Arlington
GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 2.22 feet below pool. Forecasted warm weather in the weekend forecast should improve the bite. Bass are hitting crankbaits and moving baits in the morning. Bass are moving to offshore structures 10-15 feet in the middle of the day hitting soft plastics, with brush hogs worms working best.
Athens
SLOW. Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 0.24 feet above pool. Bass are slow and can be caught in grass 8-15 feet with Texas rig worms, wacky rig senko and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are slow on small jigs over deep brush 25 feet. Report by Reagan Nelson, Lake Athens Bass Guide.
Bastrop
GOOD. Water stained; 63 degrees. Bass can be caught utilizing a slow approach in deep water with deep crankbait or jigs around ledges, or a Carolina rigged finesse worm. There is now very little grass on the lake. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs.
Belton
FAIR. Water stained; 45 degrees; 2.62 feet below pool. The cold snap cooled Lake Belton down even further from 51 degrees to the mid 40s. Fish are still using the same locations as before the cold, but the fish are now moving more slowly, chasing shorter distances, and require a change in tactics and more importantly, a change in expectations. Catch rates will fall as the water temperature falls. Those whites and hybrids on bottom features are best targeted with a white Bladed Hazy Eye Slab in ¨ý-3/4 ounce. Drop the lure to bottom and then slowly lift it upwards 4-6 feet while observing on 2D or forward facing sonar for a follow, or snap-jig with it. To catch fish seen on side-imaging, cast a 1/2 ounce jighead with white curl-tail grub and work it back with a sawtooth retrieve. Those whites and hybrids which are suspended and roaming after shad are best targeted using a deadstick tactic with a �¨ö ounce or heavier jighead and 2-3.5 inch soft plastic fluke-style bodies oriented horizontally. Again 2D or forward facing sonar will help anglers position the bait just inches above these fish. Fish will rise and strike once; a solid, instant hookset is a must. Rods with extra fast tips will help with all of these tactics. Birds will continue to be helpful in finding both kinds of white bass and hybrid. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfish are fair. Blue catfish can be found along river ledges in 10 to 20 ft of water. Trolling at slower speeds with fresh cut shad has worked best. Channel catfish have been poor. Flatheads have been slow but can be found around tree piles and rock ledges using live bait. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.
Benbrook
GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 4.05 feet below pool. Catfish are fair in deeper water. Perch are good in shallow water. Crappie are fair on structure with live minnows. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are shallow around structure using chatterbaits and Texas rigged worms.
Bois d'Arc
SLOW. water stained; 43 degrees; 4.01 feet below pool. Bass are slow but Texas rigs can catch a few in 5-7 feet of water on timber. Pond dams are good with spinner baits and square bills 5-7 feet closest to the deep water side. Suspending jerk baits are fair on points in 4-8 feet. Offshore brush piles in 22-30 feet have both bass and crappie. Smaller jigs for bass like Mini Viper Jigs are good. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Expect the crappie to become stationary to reserve energy. If the water temperature drops into the 30s a shad kill is possible. If this happens crappie will feed on the shad and follow the fish deep to feed. Crappie are good in 20-60 feet of water on timber in the creek channels. 1-5 fish in a tree but occasionally there will be 20-50 fish. The best approach is a light line with an ¨û ounce jig. The primary species being caught is black crappie. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.
Bridgeport
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 53 degrees; 8.89 feet below pool. Catfish remain good on cut bait. Drifting flats in the north end has been productive. Hybrids and sand bass are good deadsticking soft plastic baits on the main lake structure. Do not be afraid to move around because when you find the bait, you will find the fish. Crappie remain deep around main lake docks using minnows and jigs. All ramps are open. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.
