Weekly freshwater fishing reports

July 21, 2022
fishing report

File / eExtra News

Alan Henry
FAIR. Water clear; 81 degrees; 8.27 feet low. Crappie are good in 30 feet of water in standing timber with minnows. The night bite is good under green lights in 25-35 feet of water. Report provided by Randy Britton, Lake Alan Henry Crappie Guide.
Amistad
GOOD. Water clear; 88 degrees; 61.02 feet low. Bass are biting good with Texas rigged plastics and bladed jigs around hydrilla. Unfortunately, with the low water fish are on the smaller size. Bass up to 10 pounds caught last weekend. Please be safe while running and stay in channels. Report by Captain Olin Jensen, Jensen’s Guide Service. Channel catfish are excellent in 3-28 feet of water on brush and points with punch bait. When fish are shallow, look in murky water with grass, then they move out to deeper water when the sun gets bright and high. White bass are schooling but slow to bite. Report by Captain Kent Terrill, 3T Guide Service.
Arlington
FAIR. Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 3.80 feet low. Fishing becomes tough as the fish group offshore. Largemouth bass are good on dropshots, Carolina rigged worms and bugs, deep diving crankbaits, shaky heads, and football jigs. White bass are good schooling biting on small spoons. Report by local angler Wesley Molina.
Arrowhead
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 85-88 degrees; 3.96 feet low. Summer fishing patterns are similar with fish following the bait fish to deeper water. Catfish are out in deeper water on and main lake flats. Blue catfish are good, drifting on the main part of the lake with fresh cut shad. Sand bass are schooling by the dam. Crappie are good on brush piles in 15-20 feet of water on jigs and minnows. Report by Brandon Brown, Brown’s Guide Service.
Athens
FAIR. Water clear; 86-90 degrees; 0.89 feet below. In the Texas heat, fishing is fair while the fish are lethargic and slow to bite. Bass continue to be slow with some schooling action early and late in the day by the dam and marina. Topwater lures and weightless flukes are working well. Crappie are slow with small jigs over brush in 20 plus feet of water. Report by Jim Brack, Athens Guide Service.
Austin
FAIR. Water clear; 90 degrees; 0.64 feet low. Texas heat and boat traffic has slowed the bite. Best time to fish will be early in the morning and focus on submerged grass and structure. Lady Bird Lake is good for bass in the shade cast by the bridges in the morning hours. Target grass in 10-15 feet of water with Texas rigged senkos and paddle tail swimbaits. Report provided by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing.
B.A. Steinhagen
FAIR. Water stained; 81 degrees; 0.40 feet below. Bass are fair along grass edges with Texas and Carolina rigged worms, or deep diving crankbaits. Crappie are fair using minnows and jigs on main lake structures and brush piles. Catfish are good moving shallow biting cut and cheese bait.
Bastrop
GREAT. Water clear; 90 degrees. Lake Bastrop is doing great. Reel in schooling bass all day long. Start anywhere, but the discharge is good early and the large flat just outside of the intake area on the north shore is best. Fish will school in that area and around the outside of the south shore ramp. Topwaters can produce if you are really quick, or small swimbaits and worms and let them sink down to the fish. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide Service. Bass are really good schooling all day with the best action early morning with small topwaters and small swimbaits in natural shad colors, 8-12 feet of water on watermelon or green pumpkin wacky worms. Crappie are fair with live minnows in 22-27 feet of water. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
Belton
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 6.68 feet low. White bass topwater action has been excellent since high pressure began to dominate the weather. Best times are sunrise through 8 a.m. Cast MAL Originals with one treble tine snipped off and barbs pressed down on remaining two points to allow for quick unhooking to take advantage of the fish when they surface. Try not to chase the fish with the outboard or trolling motor, instead, get upwind of the fish and drift to and through them. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Largemouth bass are good early morning on topwaters. As the day progresses they are moving to the drops and to the treetops in 15-20 feet or water. Wacky worms and Texas rigs are working well. The night bite continues to stay good with jigs being the best. Report by Cord Zahn, Belton tournament organizer. Crappie are good in 18-25 feet of water off points and brush with Dan’s jigs tipped with minnows. Report by Zach Minnix, Jig N Jerk Guide Service.
Benbrook
SLOW. Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 5.46 feet low. Bass are fair on the edges of submerged grass with chatterbaits and senkos. Crappie are fair on deep brush piles and docks using minnows and jigs. White bass are fair with some schooling action under the birds biting on shad and spoons. Catfish are good on windblown humps with live bait and cheese bait.
Bob Sandlin
FAIR. Water clear; 92 degrees; 1.15 feet low. In the Texas heat, fishing is fair while the fish are lethargic and slow to bite. Crappie are slow on brush in 15-20 feet of water biting on minnow and jigs. Bass are slow on topwaters shallow early morning, deep water points after the sun rises. Catfish are fair on baited holes 15-20 feet of water using cheese bait or cut bait. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing.
Brady
GOOD. Water dirty; 85 degrees; 9.78 feet low. Largemouth bass are still good on soft plastics in the salt cedars with catches up to six pounds, but the majority coming in the 3-4 pound range. White bass are good schooling on the main lake. Crappie are slow around the marina. Catfish are good on cut bait and live perch.
