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East Texas

HotSPOTLight: Lake Nacogdoches

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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
TIPS: Cast onto the sand and retrieve across the grass; dawn through morning.

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LOCATION: Brandy Branch Reservoir
HOTSPOT: Boat Ramp Point
GPS: N 32 26.354, W 94 28.206
(32.439233, -94.4701)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs, crankbaits, flukes
TIPS: Work the contours of the point and hydrilla with your choice of crankbaits, jigs or flukes; morning, dusk, evening.

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LOCATION: Caddo Lake
HOTSPOT: Big Cypress Bayou Cuts and Bends
GPS: N 32 41.5559, W 94 2.292
(32.6926, -94.0382)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Umbrella rigs, chatterbaits, crankbaits, topwaters
TIPS: This late fall/early wintertime of the year the bass are really feeding up. Shad is the main food source for them now so any white- or shad-colored lures like the ones listed above work great. Stay in the main channel and other creeks and concentrate on the cuts, intersections and bends along the edges of the channel. Sometimes you might find them schooling on a nearby flat from the channels.

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LOCATION: Lake Conroe
HOTSPOT: Stump at 7 Coves
GPS: N 30 24.65, W 95 34.491
(30.4108, -95.5749)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
TIPS: Work vertically around stumps with minnows, red/pink jigs; morning, dusk, night.

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LOCATION: Lake Cooper/Jim Chapman
HOTSPOT: Boat Lane Creek Channel
GPS: N 33 17.911 , W 95 43.634
(33.2985, -95.7272)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs
TIPS: Bounce jigs with rattles and big trailers off the channel edge. Fish this spot all day.

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LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Dam
GPS: N 32 48.795, W 95 31.712
(32.8133, -95.5285)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs, minnows
TIPS: Fish the Dam steps at deepest point; productive all day.

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LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Birch Creek
GPS: N 32 54.954, W 95 38.79
(32.9159, -95.6465)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, chrome Rat-L-Traps, square bill crankbaits in shad with a white belly, white buzzbaits.
TIPS: November bass fishing on Lake Fork is very good due to the fact the bass are feeding up before the lake cools off for the winter. The bass will push shad to the back of cover, creeks and pockets and stuff themselves till they cannot eat any more. Then they will hit a lure coming by. This is a great month to throw most anything except plastics. Keep in mind, the lower end of the lake (deeper water end) will cool off slower than the north end of the lake(shallow water) Head north early November and go south towards the end of the month. Look in places like Burch, Glade, or Bell early in the month and places like Dale, Ray, and Chaney towards the end of the month. Target the back of the areas you are fishing and watch for shad activity even in that 1-3 foot of water range.

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LOCATION: Lake Houston
HOTSPOT: Skier’s Cove
GPS: N 29 58.764, W 95 8.121
(29.9794, -95.1354)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
TIPS: Cast under birds with live minnows or jigs.

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LOCATION: Lake Livingston
HOTSPOT: Village Creek
GPS: N 30 54.238, W 95 24.074
(30.9040, -95.4012)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits
TIPS: Fish white spinnerbaits on a slow roll; dawn through afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Murvaul
HOTSPOT: Williams Point
GPS: N 32 1.697, W 94 26.22
(32.0283, -94.4370)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs, crankbaits, plastics
TIPS: Fish Carolina rig plastics on the point, crankbaits and flip jigs to deeper west docks; dawn, morning, dusk, night.

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LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches
HOTSPOT: The Hump
GPS: N 31 36.900, W 94 49.811
(31.6150, -94.8302)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits
TIPS: Finesse the edges, beat the middle. This is a spot for Big Fish! Avoid midday.

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LOCATION: Lake O the Pines
HOTSPOT: Johnson Creek
GPS: N 32 47.152, W 94 32.541
(32.7859, -94.5424)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs, minnows
TIPS: Fish black/blue jigs or minnows. Use your depth finder to locate the fish. Midday through afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn
HOTSPOT: Peckerwood Point
GPS: N 31 11.015, W 94 17.806
(31.1836, -94.2968)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Night crawlers
TIPS: Fish night crawlers on either a Carolina rig or Texas rig. Work the grass beds.

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LOCATION: Toledo Bend Res.
HOTSPOT: Sulphur Springs Slough
GPS: N 31 43.011, W 93 47.449
(31.7169, -93.7908)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut bait, stink bait
TIPS: Fish bait on trotlines or freeline the bottom; dawn through morning, dusk-night.