Cedar Creek
GOOD. stained; 48 degrees; 2.80 feet below pool. The pattern is consistent. The hybrid and white bass winter deadsticking bite is on fire! Use half ounce to 1-1/2 ounce jigs with 4-5 inch plastic flukes depending on what the winds are and drift long lengths of the lake in the deepest water 35-55 feet. Drift at speeds of .2-.6 mph using your drift mode on your trolling motor or using drift socks. If the winds are not too bad you can just drift with the wind. Thumping on the bottom of your boat will attract fish and group them up underneath as you drift. Utilizing a splasher also works well with thumping. You will find the fish suspended between 22-28 feet when deadstricking. Look for Birds and Loons early mornings on shallow flats as the fish will come up to follow the bait and feed early especially on cloudier and colder days. The crappie bite has been tough with reports of fish being scattered. Target crappie with small jigs and minnows in 7-15 feet under bridge pylons, hidden brush piles throughout the lake or under docks. Crappie fisherman have been moving spot to spot finding limits. Lots of crappies in the 7-9 inch range. Limits of crappie will happen but you may catch a lot of small ones getting to your limit. Report by Brent Herbeck, Herbeck¡¯s Lonestar Fishing Guide Service. Catfish continue to be deep with a few fish shallow. The water clarity is stained to slightly stained heading south. The best catfish bite is drifting from 18-35 feet using cut shad or rough fish along the bottom. Report by Jason Barber, Kings Creek Adventures.
Comanche Creek
GOOD. 55 degrees; 0.46 feet above pool. Comanche Creek largemouth bass action continues to be excellent on soft plastics and crankbaits. The warm water from the power plant draws the anglers in from all over. Channel catfish are good on prepared baits. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.
Cooper
SLOW. Water stained; 50 degrees: 2.00 feet below pool. The lake is low, best to launch near the dam. Historically a strong cold front will shut the bite off when the water temperature is 43 degrees or lower. Expect the crappie to become stationary to reserve energy. If the water temperature drops into the 30s a shad kill is possible. If this happens crappie will feed on the shad and follow the fish deep to feed. Report by River Bottom Boys Guide Service.
Cypress Springs
FAIR: Water normal stain; 50 degrees; 0.15 feet above pool. Water clarity is 1-2 feet in windblown coves and bass have been biting on small-profiled flat sided squarebills in craw colors, dark colored jigs, and dark colored finesse worms on a shaky head. Using slow and small movements have worked the best. Hard cover and relative depth transitions on creek channel bends and ledges are holding good fish during the day, and can also be caught using an Alabama rig in 10 feet or deeper. Report by Blake Doughtie, Lake Country Lunkers Lures and Guide Service.
Eagle Mountain
GOOD. Water normal stain; 51 degrees; 4.65 feet below pool. White bass are fair. Look for birds working or schools of bait on the main lake and in mid-depths on chartreuse and white slabs or paddle tail swimbaits. Crappie are being caught on deeper structure cover using larger profile baits and also spider rigging open water, with the colder weather coming in docks will start producing again. Catfish are being caught on punch bait and cut bait in all depths and are moving a lot with the changing water temperatures. The cold this week should bunch them back up again. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
Fairfield
Closed to the public.
Fayette
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 58 degrees. Largemouth bass are good with some big fish being caught in shallow water with chatterbaits and rattle traps. A few deep fish can be found after some hunting, and some along the dam with shaky heads, deep diving crankbaits and Carolina rigs. Report by Mark Fransen, Fransen¡¯s Guide Service.
Graham
FAIR. Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.79 feet above pool. Bass fishing is slow. Crappie are good in brush in 15 -20 feet on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good in deep water on cut shad. Sand bass and hybrids are schooling around the hot water outlet.
Granbury
GOOD. Water stained; 45 degrees; 0.22 feet below pool. Granbury water temperatures vary from the low to middle 40s. Lake levels are full and the water clarity is good. Largemouth bass fishing is excellent on soft plastics fished near docks and main lake points. Striped bass and sand bass continue to be located mainly near deeper water where the baitfish are holding. Some good catches have been reported on the upper ends near Hunter Park and many are still on the lower ends in 40 feet of water. Crappie action is good as well with the abundance of fish deeper especially on those colder days. Blue and yellow catfish are good on cut bait fished on the upper ends. Report by Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters.
Grapevine
SLOW. Water stained; 47 degrees; 0.25 feet below pool. White bass are in 45-50 feet of water with fish suspended 31-40 feet down in deep water river channels. Use white slabs on a stinger hook with a small jig head with a power gulp minnow tied two feet above. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O¡¯the Irish Fishing Guide Service.
Hawkins
GOOD. Water slightly stained. 55 degrees. Chain Pickerel are active in shallow water. Concentrate on areas with stumps, brush, and vegetation. Small bass are active in shallow areas relating to vegetation and structure. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.