Braunig
FAIR. Water lightly stained, 91 degrees. Red drum are fair to good downrigging around the jetty and dam area on spoons and soft plastics. Recreational shoreline fishermen are catching red drum in 10-15 feet of water with live perch and crawfish. Channel catfish are good on cut shad, livers and cheese bait. Striped bass no report. Blue Catfish no report.
Bridgeport
GOOD. Water normal stain; 82 degrees; 4.72 feet low. While the main lake is clear, the river is slightly murky. Be aware of increased boat traffic, especially in the north end, near the Three Fingers area. All boat ramps are open. Sand bass and hybrid striped bass are setting up in deeper water around the main lake structure. Some sand bass schooling activity reported early in the morning. Crappie remain good on main lake brush piles and docks using minnows. Largemouth bass have been a bit elusive, but topwater baits are still the best bet at sunrise. Catfish are good drifting cut baits on flats and humps near deep water. Report by Keith Bunch, Lake Bridgeport Guide Service.
Brownwood
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 86-90 degrees; 5.21 feet low. Bass are fair to good with catches up to four pounds on dropshots, shaky heads, crankbaits and jigs in the stick-ups and between docks. Crappie to one pound are fair on minnows and jigs in 12-15 feet of water over brush piles and under lighted docks at night. White bass are good on crankbaits and jigs under the lights at night, with some schooling action. Catfish are good on cut bait, liver and perch around baited holes.
Bryan
SLOW. Water normal stain; 90 degrees. Fishing is slow for all species. Small channel catfish are fair on punch bait, and live or dead perch and goldfish. Crappie are slow on submerged structures off boat docks and in front of the restaurant with live minnows. Black bass are slow with the occasional catch using live minnows off Rocky Point, and the rocks under the bridge along the canal. Report by The Bait Barn.
Buchanan
GREAT. Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 11.86 feet low. Bass are good with an early morning topwater bite with walking style lures, and on rock piles in 6-10 feet of water and at 20 feet of water with diving crankbaits, shaky heads and Texas rigs. Report provided by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide Service.
Caddo
SLOW. Water stained; 79 degrees; 0.20 feet high. Caddo has a good summer bite right now. Look for the shad in the river systems and the bayous to find some bass schooling action, or fish stacked around the points and turns in the creek systems. Shaky head, dropshots, crankbaits or Carolina rigs are working. On the main lake look for the grass and lily pads and have your favorite frog on the deck or a whopper plopper type bait and cover water. Flukes and light weighted Texas rigged worms still work well around trees and the grass line. As always come enjoy this majestic lake God spoke into existence as the beauty is hard to beat. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.
Calaveras
GOOD. Water stained, 90 degrees. Red drum bite has picked up this week. Recreational shoreline anglers fishing points with deep water access during the day seeing mixed bags of red drum and blue catfish on live perch and crawfish. Boaters working points with rattletraps and gold spoons or trolling open water 20-30 feet have produced good results this week. Blue and channel catfish are good in the 20-30 feet range on live perch and cutbait. Channel catfish are good at night for recreational shoreline anglers using cut shad and cheese bait in shallow water.
Canyon Lake
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 4.26 feet low. Bass are good, holding over brush piles and grass edges in 18-24 feet of water biting on Carolina rigs, drop shots and Ned rigs. Striped bass are schooling at first light near the dam with topwater and swimbaits. Crappie are slow. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
Cedar Creek
EXCELLENT. Water normal stain; 84-90 degrees; 3.45 feet low. Crappie are good on main lake brush piles in 15-22 feet of water using minnows and jigs. Largemouth bass are good on docks in 3-8 feet of water, and in 15-20 feet of water using shaky heads, crankbaits and Carolina rigs. White bass and hybrid bass can be caught surfacing all over the lake in the morning, moving to main lake humps using popper style baits and small spoons. Catfish are good on main lake humps with live or frozen shad. Report by Kyle Miers, Lake Country Outfitters.
Choke Canyon
GREAT. Water stained; 84 degrees; 22.02 feet low. Bass are really good on topwater frogs from 6-10 a.m. up river near the 99 bridge. The grass on the lower end is good in 18-25 feet of water using big crankbaits and Carolina rigs, or spinner baits. Crappie are good with live bait over brush. White bass good by the dam on humps with live bait and jigging spoons. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
Cisco
GREAT. Water stained; 85 degrees; 5.77 feet low. Hot Texas days have anglers seeking shade, and fish seeking moving deep to cooler water. Bass and catfish are good on perch and minnows. Report by Jason Miller, Lake Cisco Rentals.
Coleman
GOOD. Slightly stained; 85-87 degrees; 4.01 feet low. Crappie are good with jigs or minnows on brush piles. Hybrid striped bass are good on imitation. They are chasing bait fish all over the lake. Bass are good with fish to 6 pounds on a green pumpkin jigs, black blue jigs, shad color swim jigs.
