Freshwater Fishing Reports 5-14-08

By Fishing Reports - May 15, 2008

Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife

Week of May 14, 2008

Water Body	Report
ALAN HENRY	Water lightly stained; 74 degrees; 1.64' low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin or black/blue jigs, white spinnerbaits and pumpkin/chartreuse soft plastics fished shallow along timber and rocky points. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.
AMISTAD	Water clear; 69 degrees; 14.96' low. Black bass are very good on Yamamoto Senkos, minnows, and topwaters. Striped bass are good on redfins. White bass are fair on minnows and shallow running crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cheesebait. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch. Mexican fishing licenses are required to fish Mexican waters. Everyone in the boat must have a Mexican fishing license whether fishing or not. Mexican boat permits are no longer required.
ARROWHEAD	Water lightly stained; 67 degrees; 2.72' low. Black bass are good on swim-blade baits and spinnerbaits along rocky points and vegetation. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs at state park, Deer Creek Bridge, and shallow areas around flooded willows and mesquites with active spawning. White bass are good schooling off rocky points in the lower part of lake. Catfish are good on juglines and drift fishing with shad or punch bait.
ATHENS	Water stained, 69-76 degrees; 0.37' high. Black bass are good on buzzbaits early, midday switching to Carolina rigs and crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.
BASTROP	Water clear. Black bass are fair on minnows and watermelon red soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are very good on live bait, frozen shrimp, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.
BELTON	Water clear; 73 degrees; 0.97' high. Black bass are fair trolling Rat-L-Traps. Hybrid striper are good on minnows under lights at night. White bass are good on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and green tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on hot dogs. Yellow catfish are slow.
BOB SANDLIN	Water off color; 70-77 degrees; 0.23' high. Black bass are fair to good on Stanley Ribbits, buzzbaits and topwaters early, and throughout the day on Texas rigs, Senkos and jigs. Crappie are good on live minnows and jigs - some shallow and some moving to deeper water. White bass are fair to good on topwaters and Rooster Tails. Catfish are fair to good on cut and prepared bait.
BRAUNIG	Water stained; 71 degrees. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and dark soft plastics in reeds and near the dam. Striped bass are excellent on liver and perch off points near the pier, and down rigging spoons near the dam and jetty. Redfish are good on perch, shad, and silver spoons. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on shrimp, cheesebait, cut bait, and liver near the dam.
BRIDGEPORT	Water lightly stained; 68-73 degrees; 0.35' high. Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits, Rat-L-Traps and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows over brush piles. White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Hybrid striper are fair to good on live bait and Sassy Shad. Catfish are good on cut and prepared bait.
BROWNWOOD	Water stained; 71 degrees; 1.78' low. Black bass are excellent on watermelon/white and watermelon red spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Hybrid striper are fair on white/chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are good on Li'l Fishies and live minnows. Crappie are fair on live minnows and blue and white tube jigs. Channel catfish are good on frozen shrimp, stinkbait, and shad. Yellow catfish are slow.
BUCHANAN	Water clear; 70 degrees; 2.66' low. Black bass are good on Daiquiri Skip-N-Pop topwaters, Bleeding Shad Rat-L-Traps, and weightless wacky rigged green pumpkin Whacky Sticks with chartreuse tails along break lines of creek bluffs early in 4 - 12 feet, and areas with submerged brush in pockets of creeks. Striped bass to 23in. are good on topwaters and Rat-L-Traps from Flag Island to Black Rock on the surface at first light in 20 - 30 feet, jigging white Curb's bucktail jigs, and drifting live bait through schools. White bass are slow to fair trolling Shad Raps and jigging Pirk Minnows and Tiny Traps over rock piles in 20 - 30 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and Curb's crappie jigs. Channel catfish are good on live bait and cut bait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on juglines and trotlines baited with live bait.
CADDO	Water stained; 69-74 degrees; 0.58' high. Black bass are fair to good on Texas rigged Beaver Tails, Senkos and Scum Frogs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on Humdingers and Road Runners. Yellow bass are fair on jigs and shrimp. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and frozen shrimp.
CALAVERAS	Water stained; 71 degrees. Black bass are fair on dark soft plastic worms and crankbaits over reed beds and in the cove near the park store. Striped bass are good on spoons and striper jigs near the dam and the crappie wall, and on chicken livers and shad near the dam and power lines. Redfish are excellent down rigging silver and gold spoons in 10 - 20 feet, on live perch, tilapia, and crawfish near the power lines, and on live bait along the crappie wall. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are excellent on liver, shrimp, cheesebait, and shad. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and liver near 181 Cove and the railroad bridge. Yellow catfish are slow.
