the white bass will begin spawning. Some will run up the river and some will spawn on wind blown main lake points and humps. Look for fish to be on the bottom in 15-20 feet of water. These fish can be caught by vertical jigging slabs off the bottom.

LOCATION: Fayette County
HOTSPOT: Intake Corner
GPS: N 29 55.2779, W 96 44.8379
(29.9213, -96.7473)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Stink bait, worms
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Fish are eating Algae and bait fish along the rocks and are also spawning there. Fish rocks and cattails along intake. Dawn to mid-morning.

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek
HOTSPOT: Lone Tree East of Hog Point
GPS: N 30 37.8808, W 96 3.781
(30.6313, -96.0630)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Shad, Crawfish, Punch bait
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Fishing is great when south winds blow into the bank here. Fish tight line or cork set shallow. Cast close to shore. The bite can be fast so ready!

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool
HOTSPOT: Roadbed crosses Creek Trees
GPS: N 32 32.924, W 97 02.866
(32.5487, -97.0478)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows
SOURCE: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
TIPS: Fish minnows along the edges of the creek and intersection roadbed. Morning to late afternoon.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Shallow Coves and Humps
GPS: N 33 3.33, W 96 26.952
(33.0555, -96.4492)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut shad, carp, or buffalo
SOURCE: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
TIPS: Fish shallow coves in 1-to-4-foot depths floating cut bait. Also, drift fish the main lake humps.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville
HOTSPOT: Hickory Creek
GPS: N 33 5.924, W 97 3.121
(33.0987, -97.0520)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows, yellow/white jigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish treetops; all day

LOCATION: Lake Limestone
HOTSPOT: Big Creek
GPS: N 31 26.798, W 96 21.132
(31.4466, -96.3522)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Fish a worm around boat houses and isolated trees
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish a worm around boat houses and isolated trees; dawn thru dusk

LOCATION: Lake Palestine
HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek, 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 black/brown/amber Big Eye Jig, a Shimmy Shaker, and the Mr. Twister Comida worm.
SOURCE: Ricky Vandergriff
903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201
www.rickysguideservice.com
TIPS: Fishing will be very good in both the north end in Kickapoo Creek and in the Chimney Creek cove. Fish the shallow pockets in creeks. Fish very slow.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard
HOTSPOT: 66 Cattails
GPS: N 32 53.537, W 96 32.852
(32.8923, -96.5475)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: 1/8 oz. bright color jigs, use long pole & jig cattails
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: 1/8 oz. bright color jigs, use long pole & jig cattails; all day

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts
HOTSPOT: South End
GPS: N 33 21.5069, W 97 4.2175
(33.3584, -97.0703)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits, crankbaits
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
TIPS: April will be a good month to fish for largemouth bass on Ray Roberts. Fish will be spawning and the topwater bite will be on. The spawning fish will be on the South End of the lake. The fish on the north end of the lake will start to guard fry. Start the day wiorking hite buzzbaits along the grass edges and secondary points in the Northern creeks. Square bill cranks and weightless flukes will get bites. Watermelon flukes and shad-colored crankbaits usually fair well.

LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res.
HOTSPOT: 309 Flats Area
GPS: N 31 58.4699, W 96 7.6259
(31.9745, -96.1271)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers and White Bass
BEST BAITS: 1 oz. Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs (www.rsrlures.com)
SOURCE: Royce Simmons
903-389-4117
www.gonefishin.biz
TIPS: Watch for the gulls and pelicans dipping down to pick up shad off
the surface. Concentrate on drop-offs and Ridges in the 309 flats area in water depths ranging from 20’-30’. Bounce the Slab off the bottom and when the strike occurs, HOLD ON! It might be a BIG Ol’ Hybrid!

LOCATION: Lake Somerville
HOTSPOT: Yegua creek channel
GPS: N 30 18.1499, W 96 39.204
(30.3025, -96.6534)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Shad or CJ’s punch bait
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Water is warming, and it warms faster in shallow areas here. There is a slight drop off in the middle of this area. Spread chum and cast several lines out with tight lines here.