Conroe
GOOD. Slightly stained; 91 degrees; 1.10 feet below. As the thermocline gets stronger the catfish will usually be found on ledges and points where the thermocline meets the bottom. The fish can be above the thermocline but not below due to lack of oxygen. There should be good numbers, but you will have to be patient to find better sized eaters. Fishing over range cubes with catfish Bubblegum, cheese bait, or liver should give you plenty of action. Trophy blue catfish should be done spawning, so drifting flats with a natural bait could produce some real excitement. Remember the new regulations on these fish and in this heat be extremely careful and return them to the water fast if you plan to release them. That goes for any fish you wish to release. Report by Brad Doyle, Bradley’s Guide Service. Crappie are good in 16-24 feet of water on brush piles, lay downs and vertical structure like standing timber. Also, check ledges and humps for bigger crappie roaming off the brush piles at the bottom. Downsize to a 1/16-1/32 jig head and a small profile jig in monkey milk, all chartreuse, bright green and chartreuse and black. Report by Justin Burns, Slab Donkey Guide Service. Hybrid striped bass are good in 18-25 feet of water. The bigger fish and undersized fish seem to be in large schools. Some schools are slow to bite, but you can tempt them with slabs, or minnows. Please check the Texas Parks and Wildlife to see the tooth patch between hybrids and white bass. Black bass are good in 10-22 feet near brush using creature baits, jerk baits and rattletraps have been working. Stay hydrated in this heat & Always wear your life jacket! Report by Mike Cason, Fishical Therapy Lake Conroe Fishing Guide.
Cooper
GREAT. Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 3 feet low. Best bites are coming from 6-9:00 a.m. and 6-9:00 p.m. Catfish are good off docks and shorelines with cut bait. Crappie are fair on main lake brush piles and standing timber with jigs and minnows. Bass are fair along grass ledges with Texas or Carolina rigged worms.
Corpus Christi Lake
GOOD. 80 degrees; 7.66 feet below. Catfish are slow in 2-10 feet of water on wind blown shorelines, or under the rafts of mayflies. Largemouth bass are slow, early morning in shallow water. Topwater frogs and small finesse rigs. White bass are still scattered across the lake under birds biting on spoons, minnows, and small jigs have been working well. Crappie are slow early morning bite in 5-10 feet of water, be ready to move around due to the dropping lake levels. Alligator gar are great on cut carp. Bow fishermen have found success on shallow flats early morning, late afternoon, or at night. Report provided by Damian Hubbs, Mathis Bait Co.
Cypress Springs
Water stained; 87 degrees; 2.32 feet low. Low light and nighttime hours are still your best bet for bass and crappie. Dark colors lures around lighted areas will produce bites for the bass. Crappie prefer mid depth brush, if you have underwater lighting then you increase your bite substantially. Catfish are wrapping up on the spawn and moving to a little deeper and cooler water. Your best bite will still be on prepared punch style baits, but big nightcrawlers can produce as well. Captain Mike Thompson. Lake Tawakoni Guide Service
Eagle Mountain
GOOD. Water stained, 79 degrees; 3.81 feet low. White bass are good on the main lake structures using slabs with teaser flies. Fish are moving fast. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles, docks and main lake structure on jigs with white and chartreuse color combinations and shooting docks. Largemouth bass are fair to good on crankbaits around docks and main lake structure. Blue catfish are slow on the main lake structures. Channel catfish are good on punch bait. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
Falcon
GOOD. Water stained; 89 degrees; 45.49 feet low. Lake is dropping rapidly, so structure are holding fish. Bait fish are very shallow in riprap. Gar fishing is good in 3-10 feet of water with cut carp, tilapia and shad. Catfish are good along exposed hardwoods and mouths of creek. Trophy catfish are good in 30 feet of water, best at night. Crappie are fair in shallow riprap in 8-10 feet of water with fast moving bait. Largemouth bass are good with big plastic worms, crankbaits in citrus shad and soft plastics in cherry seed on natural hard bottom structure and brush piles in 10-25 feet of water. Report by Ram Reyes, Texas Kings Outdoors.
Fayette
FAIR. Water lightly stained; 88 degrees. In the triple digit weather few boats are out on water, and fishing remains similar. Fish early and late in the day to beat the heat. White bass are excellent and should remain so throughout the summer. Look for some topwater schooling action, and in 10-20 feet of water on humps and riprap with various jigs and plastics. Catfish are good on punch bait in 12-20 feet of water, on tight lines over chum. Bluegill and redear perch are good on worms or crickets around structure. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
Fork
GOOD. Water Stained; 81 degrees; 6.75 feet low. Lake Fork crappie fishing continues to be almost as hot as the temperature. Seeing lots of fish on the usual summertime structures around the lake in 13-23 feet. Good numbers of eater size crappie are still really good, picking a few larger fish off the timber. Minnows are the dominant bait this time of year, but you can still catch good fish on hand tied jigs and soft plastics. Report provided by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service. Bass morning bite has improved, but only good for about an hour. Best baits are Sexy Dawg and Yellow Magic in 1-3 feet of water. Texas or Carolina rigs with big worms in blue or June bug are best in 15-23 feet of water. Deep crankbaits are OK at the drop-offs of deeper ridges. Shad patterns and chartreuse, blue and black are still good in a XD 6 or XD 8. Report by Lake Fork fishing guide Marc Mitchell and Jason Hoffman, Lake Fork Pro.
