Reported by TF&G STAFF

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Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin
HOTSPOT: River Boat Cove
GPS: N 33 3.479, W 95 1.876
(33.0580, -95.0313)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Afternoon is best time of day.

LOCATION: Lake Cooper/Jim Chapman
HOTSPOT: Brush Piles
GPS: N 33 18.323, W 95 38.286
(33.3054, -95.6381)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows, jigs
SOURCE: 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 Pockets and Coves
GPS: N 32 48.0659, W 95 33.4319
(32.8011, -95.5572)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Grandebass Airtail and Rattlesnake
SOURCE: Lance Vick
903-312-0609
TIPS: Big bass are shallow in pockets and coves. Fish a weightless worm rigged weightless, throw to the shoreline and fish slow next to stumps and grass; or a Texas-rigged Grandebass 6.5 Rattlesnake. On a cold front throw a Carolina-rigged 4.75 Rattlesnake on shallow clay points.

LOCATION: Lake Houston
HOTSPOT: Scott’s Point
GPS: N 30 1.878, W 95 7.736
(30.0313, -95.1289)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows or jigs, use spider rigs trolling
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear
TIPS: Use spider rigs when trolling

LOCATION: Lake Livingston
HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek
GPS: N 30 52.134, W 95 23.9039
(30.8689, -95.3984)

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

LOCATION: Lake Murvaul
HOTSPOT: Jones Branch
GPS: N 32 2.554, W 94 26.012
(32.0426, -94.4335)

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

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches
HOTSPOT: Mills Branch
GPS: N 31 35.929, W 94 49.374
(31.5988, -94.8229)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
409-698-9114
TIPS: Fish live minnows or jigs. Use bottom rigs and fish around trees. Avoid midday.

LOCATION: Lake O the Pines
HOTSPOT: Cedar Springs
GPS: N 32 50.616, W 94 41.656
(32.8436, -94.6943)

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: Cannons
GPS: N 31 14.012, W 94 21.708
(31.2335, -94.3618)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Chicken livers, cut bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish the bushes. Move to grass if the water temperature falls.

LOCATION: Lake Toledo Bend
HOTSPOT: Sabine River, Government Ditch
GPS: N 31 53.5319, W 93 55.896
(31.8922, -93.9316)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, shallow diving square bill crankbaits, Road Runners, Tail Spinners, and slab spoons
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: The White Bass will be in the river for the spawn. Concentrate on the bars and the inside bends of the river sandbars. If the current is running, look for the eddies where the water is still. The Whites will bunch up in the still water.

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman
HOTSPOT: Big Creek Cove Points
GPS: N 33 19.883, W 94 11.628
(33.3314, -94.1938)

 

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows, jigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Fish live minnows or white/chartreuse jigs. Hit the timber and weeds. Morning through afternoon.

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Reported by TF&G Staff

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Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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LOCATION: Lake Austin
HOTSPOT: River Bend
GPS: N 30 19.844, W 97 56.041
(30.3307, -97.9340)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Topwaters
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Topwaters work best; morning, dusk; all day

LOCATION: Lake Belton
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
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Focus on the middle section of the Cowhouse Creek arm, near the old creek channel. Watch sonar for suspended pods of fish and fish the Thin Fin on a downrigger if the fish are deep, or a Smash Shad on a flat line if the fish are within 12 feet of the surface.

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
SOURCE: Clancy Terrill
512-633-6742
www.centraltexasfishing.com
TIPS: Striper and White Bass fishing should be excellent in 30-40 feet of water near ridges and humps. Concentrate on the upper half of the lake.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake
HOTSPOT: Canyon Lake Marina
GPS: N 29 54.684, W 98 14.256
(29.9114, -98.2376)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Hard plastic jerk baits, soft plastic jerk baits, top-water, slow-rolling spinnerbaits, lipless or square-bill crankbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
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 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.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Creeks
GPS: N 32 13.098, W 96 3.6719
(32.2183, -96.0612)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits and plastics
SOURCE: Jason Barber
903-887-7896
www.kingscreekadventures.com
TIPS: Fish the back 1/3 of all the spawning creeks with spinnerbaits and plastics. You should find fish in most all these areas.

LOCATION: Lake Eagle Mountain
HOTSPOT: Pelican Island
GPS: N 32 59.278, W 97 30.909
(32.9879585, -97.5151480)

SPECIES: Blue catfish
BEST BAITS: cut bait
SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service
817-243-5858
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 cutbait out on the bottom on the edge of the brush.

LOCATION: Fayette County Res.
HOTSPOT: Fite’s Ridge
GPS: N 29 55.5, W 96 44.418
(29.9250, -96.7403)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch Bait
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Water is very deep here-maybe 50 feet. Throw out a marker and chum around it. Either anchor with long rope or use trolling motor to keep you close to marker. Fish straight down with tight line over chum.

