East Texas Fishing Report

March 07, 2006 04:32 pm

— The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of March 6:
ATHENS — Lake Athens is 1.89 feet low and clear. Water temp is in upper 50s, low 60s.
Terry Mayall at Lake Athens Marina said bass are good on Rat-L-Traps, Zoom Flukes and finesse worms worked in 4-6 feet of water near drains and channel breaks. Some bedding and schooling activity reported in the backs of creeks.
Crappie are fair around brush in 5-10 feet of water. Anglers can look for papermouths to make a move to the bank if the warming trend continues.
Catfish are fair on cut shad and stink bait soaked on bottom in 8-12 feet of water.
CEDAR CREEK — Cedar Creek is five feet low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 60s.
Bass are fair to five pounds on spinnerbaits and jigs worked around wood in 2-5 feet of water. Texas rig lizards and Senkos also are producing some solid fish.
Crappie are filtering into creeks and taking jigs and shiners worked at suspended depths. Anglers can expect the skinny water bite to improve if warm weather continues.
Catfish are good on night crawlers and prepared baits dunked around baited holes in 12-15 feet of water.
PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is about two feet low and clear. Water temp is in the low 60s.
Bill Miller at Flat Creek Marina said crappie fishing is excellent. Anglers are taking consistent limits along creeks and off brush tops in 4-8 feet of water. Some of the best catches are coming on jigs. Miller said the fish should be setting up around boat houses and other shallow structures to spawn within the next couple of weeks.
Catfish are good to 28 pounds on rod and reel using cut shad fished off the bank in four feet of water. Late afternoon bite has been best. Channel cat good night crawlers fished off the bank.
White bass are good up the Neches River. Lots of traffic at the Highway 31 boat launch. Anglers are faring best on shiners and Roadrunners.
Black bass are fair to six pounds spinnerbaits and soft plastics worked in skinny water.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is 5 1/2 feet low and clear. Water temp is in the upper 50s.
Larry Winters at Midway Landing said catfish are excellent to eight pounds on punch bait and shad. Rod and reelers are faring best on windy shorelines in about two feet of water. Jug liners are picking up good numbers of blues in the 15-20 pound range using cut shad.
Black bass are fair to four pounds on spinnerbaits and lizards worked in 2-4 feet of water. Winters said the fishing should get progressively better if the warming trend continues.
White bass are fair on spoons and slabs bounced on points in 18-20 feet of water.
Crappie are slow.
SAM RAYBURN — Sam Rayburn is about two feet low and slightly stained. Water temp is ranging 58-63 degrees.
Bass pro Lonnie Stanley said bass are good to eight pounds on ICON Series spinnerbaits, gold Rogues and 'Traps worked over scattered hydrilla beds on points and near channel swings in in 4-12 feet of water. Carolina rigs are working well in slightly deeper water.
Crappie are fair on live shiners and jigs fished around brush tops. Catfish are good over baited holes in 12-18 feet of water using prepared baits and cut shad.
FORK — Lake Fork is three feet low and clear. Water temp is 58-65 degrees.
Bass are good to 14.09 pounds on jigs, soft jerkbaits and Rat-L-Traps worked in two feet of water. Martin Edwards at the Minnow Bucket said bass are beginning to gravitate towards the shallows. Several double-digit fish weighed during the last week.
Edwards said crappie are scattered. Decent reports coming from the Highway 515 bridges and in timber down to 25 feet, mostly on live shiners.
Catfish are good on cut shad and punch baits tightlined in standing timber near creek breaks.
NACOGDOCHES — Lake Nacogdoches about two feet low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 60s.
Bass are good to seven pounds on jigs dragged along creek breaks and spinnerbaits slow rolled over scattered hydrilla in 2-7 feet of water.
Crappie are fair on live shiners and jigs fished along creeks and over brushtops. No reports on catfish.
TOLEDO BEND — T-Bend is about 5 1/2 feet low and stained up north, clear down south. Water temp is in the low 60s.
Charlie Shively at Bill's Landing said bass are good to nine pounds on Texas rig lizards, jigs and spinnebaits fished shallow, 2-4 feet.
Crappie are pulling up shallow, 3-4 feet deep. Shively is reporting several fish up to 2 1/2 pounds on minnows and black/chartreuse jigs.
Catfish are good to 44 pounds on trotline baited with live perch and cut bait. Rod and reelers are pulling in some blues in the 10-12 pound range using shad and minnows.
PINKSTON — Lake Pinkston is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the mid 60s.
Fishing guide Alan Spruiell said good numbers of fish are roaming the shallows. Several quality bass up to 10 pounds reported during the last week, mostly on plastics worked in 2-5 feet of water.
Crappie are slow.
— Matt Williams