Ft. Phantom Hill
EXCELLENT. Water stained; 84 degrees; 4.99 feet low. White bass are on structure in 10-15 feet of water biting blade baits and the Maindelle All Purpose lure consistently worked off the bottom. Look for hybrid bass in 15-25 feet of water trolling deep diving crankbaits over the main lake structure. Channel catfish are spawning along riprap banks. Fishing baited holes with a bobber and stink bait can be effective. Largemouth bass are being caught in shallow to moderate depths around cover. Report by Clayton Lohse, Respect the Fish Guide Service.
Graham
SLOW. Water lightly stained; 79 degrees; 2.11 feet low. Bite continues to be slows as the Texas heat pushes fish to deep shelter. Bite is slow on main lake brush piles with minnows and jigs. Catfish are good in the shallows on cut and prepared baits and on baited holes. Bass are good in standing timber with crankbaits and flukes.
Granbury
FAIR. Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 1.59 feet low. Stripers and sand bass are moving fast. Catch them shallow early in the morning, but once the sun rises fish in deeper water. Striped bass are good on live bait, crankbaits and jigging spoons early in the morning from mid lake south towards the dam on flats and near the shallow edge of the river channel. White bass are good on live bait, jigging spoons and Alabama rigs in 12-25 feet of water. Catfish are good on cut bait during the day in 15-40 feet of water. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton’s Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Accessories Installation. Bass are fair around deeper boat docks on the main lake with Texas or Carolina rigged soft plastics. Report by James Moore, North Texas Bass Fishing and Cmoore Striper Guide Services. Catfish are slowing, but some bites on small cut bait and prepared baits. Report by Jeffery Sojourner, Sojourner Fishing.
Granger
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 1.42 feet low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows fished over structure in 4-12 feet of water. White bass are good on slab spoons fished over main lake humps and ridges. Blue catfish are good to 25 pounds on rod and reel, or jug lines baited with Zote Soap. Yellow catfish are slow. Gaspergou are good on various baits fished all over the lake. Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.
Grapevine
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 0.61 feet below. Use electronics to find schools of fish. White bass are good trolling with hellbender and pet spoon combination with a deep diving crankbait with a 30 inch leader. Crappie are good on brush piles in 10-12 feet of water no deeper than 20 feet due to the thermocline. Bass are good off rocky points seeking deeper water, and shaded structure as the day heats with soft plastics. Catfish are good by the dam with punch bait on slip cork. Report by Omar Cotter, Luck O’the Irish Fishing Guide Service.
Greenbelt
FAIR. Water stained; 77 degrees; 42.82 feet low. Fish are moving to deeper water, and the lake is low. Catfish are good at night with cheese bait and cut bait. Crappie are good with minnows and small jigs on brush piles and standing timber. Largemouth bass fair using crankbaits and spinnerbaits on grass lines. Sand bass are fair schooling deep biting silver spoons. Walleye are good scattered all over the lake on crappie jigs, buzz bait and minnows.
Houston County
GOOD. Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.99 feet below. Crappie are fair in standing timber and deeper brush piles with live minnows. Bass are fair with dropshots, crankbaits and flukes off rock ledges. Bream are near the white bass biting on worms. Catfish are good on cut baits and juglines.
Hubbard Creek
GOOD. Water Stained; 80 degrees; 5.07 feet low. 80. White bass are excellent relating to structure in 15-25 feet of water, or chasing shad in open water. Look for schools surfacing in the mornings and evenings. Bladed baits and MAL lures are deadly. Report by Clayton Lohse, Respect the Fish Guide Service.
Jacksonville
FAIR. Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 0.88 feet below. Largemouth bass are fair ledges and between docks with Texas or Carolina rigged worms. Crappie are fair on main lake brush piles and structure with minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.
Joe Pool
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 81 degrees; 2.43 feet low. Fish for bass in deeper water, 15-30 feet, and concentrating on main lake points and bends in the creek channels with a hard bottom. Fish the pylons under both bridges using dropshots rigged with a dark colored soft plastic in the 20-30 feet of water and a Carolina or Texas rigged 10 inch ribbon tail in all depths of water. Keep a �¼ ounce shaky head jig with a Junebug straight tailed worm handy. Report by Ben Robertson, Ben’s Bass Excursions.
Lake O’ the Pines
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 93 degrees; 1.81 feet low. Summer fishing patterns are constant. Crappie are slow on brush in 15-20 feet of water biting on minnow and jigs. Bass are slow on topwaters shallow early morning, deep water points after the sun rises. Catfish are fair on baited holes 15-20 feet of water using cheese bait or cut bait. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O the Pines Crappie Fishing.
Lavon
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 2.15 feet low. Channel catfish are good on baited holes in 10-20 feet of water. Bluegill are good in 10-20 feet of water on brush piles. White bass have a sporadic topwater bite throughout the day, but only last a couple seconds so don’t waste your time chasing them unless you spot the action early in the morning. Look in 15-25 feet of water on main lake points. Crappie are good in 15-20 feet of water on brush and rock. Report by Carey Thorn, White Bass Fishing Texas.
