Reported by TF&G STAFF

HotSPOTLight

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/fishgamegear
TIPS: Anchor & tightline with liver or prepared bait on a Carolina rig; night

LOCATION: Brandy Branch Reservoir
HOTSPOT: Timber Cove #3
GPS: N 32 26.951, W 94 28.891
(32.449183, -94.481517)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Look for bedding fish during the spawn; dawn-morning, dusk.

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/fishgamegear
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: Live Branch, Near Dam
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
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 as long as 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/Jim Chapman
HOTSPOT: Moore Creek
GPS: N 33 17.998, W 95 38.011
(33.3000, -95.6335)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-593-5077
TIPS: This is a good spawning cove. Fish red/shad plastics on a Carolina or Texas rig. Dawn through afternoon.

LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: 2946 Road Bridge Creek Crossing
GPS: N 32 53.958, W 95 39.691
(32.8993, -95.6615)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs, minnows
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Use blue/white or pink/white 1/16-oz jigs; good all day.

LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Elm Creek Point
GPS: N 32 55.821, W 95 42.346
(32.9304, -95.7058)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs, spinnerbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish jigs next to creek bends, spinnerbaits near shore and in the grass; early morning, midday.

LOCATION: Lake Houston
HOTSPOT: Railroad Tracks
GPS: N 29 59.361, W 95 7.567
(29.9894, -95.1261)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs, spoons
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish jigs or troll with shiners or spoons.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston
HOTSPOT: Old 190 Bridge
GPS: N 30 44.673, W 95 8.014
(30.7446, -95.1336)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Stinkbait, worms
SOURCE: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service
936-291-9602
www.palmettoguideservice.com
TIPS: Work the bottom of pillars with stinkbait or earthworms; dawn through dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Murvaul
HOTSPOT: Dam Hump
GPS: N 32 2.08, W 94 25.827
(32.0347, -94.4305)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Hit top in spring, perimeter the rest of year; dawn, morning, dusk, night

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches
HOTSPOT: Highline Cove
GPS: N 31 36.652, W 94 49.176
(31.6109, -94.8196)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits, frogs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
409-698-9114
TIPS: Fish the inner hydrilla this time of year. This spot is good all year. Come back in the summer and fish the hydrilla edges.

LOCATION: Lake O the Pines
HOTSPOT: Billy Bass Slough
GPS: N 32 53.261, W 94 42.763
(32.8877, -94.7127)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Lizards
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Blind cast Carolina-rigged green/pumpkin lizards. Morning through midday

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn
HOTSPOT: Bullet and Prairie Creeks
GPS: N 31 19.727, W 94 18.199
(31.3288, -94.3033)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish soft plastics on a Carolina rig. Work the rip rap. Great year round spot.

LOCATION: Toledo Bend
HOTSPOT: Horseshoe Slough
GPS: N 31 40.895, W 93 48.991
(31.681591, -93.816512)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut bait, stink bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish bait on trotlines or freeline the bottom; dawn through morning, dusk-night.

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman
HOTSPOT: Sherman’s
GPS: N 33 16.65, W 94 9.905
(33.277500, -94.165083)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows, jigs
SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office
903-938-1007
TIPS: Fish live minnows or jigs in any color, working rock piles in the creek. Action is good all day.

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Reported by TF&G Staff

HotSPOTLight:

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LOCATION: Lake Austin
HOTSPOT: Wood Island
GPS: N 30 20.227, W 97 50.71
(30.3371, -97.8452)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Lipless crankbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish RatLTraps or other lipless crankbaits; this is a reliable spot all day.

LOCATION: Lake Belton
HOTSPOT: Cowhouse Point
GPS: N 31 08.394, W 97 30.746
(31.1399, -97.5124)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish dark soft plastics on Texas-rig, casting parallel to the shoreline.

