Prairies & Lakes Fishing Reports
Week of July 31, 2013
ATHENS : Water clear, 82–88 degrees; 3.25’ low. Black bass are slow on Texas rigged green pumpkin Zoom Speed Craws and weightless Senkos. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines.
BASTROP : Water clear; 88–92 degrees. Black bass are good on chartreuse and green pumpkin crankbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are very good on liver and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.
BELTON : Water stained; 82–86 degrees; 8.38’ low. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps. Hybrid striper are good but small on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are very good on minnows under lights at night. Crappie are good on minnows in 20–25 feet under lights at night. Channel and blue catfish are good on juglines baited with frozen shad. Yellow catfish are good on juglines baited with live perch.
BONHAM : Water stained, 82–88 degrees; 0.62’ low. Black bass are good in flooded vegetation, cattails, around boat docks and on points. Crankbaits, soft plastics, jigs and topwaters are all working well – key is to cover water. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows around bridges and brush piles in 12–15’. Catfish are good on minnows along the bank in the park area.
BRIDGEPORT : Water clear; 81–86 degrees; 18.90’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs green pumpkin Xcite Raptor Tail worms around deeper docks on main lake and small white swimbaits around the dam. Crappie are slow on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Late evening schooling noted. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Channel catfish are slow on trotlines. Zebra mussels have been found in this reservoir. Anglers will need to drain all water from their boats before leaving the lake. See Possession and Transport.
CEDAR CREEK : Water clear; 82–87 degrees; 5.04’ low. Black bass are fair on shakyheads around docks. Football jigs and deep diving crankbaits on deeper brush piles working later in the day. Some topwater action noted early. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.
COOPER : Water clear; 82–87 degrees; 9.82’ low. Black bass are slow on swimjigs in baitfish patterns. Crappie are slow on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on live shad. Catfish are good on cut bait and trotlines.
FAIRFIELD : Fishing has been slow since the fish kill in September of 2010. TPWD has discontinued stocking the lake after another kill in early September 2011. Redfish and black bass survived the kill in limited numbers.
FAYETTE : Water stained. Black bass are fair on pumpkinseed and watermelon red Carolina rigged soft plastics. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and cut shad.
GIBBONS CREEK : Water clear. Black bass are fair on chartreuse/white Carolina rigged soft plastics, and on white Rat–L–Traps and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on stinkbait, frozen shrimp, and perch.
GRANBURY : Water stained; 86–90 degrees; 7.07’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon red and chartreuse Carolina rigged soft plastics, crankbaits, and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on silver striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows, Charlie slabs, and pet spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait and chicken livers.
GRAPEVINE : Water clear; 82–86 degrees; 7.32’ low. Black bass are good on finesse worms and shakyheads. Some fish being caught on deeper brush piles with jigs, crankbaits and smaller jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad.
JOE POOL : Water clear; 81–86 degrees; 1.29’ low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged soft plastics along brush piles in 10–12’. Some fish being caught on weightless soft jerkbaits and Senkos as well. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad.
LAVON : Water lightly stained; 83–88 degrees; 8.79’ low. Black bass are fair on larger Texas rigged soft plastics along deeper points. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines. All boaters and anglers should be aware of new TPWD regulations to prevent the spread of invasive species – see: Possession and Transport.
LEWISVILLE : Water clear; 82–86 degrees; 6.00’ low. Black bass are fair on shakyheads and Jackall Flick Shake worms around larger submerged rock. Crappie are fair on minnows near the marinas. White bass are good on jigs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad. Zebra mussels have been found in this reservoir. Anglers will need to drain all water from their boats before leaving the lake. See Possession and Transport.
NAVARRO MILLS : Water lightly stained; 86–90 degrees; 1.95’ low. Black bass are good on topwaters and soft plastics early. White bass are slow. Crappie are good but small on minnows and orange/chartreuse jigs off docks in Liberty Hill Park early. Channel catfish are good on shrimp around stickups in 3 – 4 feet. Blue catfish are fair on perch. Yellow catfish are slow.
PALESTINE : Water clear; 82–86 degrees; 1.26’ low. Black bass are fair on shakyheads and weightless Flukes near docks and timber closest to deep water. Crappie are fair on minnows. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. White bass are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait.
PROCTOR : Water stained; 87–91 degrees; 5.40’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon crankbaits and spinnerbaits early. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse striper jigs and live shad. White bass are good on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with goldfish. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.
RAY HUBBARD : Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 4.13’ low. Black bass are fair on football jigs and deep diving crankbaits along points. Heavy shakyhead setups are effective as well. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on cut shad and trotlines.
RAY ROBERTS : Water clear; 82–87 degrees; 5.01’ low. Black bass are good on deep diving crankbaits in shad patterns near deeper brush piles at the mouths of larger creeks. The late evening frog bite is picking up around shallow vegetation. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait. Zebra mussels have been found in this reservoir. Anglers will need to drain all water from their boats before leaving the lake. See Possession and Transport.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS : Water clear; 83–87 degrees; 7.86’ low. Black bass are slow on medium crankbaits near brush piles in 8–10’. Smaller swimbaits rigged on weighted heads also effective. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared bait.
SOMERVILLE : Water murky; 86–90 degrees; 5.25’ low. Black bass are fair on green pumpkin crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on liver, minnows, and shad. Yellow catfish are slow.
STILLHOUSE : Water stained; 83–87 degrees; 7.90’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on chicken livers and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.
TAWAKONI : Water stained; 83–88 degrees; 6.77’ low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged creature baits rigged with heavier weights around shallow cover – black buzzbaits in early morning are effective as well. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Striped bass and hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and trotlines.
TEXOMA : Water clear; 81–87 degrees; 0.18’ high. Black bass are slow on Texas rigged soft plastics near floating docks and any shallow cover in the first half of major creeks. Early morning topwater action is slow. Striped bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on trotlines. Zebra mussels have been found in this reservoir. Anglers will need to drain all water from their boats before leaving the lake. See Possession and Transport.
WEATHERFORD : Water clear; 81–86 degrees; 6.09’ low. Black bass slow around docks and on deeper brush piles. Best bite has been mid day. Shakyheads and drop shots have been working as well. No report on other species. Please call ahead as low water is making launching difficult.
WHITNEY : Water stained; 83–87 degrees; 10.61’ low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on silver spoons. White bass are fair on minnows, pet spoons, and Charlie slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp, stinkbait, and live bait.
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Fishing reports are produced with support from Toyota and the federal Sport Fish Restoration program.