• • •

East Texas

HotSPOTLight: Lake Chapman

•  •  •

LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin
HOTSPOT: Jake’s Creek
GPS: N 33 4.636, W 95 4.658
(33.0773, -95.0776)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Shrimp
TIPS: Live shrimp works best here in the afternoon.

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LOCATION: Brandy Branch Reservoir
HOTSPOT: Hydrilla Beds
GPS: N 32 26.354, W 94 28.67
(32.4393, -94.4778)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, jigs
TIPS: Fish the hydrilla beds inside and out with jigs or crankbaits; dawn-morning, dusk, evening.

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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
TIPS: This is the month that bass will usually start staging to come in for the spawn in the next couple months. You will want to keep an eye on water temps in February. Once you see the water temps rising 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, stick to the cypress trees where the bass spawn, with your jigs and spinnerbaits here.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe
HOTSPOT: League Line Point
GPS: N 30 22.893, W 95 32.778
(30.3816, -95.5463)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Shad, crankbaits
TIPS: Work out from the concrete against the current with live shad or white crankbaits; dawn through afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Jim Chapman/Cooper
HOTSPOT: South Sulphur Channel
GPS: N 33 17.733 , W 95 45.542
(33.2950, -95.7590)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut bait
TIPS: Fish cut bait on a split shot and Kahle hook. Drift channel edges. Action best from midday through night.

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LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Dale Creek Hump
GPS: N 32 49.582, W 95 35.43
(32.8264, -95.5905)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits
TIPS: Slow roll the top & edges of the hump with chartreuse/white spinnerbaits; midday.

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LOCATION: Lake Fork
HOTSPOT: Hauak Lake
GPS: N 32 54.464, W 95 43.839
(32.9077, -95.7307)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jigs, plastics, spinnerbaits
TIPS: Fish the creek with spinnerbaits, shimmy shakers & big eye jigs; this spot is good all day.

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LOCATION: Lake Houston
HOTSPOT: Skier’s Cove
GPS: N 29 58.058, W 95 8.896
(29.9676, -95.1483)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows
TIPS: Live minnows, fish live minnows slow, using spider rigs.

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LOCATION: Lake Livingston
HOTSPOT: Lake Cove
GPS: N 30 54.684, W 95 16.432
(30.9114, -95.2739)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
TIPS: Great Spawning area, fish live minnows, or work jigs shallow; avoid midday, afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Murvaul
HOTSPOT: No Name Creek
GPS: N 32 2.788, W 94 27.035
(32.0465, -94.4506)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
TIPS: Good spawning area, sight cast for bass; dawn, morning, dusk.

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LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches
HOTSPOT: Roadbed
GPS: N 31 37.117, W 94 49.834
(31.6186, -94.8306)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: RatLTraps, soft plastics
TIPS: Fish the shallow flats with hydrilla and the roadbed in the middle. Avoid midday.

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LOCATION: Lake O the Pines
HOTSPOT: Wes’ Two Stumps
GPS: N 32 53.099, W 94 42.371
(32.8850, -94.7062)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics, tubes
TIPS: Fish worms or tubes. Slow down and work cover entirely. Midday through afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn
HOTSPOT: Lavaca Creek
GPS: N 31 23.67, W 94 28.163
(31.3945, -94.4694)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits
TIPS: Flip into and fish the back brush, work the points and mouth of the creek. Dawn to late morning, dusk.

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LOCATION: Toledo Bend
HOTSPOT: 276 / Patroon Bayou Bridge
GPS: N 31 31.387, W 93 47.918
(31.5231, -93.7986)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
TIPS: Work pilings, brush and shadows, or rip rap with minnows or jigs; dawn, morning, dusk, night.

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LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman
HOTSPOT: Romaces
GPS: N 33 16.065, W 94 10.802
(33.2678, -94.1800)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Live minnows, jigs
TIPS: Fish live minnows or white/chartreuse jigs, working along the channel edges. Action is good all day.

 

• • •

Central Texas

HotSPOTLight: Lake Somerville

• • •

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
TIPS: Morning—spinnerbaits, Midday—flip jigs at the docks, Evening—fish dark spinnerbaits.

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LOCATION: Bachman Lake
HOTSPOT: Bridge or Dam Areas
GPS: N 32 51.5699, W 96 51.3839
(32.8595, -96.8564)

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 lines. Bass fishing is especially good at the dam, by the banks and near the timber under the bridge. Crappie are under the bridge at night this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bet right now.

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LOCATION: Lake Belton
HOTSPOT: Frank’s Marina
GPS: N 31 06.369, W 97 29.121
(31.1062, -97.4854)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics
TIPS: Work along the rip rap and cove rocks with Carolina-rigged dark plastics.