Jacksonville
SLOW. Water stained; 48 degrees; 0.21 feet above pool. Few anglers on the water due to the cold front. Bass are slow on rattletraps and squarebills in shallow water.
Joe Pool
SLOW. Water normal stain; 55 degrees; 0.15 above pool. Few anglers on the water due to the cold front. Fish will look for deep haunts and be very lethargic and slow to eat. If you can brave these cold snaps it is a good time to target big bass with forward facing sonar. You will be fishing for one bite and targeting a big bite. Warming spells will make for temporary bite windows. Report by Gilbert Miller, GTB Outdoors.
Lavon
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 45 degrees; 1.74 feet below pool. Crappie are in 20-30 feet of water on brush piles and deep submerged timber. There are a few fish sitting 15-18 feet on the structure. Crappie are hugging the bottom so you have to let a ¨û ounce hand tied jig touch the bottom and then slowly lift to entice a bite. Minnows or soft plastics of any color will produce fish. A lot of times in the winter they will hit it in the fall so be prepared. Use a bigger profile lure, so keep a couple 1/8 ounce jig heads. You can also find Fish spider rigging, or dragging a jig through the depth of the baitfish. Sometimes the fish will be laying on the bottom next to the dam, usually no more than 100 yards off the rocks. Fish are laying at the base of the riprap where it turns into silt, and on the first tier of the riprap going underwater up to the rocks, to the dam. White bass are in 20-30 feet primarily on deepwater humps and levees, but some will be on points. Thumping the boat making noise will attract them to the boat if they are in the area. Slabs and 3-4 inch flukes have been getting them. Black bass are in 1-5 feet on rocks or concrete, and in 5-10 feet of water shoreline structure. Texas rigs and bass jigs are pulling them out of 15-20 feet deep brush piles. The swimbait bite dragged a couple inches or so above brush piles has been stellar. Along with Alabama rigs if you can take the arm beating, it gives you. If you have side imaging, scan to find any kind of anomalies that these fish can hold on. A lot of the fish are out in open water suspended at 20-30 feet with stick baits and lead heads with a soft plastic paddle tail. Blue catfish are great in 35-40, and there is also a nice population in 5-10 feet of water. Bigger fish seem to be shallow with a lot of eaters out in the deeper water. Drag cut gizzard shad, drum, sunfish and carp on a Santee rig behind the boat at approximately .03-.05 mph. Every day the school moves so you have to locate them. One day they¡¯ll be on one side of the lake and the next they will we have traveled 3 to 4 miles to the other side of the lake. There is a great school of 15-25 pound fish roaming out there and once you find them, it can be an incredible outcome. If the wind suddenly changes directions, you will notice on your side imaging, the catfish are now laying in the mud and are not giving you a sonar shadow, but you can see them, sitting there. When they do have a shadow that means they are on the hunt and those fish are catchable. To chase monsters sit 3-10 feet on the north end of the lake. Bluegills are becoming harder to find in numbers but can be found in 20-30 feet of water brush piles. The dam has trees and brush bluegill and crappie are mixed in. Worms on a very small hook and a split shot above just to keep it in the strike zone will still produce a nice table of fish. Crickets have been king as they also catch a few crappies. Using a cricket cage bait holder is imperative. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.
Lewisville
FAIR. Water stained; 45 degrees; 2.29 feet below pool. White bass are fair to good on deep flats and in river channels in 42-64 feet of water with jigs, slabs, and live bait. Keeper sized hybrid stripers are fair 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. Blue catfish are fair to good on cut shad. Drifting main lake flats near the river channel and the river channel has produced bites in 20-55 feet of water. Crappie are fair in 4-38 feet of water on brush piles, bridge pilings, and submerged cover close to a drop off ledges with minnows and jig. The creeks have also started to produce. Report by Wes Campbell, BendARod Fishing.
Limestone
GOOD. Water normal stain; 45 degrees; 2.53 feet below pool. The cold weather has fish and anglers alike getting ready for spring. Starting to see fully developed egg sacks in crappie and white bass. Crappie, white bass and catfish have been as deep as 20 feet. Crappie are in 10-18 feet on offshore brush with minnows, or tight lining straight down in standing timber. White bass are schooling under the surface in 7-17 feet. Catfish are being caught in 10-20 feet on cut bait and minnows. Largemouth bass can be caught from 2-18 feet this week on docks, timber, bulkheads, rocks with Texas rigs, jigs, chatterbaits, and spinnerbait. Numbers of bass are in 5-7 feet of water. Catfish and white bass are on points, flats, and roaming open water. Report by Colan Gonzales, CG¡¯s Just Fishing Guide Service.