LBJ
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 0.67 feet low. Crappie are good in 18-24 feet of water on brush piles with chartreuse jigs, and live bait. Report by Jess Rotherham, Texas Crappie Fishing Service. The lake is still producing some good bass super shallow at the start of the day around laydowns and water willow using a small swimbait, or soft jerkbait like a super fluke and a frog. Later on, go out deep on rock piles and throw a shaky head, jig or Texas rigged craw worm or power worm in watermelon or green pumpkin colors to get those bigger fish to eat. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide Service. Bass are good with Texas rigged big worms over brush piles 2-5 feet of water and topwater lures near docks. Crappie are fair with live bait. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours.
Lewisville
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 1.01 feet low. Summer fishing patterns are constant. White bass are slow on points and humps in 20-30 feet of water using slabs or live bait, with sporadic top water action. Hybrid stripers are slow, but can be picked off every once in a while mixed in with 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 cut shad or chicken breasts in 16-24 feet of water. Check near wind blown points, humps, and flats near creek channels. Crappie are fair to good in 6-25 feet of water near rock piles, stumps, laydowns, brush piles, standing timber, and bridge columns using minnows and jigs. Report by Wes Campbell, BendaRod Fishing.
Limestone
GOOD. Water clear; 92 degrees; 2.09 feet below. Crappie are good suspended in 12-18 feet of water suspended over offshore brush piles and standing timber. Largemouth bass are good in 4-14 feet of water on docks and points using Texas rigs, and crankbaits. White bass are good in 7-19 feet on silver jigging spoons. Report by Colan Gonzales, DFW Fishing Guide Booking.com.
Livingston
GOOD. Stained; 85 degrees; 0.94 feet low. Bass are fair on grass ledges using Texas rigged worms and shaky heads. Catfish are good off docks and the bank with cut bait. White bass are schooling on main lake humps and points using silver jigging spoons and small swimbaits.
Martin Creek
SLOW. 81 degrees. Water lightly stained; 1.67 feet low. Crappie action is good with limits coming before 11:00 a.m. on jigs fished in 15-20 feet of water on brush piles. Some brief surface schooling just after sunrise, close to the dam. Lake level is falling, so exercise extreme caution as numerous stumps are now just below the surface.
Medina
FAIR. Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 67.26 feet low. Black bass are fair off ledges and points with watermelon and pumpkin worms. White bass are fair on slabs chasing bait balls around the lake. Striped bass are fair on slabs on humps. Catfish are good with stink bait and cut baits.
Meredith
GOOD. Water stained; 82 degrees; 54.40 feet low. The walleye bite has slowed, so try chasing crappie, bass or catfish. Bass are good on minnows and artificial baits. Cats are good on live, stinks, and punch baits. Crappie are good on minnows, jigs, small crankbaits, other artificials should work well. White bass are good on minnows, crankbaits and topwater lures. Trout are slow, so good luck out there. Walleye are fair on minnows, crawlers, crankbaits, grubs, and other artificials. The Shad have spawned, so try smaller presentations that mimic the shad size. Please be safe and watch weather reports. Life vests save lives. Report by Kenneth Wysong, SharKens Honey hole.
Millers Creek
GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees; 3.35 feet low. Fishing at first light and the evening will bring more fish in the boat. Crappie are good suspended in standing timber with minnows and jigs. Catfish are good with cut bait along rocks. Bass are good in timber with topwaters early, and Texas or Carolina rigged worms off ledges. White bass are chasing bait balls biting on slabs.
Naconiche
GOOD. Water clear to stained; 89 degrees; 1.5 feet low. Lake has settled into a typical summer pattern that should stay constant throughout the summer months. Good numbers of bass schooling over deeper water. The shad are small, so down-size your presentation to match. Most fish are suspended just above the thermocline depth, so count your lure down to the thermocline depth and keep it in the strike zone. A Mag-worm in Junebug color is getting bit in 8-12 feet of water. Try casting into shade provided by standing timber or shoreline trees. The Crappie population is good. Catfish are slow. Report by Eric Wolfe, NacoTack Fishing Services.
Nasworthy
GOOD. Water murky; 86 degrees. 0.93 feet low. Bass are fair in the reeds and around boat docks using soft plastics and topwater lures. Crappie are good in the reeds, around docks, and the bridge using black and chartreuse crappie jigs and minnows. Catfish are good by the dam and in the river, using cut bait and stink bait. Report provided by the Angelo State Fishing Team.
Navarro Mills
FAIR. Stained; 82 degrees; 1.56 feet low. Catfish are good on frozen shad, minnows and worms. Bass are good in grass lines in mid depth water, and the drop-off at Crappie Point using jigs and minnows. Crappie are fair, seeing lots of fish but they are slow to bite on jigs and minnows. Report Charlie Boze, Navarro Mills Marina.
