Reported by TF&G STAFF

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Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin
HOTSPOT: Feed Thru Point & Old Pool
GPS: N 33 1.87, W 95 7.293
(33.0312, -95.1216)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Silver/white Mirrolures or Corkeys
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Silver/white Mirrolures or Corkeys; night

LOCATION: Caddo Lake
HOTSPOT: Jackson’s Arm and Red Belly
GPS: N 32 43.1699, W 94 5.4359
(32.7195, -94.0906)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, flipping jigs, lipless crankbaits
SOURCE: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith
318-455-3437
www.caddolakefishing.com
TIPS: Bass will usually start staging to come in for the spawn in the next couple months. Keep an eye on water temps in February. Once temps rise to the mid to upper 50’s then you can begin using search baits like bladed jigs and lipless crankbaits over the shallow grass flats. Anything colder than that use your flipping jigs on the trees. Once the water gets to 60 degrees I will usually stick to the cypress trees where the bass spawn. Stick with jigs and spinnerbaits here.

LOCATION: Lake Cooper/Jim Chapman
HOTSPOT: River Channel #6
GPS: N 33 16.842 , W 95 45.318
(33.2807, -95.7553)

SPECIES: Crappie
Best Baits: Live minnows, jigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-593-5077
TIPS: Fish live minnows or white/chartreuse jigs, working the brush. Action is good all day.

LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Little Caney Creek
GPS: N 32 49.686, W 95 33.42
(32.8281, -95.5570)

SPECIES: Crappie
Best Baits: Crappie jigs in pink/chartreuse
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: February is the last month on Lake Fork that you keep the first 25 per person crappie you catch no matter the size. March starts back to a 10” length limit. The crappie will be starting to move from their winter holding pattern, which is on the deeper ridges and humps, and start moving towards shallower water. But early February check the deeper flats in the mouth of Little Caney, humps in front of the damn and start your search in 30-45 feet of water. Here is where good electronics will help you locate bait fish and the schools of crappie feeding in the deeper water. Use two jigs on your pole. One will cover the bottom and one will cover the suspended crappie. The bite is normally light in the cold water but this is when you can catch some really nice sized fish.

LOCATION: Lake Houston
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point
GPS: N 29 55.946, W 95 8.673
(29.9324, -95.1446)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut minnows, drift or use flagged juglines
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Cut minnows, drift or use flagged juglines

LOCATION: Lake Livingston
HOTSPOT: 190 Road Bed – Middle Bridge
GPS: N 30 51.8406, W 95 25.356
(30.8640, -95.4226)

SPECIES: Blue Catfish
Best Baits: Fresh 4” cut shad, fresh chicken livers, Danny King’s Punch Bait
SOURCE: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service
936-291-9602
www.palmettoguideservice.com
TIPS: Anchor directly on top of the old bridge. Fish straight down to the top of the old road bed 15 feet deep. For the bigger blue cats, fish the deeper side of the old bridge in 18-22 feet.

LOCATION: Lake Murvaul
HOTSPOT: Keaton Springs
GPS: N 32 2.279, W 94 30.113
(32.0380, -94.5019)

SPECIES: Crappie
Best Baits: Minnows
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Minnows, navigate the creek graphing brush & fish; dawn, morning, dusk; dawn, morning, dusk

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches
HOTSPOT: Back of Yellowbank
GPS: N 31 38.055, W 94 49.667
(31.6343, -94.8278)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Buzzbaits
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
409-698-9114
TIPS: Heavy spawing area. Best action Dawn-noon.

LOCATION: Lake O the Pines
HOTSPOT: Johnson Creek
GPS: N 32 47.700, W 94 32.903
(32.7950, -94.5480)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Soft plastics, jigs, jerkbaits.
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Blind cast Carolina rigged plastics, pitch jigs, pause and jerk your jerkbaits. Fish morning through midday.

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn
HOTSPOT: McGilberry Lake
GPS: N 31 10.372, W 94 15.278
(31.1729, -94.2546)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish cut bait on a Carolina rig with heavy weight. Chum the area and work deep water.

LOCATION: Toledo Bend
HOTSPOT: Brown’s Bend
GPS: N 31 42.324, W 93 47.8199
(31.7054, -93.7970)

SPECIES: White Bass
Best Baits: Slab spoons, Rat-L-Traps, tail spinners
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: White Bass will be feeding heavy, bulking up before making their annual run up the river to spawn. They hold on the north end river channel sandbars. If we get a lot of rain you will start seeing some action in the river proper. Otherwise, work the main lake sandbars with slab spoons,

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman
HOTSPOT: Big Creek
GPS: N 33 19.77, W 94 13.416
(33.3295, -94.2236)

SPECIES: Largemouth bass
Best Baits: Soft plastics
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Fish red lizards, black/blue soft plastics, cast to beds; dawn thru dusk.

