Texas Fishing Reports 12/6/2023

Fishing Reports Courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife. 

Prairies & Lakes Region Week of November 29, 2023

Arlington

SLOW. Water lightly stained; 55-65 degrees; 1.34 feet below pool. Bass are tough scattered in the shallows out to 5 feet of water biting moving baits, or flipping creature baits on laydowns and cover. Crappie are good on deep brush piles in 10-15 with live minnows. Catfish are good on cut baits or prepared on rocks near the dam or rocky banks. White bass are slow. The visibility is 1 foot of water. Report by Chris Rivery, local angler.

Athens

GOOD. Water normal stain; 56-59 degrees; 1.45 feet below pool. Bass are scattered on grass edges out to 12 feet throwing flukes and senkos, or on brush piles 20 plus feet deep casting jigs, Carolina rigs, and shaky-head worms. Crappie are good on brush out to 30 feet. Limits are being caught using jigs and minnows. Report by Jim Brack, Athens Guide Service.

Bastrop

GOOD. Water stained; 65-69 degrees. Bass are good on creature baits, or watermelon seed baby brush hogs worked well along the edge of the reed line. Bass are fair on flukes and weightless swimbaits in similar areas. Most of the underwater grass has died off. Water clarity is 2-3 feet visibility. Report by Jason Hernandez, Bass Institute of Bastrop. Bass are good around the reeds in the evening, in the grass at the backs of coves, and on rock piles at elevations changes. Most fish are shallow, and not as schooled up as they have been. Fish are starting to switch to winter patterns. Report by David Townsend, Austin Fishing Guide. Bass are good using a slow presentation with worms and jigs along the reed edges, grass edges and ledges. Finding rocks and throwing crankbaits and jigs around them is catching some as well. A small straight tail swimbait on a tiny ball head jig is catching some good ones on main lake humps. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Belton

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 59 degrees; 15.65 feet below pool. The water temperature hit the not so magic 60 degree mark this past week. This threshold normally marks the end of the fantastic fishing which begins right after turnover, and this year was no exception. White bass have become more lethargic, are feeding more sporadically, and are more difficult to convince to chase presentations. The white 5/8 ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab is my go-to bait, used with a slow smoking tactic or an easing tactic, in conjunction with Garmin LiveScope. Some hybrid-related bird activity is taking place briefly in the mornings with downrigging or flatline trolling about the only way to keep up with the high speeds at which these fish are moving. #14 Pet Spoons have produced very well in this scenario. Mornings are still more productive than afternoons. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfishing continues to be excellent. With water temperatures down to 60 degrees anglers should search for blue catfish in deeper river channels and around steep ledges, 30-45 feet of water has been consistent. Larger cut baits have been effective for trophy size fish. Eater fish under 10 pounds are still active and slow drifting with small cut shad along sand flats will produce. Channel catfish are fair but can still be caught on warmer days using punch bait in 15-25 feet of water. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.

Benbrook

SLOW. Water stained; 59-61 degrees; 6.05 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits and Texas rig straight worms. Crappie are fair on flats with schools feeding on shad. Water clarity is 2-2 1/2 feet. Report by Camron Wilkerson, Camron’s Quality Crappie Guiding. Hybrids are being caught near Richardson slough. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.

Bridgeport

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 60-63 degrees; 15.23 feet below pool. Best ramps are at the dam, Runaway Bay Marina or low water ramp off U.S. Route 380. Sand bass and hybrids have been good deadsticking small artificial baits. These fish are moving, so do not be afraid to bounce around to find them. Catfish are good on cut bait in the three fingers area. As it gets colder, this bite will only improve. Crappie are good in deeper water around docks using minnows and jigs. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.