O.C. Fisher
FAIR. Water stained; 77 degrees; 45.63 feet low. Summer fishing patterns are sticking like the heat. Largemouth bass are fair in riprap and ledges with worms, spinners and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs on main lake brush piles. White bass are fair chasing bait balls biting on small shad imitations. Catfish are good on stink bait, live, and cut bait.
O.H. Ivie
GREAT. Water clear; 83 degrees; 20.14 feet low. White bass are great with live bait, jigs and crankbaits. Crappie are great with jigs and minnows. Largemouth bass are good. Catfish are good on prepared baits, live and cut bait. Report by Concho Park and Marina. Night fishing is good for crappie in 42 feet of water suspended 15 feet from the surface with live minnows. White bass are fair suspended 10-12 feet below the surface with live minnows. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.
Oak Creek
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 79 degrees; 8.41 feet low. Bass are good up to 10 pounds using watermelon worms. Blue catfish up to 9 pounds are good on perch and magic bait. White bass are good in 25 feet of water on the main lake using minnows, with some scattered surface action. Report provided by Randal Pate, Sportsman’s Lodge.
Palestine
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 83 degrees; 1.25 feet low. Fishing is similar but the heat will have you and the fish seeking shade. Bass are good on topwaters early with a yellow magic, transitioning to Carolina rigs with watermelon red worms, or big brush hawgs. Crappie are good in 16-24 feet of water on brush piles with chartreuse jigs and near the 155 bridge. White bass and hybrid bass are good off points with tail spinners and jigging spoons and shad. Catfish are good with liver fished off the river in 18 feet of water nightcrawlers. Report by Ricky Vandergriff, Ricky’s Guide Service.
Palo Pinto
SLOW. Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 3.17 feet low. Bass continue to be slow, but can be caught on Carolina rigged soft plastics around the deeper boat docks and on deep rocky points. Report by James Moore, North Texas Bass Fishing and Cmoore Striper Guide Services.
Possum Kingdom
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 2.66 feet low. SStriped bass fishing is starting to slow down as the water temperature increases. Still catching some fish, but the action is not quick like it has been. Spoons, jigs in chartreuse, white or some pink, and live bait are working the best. Sand bass are still fair on sandy points with the occasional surface action early in the morning. Catfish are good in heavy timber using cut shad and stink bait. Report by TJ Ranft, Ranft Guide Service. Stripers and sand bass are moving fast. Catch them shallow early in the morning, but once the sun rises fish in deeper water. Striped bass are great on live shad, strolling umbrella-rigs and trolling down riggers with artificials. White and chartreuse seem to work best. Fish can also be caught early morning on topwater lures. Most fish are being caught from Hogs Bend and south towards the dam. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton’s Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Accessories Installation.
Proctor
SLOW. Water stained; 90 degrees; 5.22 feet low. As the water temperature increases and the water levels decrease fishing is slowing. Black bass are slow. Striped and white bass are good early in the morning. Crappie are slow on minnows. Catfish are slow on trotlines and shad.
Raven
FAIR. Water stained; 90 degrees; 3 feet low. The heat and increased water temperatures have pushed the fish to deeper, cooler water. Patience will be key. Bass are fair on plastic worms and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows near structures. Catfish are slow on punch and cut bait.
Ray Hubbard
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 86-88 degrees; 1.47 feet low. White bass are good on flats early in the mornings in 8-15 feet of water. Later, fish are suspended in 22-28 feet of water using slabs reeled fast through the school of fish. Crappie are fair on brush tops in 25-35 feet water suspended mid-way with minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on ledges and points using cut shad and prepared stink bait. Report by John Varner, John Varner’s Guide Service.
Ray Roberts
GOOD; Water is clear; 82 degrees; 0.56 feet below. Shad are still tiny so downsize presentations. Sand bass are good schooling during the first hour of the day with topwaters, some sporadic schooling throughout the day. Crappie are slow, undersize catches on brush piles with some keeper sized fish in the timber. Bass are good early during the first hour of the day on topwaters, switching to dropshots and Carolina rigs in 15-20 feet of water. Report by Jim Walling, Ucatchem Guide Service.
Richland Chambers
FAIR. Water clear; 85-89 degrees; 3.57 feet low. Crappie are fair on brush piles and bridge columns in 15-20 feet of water with minnows. White bass are fair on in-line spinners schooling on the surface along the south shoreline near Fisherman’s Point Marina. When the topwater bite ends the fish are scattered, biting on slabs off the bottom. Hybrid bass are good on live shad. Channel catfish are fair with lots of small eaters coming on punch bait on a #4 treble hooks. Report by Royce Simmons, Gone Fishin’ Guide Service.