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Reported by TF&G Staff

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TEmail us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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LOCATION: Lake Austin
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Rocks, Shade Trees & Docks
GPS: N 30 19.464, W 97 50.316
(30.3244, -97.8386)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Spinnerbaits, soft plastics, jigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Morning—spinnerbaits, Midday—flip jigs at docks, Eve—dark spinners; morning, middway, evening; All year morning, midday, evening

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 30 45.7619, W 98 25.638
(30.7627, -98.4273)

SPECIES: Striped Bass and White Bass
Best Baits: White 1/2 oz. jigs with either white or chartreuse flirts or worms, Long A 15’s or 16’s in black or blue back gold or silver flash, both of the above on downriggers, live shad, live bluegills
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Stripers will be in the main lake looking for cooler water! Trolling white 1/2 oz. jigs with either white or chartreuse flirts or worms is a good tactic. Trolling Long A 15’s or 16’s in black or blue back gold or silver flash is another good bet. Use all of this with your downriggers! Live shad or blue gills will be the best baits overall. White bass will be in mid lake area around Garret Island or Shaw Island. Fish tree tops along the old river bed as well.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake
HOTSPOT: River Channel
GPS: N 29 53.4479, W 98 17.778
(29.8908, -98.2963)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
Best Baits: 1 oz. KT jigging spoon in white and sliver
SOURCE: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures
210-573-1230
http://www.sanantoniofishingguides.com
TIPS: Fish from the point back to the river channel casting out the spoon and try to maintain a depth of 20 to 40 feet, the Striped Bass and White Bass like to school in this area this time of year, preparing for the spawn run.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Mid to South Main Lake
GPS: N 32 17.07, W 96 9.4919
(32.2845, -96.1582)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers and White Bass
Best Baits: Soft plastics on jigheads
SOURCE: Jason Barber
(903) 603-2047
www.kingscreekadventures.com
TIPS: This is the time of year for deadsticking. Fish random deep-water areas in the mid to south regions of the lake. Mark bait and fish in water 30 plus feet deep and fish vertical for suspended fish.

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points
GPS: N 28 43.4879, W 97 11.328
(28.7248, -97.1888)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Zoom pearl white or watermellon fluke using a 4/0 worm hook rigged weedless and weightless, 7” Zoom watermelon lizards, small Colorado blade spinnerbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Coleto being a power plant lake means water temperatures are warmer in winter months. This means fish are having to feed more through the cold season. On bright sunny days, try a weightless fluke around grass ( hydrilla) in 4-8 foot of water. Let it sink real slow. Now wait for line to start moving. Pull back to feel weight then set the hook. Do the same with 7-inch Zoom watermelon lizards, dipped slightly in chartreuse. Don’t discount small Colorado blade spinnerbaits . Slow roll them along shallow water stumps lay downs or shallow grass edges.

LOCATION: Lake Corpus Christi
HOTSPOT: Dam
GPS: N 28 2.389, W 97 52.438
(28.0398, -97.8740)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Live, cut bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish dam area from 10-20’ of water on jug lines; all day; All Year, all day

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake
HOTSPOT: South of Pelican Island
GPS: N 32 54.302, W 97 30.237
(32.9050, -97.5040)

SPECIES: Blue cats
Best Baits: Cut or whole shad
SOURCE: Johnny Stevens
817-597-6598
johnnysguideservice.com
TIPS: This area is surrounded by two channels; Walnut Creek on the west and the Trinity River on the east. Depth is from 4 to 10 ft. The water warms up during the day. The shad will go to the warm water and blue cats will follow. I like to anchor the front and the back of the boat to eliminate sway. I use a Carolina rig with circle hooks. If you don’t get a bite in a short time, move until you find them. In this area they tend to stack up in one spot.