Cedar Creek

EXCELLENT. Water normal stain; 57-59 degrees; 1.47 feet below pool. The white bass and hybrid striper bite is on fire! Fall and winter months always bring larger-sized white bass and very good opportunities for trophy sized hybrid striped bass action. Catches of large white bass up to 15-16 inches are being caught consistently using the Dennis Christian Saw Tooth retrieve with shad colored or shiny spoons, Bo Spinners from Mark Bovee and 5.5 inch umbrellas rigs. Deadstick Bite will be in full force now. Reports of excellent catches of hybrid striped bass being caught up to 24 inches, with the average being 18-21 inches. These along with the white bass are being caught in 12-16 feet of water off of wind blown lake points on several spots throughout the southern and northern part of the lake as well as using deadsticking methods in 38-45 feet of water with fish suspended at between 23-29 feet in the deep parts of the lake. Guides have been reporting exceptionally productive days, yielding fantastic catches of crappie. Some days have been very tough with changing weather conditions and cooler water temps but overall very good fishing. Report by Brent Herbeck, Herbeck’s Lonestar Fishing Guide Service.

Comanche Creek

GREAT. Water stained. 75 degrees; 0.37 feet above pool. Channel catfish limits are common on prepared baits and cut shad. Largemouth numbers are excellent with an occasional bigger fish to 8 pounds being taken on soft plastics and drop shot rigs worked near channel ledges. Tilapia are abundant as well on this power plant lake. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. Channel catfish can be caught on worms, hot dogs, but the bait producing the most catches is Mr. Whiskers cheese punch bait. Fish in 20-40 feet of water throughout the reservoir along Creek channels and ledges. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton's Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney.

Cooper

EXCELLENT. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees: 1.00 feet below pool. Blue Catfish are good with cut shad and chicken gizzards.

Cypress Springs

GOOD: Water stained; 58 degrees; 0.64 feet below pool. Crappie are fair on brush piles in 20-25 feet of water using minnows or jigs. Catfish are excellent on tire reefs in 20-25 feet deep with cheese bait. Sand bass are good on main lake points in 20 feet of water with slabs or jigging spoons. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are good out to 12 feet and on deeper docks using flukes, chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. Kentucky spotted bass continue to be great on the points. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine.

Eagle Mountain

GOOD. Water stained; 56 degrees; 6.96 feet below pool. As Thanksgiving Day approaches fishing is more like Groundhogs Day with the patterns holding steady until the colder weather breaks the trend. White bass are fair on main lake structure on slabs and in mid depths on chartreuse and white cocahoes. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles shallow and in mid depths and main lake structure on jigs. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait on structure. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.

Fairfield

Closed to the public.

Fayette

SLOW. Water stained; 70 degrees. Bass are good working deep crankbaits and shaky head worms out on the humps and road beds. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.

Graham

FAIR. Water stained; 60 degrees; 6.01 feet below pool. Catfish are fair on baited holes with cut bait and cheese bait. Bass are biting rattletraps and swimbaits. Sand bass are schooling biting slabs.

Granbury

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 0.52 feet below pool. Granbury water levels are normal and water temperatures are in the upper 50s. Sand bass action is good on slabs on many areas of the lake and in the river. Look for channel breaks from 15-20 feet of water from Sandy Point to Indian Harbor to the Shores and in the river near Tin Top. Striped bass are good in 20-30 feet of water in Striper Alley and in town by City Beach. Look for the birds. Largemouth bass are fair to good to 7 pounds on humps and ridges in 10-15 feet off of major creek channels. Largemouth are also good in the river close to laydowns. Crappie action continues to be good on submerged timber and deeper docks with best reports coming from north of the old railroad bridge. Big blue and yellow cats continue to be caught on cut shad fished on the upper ends near Hunter Park. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters. Striped bass are slow, but can be caught on live bait, deadsticking, strolling swimbaits and umbrella-rigs. Fish are scattered from striper alley to the railroad bridge. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton's Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney. The largemouth are feeding close to shore around wall structures and docks in 3-6 feet of water. Shoreline anglers can cast minnows, swimbaits, and occasionally jigs. Crappie are improving from the docks, structures or crappie house on minnows, jigs, and rooster tails. Catfish are good on cut bait, but will hit minnows rigged at the bottom. The stripers are doing great at Decordova Dam early morning, moving deeper throughout the day. Bring those little ones out and make some memories. Report by Terry Hodges, local angler.