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LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman
HOTSPOT: Herron Creek and Malden
GPS: N 33 16.441, W 94 19.298
(33.2740, -94.3216)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Slabs
TIPS: Fish chartreuse slabs. Bounce them off the bottom, then reel in a fast retrieve. Dawn through dusk.

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• • •

Central Texas

HotSPOTLight: Stillhouse Hollow Res.

• • •

LOCATION: Lake Austin
HOTSPOT: River Front Estates
GPS: N 30 19.77, W 97 54.619
(30.3295, -97.9103)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits
TIPS: Crankbaits work best; a good all day spot.

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LOCATION: Bachman Lake
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 32 51.1859, W 96 52.014
(32.8531, -96.8669)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie
BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows and jigs
TIPS: For bass, throw spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps along the weed line. Crappie are under the bridge this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bet right now.

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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
TIPS: Dark soft plastics on Texas-rig, fish parallel to shoreline.

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LOCATION: Lake Buchanan
HOTSPOT: Shaw Island to the Dam
GPS: N 30 47.742, W 98 24.2879
(30.7957, -98.4048)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: Live shad, 1 oz. Roadrunner jigs with white and chartreuse flirt tails
TIPS: Stripers are scattered all over the lake. Drifting 6″ shad in 30′ to 40’of water or trolling 1 oz. Roadrunner jigs with white and chartreuse flirt tails in any combination should also work well.

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LOCATION: Canyon Lake
HOTSPOT: Potters Creek Park
GPS: N 29 54.1799, W 98 16.134
(29.9030, -98.2689)

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass
BEST BAITS: 5/8 oz. Red Hoginar
TIPS: Fish from the point back to the swim beach 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.

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LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Main Lake at Sulpher Creek
GPS: N 28 43.2959, W 97 11.7359
(28.7216, -97.1956)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, Zoom pearl white flukes
TIPS: November is when the holidays begin, the weather starts cooling and the lakes are not as busy. The lake is quiet the weather is comfortable, and the fishing is great. The big hogs move up shallower sometimes you can catch them all day shallow. Spinnerbaits are the fish locators. When the fishing gets slower during late morning, slow your baits down. Usually, fish are more aggressive in the early morning and then they lay back later in the day. If you watch the fry carefully, they are moving slow also. Fast baits don’t look natural. Try to match natural. When it’s windy you can get more aggressive. Focus on the backs of creeks early then move out little during the later morning.

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LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake
HOTSPOT: Twin Points Humps
GPS: N 32 53.16, W 97 29.672
(32.8860, -97.4945)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Slabs with a fly 12 inches above, or Mepps spinnerbaits
TIPS: This area has two very large humps surrounded by deeper water. During the late fall, shad congregate around these humps and the sand bass follow. Find the shad and fish on the electronics and jig straight up and down with a slab and fly and many times you will get a double. For people who like to cast, fan cast over the humps with a Mepps spinner, worked very slowly off the bottom.

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LOCATION: Fayette County
HOTSPOT: Cedar Creek Bridge Pilings
GPS: N 29 56.448, W 96 44.562
(29.9408, -96.7427)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: CJ’s Punch Bait
TIPS: Water is about 40 feet deep here. Best to throw a buoy and chum close to the buoy. Then either anchor up or use a trolling motor to stay over chum. Fish tight line straight down.

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LOCATION: Granger Lake
HOTSPOT: Open Lake Flats
GPS: N 30 42.216, W 97 21.324
(30.7036, -97.3554)

SPECIES: Blue Catfish
BEST BAITS: Shad, cut bait
TIPS: Now is a good time to catch blue catfish on jug lines fished all over the main lake. Depth of water really doesn’t matter. Some places to start would be windy sides of the lake. Shad are blown into these areas and thus concentrate the hungry blues. Use #11/0 Mustad circle hooks with no more than two hooks on each jug line.

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LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool
HOTSPOT: Joe Pool Dam Rip Rap
GPS: N 32 38.590, W 96 59.599
(32.6432, -96.9933)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Stinkbaits, prepared baits
TIPS: Fish stinkbaits or prepared baits on Carolina rig. All day

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LOCATION: Lake Lavon
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point
GPS: N 33 3.3479, W 96 30.438
(33.0558, -96.5073)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: 1-3 ft diving crankbaits, soft plastics
TIPS: Fish 1–3-foot divers early in the morning and then soft plastics when the sun is up.