LOCATION: Fayette County
HOTSPOT: Pond at End of Discharge
GPS: N 29 55.662, W 96 45.054
(29.9277, -96.7509)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: CJ’s Punch Bait
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: This pond is just right of discharge. Water is cooling here now. Rocks are close by and there is a sand bottom near rocks. Fish tight line here. Fish shallow at night and 10’ deep in daytime.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool
HOTSPOT: Windy Cove
GPS: N 32 36.032, W 97 00.462
(32.6005, -97.0077)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Stinkbaits, prepared baits
SOURCE: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
TIPS: Fish stinkbaits or prepared baits on Carolina rig. All day

LOCATION: Lake Lavon
HOTSPOT: Dam Area Ledges
GPS: N 33 1.9379, W 96 28.7639
(33.0323, -96.4794)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Creature baits Texas rigged or Carolina rigged and DD 22s crankbaits
SOURCE: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
TIPS: Is February going to be cold, warm or hot? I think it’s going to be freezing. In February I would probably be bass fishing the dam using DD 22’s and creature baits along the ledges that run parallel along the dam. These fish could be 3 foot deep or they could be 25 foot. You just have to find their pattern. It could be freezing cold outside and they could be tucked up in some boulders in 4 foot of water.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville
HOTSPOT: 720 Bridge
GPS: N 33 9.4, W 96 57.405
(33.1567, -96.9568)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut or live shad, stink bait, bottom rigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Cut or live shad, stink bait, bottom rigs; all day

LOCATION: Lake Limestone
HOTSPOT: 3371 Bridge
GPS: N 31 26.35, W 96 22.95
(31.4392, -96.3825)

SPECIES: White Bass
Best Baits: Live minnows, jigs, fish pilings day, use lights at night
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Live minnows, jigs, fish pilings day, use lights at night; all day

LOCATION: Lake Palestine
HOTSPOT: Up River and Cades Lake Area
GPS: N 32 16.926, W 95 27.9006
(32.2821, -95.4650)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Texas Spinnerbait Company spinnerbaits in chartreuse and white, the famous Shimmy Shakers in Skeeter color, Big Eye Jig 3/8 oz. in black/blue
SOURCE: Ricky Vandergriff
903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201
www.rickysguideservice.com
TIPS: Fish the river itself and in the Cades Lake area up near Indian Creek. Fish in 3-5 feet, concentrating on river and creek channels. Fish slow and cover your water very good coming back and working the same places over again.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard
HOTSPOT: Old Wooden Bridge
GPS: N 32 48.687, W 96 29.389
(32.8115, -96.4898)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut shad or breem, drift north of the dam’s spillway
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Cut shad or breem, drift north of the dam’s spillway; dusk-morning

LOCATION: Ray Roberts Lake
HOTSPOT: Johnson Branch
GPS: N 33 24.084, W 97 2.812
(33.4014, -97.0469)

SPECIES: Crappie/ White Bass
Best Baits: Minnows, 3/4-1oz slabs
SOURCE: Justin Wilson
214-538-2780
TIPS: Winter weather is here but if you can bare the weather it can make for some excellent fishing. White bass bite has been consistent. Look for big schools of fish stacking up on points and flats close to creek channels in 20-30 foot of water. Slabs off the bottom have been the best with bucktail teasers tied on as well. With little boat traffic it’s been easier to stay on fish once you find them. The crappie bite has been better than the past months and more keeper fish are being caught. Look for these fish holding close to brush piles in 20-30 foot of water. Jigs are working well but the quality of fish seem to be better on minnows. Bridge pylons and other concrete/rock structure has been good as well. Pro tip: Tie a bucktail teaser hook with a palomar knot with a long enough tag end to tie your slab on to catch multiple white bass. I try to keep the teaser 12-18” above the slab.

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Res.
HOTSPOT: 309 Flats and Windsock Point
GPS: N 31 59.3039, W 96 8.4659
(31.9884, -96.1411)

SPECIES: White Bass and Hybrid Striper
Best Baits: Sassy Shad jigs, 1oz. Silver Slabs
SOURCE: Royce Simmons
903-389-4117
www.gonefishin.biz
TIPS: February can be a really tough month on RC or it can be a month when you catch the trophy fish you’ve always fished for! It all depends on what’s happening with the weather and water temperatures. If we don’t have much of a winter or have an early spring warm up period, the water temps will begin to move into the low 50’s and the fish will turn on! Sassy Shads and 1oz. Silver Slabs fished in 20’-30’ water off the 309 Flats will result in lots of white bass action and the occasional LARGE hybrid striper. Don’t forget the really deep water (40’ plus) off the end of the Windsock Point. Look for the gulls to help locate the baitfish that the whites are feeding on. Not many fishermen will brave the cold temperatures you usually experience in February, but those that do are often rewarded with the BIGGEST fish of the year!