Grapevine

GOOD. Water stained; 60 degrees; 1.31 feet below pool. The white bass bite is not as aggressive as it has been, so pay close attention to the tug. There is an abundance of bait and white bass are being caught with shad in the belly. White bass are not schooling, but can be caught trolling a white slabs with a stinger hook. Drift cut bait for catfish. Crappie should be deep or rocky outcroppings biting minnows. Reports of largemouth bass catches using Texas rigs in 8-12 feet of water, and smallmouth bass catches with finesse baits on main lake points. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.

Hawkins

SLOW. Water slightly stained. 58 degrees. Chain pickerel will be feeding around brush and grass. Black bass will feed in the shallows during warm periods of the day. Try small baitfish imitations with barbless hooks. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Jacksonville

SLOW. Water slightly stained; 59 degrees; 1.82 feet below pool. Bass are scattered all over the lake, some on the bank, some on brush deeper, and some suspended out deep. Dropshots Alabama rigs, and crankbaits will land catches.

Joe Pool

FAIR. Water normal stain; 65 degrees; 0.01 feet above pool. Crappie are moving to the timber at the mouths of creeks and cuts. Bass are slowly moving shallow and can be caught on squarebills crankbaits, chatterbaits, and Texas rig senkos. If you can find them deep, use a dropshot. Report by Gilbert Miller, GTB Outdoors.

Lavon

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 3.29 feet below pool. Some bass are suspended at the dam in 15-20 feet of water. Catching the occasional fish on a squarebill crankbait on boat ramps. Jigs and creature baits, working well on concrete and rock in deeper locations. Deepwater rock piles, brush piles and ledges using jerkbaits, swimbaits, Carolina rigs and Alabama rigs. White bass are slow and scattered. Look for fish on the deepwater humps or 25-30 feet on main lake points. Deadsticking small flukes or 1 ounce slabs if they’re active. You could get lucky and limit quickly, but they are moving a lot right now in open water. Crappie are on brush piles and condos in 20-30 feet biting minnows and jigs. Boat positioning and getting your bait or lure near them is very important. Catfish are in 20-30 feet of water in the bays. Cut shad on a santee rig or Carolina rig is great and will fill the freezer. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.

Lewisville

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 54-58 degrees; 2.58 feet below pool. White bass are fair on the bottom near humps, points, and drop-off ledges in 14-36 feet of water. Slabs, jigs, and live bait are working. Keeper sized hybrid stripers are slow. They will be in similar depths as the white bass. If you are keeping fish, please be aware that there are a lot of undersized hybrid stripers in the lake that look very similar to a white bass. Catfish are fair to good drifting in 18-36 feet of water near wind blown points, humps, and flats near creek channels with cut shad or chicken breasts. Crappie are fair to good in the main lake and creeks in 6-32 feet of water on brush piles, standing timber near creek channels, rock piles, stumps, laydowns, and bridge columns using minnows and jigs. Report by Wes Campbell, BendaRod Fishing. Bass are biting jigs, rattletraps, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and Alabama rigs. Concentrate your efforts around rock in 3-15 feet of water. Find areas with a lot of bait and the bass will be nearby. Report by Brandon Dillard, Dillard's Double Digit Guide Service.

Limestone

EXCELLENT. Water clear; 61 degrees; 4.15 feet below pool. Crappie are suspended on brush and standing timber in 6-12 feet of water suspended biting minnows. Largemouth bass are in 1-6 feet of water on rocks, bulkheads, docks and concrete using chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits, and Texas jigs. Catching a few more bass with red mouths, indicating they are feeding on crawfish. Catfish are in 10-20 using cut bait. White bass are in 7-15 feet of water using silver jigging spoons. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com. Crappie are in 20 feet of water chasing fish in open water, with the occasional fish on timber using 2.5 inch ATX Lure Company baby shad with a �¼ ounce Dan’s jigheads. Report by Zach Minnix, Jig’N’Jerk Guide Service.

