Fishing Reports News

Sabine Lake

Speck anglers are finding isolated pods of keepers over the shallow flats bordering the Intracoastal canal up north. Best results are coming on plastics. Norton Sand Eels and Bass Assassins are most consistent. Topwater action is sporadic. Farther south, live shrimp has been the order of the day for reds and trout at the Causeway pier. Anglers are using red and chartreuse pattern plastics on small jigheads to pull keeper reds and specks off flats and reefs.

Nacogdoches

Lake Nacogdoches is a foot low and fairly clear down south, stained at the north end. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Bass are fair to five pounds on Senkos and wacky worms tossed around shallow grassbeds and stumps. A few fish also reported on jerk baits.

Crappie are fair on shiners dunked around brush in

15-22 feet of water. A few fish also reported on jigs and Roadrunners in 4-8 feet. No report on catfish.

Sam Rayburn

The lake is about two feet low and stained up north, clear down south. Water temp is in the low 60s. Bass are good to eight pounds on watermelon plastics in 4-8 feet of water. A few anglers are scoring with jerk baits in windy conditions. Some topwater action reported up north.

Crappie are excellent on small jigs and Roadrunners fished around submerged hydrilla in 3-6 feet of water. Best results are coming on outside grass edges.

Catfish are good on trotline and jugs. An 81-pound flathead was recently landed by Nacogdoches trotliner, Johnny Box.

Toldeo Bend

T Bend is four feet low and slightly stained up north, clearer down south. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Big news from Bill’s Landing this week. A new camp record flathead weighing 85 pounds was weighed on April 8. The big cat was caught on a trotline baited with live perch in about 12 feet of water. Rod and reelers are faring best on shad and cut bait fished on bottom and under slip corks. Good numbers of fiddler cats reported around baited holes.

Crappie have been sporadic. Charlie Shively at Bill’s Landing said the spawn is winding down up north and the fish are on the move. Best results are coming on shiners in 4-8 feet of water along creeks.Bass are fair on Texas rig plastics, Senkos and spinnerbaits worked along creeks and sloughs in 3-8 feet of water.A few fish also hitting topwaters.

Athens

Lake Athens is at normal level and fairly clear. Water temp is ranging 64-68 degrees.Terry Mayhall at Lake Athens Marina said weightless Flukes and Senkos are producing some quality spawning bass up to six pounds in shallow water. Anglers are using medium diving cranks at mid range depths to get at post spawn largemouths.

Some schooling activity reported.

Crappie anglers are posting some decent limits using live shiners and jigs around brush in 5-8 feet of water. Mayhall said catfish are slow.

Fork

Lake Fork is two feet low and clear. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Martin Edwards at the Minnow Bucket said watermelon plastics have been dynamite in shallow water, 46 feet. Good numbers of fish in the 4-7 pound range reported.

Edwards said high winds stirred up the water and made bed fishing difficult over the weekend. Look for a big wave of spawning fish to show up with the full moon. Crappie are excellent on live shiners fished off brushy piers at night. Edwards said water depths of 12-20 feet also have been producing steady limits. Catfish are good on stink bait and shad fished shallow, 4-15 feet. Cormorant roosts over deeper water are producing good numbers of channel cat in the 3-6 pound range.

Richland Chambers

RC is 4 1/2 feet low and slightly stained due to high winds. Should clear up in a few days. Water temp is in the low-to-mid 60s.

Larry Winters at Midway Landing said bass fishing has been good to 7 1/2 pounds on Texas rig lizards and spinnerbaits. Plastics seem to be producing better quality fish in 1-3 feet of water. Crappie are good on

minnows in 1-3 feet of water. Winters said the bite has been excellent up Midway Creek at night. White bass are fair.

The fish are schooling periodically and taking chrome Rat-L-Traps. Catfish are good on jugs and trotlines. Several fish weighing upwards of 40 pounds have been reported. Rod and reelers are doing best on windy shores using punch bait in 12 feet of water.

Cedar Creek

Cedar Creek is about two feet low and stained. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Bass are good to eight pounds on soft plastics crawled slowly in 2-4 feet of water, mostly on the backs of creeks and along secondary points. Spinnerbaits are producing good results, as well. Crappie anglers are posting regular limits at the Sunny Glen bridge using live shiners in 14 feet of water. The fish are suspended 2-3 cranks off bottom.

Catfishermen are making some good hauls on punch bait and cut shad fished on bottom along windy banks. Drifting over points and creeks has also been productive.