CANYON LAKE	Water clear; 70 degrees; 0.68' low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged watermelon red Whacky Sticks, JDC Skip-N-Pop topwaters, and pumpkin 1/4oz. Curb's Erratic jigs in 6 - 12 feet along bluff ledges. Striped bass are slow to fair trolling Gizz 4 crankbaits and vertically jigging white Curb's striper jigs. White bass are fair on Road Runners upriver in 4 - 8 feet. Smallmouth bass are good on root beer JDC curl tail grubs/craws, smoke/red tubes, and silver flake Whacky Sticks on ball jigheads along main lake points and ledges in 10 - 15 feet. Crappie are fair to good on Curb's crappie jigs and live minnows around submerged brush piles along break lines. Channel catfish are fair in the upper end of the lake. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on juglines and trotlines in creeks.
CEDAR CREEK	Water lightly stained; 69-74 degrees; 0.1' low. Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits, Rat-L-Traps Texas rigs. White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Hybrid striper are fair to good on Sassy Shad and slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on cheese bait and nightcrawlers.
CHOKE CANYON	Water lightly stained; 73 degrees; 1.61' low. Black bass are good on blue/white deep crankbaits and watermelon red Carolina rigged soft plastic worms and lizards. Crappie are fair on minnow-tipped jigs. Channel catfish are fair to good on live bait. Blue and yellow catfish are good on cheesebait in 5 - 10 feet.
COLEMAN	Water clear; 71 degrees; 1.90' low. Black bass are good on watermelon red soft plastic lizards, crankbaits, and electric blue worms. Hybrid striper are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.
COLETO CREEK	Water clear; 76 degrees (84 degrees at discharge); 0.88' low. Black bass are fair on minnows. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on white spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on trotlines baited with perch and shrimp. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with perch.
COLORADO CITY	Water clear; 70 degrees; 6.01' low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
COLORADO RIVER	(Above Lake Buchanan) Water murky. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait.
CONROE	Water clear; 0.10' low. Black bass are good on watermelon red and pumpkinseed Texas and Carolina rigged soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are good on minnows and chartreuse striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on stinkbait, frozen shrimp, and nightcrawlers.
COOPER	Water lightly stained; 68-73 degrees; 0.01' high. Black bass are good on Spro Frogs, wacky rigged 4" Senkos and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows over brush piles. White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Hybrid striper are fair to good on Sassy Shad and large Road Runners. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
FAIRFIELD	Water fairly clear; 60-76 degrees. No report available.
FALCON	Water stained from Marker 8 north; 77 degrees. Black bass are good on deep running crankbaits and fair on Carolina rigged soft plastics. Striped bass are slow. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on cut bait and stinkbait in the river. Yellow catfish are slow. Mexican fishing licenses are required to fish Mexican waters. Everyone in the boat must have a Mexican fishing license whether fishing or not. Mexican boat permits are no longer required.
FAYETTE	Water lightly stained; 75 degrees. Black bass are good on shad patterned shallow running crankbaits and Texas and Carolina rigged soft plastic worms in 4 - 20 feet. Channel and blue catfish are good on juglines baited with shrimp and shad in 10 - 12 feet.
FORK	Water lightly stained; 68-74 degrees; 0.17' low. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early, and throughout the day on Carolina rigs, swimbaits and wacky rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows around the bridges and over brush piles. Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait and nightcrawlers under cormorant roosts.
FT. PHANTOM HILL	Water clear; 69 degrees; 0.55' low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on live baits. Catfish are fair on live baits.
GIBBONS CREEK	Water clear. Black bass are good on watermelon red and watermelon/green soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and white/blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait, bait shrimp, and liver.
GRANBURY	Water clear; 0.62' low. Black bass are good on watermelon red and chartreuse soft plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are fair on white bucktail jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and watermelon spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait, liver, and frozen shrimp.
GRANGER	Water murky; 75 degrees; 0.80' high. Black bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on jigs in 5 - 12 feet. Blue catfish are fair on cut bait. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch in Willis Creek Park.
GRAPEVINE	Water off color; 68-74 degrees; 1.86' high. Black bass are fair on finesse worms, Texas rigs and shallow to medium running crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and frozen shad.
GREENBELT	Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 25.10' low. Black bass are good on shad-colored crankbaits, white spinnerbaits and black/blue jigs worked along timber line, points and humps, and Carolina-rigged watermelon or pumpkin/chartreuse lizards over sandy humps and along grass lines. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live baits and chrome jerkbaits along riprap. Smallmouth bass are good on live baits, shad colored spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits along riprap. Walleye are good on shad-colored crankbaits and live baits. Catfish are good on live baits and cut shad.