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LOCATION: Lake Buchanan
HOTSPOT: Silver Creek and Paradise Point
GPS: N 30 50.5139, W 98 24.942
(30.8419, -98.4157)

SPECIES: Striped Bass, Hybrid Striper and White Bass
BEST BAITS: Large shiner, live perch, 1oz or 1/2 oz. silver or chartreuse slabs, Large Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers or any other topwater lure that splashes.
TIPS: The stripers will be on the upper end of the lake around the Silver Creek and Paradise Point area as well as around Shaw and Garret Islands. Watch for feeding seagulls. White bass will be in the river channel. Troll shad colored diving baits.

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LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake
HOTSPOT: Man Lake Basin
GPS: N 32 17.43, W 96 8.6219
(32.2905, -96.1437)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers and White Bass
BEST BAITS: 1/8th oz. to 1oz shad imitating lures
TIPS: On spinning and casting tackle spool 8 to 20lb line and present small to medium sized shad imitations vertically below the boat. Tap on the floor of the boat
And watch your electronics in 30’ to 50’ of water. Anchor or drift and look for suspended fish 1’ to 10’ off bottom. Watch for light bites. 1/8th oz. to 1oz baits will work in various colors, just remember to make a lot of noise.

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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 watermelon fluke using a 4/0 worm hook rigged weedless and weightless, 7” Zoom watermelon lizards, small Colorado blade spinnerbaits
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 really 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.

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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
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.

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LOCATION: Fayette County
HOTSPOT: Hog Pond Trees
GPS: N 29 55.2779, W 96 43.056
(29.9213, -96.7176)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Worms or Punch Bait
Contact: Weldon Kirk
979-229-3103
weldon_edna@hotmail.com
www.fishtales-guideservice.com
TIPS: Catfish are in Pre-spawn mode. Fish 10 feet of water, close to stumps, straight down with tight line. Chum will help too.

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LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool
HOTSPOT: State Park Brush Pile
N 32 37.746, W 96 59.265
(32.6291, -96.9878)

SPECIES: Largemouth
BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, soft plastics
TIPS: Fish deep-diving crankbaits or Carolina rigged soft plastic worms & lizards. Avoid midday.

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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
TIPS: In February you probably want to be fishing the dam with 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.

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LOCATION: Lake LBJ
HOTSPOT: Granite Knoll
GPS: N 30 33.734, W 98 20.902
(30.5622, -98.3484)

SPECIES: Hybrid/Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: Shad
TIPS: Carolina rig live shad, colder months, fish drop-offs and the underwater dome; dawn through morning.

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LOCATION: Lake Lewisville
HOTSPOT: Highway 720 Bridge
GPS: N 33 9.65, W 96 57.297
(33.1608, -96.9550)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
TIPS: Fish close to the pilings with live minnows or crappie rigs with jigs; all day.

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LOCATION: Lake Limestone
HOTSPOT: Dam Area
GPS: N 31 19.769, W 96 19.631
(31.3295, -96.3272)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits
TIPS: White or chartreuse inline spinnerbaits, jigs, look for birds, schools; good spot all day.

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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 Swimsation in black/blue
TIPS: Bass are in the beginning of the spawn. Fish a 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.

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LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard
HOTSPOT: Highway 66 Drift
GPS: N 32 50.185, W 96 32.544
(32.8364, -96.5424)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Cut shad or bream
TIPS: Drift just outside of Rush Creek; dusk through morning.

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LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts
HOTSPOT: Main Lake/Creeks
GPS: N 33 23.9603, W 97 3.1223
(33.3993, -97.0520)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs
TIPS: With February being the shortest month of the year, it can almost be like two different months with how much the fishing can change. Early in the month you can still do the same things you were doing in January. Late February can be fantastic. It all depends on the weather. If it is still cold at the end of the month, it will stay the same as early February. Fishing mainly on the main lake and the mouth of the major creeks on the North end of the lake. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs will be a main pattern in most of February. Sexy Shad and Firetiger are great colors to use on your suspending jerkbaits. The key is too fish it slow and wait between jerks. You want that bait to come to a complete stop. Most of the bites come when it is sitting still. If it warms toward the end of the month, the creeks will also start to heat up. You can use the same patterns but concentrate on the secondary points. A RatLTrap or square bill will also start to produce with the warmer weather.

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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
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 it isn’t much of a winter or if there is an early spring warm-up period, the water temps will begin to move into the low 50s, and the fish will turn on. Sassy Shads and 1-oz. Silver Slabs fished in 20-30 feet of 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 feet, 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!

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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
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.