Navarro Mills
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 48 degrees; 0.97 feet below pool. Crappie are staging to move shallow for the spawn preferring minnows. Catfish are still good. Report by Navarro Mills Marina.
Palestine
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.18 feet below pool. The crappie spawn typically begins around the first week of February near a full moon, but is highly dependent on lake level and water temperature. Lake level is good with water reaching up into the shoreline reed level, but water is very cold. We had a late and warm fall, and winter seems to have just begun with at least two more weeks of cold. Crappie are still being found in the normal winter habitat in about 13-23 feet of water by the Live Scope anglers. Very few scattered reports of a few males coming up into the shallows, some reports of males working into the shallow lead in areas of piers and boathouses in 6-12 feet. White bass are also highly dependent on water temperature but not so much on water level. A few reports of males coming up into Kickapoo and Neches, but not a run yet. Report by Jim Beggerly, Jim¡¯s Fishing Lake Palestine.
Palo Pinto
SLOW. Water normal stain; 52 degrees; 0.21 feet below pool. Lake conditions are really good with the lake level on the rise after the recent rain, but the clarity is fairly clear. Blue catfish are biting cut bait, and fresh shad. Crappie are starting to bite and schooling up. Sand bass and hybrids are biting fairly well in deep water. Report by Lake Palo Pinto RV Park.
Ray Hubbard
GOOD. Water stained; 45 degrees; 1.29 feet below pool. White bass are in big schools on the southern end and middle part of the lake. Look for big bait balls in 35-39 feet of water with �¨ú ounce slabs with 2 jigs tied above at least 16 inches apart. Hybrids are closer to the bottom using 1 ounce jig heads with 4 inch flukes. Drifting has been best with drift socks. When fish come through they are mostly suspended about 5-10 feet range and reel up to the fish. Crappie are fair on brush in 18-28 feet of water moving on and off structure and starting to roam the deep flats with minnows. Catfish are good on deep flats drifting cut bait. Blue catfish up to 25-30 pounds best on long drifts. Report by John Varner, John Varner's Guide Service.
Ray Roberts
SLOW. Water slightly stained; 50 degrees; 1.04 feet below pool. White bass can be caught on live bait and slabs on humps near creek channels in 35-55 feet. Blue catfish can be caught drifting or anchored with cut bait in 20-55 feet near the creek channels and around schools of white bass. Report by Justin Wilson, Wilson Outdoor Connection.
Richland Chambers
FAIR. Water normal stain; 48 degrees; 1.64 feet below pool. White bass are fair with only a few reported catches being made with a slab and jig combination fished on the bottom in 25-30 feet of water off main lake points and Pelican Island. It is deadsticking time so slow the movement down. Hybrid striper action fair on live bait and slabs fished in the same areas as the white bass. Small hybrids are mixed in with the Keepers. Eater size blue and channel catfish have slowed but are still fair punch bait in 30 feet of water in timber on the Richland Creek Arm of the Lake. Check the shallow water, 15 feet of water, when the warm days return. Chum with range cubes and fermented grain for best results. Drift fishing with cut bait or shad along creek channels and flats is producing trophy blue catfish for those looking for larger catfish and have patience for a slower bite. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin' Guide Service.