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni
HOTSPOT: Rainbow Point
GPS: N 32 55.176, W 96 3.37
(32.9196, -96.0562)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Chum the area then drift with Live or Cut shad, shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Chum the area then drift with Live or Cut shad, shrimp; January-April, dawn-afternoon.

LOCATION: Lake Texana
HOTSPOT: 530 Bridge
GPS: N 29 1.889, W 96 37.267
(29.0315, -96.6211)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Fish live minnows under cork
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Fish live minnows under cork; all day

LOCATION: Lake Waco
HOTSPOT: Entrance to Waco Marina
GPS: N 31 33.277, W 97 14.072
(31.5546, -97.2345)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Tournament fish release point, Work the jetty to the south point; dawn-morn, afternoon-dusk

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
SOURCE: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
www.teamredneck.net
TIPS: This is good time to head up river 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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Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

 

Email Dean Heffner at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Creeks and Small Coves
GPS: N 33 3.456, W 101 4.914
(33.0576, -101.0819)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft baits, jigs, weightless Senkos
SOURCE: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services
806-792-9220
lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm
TIPS: April will find the bass getting ready to spawn. When the water hits 60 degrees, you will start
finding buck bass preparing the bed for the females. When the water hits about 64 degrees, the females will move up on the bed. Find a good flat with water in the 3-to-15-foot depth and run a soft bait or jig slowly through the bed. This is also a good time to slowly run a weightless Senko type soft bait. Bedding bass will spawn first up the creek because that is where you will find the warmest water. Bass on the upper end of the lake will spawn first and last at the dam end of the lake. Hit the small coves first and hit the larger creeks later.

LOCATION: Lake Amistad
HOTSPOT: Evans Creek
GPS: N 29 32.058, W 101 03.579
(29.5343, -101.0597)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Grubs, minnows, jigs
SOURCE: Stan Gerzsenyl
830-768-3648
www.amistadbass.com
TIPS: Use grubs, live minnows, tube jigs. Work the grass and rocks. Dawn to mid-morning; dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Arrowhead
HOTSPOT: Deer Creek Causeway
GPS: N 33 40.279, W 98 23.076
(33.6713, -98.3846)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Focus on corners of the bridge. Dawn through dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury
HOTSPOT: Mid-Lake
GPS: N 32 24.327, W 97 44.648
(32.4055, -97.7441)

SPECIES: Striped/White Bass
BEST BAITS: Slabs and Mepps spinner baits worked vertically. Chartruese and silver are producing best.
SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters
817-578-0023
www.unfairadvantagecharters.com
TIPS: By April, Granbury water temperatures will be rising into the 70s and the spring spawning patterns will continue for many species. The white bass spawn will be essentially finished, and these fish will return to the main lake. The weather will heat up and the summer-time patterns will be in full force shortly. White bass are good on slabs on or near feeding flats all over the lake. Stripers are on the upper ends but will be moving to the lower ends as the water heats up. Best bait for stripers is live shad fished near channel ledges mid-lake and on the lower ends. When schooling, any shad imitation bait like rattletraps and swimbaits worked through feeding fish will work.

LOCATION: Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Peanut Patch
GPS: N 32 53.376, W 98 29.440
(32.8896, -98.490667)

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass, Hybrids
BEST BAITS: RatLTraps, crankbaits
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
Fav7734@gmail.com
TIPS: Look for fish to be stacked on the 20- or 30-foot breaklines. We are still slabbin` but also starting to catch fish on ‘Traps and cranks. if the fish’s fins are white and blue, then use blueback baits instead of black. Stripers, white bass and hybrids are all feeding on shad, so use shad or stick with white and/or chartreuse color artificials. Watch the birds—they are still here. If you see any floodwaters coming in, get closer to the mouth of the Brazos or Cedar Creek. If there is water flowing, fish will head to it.

 

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