LOCATION: Lake Granger
HOTSPOT: River, Creeks, and Coves
GPS: N 30 41.8379, W 97 22.278
(30.6973, -97.3713)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: 1/16 oz. jigs, either plastic or marabou – Bass Assassin brand preferred
SOURCE: Tommy Tidwell
512-365-7761
www.gotcrappie.com
TIPS: This is the time of year that crappie start looking for the warmest places which are protected coves and sloughs. Look for any shallow places that gets a lot of sunlight and is protected from the wind. Use long crappie rods with a slip bobber set up. Set the depth to about 16 inches. Fish these right next to the bank in the thickest cover that you can find. The prime time to try this is the day after you have three warm days and nights.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool
HOTSPOT: West Tree Flats
GPS: N 32 36.735, W 97 03.208
(32.6123, -97.0535)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Prepared baits
SOURCE: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
TIPS: Fish prepared baits on Carolina rig or trotline.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon
HOTSPOT: Dam Area and Main Lake Boat Slips
GPS: N 33 1.956, W 96 28.92
(33.0326, -96.4820)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows, black/chartreuse and white/chartreuse jigs with 1/32 and 1/16 oz. pink jig heads.
SOURCE: Carey Thorn
469-528-0210
whitebassfishingtexas.com
TIPS: Crappie fishing excellent under private boat slips. Fishing is also good at the dam spider rigging in 18 to 28 foot depths.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville
HOTSPOT: Cottonwood Cove
GPS: N 33 9.538, W 96 55.891
(33.1590, -96.9315)

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

LOCATION: Lake Limestone
HOTSPOT: Mouth of Navasota River
GPS: N 31 26.348, W 96 23.36
(31.4391, -96.3893)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Live or cut shad, stink bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Drift fish in 5-15 feet of water; this spot is good all day

LOCATION: Lake Palestine
HOTSPOT: Old Folks Playground
GPS: N 32 9.624, W 95 28.074
(32.1604, -95.4679)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Big Eye Jigs, Top Shelf Spinner Baits, Shimmy Shakers, and Mr. Twister Comida in Black/Blue
SOURCE: Ricky Vandergriff
903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201
www.rickysguideservice.com
TIPS: Fish brush and drainage ditches around the old folks playground. Fish the Big Eye Jig in the brush along the side of the islands and fish the Top Shelf Spinner Bait and Shimmy Shaker up in the brush and drainages. Another bait is the Mr. Twister comida in blk blue color fished in both locations.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard
HOTSPOT: Harbor Bay Marina Bridge
GPS: N 32 53.3939, W 96 29.4059
(32.8899, -96.4901)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows or tiny crappie jigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish the old river channel where it comes under the bridge in 12 to 15 feet of water with either minnows or tiny crappie jigs.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts
HOTSPOT: Flats
GPS: N 33 22.5834, W 97 3.4896
(33.3764, -97.0582)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Topwaters, swimbaits
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
TIPS: The white bass will be getting close to the end of their spawn and be looking to fatten back up. The shad spawn will be starting in April, and this is a great time to fill the freezer with fillets. Flats and main lake points are great places to fish for white bass.

LOCATION: Lake Richland-Chambers
HOTSPOT: Fisherman’s Point Marina
GPS: N 31 56.3699, W 96 7.4459
(31.9395, -96.1241)

SPECIES: Crappie, White Bass and Hybrid Striper
BEST BAITS: Crappie: small minnows or jigs, Whites and Hybrids Striper: silver slabs and a blue/chrome Rat-L-Traps
SOURCE: Royce Simmons
903-389-4117
www.gonefishin.biz
TIPS: April is historically the BEST month to catch shoreline spawning Crappie, main lake white bass and hybridss on the Flats. Crappie will be in shallow water in the many Coves and Creek Tributaries on the lake. Small minnows or jigs fished under a cork and placed beside any structure will work best.

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
SOURCE: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
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 Res.
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 31 1.9499, W 97 35.0519
(31.0325, -97.5842)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Weightless lizards, wacky-rigged Senkos, crankbaits and spinnerbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Tthe spawn is almost over. Use a weightless lizard or wacky rigged Senko shallow around beds.

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni
HOTSPOT: Stone Point Area
GPS: N 32 58.245, W 96 0.926
(32.9708, -96.0154)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Sponge bait or Live shad
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish bait on a bottom rig, drift or anchor; dawn-midday

LOCATION: Lake Texoma
HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek
GPS: N 33 53.982, W 96 53.79
(33.8997, -96.8965)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: RoadRunner and Sassy Shad jigs
SOURCE: Bill Carey
903-786-4477
www.striperexpress.com
TIPS: In March the white bass have already spawned, and the stripers are staging up the main tributaries. Main lake points, ditches and creeks will hold stripers. 1oz. RoadRunner and Sassy Shad jigs in white or chartreuse will work best. Fish the creeks in 12 to 20 feet of water with a slow retrieve for fish up to 20 pounds. Watch the seagulls, they can be your best fish finder. When you are fishing under the birds keep your lure in the top 15 feet of water.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney
HOTSPOT: Whitney Hump
GPS: N 31 54.666, W 97 20.868
(31.9111, -97.3478)

SPECIES: Stripers
BEST BAITS: Chartreuse Wild Eyed Shad and Live Gizzard shad
SOURCE: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
www.teamredneck.net
TIPS: Use Wild Eyed Shad swim baits early. Cast out on the hump and retrieve medium to fast to catch the stripers as they are moving up on the hump gorging on the spawning shad. After the sun comes up back off the hump and anchor in 30 feet of water and fish live shad suspended off the bottom.