Somerville
SLOW. Water normal stain; 46 degrees; 2.17 feet below pool. Forecasted warmer weather for the weekend. At Somerville marina the crappie bite is slow, bluegill are fair on crickets and worms, and catfish are fair on minnows and punch bait. On the lake crappie are fair on jigs and minnow over brush 8-16 feet of water. Catfish are fair in 6-10 feet of water using cut shad or punch bait. Black bass are slow moving plastics in 6-12 feet of water. White bass slow, trolling with various spoons or anchored with shad and ghost minnows. Hybrids, slow in deeper water, using cut bait and mussels. Below the dam fishing is slow. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
Stillhouse
FAIR. Water stained; 45 degrees; 2.89 feet below pool. The cold snap cooled Lake Belton down even further from 51 degrees to the mid 40s. Fish are still using the same locations as before the cold, but the fish are now moving more slowly, chasing shorter distances, and require a change in tactics and more importantly, a change in expectations. Catch rates will fall as the water temperature falls. Those whites and hybrids on bottom features are best targeted with a white Bladed Hazy Eye Slab in ¨ý-3/4 ounce. Drop the lure to bottom and then slowly lift it upwards 4-6 feet while observing on 2D or forward facing sonar for a follow, or snap-jig with it. To catch fish seen on side-imaging, cast a 1/2 ounce jighead with white curl-tail grub and work it back with a sawtooth retrieve. Those whites and hybrids which are suspended and roaming after shad are best targeted using a deadstick tactic with a �¨ö ounce or heavier jighead and 2-3 inch soft plastic fluke-style bodies oriented horizontally. Again 2D or forward facing sonar will help anglers position the bait just inches above these fish. Fish will rise and strike once; a solid, instant hookset is a must. Rods with extra fast tips will help with all of these tactics. Birds will continue to be helpful in finding both kinds of white bass and hybrid. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.
Tawakoni
FAIR. Water lightly stained; 44 degrees; 2.04 feet below pool. Lake Tawakoni continues to fish well despite dropping temperatures on the main lake. The hybrid striper and white bass bite is decent. Fishing is very technical at this point targeting schools of fish in open water. Presenting crappie jigs or small flukes and swimbaits is key suspended over deep water. If you locate the massive schools of threadfin shad, that is a great place to start. The eating sized catfish bite has been slow. The trophy blue catfish bite has been good. We are seeing fish to 60 pounds and most fish are coming from 30-50 feet. Fresh gizzard shad and drum are working best. Crappie are good on bridge pilings and deep timber in 30 feet of water. Jigs are out fishing minnows. The largemouth bite has been very slow. Report by Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.
Texoma
FAIR. Water stained; 48 degrees; 1.71 feet below pool. Striper fishing is good, targeting fish on humps and structure in 10-30 feet of water off the river ledges. Also, look for fish in deep water on flukes near bait balls in 55-75 feet of water. Crappie fishing is slower with the colder temps. Look for fish in deeper water, but moving up shallower on the warmer days. Slow down your presentation and retrieve with small paddle tails and split-tail jigs. Bass fishing is slower with the falling water temps. Look for warmer days and fish moving up shallower to feed in the backs of coves and near main lake points. Slow down your presentation and look for fish near brush and structure. Catfishing remains slower, as the fish have all the bait they could eat in deeper water. Target bigger fish by drifting shallow water near creeks and coves in 12-25 feet of water on whole shad. Use electronics to locate individual fish roaming flats. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Guaranteed Guide Service. Prefrontal patterns should resume as the weather warms after the cold front. Striped bass can be caught on Alabama rigs or shad on structure in 15-25 feet of water. When this bite ends, the bigger fish are being caught in deeper water deadsticking or with Alabama rigs. There are fewer birds working. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.
Weatherford
SLOW. Water heavily stained; 43 degrees; 5.01 feet below pool. Crappie are good in the Crappie House on jigs and minnows. Bass and catfish are slow deep and around rocks. Water visibility is 12 inches.
Whitney
GOOD. Water normal stain; 53 degrees; 0.04 feet above pool. Catfish are good using punch bait in 20-25 feet of water. The Striped bass bite is getting better while dead sticking with flukes, or live bait in 30-45 feet of water. Crappie are good on small jigs and minnows in timber in 15-20 feet on the north end of the lake. White bass fishing is fair on flukes and slabs. Largemouth bass fishing is good around the docks. Report by Captain Cory Vinson, Guaranteed Guide Service.
Worth
FAIR. Water normal stain; 51 degrees; 2.56 feet below pool. White bass are fair, look for birds working or schools of bait on the main lake and in mid-depths on chartreuse and white slabs or paddle tail swimbaits. Crappie are being caught on deeper structure and cover using larger profile baits and also spider rigging open water, with the colder weather coming in docks will start producing again. Catfish are being caught on punch bait and cut bait in all depths and are moving a lot with the changing water temperatures. The cold this week should bunch them back up again. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