Navarro Mills

GOOD. Water slightly stained; 57-60 degrees; 1.73 feet below pool. White bass are slow on live bait in the main lake. Crappie are fair on dead minnows near drop offs in 13-16 feet. Catfish are excellent on cut bait and Danny King's punch bait near timber in 5-8 feet of water. Largemouth bass are slow on football jigs in 18-20 feet of water. Report by Clay Major, Major Guide Service.

Palestine

GOOD. Water normal stain; 57-64 degrees; 2.27 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady. Crappie fishing is excellent on minnows and jigs in standing timber and on the State Highway 155 bridge pillars in 20-35 feet of water. Largemouth bass are slow in 3-8 feet of water early morning on moving swimbaits. Then later in the day on points or structure in 8-15 feet of water. Sand bass and hybrids are fair early daylight hours on SH 155 bridge and main lake humps. They are transitioning to deeper water and moving a lot right now. Catfish are good in 15-25 feet of water with stink bait or cut bait. Baiting areas helps. Report by Sam Parker, Freshwater Fishing Adventures.

Palo Pinto

FAIR. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 9.39 feet below pool. Few anglers on the water, but many anglers are fishing with minnows and worms. All the ramps are out of water. Nice size blue catfish caught in Palo Pinto creek using perch. Expect the catfish bite to improve as the cooler weather sets in. Hybrid stripers can be caught mixed in with the blues.

Ray Hubbard

GOOD. Water normal stain; 55-57 degrees; 1.87 feet below pool. White bass are grouping on deep flats in 35-38 feet water using slab jig combo. Late evening white bass and hybrids are chasing bait in shallow wind blown coves in 10-18 feet of water. Crappie are on deep brush piles and trees roaming in deep water. Keep jigs or minnows in 21-34 feet in trees and right off bottom on flats. Catfish are moving deeper on flats in 28-38 feet of water and grouping up in deep water, drifting cut bait. Smaller channels and blues are good around the trees with prepared punch bait and baited holes by the timber. Report by John Varner, John Varner's Guide Service.

Ray Roberts

GOOD. Water normal stain; 55 degrees; 1.74 feet below pool. Consistent weather has made for a steady pattern. The bite is best when there is a little chop on the water from a light breeze. Sand bass are good with many limits caught off the bottom in 40 feet of water with slabs with a hair jig as trailer. Blue catfish are mixed in. Catfish are good in 40 feet of water with cut chicken, cut shad and even on the slabs when targeting sandies. Bass are fair with shallow water crankbaits near rocks, or a dropshot on deeper points. Crappie are slow with a few keepers in 30-40 feet of water on the deepest parts of the brush piles with minnows. Report by Jim Walling, Ucatchem Guide Service.

Richland Chambers

GOOD. Water clear; 60 degrees; 2.52 feet below pool. Fishing for white bass is good with fish being caught on slabs off main lake humps and points in 25-35 feet of water. Small hybrids and an occasional keeper are mixed in with the whites. Eater size blue and channel catfish are excellent and continue to be the best bet to consistently catch fish. Danny King's Punch Bait on a treble hook fished in the timber off the Richland Creek Channel in 15-20 feet of water will load the ice chest. This pattern will continue all fall and into the winter. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin' Guide Service.

Somerville

FAIR. Water clear; 61 degrees; 6.08 feet below pool. The weather has been stable and so has the bite. Fishing in the Somerville Marina early in the morning is fair for catfish and bluegill, and slow for crappie using minnows and worms. Black bass are slow hitting dark or shad imitation crankbaits, and spinnerbaits on drop offs and rocky points in 8-14 feet of water. Crappie are fair on the main lake brush piles and pilings using minnows and dark colored jigs with chartreuse. Catfish are good in the early morning in 6-12 feet of water using punch bait. Larger catfish are fair drifting in deep water or on jug lines baited with shad or cut bait. White bass are slow using Pet spoons trolling on points or using shad and ghost minnows 6-10 feet of water on humps. Hybrids are slow using cut bait and 2 ounce jigs. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.