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LOCATION: Lake LBJ
HOTSPOT: Big Bend
GPS: N 30 40.208, W 98 26.493
(30.6701, -98.4416)

SPECIES: Hybrid/Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: RatLTraps
TIPS: Troll RatLTraps along the edge of the river channel in 15-20 feet of water; dawn-morning.

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LOCATION: Lake Lewisville
HOTSPOT: I-35 Bridge
GPS: N 33 6.124, W 97 1.634
(33.1021, -97.0272)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
TIPS: Fish close to the piles with live minnows, crappie rigs with jigs; catch them here all day.

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LOCATION: Lake Limestone
HOTSPOT: Blains Creek
GPS: N 31 23.212, W 96 20.73
(31.3869, -96.3455)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits
TIPS: If hydrilla is present, use a chartreuse/white spinnerbait; dawn thru dusk

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LOCATION: Lake Palestine
HOTSPOT: River Channel
GPS: N 32 3.666, W 95 26.4479
(32.0611, -95.4408)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: ”
1/4 oz. Big Eye Jigs in black/blue”
TIPS: Bass fishing should be good in the river channel. Pitch around the stumps located along the river channel in 4-6 feet of water. Fish your lure slow for best results.

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LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard
HOTSPOT: I-30 West Bridge
GPS: N 32 52.237, W 96 31.769
(32.8706, -96.5295)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs, minnows
TIPS: Work the bridge pylons with black jigs or live minnows; morning through midday.

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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
TIPS: Winter weather is here but if you can bare the weather it can make for some excellent fishing. Look for big schools of white bass stacking up on points and flats close to creek channels in 20-30 feet of water. Slabs off the bottom are usually best, with bucktail teasers tied on as well. With little boat traffic it should be easier to stay on fish once you find them. Look for crappie holding close to brush piles in 20-30 feet of water. Jigs work well but the quality of fish are usually better on minnows. Bridge pylons and other concrete/rock structure are always a good bet. 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. Keep the teaser 12-18 inches above the slab.

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LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake
HOTSPOT: Windsock Point
GPS: N 31 56.586, W 96 7.452
(31.9431, -96.1242)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers & White Bass
BEST BAITS: For White Bass: 1 oz. Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs (www.rsrlures.com) & 1/4 oz. Blue Chrome Rat-L-Traps |For Hybrids: 2 oz. Chartreuse Slab
TIPS: If it’s a really cold November, bait and fish may be suspended in 40-foot-plus water. If it’s a warm fall, watch for the gulls and pelicans dipping down to pick up shad off the surface. Concentrate on the sides of Windsock Point in 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! If surfacing action occurs, bring out the Rat-l-Traps.

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LOCATION: Lake Somerville
HOTSPOT: Yegua Park West Shoreline
GPS: N 30 17.76, W 96 32.784
(30.2960, -96.5464)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: CJ’s Monster Punch Bait
TIPS: Fish offshore a little way in 6 feet of water to keep from hanging up on submerged vegetation. Tight line toward the shore. Also chum close to the boat.

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LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Res.
HOTSPOT: River Timber North
GPS: N 31 0.351, W 97 39.114
(31.0059, -97.6519)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows
TIPS: Fish minnows on a bobber, if you have them, use submerged lights, keep quiet; night.

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LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni
HOTSPOT: Tall Man Reach
GPS: N 32 52.872, W 96 0.227
(32.8812, -96.0038)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits, worms
TIPS: Hit the coves with holding pads with buzzbaits or weedless worms; dawn, morning, dusk.

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LOCATION: Lake Texana
HOTSPOT: Brackenridge
GPS: N 28 56.053, W 96 32.64
(28.9342, -96.5440)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Spoons, crankbaits
TIPS: Fish jigging spoons or crankbaits; all day

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LOCATION: Lake Texoma
HOTSPOT: Coves East of Highport
GPS: N 33 50.195, W 96 42.085
(33.8366, -96.7014)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Sassy shad, jighead
TIPS: Work around the edges at 18 feet with white 6-inch Sassy shad on 1 oz. jighead; morning through afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Waco
HOTSPOT: South Bosque River
GPS: N 31 30.336, W 97 15.196
(31.5056, -97.2533)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut bait, stink bait
TIPS: Fish the bottom; morning, dusk through night

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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
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.