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LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Res.
HOTSPOT: Wheat Bed
GPS: N 31 1.6, W 97 33.215
(31.0267, -97.5536)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass
BEST BAITS: Flukes
TIPS: Carolina rig fluke in watermelon, fish the right ditch in 20 feet to the bank; dawn through afternoon.

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LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni
HOTSPOT: Cloud Point
GPS: N 32 53.583, W 95 58.28
(32.8931, -95.9713)

SPECIES: White Bass
BEST BAITS: Slabs
TIPS: Fish on the point edges with chartreuse slabs, look for birds; morning through afternoon.

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

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Shad, shrimp, cheesebait
TIPS: Fish cut shad, shrimp or cheesebait on a bottom rig; the catch is good here all day.

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LOCATION: Lake Texoma
HOTSPOT: Little Mineral
GPS: N 33 52.041, W 96 38.845
(33.8674, -96.6474)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad
TIPS: Fish a chartreuse sassy shad, slow retrieve, jerk hard when hit; morning through dusk.

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LOCATION: Lake Waco
HOTSPOT: Point S of Ridgewood Marina
GPS: N 31 31.977, W 97 13.619
(31.5330, -97.2270)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Jigs
TIPS: Cast red/white jigs, if no action, move area slowly\; morning, afternoon.

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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 & White Bass
BEST BAITS: 3/4 oz. Lead Heads and 4” chartreuses swim baits and jerk baits from www.rsrlures.com, 1/2 oz. Bucktail jigs
TIPS: The stripers are moving back into the creeks like Big and Little Rocky 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, we 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 down below the baitfish and smaller fish on the surface. Then slow roll them along the bottom catching the larger fish that are laying in wait on the injured bait that the smaller faster fish are injuring and dropping to the bottom. If no bird action, then make long casts and slow troll (stroll with 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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• • •

West Texas

HotSPOTLight: Lake Alan Henry

• • •

 

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry
HOTSPOT: Boulder Cove
GPS: N 33 2.083, W 101 6.292
(33.0347, -101.1049)

SPECIES: Catfish
BEST BAITS: Live bait, cut shad
TIPS: Fish the bottom with live minnows, night crawlers or cut shad; catch fish here all day.

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LOCATION: Lake Arrowhead
HOTSPOT: The Derricks
GPS: N 33 45.29, W 98 21.128
(33.7548, -98.3521)

SPECIES: Crappie
BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs
TIPS: Fish derricks in 12-20 feet with minnows or 1/8 oz jigs; morning, dusk.

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location: Fort Phantom Hill Reservoir
HOTSPOT: Poverty Point
GPS: N 32 36.5339, W 99 40.049
(32.6089, -99.6675)

SPECIES: Hybrid striped bass
BEST BAITS: Slabs, spoons, jigs, swim tails, crankbaits
TIPS: Anglers can catch schooling hybrids striped bass by fishing along Poverty Point in about 10-20 ft. of water. Lures such as chrome or pearl white slabs and chrome spoons work well when fishing off the lake bottom. Trolling along spillway cove and Poverty Point with 1 ¼ oz. white or chrome painted jigs with white or chartreuse 3-4 swimming tails or deep-diving crankbaits work well for catching hybrids. Fishing on calm days just after sunrise or just before sunset is likely to yield better results. Often on calm days, you can see schooling hybrids and white bass popping at the surface as they are preying on shad just after dawn or at dusk. If fish seem to be near the surface, a chrome-bodied suspending jerk bait with a blue or black back may yield a good catch.

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

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: 3/4 to 1oz jig heads with 5-inch swimbaits/jerkbaits in blue/chartreuse
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.

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LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Reservoir
HOTSPOT: Main Lake
GPS: N 32 45.7988, W 99 0.6078
(32.7633, -99.0101)

SPECIES: White crappie
BEST BAITS: live minnows, worms, jigs
TIPS: February may provide a great opportunity to catch the early spawning crappie. Lures such as 1/16-1/8 oz. jigs in white or chartreuse may produce a bite. Live minnows and worms may also serve well as a bait.

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LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom
HOTSPOT: North end of the lake
GPS: N 32 53.712, W 98 28.377
(32.895196, -98.472944)

SPECIES: Striped Bass
BEST BAITS: 3-to-5-inch split tail fluke
TIPS: Water temperatures are in the 40s to 50s. Dead-sticking season is in full swing. Work structure and ledges with ¾-to-1-ounce jig heads with a white, chartreuse, or pink 3-to-5-inch fluke. The split tail version works best for dead-sticking. Drop the bait down in front of the fish and hold it very still. You will feel a small tap. When you do set the hook. If you feel two taps you’ve missed the fish. You can also fish live bait this time of year and have great success. Smaller shad tend to work better than the larger summertime shad. Just fish them like you would in the summer.

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