HOUSTON COUNTY	Water clear; 76 degrees; 0.58' high. Black bass are very good on watermelon soft plastics and perch colored crankbaits near the dam in 6 - 12 feet. Crappie are very good on live minnows near the pump station in 7 - 12 feet and near the islands in 15 feet. White bass are good along the northeast shore. Bream are excellent on live worms off piers and near grass beds. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with perch and shad.
HUBBARD CREEK	Water lightly stained; 71 degrees; 0.60' low. Black bass are fair on minnows and orange/red crawfish lipless crankbaits and shad-colored crankbaits along points, or black/blue jigs worked along timber and reeds. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass and hybrid striper are good on live baits and inline spinnerbaits along humps and points. Catfish are good on live baits.
JOE POOL	Water off color; 68-74 degrees; 0.35' high. Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits, jerkbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. White bass are good on Humdingers and Rooster Tails. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
LAKE O' THE PINES	Water stained; 68-73 degrees; 0.21' high. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early, wacky rigs, Texas rigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
LAVON	Water stained; 69-74 degrees; 0.85' high. Black bass are fair to good on Texas rigs, wacky rigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs - moving to deeper water. Catfish are good on cut shad and prepared bait.
LBJ	Water stained; 71 degrees; 0.46' low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red Flukes, watermelon JDC Skip-N-Pop topwaters, Bleeding Shad Rat-L-Traps, and weightless green pumpkin wacky rigged Whacky Sticks along riprap on seawalls and break lines of flats early in 4 - 10 feet. White bass are slow to fair trolling Shad Raps. Crappie are very good on minnows and white Curb's crappie jigs over brush piles in 10 feet. Channel catfish are good on minnows and dip bait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch and carp.
LEWISVILLE	Water off color; 68-74 degrees; 0.23' high. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Texas rigs and shad pattern crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on Humdingers and slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs and large Rooster Tails. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut shad.
LIVINGSTON	Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.06' high. Black bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on hellbenders, pet spoons, and Charlie slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.
MACKENZIE	Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 734.76' low. Black bass are fair on live bait, orange/gold crawfish lipless crankbaits, and watermelon red soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass and striped bass are good on minnows and crankbaits. Smallmouth bass are fair on live baits and jerkbaits. Walleye are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on live and prepared baits.
MARTIN CREEK	0.06' high. No report available.
MEREDITH	Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 75.75' low. Black bass are fair on black/blue jigs and live baits off rocky points and humps, and white spinnerbaits or live baits around timber. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live bait, chrome jerkbaits and topwater lures. Smallmouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and live baits. Walleye are good on crankbaits and live baits along riprap and drop-offs. Channel catfish are good on live and cut baits.
MONTICELLO	Water fairly clear; 74-88 degrees; 0.23' low. Black bass are good topwaters early, and throughout the day on Rat-L-Traps, Texas rigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
NASWORTHY	Water lightly stained; 69 degrees. Black bass are fair on live baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Redfish are fair on live bait. White bass and striped bass are good on live baits. Catfish are fair on live and cut baits.
NAVARRO MILLS	Water murky; 75 degrees; 0.12' high. Black bass to 5 pounds are good on soft plastic worms and spinnerbaits. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish to 10 pounds are good on shad among stumps in 14 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.
O.H. IVIE	Water lightly stained; 71 degrees; 10.89' low. Black bass are good on white spinnerbaits, shad-colored crankbaits and soft jerkbaits, and live baits worked along humps, points and shallow tree lines. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on live baits and crankbaits. Smallmouth bass are good on live baits and shad-colored crankbaits. Channel catfish are good on live and prepared baits.
OAK CREEK	Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; 0.98' low. Black bass are fair on live baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on live baits.
PALESTINE	Water stained; 69-74 degrees; 0.03' high. Black bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits, weightless flukes and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Hybrid striper are fair to good on topwaters, large Rooster Tails and live shad. White bass are good on Humdingers and slabs. Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait and nightcrawlers.
PALO DURO	Water lightly stained; 54 degrees; 59.39' low. Black bass are fair on live baits and white spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Smallmouth bass are fair on live baits. Walleye are fair on live bait. Channel catfish are good on live and prepared baits.
POSSUM KINGDOM	Water stained 71 degrees; 1.01' low. Black bass are slow on Senkos and shad-colored Rat-L-Traps in the back of major creeks along rock formations in the south end of the reservoir. Crappie are good on small jigs worked on wood structures in the mid-lake area creeks. White bass are slow on silver crankbaits in the south end of the reservoir on flats adjacent to creek channels. Catfish are fair on liver in the Rock Creek area coves.
PROCTOR	Water clear; 74 degrees; 0.73' high. Black bass to 5 pounds are excellent on minnows, soft plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are good on chartreuse striper jigs and minnows. White bass are good on minnows and shad colored crankbaits. Crappie to 2 pounds are excellent on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on shad. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.