Stillhouse

GOOD. Water stained; 62 degrees; 17.71 feet below pool. The water temperature hit the not so magic 60 degree mark this past week. This threshold normally marks the end of the fantastic fishing which begins right after turnover, and this year was no exception. White bass have become more lethargic, are feeding more sporadically, and are more difficult to convince to chase presentations. White 5/8 ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab is my go-to bait, used with a slow smoking tactic or an easing tactic, in conjunction with Garmin LiveScope. Largemouth bass have begun to make a transition to deep, timbered areas where many will winter until spawning time. 3/4 ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs are a good choice for catching these fish vertically while avoiding snags associated with fishing horizontally in timber. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.

Tawakoni

GOOD. Water lightly stained; 59 degrees; 0.58 feet below pool. Lake Tawakoni continues to fish good and is settling into a winter pattern. The striper and white bass fishing has been good. Large schools of threadfin shad are moving out into Open water and the white bass and some hybrid striper have followed them. Targeting these open water fish can be difficult. When you find large schools you can catch them on slabs suspended in 22 feet of water. The trophy blue catfish bite has turned on. We are seeing fish up to 50 pounds landed on fresh cut gizzard shad in 20 feet. The eating size catfish bite continues to be great. This pattern should hold until water temperatures get down to 48 degrees. These fish are best targeted on prepared bait such as punch bait and dip bait. Best depths have been 20-30 feet of water. The Crappie bite has picked up. Jigs are now out fishing minnows and fish can be found anywhere from 12-30 feet of water near bridge pilings and deeper brush and standing timber. The largemouth bite has been good. Shallow water continues to produce fish up to 7 pounds. Slower presentations on square bill crankbaits and flukes have worked best on riprap, rock and dock pilings. Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.

Texoma

GOOD. Water normal stained; 65 degrees; 2.52 feet below pool. Striped bass fishing is good casting swimbaits or drifting live shad under gulls working near the river channel off the north islands in 40-60 feet of water seeing suspended fish 30-40 feet down. Crappie are fair using electronics to locate active fish along the rocks in 8-15 feet of water. Jigs and minnows produce smaller fish with the occasional keeper. Catfish are good drifting cut gizzard shad chunks in 40-50 feet of water near the cross and north of the islands. Smaller fish are near the ledges and bigger fish are isolated on the flats. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are good on live shad fishing the south end of the lake along the bluffs and boulders 5-10 feet off the banks. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Texoma Guaranteed Guide Service. Fishing patterns are holding steady, and days with cloud cover are best. Lots of seagulls pointing the way to fish first thing in the morning and later in the afternoon. Striped bass are good fishing midlake schools with slabs, swimbaits and live bait. There is some deadstick action. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.

Weatherford

SLOW. Water stained; 55 degrees; 7.38 feet below pool. Bass are slow, fish should move to the creeks soon. Crappie are fair chasing the shad suspending in 10-15 feet of open water biting minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow with a nice size catch in a boat slip, or off the dam rocks with cut shad.

Whitney

GOOD. Water stained; 57 degrees; 1.33 feet below pool. Crappie are out in the open roaming main creek channels in 20-25 feet of water with the fish suspending anywhere from 10-20 feet in the water column. The trick this week was keeping a smaller profile while getting the jig down as quick as possible so we bumped up from 1/16th ounce Eyehole jig head from Crappie magnet to a 1/8 ounce with a #7 split shot about a foot above the hook. Cast to fish in open water, so we downsized from the 14 foot diamond series to the 8-10 foot diamond series rod from B'N'M Fishing. Report by Robert Stover, Workingman Crappie Guide. Striped bass are slow, but can be caught on live bait, deadsticking, strolling swimbaits and umbrella-rigs. Fish can be caught from the island to Bear Creek. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton's Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Whitney. Striped bass, sand bass and crappie are being caught on the upper ends on small jigs and slabs worked near deeper holes in the river. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.

Worth

FAIR. Water normally stained; 56 degrees; 3.07 feet below pool. White bass are fair on main lake structure on slabs and in mid depths on chartreuse and white cocahoes. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles shallow and in mid depths and main lake structure on jigs. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait on structure. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.

For fishing reports for the rest of the great state of Texas go to Texas Parks and Wildlife