Sam Rayburn
GOOD. Water stained; 89 degrees; 3.32 feet low. Fishing will look similar while the Texas heat warms the water. Best success at daybreak and in the evenings. Dock fishing is good for catfish, perch and a few bass. Bass are good early morning with topwaters over grass transitioning to points with Carolina rigs and big crankbaits midday. White bass are good in the lake off points with chrome jigs. Crappie are good on brush piles with live minnows. Bluegill are mixed in with the crappie biting on worms. Catfish are in creek channels off ledges in 15 feet of water and 30 feet of water near the bridges. Navigate with caution as stumps are surfacing. Report by Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Somerville
FAIR. Stained; 98-103 degrees; 1.84 feet below. Fishing is slowing for all species as the Texas heat warms the water. Crappie and bluegill are fair in Somerville Marina early morning and late evening. Black bass are fair hitting slow moving jigs with plastics on drop-offs and brush in 10-15 feet of water. Crappie are fair with many undersized catches on main lake brush piles in 8-18 feet of water using minnows and various colored jigs. Catfish are good early morning in 6-12 feet of water, then the bite slows as the day heats up. White bass are very good with larger fish showing up for summer. Hybrid bass are very good schooling. Both fish hitting jigs bounced into schools or trolling with pet spoons, shad, and pencil minnows in 6-10 feet of water. Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
Spence
SLOW. Water stained; 79 degrees. 41.73 feet low. Bass are fair between docks with early morning topwater action, switching to Texas or Carolina rigged worms as the sun rises. Crappie are slow in deep water structure with minnows and jigs. White bass are slow on points with sporadic topwater action. Channel catfish are fair on live and cut bait.
Stamford
FAIR. Water stained; 85 degrees; 3.19 feet low. Fishing is hit-or-miss in the triple digit heat. Fish in shaded areas and deeper water with crappie minnows to catch a little of everything. Catfish are good on jug lines and trotlines with big bass minnows, shad and perch. Bass are fair to slow with soft plastics and bass minnows. Drum, perch and crappie are slow to bite and have moved to deeper water. Whitebass are good with some surface action and off points. Report by Anchor Marina.
Stillhouse
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 6.78 feet low. White bass fishing in the lower half of the reservoir is becoming more consistent with the increasing summer heat. Downrigging to find fish, then Spot-Locking atop them and working MAL Heavy or MAL Dense lures vertically while observing fish behavior on sonar is the ticket to success right now. Mornings are best. Largemouth bass fishing the outside edge of deep-growing hydrilla with dark soft plastics continues to be a staple. This week, small packs of schoolie largemouth of 15 inches, or smaller, have begun to hunt and drive shad to the surface. Small, clear grub baits on unpainted jig heads or imitation shad streamers behind popping corks cast quickly and accurately into fresh boils are about the only thing these fish are responding to. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.
Tawakoni
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 2.82 feet low. Lake Tawakoni continues to warm up just like all of the Texas lakes this week. The white bass and hybrid bite has slowed some since last week but we are still catching some on artificial baits like slab spoons and swimbaits. The fish have been active in shallow water including long main lake points and big flat areas next to deep water. The catfish bite still proves to be the best bite on the lake. Blue and channel catfish are good on prepared baits such as punch baits are the ticket fished over baited holes in 25 feet of water. Crappie are still being caught on brush piles in 12-15 feet of water with minnows out fishing jigs. The largemouth bite has been very early at daylight and lasts about two hours. White frogs up in the grass are working at daylight, then switch over to shallow crankbaits or weightless flukes. Captain Michael Littlejohn, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service.
Texana
FAIR. Water stained; 79 degrees; 4.10 feet low. Bass are good in the standing timber in the jungle using artificial worms. Crappie are good on submerged structures using minnows and jigs. Catfish are good throughout the lake on liver perch, cut bait and juglines. White bass are in the Navidad River biting on crankbaits and rattletraps.
Texoma
EXCELLENT. Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.48 feet above. Water is starting to turnover, bringing the cooler water to the surface. Clarity is a little murkier, but limits of fish are still being had. Hybrid bass are good with topwaters early, switching to slabs after the fish move down. The larger fish will be under the box fish. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.
Toledo Bend
FAIR. Water stained; 81-83 degrees; 3.25 feet low. The water level is 168.9 with both generators running from 1-7:00 p.m. Water temperature at the Dam is 81-82 degrees with surface temperature around 83. The back feeder creeks are clear, and the main lake is clear with no rain again this week. Bass are in the same pattern with early morning topwater bite with topwater baits like Pop Rs, tiny torpedoes, buzz baits, popping frogs, flukes, and spooks. Then mid-morning as the fish go deeper to 12-30 feet of water transition to 8-12 inch ribbon tail worms in plum apple, June bug, or June bug red. Carolina rigs for bass have been working with four or six inch worms in chartreuse/pepper and Tequila Sunrise. Black bass, yellow bass, and catfish are in the main lake biting vertical jigging spoons in 1/2 ounce or 3/4 ounce from War Eagle and Cotton Cordell in chrome or gold in deep water creek channels and ridges. Crappie, bream and yellow bass are still holding in the brush piles and lay downs in 15-25 feet of water. Crappie are biting best on live minnows and crappie jigs on T-Bend’s favorite colors like monkey milk, blue ice, and T-shad. and live minnows. Summer is here with triple digit weather, so remember to wear light clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. When on the water it is important to stay hydrated so that you do not experience heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Remember to always keep your life jacket on while on the water, and to fasten the engine kill switch lanyard to your person when operating a motorized vessel on the water. Play it safe on the water, always inform your loved ones or a friend of your expected return time to port or home. Good luck and tight lines! Report from Captain Steve (Scooby) Stubbe, Mudfish Adventures LLC, Mudfish Rod Shop, Kayak Sales, Fishing Guide Service & Rod Repair.