LOCATION: Lake Somerville
HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek Road Bed
GPS: N 30 18.522, W 96 33.39
(30.3087, -96.5565)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut shad
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Fish Carolina rig with shad using a 3/4 ounce egg sinker and tight line. Water is 18’ deep here.

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni
HOTSPOT: Black Point
GPS: N 32 52.085, W 96 2.359
(32.8681, -96.0393)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Chum the area then drift with Live or Cut shad, shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Chum the area then drift with Live or Cut shad, shrimp; January-May, dawn-morning

LOCATION: Lake Texana
HOTSPOT: River Bend
GPS: N 29 1.245, W 96 34.833
(29.0208, -96.5806)

SPECIES: Catfish
Best Baits: Cut shad, shrimp or cheesebait on bottom rig
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Cut shad, shrimp or cheesebait on bottom rig; all day

LOCATION: Lake Texoma
HOTSPOT: Slickem Slough
GPS: N 33 51.5339, W 96 52.686
(33.8589, -96.8781)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
Best Baits: Road Runner jigs, Sassy Shad jigs
SOURCE: Bill Carey
903-786-4477
www.striperexpress.com
TIPS: Winter fishing on Lake Texoma is legendary. Chances of landing trophy striper in February are in your favor. Road Runner 1-ounce white buck tail jigs with a 7-inch soft plastic worm are deadly on the big fish holding structure. Always keep your eyes on the seagulls. Cast your 1-inch white-glo Sassy Shad jigs under the birds where large schools of stripers can be feeding. Multiple hook-ups are common with lots of action in the open water. Bank Access: Sand Point (N 33 51.545, W 96 51.823).

LOCATION: Lake Waco
HOTSPOT: Airport Cove
GPS: N 31 36.045, W 97 14.534
(31.6008, -97.2422)

SPECIES: Crappie
Best Baits: Minnows, jigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Wait a few minutes, if no bite, move slowly; morning, afternoon

LOCATION: Lake Whitney
HOTSPOT: Big Rocky Creek
GPS: N 31 52.794, W 97 23.682
(31.8799, -97.3947)

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass
Best Baits: 3/4 oz. Lead Heads and 4” chartruese swim baits and jerk baits from www.rsrlures.com, 1/2 oz. Bucktail jigs
SOURCE: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
www.teamredneck.net
TIPS: Stripers are moving back into the creeks trapping the bait from the mouth and escaping to the open water. We are using the Lead Head jigs and swim baits and are making long casts behind the boat while using the trolling motor on a slow to med slow speed, dragging the baits through the fish. When marking a big school of fish, stop the boat and switch to a Lead Head with a Bass Assassin swim bait and dropping the baits down and doing nothing. This is called dead sticking. Wait for the small tap on the line and set the hook. Keep in mind the water is cold and when you think you’re fishing slow enough, slow down some more. On mornings when the bite in the creeks slows down we are heading out to the main lake and using our binoculars, looking for diving birds or flocks of gulls flying low over the water. Using swim baits or 1/2 oz. white Bucktail jigs with 7” snake worm trailers from www.stripersnipertackle.com. Cast toward the birds and let the bait fall below the baitfish and smaller fish on the surface. Then slow roll along the bottom catching larger fish laying in wait for the injured bait falling from ths feeding frenzy on top. If no bird action, make long casts and slow troll (with a trolling motor, and drag the baits behind the boat. Wait for that THUMP and set the hook! It’s a great time to be on Lake Whitney.

 

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Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

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Email Dean Heffner at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Creeks
GPS: N 33 2.7, W 101 4.758
(33.0450, -101.0793)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
Best Baits: Shaky head jigs, jerk baits, crankbaits.
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: In January, look for bass on the steep banks or use your electronics to find the deep schools of shad. There are lots of steep banks on Alan Henry but especially fish the ones that the sun is hitting directly. Also, time your trip to hit the lake just before a new front is coming and you have had a few days of warming sunshine. If you don’t catch bass on one steep bank, move to another until you get a hit. To search for the schooling shad, look at the mouths of the creeks. Drive around until you see the balls of shad on your electronics and then drop a spoon, little George, or crank bait into the ball of shad. Any creek on the lake can hold schooling fish in January.