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: Stripers—Live shad; White Bass—2 in. to 4 in. shad, or white or chartreuse slabs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: For stripers, the upper half of the lake, drifting or anchored with 4-to-6 inch shad on top of ridges and humps. Fish 25 feet down in 30-40 feet of water. For white bass, fish the upper half of the lake, drifting or anchored, with 2-to-4 inch shad, or jigging with white or chartreuse lead slabs on top of the ridges and humps, near bottom, in 25-35 feet of water.

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
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: Main Lake Docks
GPS: N 32 17.928, W 96 8.556
(32.2988, -96.1426)

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 is good for skipping docks. Fish all docks throughout the lake with 1/4 to 3/8 oz jigs on 14-to-20 pound line. Skip and flip bait under and around docks and fish super slow.

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake
HOTSPOT: River channel
GPS: N 32 53.342, W 97 28.970
(32.8890263, -97.4828371)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cutbait
SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service
817-243-5858
kolbymkuhn@gmail.com
TIPS: Look for the catfish to be under clouds of bait in deep water this time of the year. The river channel is always a good place to look. Scan up and down the river channel until you see a lot of bait, and then either do a slow drift or anchor out. Keep your cut bait on or near the bottom for the best results.

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake
HOTSPOT: Deep docks
GPS: N 32 53.342, W 97 27.982
(32.889027, -97.466375)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs
SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service
817-243-5858
kolbymkuhn@gmail.com
TIPS: There will be some crappie under deep docks through the winter. You can target them by shooting jigs up under them. Use as light of a jig head as possible to get more bites. Look for the crappie to be under the darkest part of the docks.

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: Channel cats and yellow cats hang out in these rocks. Anchor up in 12-to-15 feet of water and use a cork to drift your bait through the rocks.

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: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: 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.

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: 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: This is a good time to pursue bass at the dam, using DD 22’s and creature baits along the ledges that run parallel along the dam. These fish could be 3 feet deep, or they could be 25 feet. You just have to find their pattern. It could be freezing cold outside, and they could be tucked up in some boulders in 4 feet of water. You just never know.

LOCATION: Lake LBJ
HOTSPOT: Sandy Creek
GPS: N 30 34.54, W 98 25.241
(30.5757, -98.4207)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Work the bank shallow to deeper with red/white plastics; avoid midday.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville
HOTSPOT: Hackberry Point
GPS: N 33 7.097, W 96 56.216
(33.1183, -96.9369)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish tree tops with live minnows or white/yellow jigs; good all day.

LOCATION: Lake Limestone
HOTSPOT: Mouth of Big Creek
GPS: N 31 25.519, W 96 21.141
(31.4253, -96.3524)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, jigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Look for birds and schools. Fish white or chartreuse inline spinnerbaits or jigs; all day action.

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 Satin 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: Chandler’s Landing
GPS: N 32 52.372, W 96 29.982
(32.8729, -96.4997)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Shad, bream
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish cut shad or bream, drift just west of the marina; dusk-morning

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts
HOTSPOT: Lodge Point
GPS: N 33 24.787, W 96 59.658
(33.4131, -96.9943)

SPECIES: Crappie, white bass
BEST BAITS: Minnows, white/chartreuse spinners, white/shad colored crankbaits
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Look for schools of white bass stacking up on points and humps close to creek channels in 20-30 feet of water. Diving gulls have been making it easy to find these schools. Slabs off the bottom work, but use lighter tackle and anchor beside the schools and run a bait right through them. Throw a jig with a spinner, or any shad-colored crankbait. The crappie bite has still been good. We’re having to cover some water to find schools of better fish, but they are there; we just have to bounce around to find the keepers. Crappie have been on brush piles and bridge pillars in 15-25 feet of water. Jigs are working well, but the quality of fish seem to be better on minnows.

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake
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.!

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 nearby.

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni
HOTSPOT: North Shore of Caddo Inlet
GPS: N 32 55.63, W 96 2.84
(32.9272, -96.0473)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: This is a good spawning area. Hit the stumps, vegetation, ditches, and points with soft plastics; dawn, morning, dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Texana
HOTSPOT: Sandy Creek
GPS: N 29 1.671, W 96 33.278
(29.0279, -96.5546)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Shad, shrimp, cheesebait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish cut shad, shrimp or cheesebait on a bottom rig; catch fish here 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.