Travis
GOOD. Stained; 78 degrees; 32.65 feet low. Lake Travis is fishing well. You can catch plenty of little bass and Guadalupe bass staying shallow throwing worms and shallow crankbaits. For larger fish, go deep with Texas rigged craws and worms in 15-35 feet of water. A Carolina rig, shaky head and dropshot will get those bites for you out there on deep ledges and cliff walls. Report by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide Service. Bass are good on topwaters schooling around marinas mid lake to the dam. Downsize jigging spoons, topwaters and swimbaits to replicate bait fish size on loaner boat docks with your favorite plastics in 18-40 feet of water. Crappie are good up the river with live bait on brush piles. Report by Charles Whited, Barefoot Fishing Tours. Marinas continue to hold good sized bass, but the bite can be tough. Swimbaits and topwaters are getting the bite, but change locations after a few catches. Report by Randal Frisbie, Central Texas Fishing Guide, LLC.
Twin Buttes
GREAT. Water stained. 86 degrees; 17.97 feet low. Fishing is great in this hot, hot, hot weather. White bass are slow with sporadic surface action throughout the day, the largest suspended 10-12 feet off the bottom. Crappie are good in deep water off drops. Night fishing for crappie and white bass are good under the lights using live shad or minnows. Channel catfish are excellent on cheese bait, live bait. Target open water in 22-28 feet of water. Report by Captain Michael Peterson, 4 Reel Fun Guide Service.
Tyler
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 1.30 feet below. In the full moon fishing is good. Bass are good early morning on topwater lures. Crappie are good in 16-20 feet of water on brush piles and submerged structures using live minnows. Bluegill are good mixed in with the crappie biting red worms and nightcrawlers. If you find the bluegill you will find other species feeding. Catfish are good in 10-12 feet of water with stink bait and nightcrawlers. Report by Paul Taylor, The Boulders at Lake Tyler.
Waco
FAIR. Water stained; 83 degrees; 7.72 feet low. Fish are biting in the typical summertime patterns, feeding shallow early morning and moving to deeper, cooler water as the sun rises. For white and hybrid bass follow the birds feeding on bait fish. When you find some surface or schooling action slabs and spoons should get you a bite. Catfish are good on live bait. Largemouth bass are fair early morning on topwater lures, throwing soft plastics as the day heats. Report by Johnny Matthews, local angler. Crappie are good in 18-25 feet of water off points and brush with Dan’s jigs tipped with minnows. Report by Zach Minnix, Jig N Jerk Guide Service.
Walter E. Long
FAIR. Water clear; 85 degrees. Bass are good with nice sized catches on Texas rigs and dropshots in 10-12 feet of water off deeper grass edges. Good early morning topwater bite with some schooling action biting on weightless flukes over the grass. Evening bite is best fishing deeper grass lines and wind blown banks. Schooling bass are biting. Hybrid bass are fair with Alabama rigs in 15-25 feet of water. Report provided by Carson Conklin, ATX Fishing.
Weatherford
SLOW. Water lightly stained; 83 degrees; 6.95 feet low. White bass are slow on slabs. Bass are slow off points and rocks with crankbaits and worms. Crappie are slow on main lake brush piles with minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair with cut bait and shad.
White River
SLOW. Water stained; 79 degrees; 23.79 feet low. As the summer heat increases fishing continues to be slow. Carp are biting on dough bait off the banks and docks. Largemouth bass are fair on the edge of deep grass and rocks with watermelon or pumpkin green wacky worms. Crappie are slow on brush. Catfish are fair in the channel and on rocks with shad and perch.
Whitney
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 5.22 feet low. Stripers and sand bass are moving fast. Catch them shallow early in the morning, but once the sun rises fish in deeper water. Striped bass are great on live bait, crankbaits, swimbaits and jigging spoons from mid lake south towards the dam on flats and near the shallow edge of the river channel. White bass are good on live bait, jigging spoons and Alabama rigs. Look for schooling fish then anchor outside of the school and cast into them. They are moving fast. Catfish are good on cut bait during the day in 15-50 feet of water. Report provided by Kraig Sexton, Sexton’s Guide Service LLC, Fishing Charter, Marine Electronics & Accessories Installation. . Striped bass are good with an early morning topwater bite on slabs. Report by James Moore, North Texas Bass Fishing and Cmoore Striper Guide Services.
Worth
GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees; 2.03 feet low. White bass are good on main lake points and structure on slabs with teaser flies. Crappie are fair to good on brush piles and main lake structure on jigs with white color combination. Largemouth bass are fair to good on crankbaits around docks and main lake structure. Blue catfish are slow on the main lake structure, channel catfish are good on punch bait. Report provided by Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
Wright Patman
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 1.61 feet above. As the heat increases seeing fewer anglers out on the water. Catfish are still good on punch bait. Black bass can be caught on main lake points on crankbaits. No reports on crappie or white bass. Report by Brooks Tarkington, Lake Wright Patman Guide Service.

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