LOCATION: Lake Amistad
HOTSPOT: Dam Area
GPS: N 29 27.690 , W 101 03.377
(29.4615, -101.0563)

SPECIES: White Bass
Best Baits: Slabs, spoons
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Slow troll silver slabs. Work chrome spoons vertically. Dawn through dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Daniel
HOTSPOT: Goat Island Point
GPS: N 32 38.478, W 98 51.927
(32.641292, -98.865456)

SPECIES: Largemouth bass
Best Baits: Umbrella rigs
SOURCE: Jacob Wright, TPWD Abilene
325-692-0921
TIPS: Lake Daniel is a 950-acre impoundment located in Stephens County near the City of Breckenridge. Be warned that the roads to access this hidden gem are not great at times, but if you’re willing to make the trek it can certainly be worth it as two largemouth bass over 13 pounds were caught in this reservoir in 2022. February can be a great time to target trophy largemouth bass on a submerged rock pile located on the south side of Goat Island. Anglers have had success at this location using umbrella rigs in combination with forward facing sonar. This location can also be great for targeting suspended crappie with live bait or jigs.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury
HOTSPOT: Lower End Deep Ledge
GPS: N 32 23.014, W 97 42.550
(32 23.014, -97 42.550)

SPECIES: Striped bass
Best Baits: 3/4 to 1oz jig heads with 5 inch swimbaits/jerkbaits in blue/chartreuse
SOURCE: Michael Acosta
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. Granbury water temperatures will continue to be in the upper 40s and low 50’s. Winter patterns will be in full force with an early spring just around the corner. Striped bass are active and are moving back and forth from the river to deeper water on the main lake. The warmest water on the really cold days is near the bottom of the channel. Find the bait, find the fish. Wintering Birds are in place and are pointing anglers to active feeding fish from the dam to the river above Granbury.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury
HOTSPOT: Tin Top
GPS: N 32 34.559, W 97 49.295
(32 34.559, -97 49.295)

SPECIES: White bass
Best Baits: ¼-oz. jig heads with spinners (roadrunners) with 3 inch swimbaits/jerkbaits in white/chartreuse
SOURCE: Michael Acosta
254-396-4855
TIPS: Swim or bounce your jigs across the bottom. Work the bends in the river and look for fish either in the deeper holes and when active on top of flats adjacent to the deeper water. Granbury water temperatures are in the 50’s. Winter patterns are shifting towards spring as spring is just around the corner. Stripers are active and are moving back and forth from the river to deeper water on the main lake. Wintering Birds are still in place and are pointing anglers to active feeding fish from the dam to the river above Granbury. Passing cool fronts will dominate the weather pattern.

LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Res.
HOTSPOT: Big Sandy Creek Channel
GPS: N 32 49.116, W 98 58.902
(32.8186, -98.9817)

SPECIES: Crappie
Best Baits: Jigs, live bait
SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD Abilene
325-692-0921
TIPS: Work chartreuse or black jigs in the stumpy areas, or fish with live minnows. Mid-morning and lated evening.

LOCATION: Lake Kirby
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 32 22.524, W 99 44.041
(32.375396, -99.734020)

SPECIES: Blue & Channel catfish
Best Baits: Prepared baits
SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD Abilene
325-692-0921
TIPS: Kirby Lake is small 740 acre reservoir within the city limits of Abilene in Taylor County. Lake Kirby has an incredible Blue and Channel catfish population. January is a great month to fish for catfish with cut carp in shallow water, fishing from the bank. There is plenty of bank access on the east and west side of the reservoir. There is also a fishing pier on the east side that is wheelchair accessible.

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Carter Island
GPS: N 32 57.848, W 98 24.097
(32.964133, -98.401617)

SPECIES: Blue & Chann
SPECIES: Striped bass
Best Baits: Slabs, jigs
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
Fav7734@gmail.com
TIPS: Watch for active feeding birds as they will put you on active fish but be sure to get off the big motor a thousand yards out and come in on your trolling motor—so you don’t run the fish off, or end up having angry fishermen throwing slabs at you! Slabs and jigs are the ticket, but also try some dead-sticking—which means to put a rod in a holder and fish a few feet off the bottom, not touching it until it gets a bite. Use a trailer like a Mister Twister tail.

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Oil Well Slough
GPS: N 32 55.322, W 98 27.857
(32.922033, -98.464283)

SPECIES: Blue & Channel catfish
SPECIES: Striped bass
Best Baits: Slabs, jigs, RatLTraps, crankbaits, umbrella rigs
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
Fav7734@gmail.com
TIPS: Watch the birds and run the 20-foot breakline, looking for fish on your graph. You can slab, jig, dead-stick, or troll RatLTraps, white crankbaits or umbrella rigs this time of year. The weather determines which tactic will work best. If all else fails, buy some live bait. If it’s unseasonably warm, you can go deep and actually get some live shad.

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