LOCATION: Lake Waco
HOTSPOT: Texas Harbor Entrance
GPS: N 31 35.537, W 97 13.692
(31.5923, -97.2282)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish live minnows under cork, use electronics for brush; 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
BEST BAITS: Cut bait and live shad
SOURCE: Randy Routh
817-822-5539
TIPS: Cast out 30 feet behind boat and turn trolling motor on medium speed and drag baits behind boat in the mouth of the creek and hump just out from creek. Stripers have baits pushed up in the mouth of Big Rocky gorging on them.

 

Email us at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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Reported by TJ RANFT

HotSPOTLight:

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LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry
HOTSPOT: Gobbler Creek
GPS: N 33 2.5379, W 101 6.99
(33.0423, -101.1165)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits in shad colors, spinnerbaits, bass jigs, shaky heads, jerkbaits
SOURCE: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services
806-792-9220
TIPS: February a great time to fish Alan Henry because a lot of big fish are caught this month. The bass will start moving up the creeks on warm days. Use jigs, shaky heads, jerk baits, and crankbaits.

LOCATION: Lake Arrowhead
HOTSPOT: Brushpile S. Side of State Park Point
GPS: N 33 45.146, W 98 22.955
(33.7524, -98.3826)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish this Christmas tree pile with minnows or jigs; produces all day.

LOCATION: Ft. Phantom Hill Res.
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS:N 32 35.421, W 99 41.605
(32.590358, -99.693412)

SPECIES: Blue catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut carp, shad, live bait
SOURCE: TPWD District Office, Abilene
325-692-0921
TIPS: Ft. Phantom Hill produces many quality-sized blue catfish for anglers. Anglers interested in catching wintertime blues will have luck using cut carp or shad bait as well as live bait. Fishing slopes and drop-offs or adjacent to bait balls may likely produce a bite.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury
HOTSPOT: Deep Water Ledge on the Lower Ends
GPS: N 32 23.014, W 97 42.550
(32.383567, -97.709167)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: 3/4- to 1-oz. jig heads with 5 inch swimbaits/jerkbaits in blue/chartreuse
SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta
Unfair Advantage Charters
www.unfairadvantagecharters.com
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 continue to be in the upper 40s and low 50’s. Winter patterns are 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. Passing cool fronts continue to dominate the weather pattern.

LOCATION: Lake Leon
HOTSPOT: LaMancha Resort
GPS: N 32 21.6857, W 98 41.1983
(32.3614, -98.6866)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs, curly tails, tubes
SOURCE: TPWD District Office, Abilene
325-692-0921
TIPS: During cold months, many anglers fish the rocks and off the pier at LaMancha Resort. The Resort has a use-for-fee dock and pier that often yields successful crappie catches. Fishing the rocks along the resort is also good. 1/16 to 1/4 oz. jigs with curly tails or tubes work well for keeper crappie.

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Upper end of the lake
GPS: N 32 54.729, W 98 27.936
(32.912147, -98.465606)

SPECIES: Striped bass
BEST BAITS: 1/2 to 1oz jig heads with 4-6 inch swimbaits/jerkbaits, live shad
SOURCE: TJ Ranft
TJRanft17@gmail.com
RanftGuideService.com
TIPS: Stripers will be in their winter patterns. Water temps will be in the 40-50s, and you will need to be looking for the birds and the bait. If you find one or both of those, you should find the fish nearby. The fish will definitely be active. This is some of the best fishing if you can brave the cold. You can’t go wrong with live shad, but many anglers choose to deadstick them. This can be accomplished with a half- to one-ounce jig head and a soft plastic held still in the vicinity of fish. Deadsticking can be very affective this time of year and should not be overlooked.

 

Email TJ Ranft at TJRanft17@Gmail.com

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