RAY HUBBARD	Water stained; 68-74 degrees; 0.05' low. Black bass are fair to good on Stanley Ribbits, spinnerbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. White bass are good to excellent on topwaters, Humdingers and Rooster Tails. Hybrid striper are fair to good on Humdingers and Sassy Shad. Catfish are fair to good on cut and prepared bait.
RAY ROBERTS	Water stained to murky; 68-72 degrees; 0.01' high. Black bass are fair on Booyah Boogie Baits and Carolina rigged Wooly Hog Tails. Crappie are excellent on Road Runners and minnows over brush piles. White bass are excellent Torpedoes and Super Spots - sporadic to regular surface action - follow the birds. No reports on catfish.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS	Water off color; 69-74 degrees; 0.07' high. Black bass are fair to good on Spro Frogs, wacky rigs, Texas rigs and medium running shad pattern crankbaits. White bass are good on Humdingers and slabs. Hybrid striper are fair to good on slabs and live shad. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared bait and nightcrawlers.
SAM RAYBURN	Water lightly stained; 71 degrees; 1.16' low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red and pumpkinseed soft plastics and Brush Hogs. White bass are fair on minnows, hellbenders, and silver spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows and tube jigs over brush piles. Bream are fair on nightcrawlers. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.
SOMERVILLE	Water murky; 70 degrees; 0.45' high. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on dead shad along the banks in 2 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.
SPENCE	Water lightly stained; 67 degrees; 50.63' low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Striped bass and hybrid striper are slow. Catfish are slow.
STAMFORD	Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; 1.24' low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White and striped bass are fair on live baits. Catfish are fair on live baits.
STEINHAGEN	1.70' high. No report available.
STILLHOUSE	Water clear; 71 degrees; 0.11' high. Black bass are good on minnows, perch, watermelon trick worms, and watermelon super flukes. White bass are excellent on minnows in 10 - 15 feet. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on chicken livers and hot dogs. Yellow catfish are slow.
SWEETWATER	Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 4.34' low. Black bass are slow on live baits. Crappie are slow on live baits and jigs. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow on live baits.
TAWAKONI	Water lightly stained; 68-74 degrees; 0.34' high. Black bass are fair to good on white/chartreuse spinnerbaits, chrome Rat-L-Traps and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Humdingers and slabs. Striped bass and hybrid striper are fair to good on topwaters, live shad and Sassy Shad. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
TEXOMA	Water off color; 67-72 degrees; 3.19' high. Black bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps, jerkbaits and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on topwaters, Sassy Shad and live shad. Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait, cut and live shad.
TOLEDO BEND	Water clear; 71 degrees; 0.29' low. Black bass are good on soft plastic worms and crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on bucktail jigs. White bass are fair on silver spoons and slabs in the river. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over baited holes in 12 feet. Bream are good on crickets and nightcrawlers. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.
TRAVIS	Water clear; 71 degrees; 3.76' low. Black bass are good on chrome topwaters, June bug worms, and grubs in 5 - 18 feet. Striped bass are fair on chrome topwaters and smoke grubs in 10 - 20 feet. White bass to 1.5 pounds are good on chrome topwaters, smoke grubs, and white shad raps in 8 - 25 feet. Crappie are fair on blue/white tube jigs and roadrunners. Channel and blue catfish are fair on fresh cut bait and nightcrawlers in 15 - 25 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.
WALTER E. LONG	Water stained; 71 degrees. Black bass are good on crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, and on red, sour grape, and June bug soft plastic worms. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.
WEATHERFORD	Water stained; 68-74 degrees; 0.05' low. Black bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits, tubes and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared bait and cut shad. White bass are good on Humdingers and slabs.
WHITE RIVER	Water lightly stained; 67 degrees; 30.57' low. Black bass are fair on black/blue large soft plastic worms or black/red jigs, white spinnerbaits, and live baits along stickups and rocky points. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Walleye are good on live baits and crankbaits. Channel catfish are good on live baits.
WHITNEY	Water clear; 0.42' low. Black bass are good on watermelon, watermelon red, and pumpkinseed Texas and Carolina rigged soft plastics and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on white/green striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows, Charlie slabs, pet spoons, and spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and Li'l Fishies. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp and stinkbait.
WICHITA	Water turbid; 68 degrees; 1.24' low. Crappie are fair near pavilion pilings and off dam. White bass and hybrid striped bass are fair on minnows or live shad in front of the dry spillway area. Channel catfish are fair drift fishing with shad and on trotlines. Note: Boat launching is difficult due to low water conditions.
WRIGHT PATMAN	Water lightly stained; 69-74 degrees; 14.79' high. Black bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits, Texas rigs, Stanley Frogs and shallow running crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.