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Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

HotSPOTLight:

Email Dean Heffner at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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LOCATION: Lake Cisco
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 32 26.381, W 99 00.066
(32.439685, -99.001097)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Wacky worms, jerkbaits
SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD
325-692-0921
Lance.Benson@tpwd.texas.gov
TIPS: Lake Cisco is a small impoundment in Eastland County approximately 1050 acres in size. It is surrounded by steep rocky bluffs that offer great fishing habitat. There are several docks on the lake that have great fishing opportunities. Try throwing a wacky worm or ned rig under the docks. As the water warms up, a floating jerk bait thrown near rocks and brush can produce some big strikes. Lake Cisco has very clear water in the main part of the lake and stained water in the creek areas. There is plenty of brush in the creek area that hold lots of fish. Spinnerbaits in the past have produced lots of quality fish in both size and numbers.

LOCATION: Lake Fort Phantom Hill
HOTSPOT: White Elephant Ramp
GPS: N 32 36.620, W 99 41.156
(32.61034, -99.68594)

SPECIES: Largemouth, White and Hybrids
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, spoons, jigs
SOURCE: Glenn Chancellor, TPWD
325-692-0921
Glenn.Chancellor@tpwd.texas.gov
TIPS: Located just North of Abilene, Fort Phantom offers great action on late spawn largemouth bass, white bass, and hybrid striped bass fishing. Fort Phantom covers a little over 4,000 acres with shallower creek channels and flooded timber on the south end, and steep rock on the north. Largemouth tend to have a late spawn in this reservoir, so heavy bass are still in the cards early April. If you are after hybrids dead stick around the dam and White Elephant ramp, or troll around the sailboat cove and main ramp. Later in the month white bass turn on can be found on most of the rocks, but especially right outside the main ramp cove.

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

SPECIES: Crappie (and more)
BEST BAITS: Small jigs with soft plastics in Electric Chicken and Chartreuse colors worked near structure near banks/docks
SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta
Unfair Advantage Charters
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. Crappie will be spawning most creeks and sloughs all over the lake and in the river. Granbury water temperatures are in the 60’s. Spring patterns are in full force. 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/storm fronts continue to dominate the weather pattern. Stripers are pushing baitfish to the surface. White bass are spawning, and many are moving back to the main lake. Jigs with soft plastics and jigging slabs continue to put sandbass in the boat. Catfish action is great on cut shad and hotdogs fished under deeper docks and creek entrances.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury
HOTSPOT: Granbury Indian Harbor Ditch
GPS: N 32 24.576, W 97 44.910
(32 24.576, -97 44.910)

SPECIES: Largemouth bass
BEST BAITS: Jig and pig, plastics, spinner baits
SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta
Unfair Advantage Charters
254-396-4855
TIPS: Work your presentation around bedding areas/ seawalls and shallow structure. Small feeder creeks near housing additions will have numerous beds. The river above Granbury will also have blacks spawning in shallow flats off creek channels. Granbury water temperatures are in the 70’s. Spring patterns are in full force. Wintering Birds are still in place and are pointing anglers to active feeding fish on the main lake. Passing cool fronts/storm fronts continue to dominate the weather pattern.

LOCATION: Lake O.H. Ivie
HOTSPOT: North Island Channel Edge
GPS: N 31 32.584, W 99 40.663
(31.543067, -99.677717)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays
TIPS: Fish deep crankbaitss, work steep channel; dawn-dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Peanut Patch
GPS: N 32 53.627, W98 30.998
(32.894, -98.517)

SPECIES: Striped bass
BEST BAITS: Live shad, RatLTraps, crankbaits
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
Fav7734@gmail.com
TIPS: March is spawning season, so everything is in a hurry to fatten up for the spawn, or has already headed that way. Best tactic is to first watch the birds; second, troll or flatline RatLTraps an crankbaits. This will help you locate fish instead of blindly blowing down the lake. Slow down and get in tune with the birds and the water, and you will get on fish faster. If you can them, live shad is the best bait. Otherwise, match the hatch and color. Stick to basic colors—white and chartreuse are on the list. Go slow, 2.8 mph. Keep what you want to eat and release the rest.

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Cedar Creek
GPS: N 32 53.542, W 98 33.180
(32.893, -98.553)

SPECIES: Striped bass
BEST BAITS: Live shad
SOURCE: Dean Heffner
940-329-0036
Fav7734@gmail.com
TIPS: April is full on spawn, but the spawn I am chasing this month is the shad spawn. Look for the birds to put you on the bait. But be careful. If you get greedy and stuff your tank, you will lose them all, so take just enough Most livewels won’t hold but 3 to 5 dozen medium to small shad anyway. Once you get your bait, anywhere you go on PK you will catch fish . Start in 20 feet right off the bank where you caught your bait. Then use your graph to find a breakline and set up on it.

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