 

• • •

West Texas

HotSPOTLight: Lake Arrowhead

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LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry
HOTSPOT: Main Lake Cove
GPS: N 33 2.805, W 101 4.098
(33.0468, -101.0683)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Wacky worms
TIPS: Fish 10-inch wacky worm in dark colors and work 10 to 25 feet deep; morning through afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Arrowhead
HOTSPOT: Post Oak Bridge
GPS: N 33 39.412, W 98 24.678
(33.6569, -98.4113)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows
TIPS: Fish the southeast corner of the causeway rip rap & pilings with minnows; dawn through morning, dusk.

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LOCATION: Lake Brownwood
HOTSPOT: Across from Flat Rock
GPS: N 31 49.403, W 99 02.666
(31.8234, -99.0444)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Topwaters, jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits
TIPS: Topwaters work best early and at dusk. As the sun gets higher, switch to the crankbaits, jigs and spinners. Avoid midday.

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LOCATION: Fort Phantom Hill Res.
HOTSPOT: Main Body
GPS: N 32 34.8359, W 99 41.202
(32.5806, -99.6867)

SPECIES: White Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs
TIPS: In December, crappie can be fished off the bottom with 1/8-14 oz. jigs. This location has produced great crappie catches throughout the year.

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LOCATION: Lake Granbury
HOTSPOT: Blue Water Shores
GPS: N 32 23.014, W 97 42.550
(32.3836, -97.7092)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Little Georges, Mepps spinnerbaits, Roadrunners, RatLTraps and holographic slabs (in silver and chartreuse).
TIPS: Slabs jigged off the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water where baitfish are located. Look for hovering birds and use the Little Georges, RatLTraps and Spinners on schooling fish. Bring your binoculars. Granbury water temperatures continue to fall into the 50s and 60s and winter patterns will start to take shape toward the end of November. The constant passage of cool fronts dominants the weather patterns. Fall feeding frenzy continues, and the wintering birds are here to point you to active fish. White bass continue to school on the surface early and are on deeper humps later in the day.

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LOCATION: Lake Kirby
HOTSPOT: Pump House
GPS: N 32 22.6961, W 99 43.7744
(32.3783, -99.7296)

SPECIES: Species: Blue Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut bait
TIPS: Lake Kirby’s pump house has been a great bank fishing spot for landing decent blue catfish. Cut shad and carp as well as live sunfish are excellent baits to use. Punch baits can also be effective at landing smaller blues and channel catfish.

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LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Mid Lake
GPS: N 32 53.434, W 98 30.718
(32.8906, -98.5120)

SPECIES: Striped and White Bass
BEST BAITS: Live shad, your favorite topwater, slabs, spoons
TIPS: Keep your head on a swivel and watch the birds they will point you in the right direction. As we get into November, the winter feeding patterns start to take shape—but not fully commit to the winter pattern. Cold fronts will determine the bite and some of the pattern. With each cold front the pattern will change slightly and lean toward a winter pattern as we get into December. Birds will begin to show up and start to point you in the direction of fish. Feeding frenzies will not be out of the ordinary, so be prepared. Live shad is the favorite bait this time of year, but you should keep a topwater or a slab/spoon tied on just in case they decided to feed on top. Water temps will be in the 50s to 60s, depending on cold fronts. Look for fish in 20-30 feet of water but keep an eye open for action all over the lake and watch the birds.

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LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: Peanut Patch
GPS: N 32 53.627, W 98 30.988
(32.893783, -98.516467)

SPECIES: Striped and White Bass
BEST BAITS: Live shad, your favorite topwater, slabs, spoons
TIPS: Keep your head on a swivel and watch the birds they will point you in the right direction. As we get into November, the winter feeding patterns start to take shape—but not fully commit to the winter pattern. Cold fronts will determine the bite and some of the pattern. With each cold front the pattern will change slightly and lean toward a winter pattern as we get into December. Birds will begin to show up and start to point you in the direction of fish. Feeding frenzies will not be out of the ordinary, so be prepared. Live shad is the favorite bait this time of year, but you should keep a topwater or a slab/spoon tied on just in case they decided to feed on top. Water temps will be in the 50s to 60s, depending on cold fronts. Look for fish in 20-30 feet of water but keep an eye open for action all over the lake and watch the birds.

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