Published: May 06, 2008 09:26 am            

The East Texas Fishing Report

The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of May 4:

ATHENS — Lake Athens is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the mid-70s.

Charles Spearman at Lake Athens Marina said bass fishing has been excellent to seven pounds. Lots of slot fish reported on spinnerbaits and Senkos worked along outside grass edges in 5-6 feet of water.

Crappie are good in 3-15 feet of water, mostly on minnows. Spawning activity is beginning to wind down.

CEDAR CREEK — The lake is at normal level and stained. Water temp is in the high 60s.

Fishing guide Jason Barber said bass anglers are picking up some quality fish in shallow water using spinnerbaits, Senkos and Flukes.

Crappie are good. Anglers are plucking limits off brushy shorelines and boat docks in 10 feet of water. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut shad soaked on bottom in 1-6 feet of water.

Barber said white bass and hybrids have been most active in the shallows during the early morning hours. Some schooling activity reported. Midday bite is best using spoons on main lake points and along drop offs.

PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is at normal level and stained. Water temp is in the low 70s.

Josh Meadows at Porter's Sporting Goods said crappie anglers are still picking up partial limits in skinny water 2-6 feet deep using minnows and jigs. Best results are coming towards the backs of creeks.

Catfish are good just about anywhere you can find rocks in 1-4 feet of water. Rip raft at all the bridges has been especially productive.

Meadows said largemouth bass are hit and miss. Hybrids are good below the dam, mostly on Sassy Shads and Storm Swim Shads. White with a red head is the top color.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is a few inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low 70s.

Larry Winters at Midway Landing said bass fishing has been fair to five pounds on Texas rig lizards and spinnerbaits worked from the bank out to five feet.

Crappie anglers are picking up good numbers of quality fish using long poles in flooded brush in the backs of creeks. Most of the better catches are coming shallow, 1-3 feet deep.

Catfish are excellent on punch bait soaked on bottom along windy shorelines in 1-4 feet of water. High winds have made main lake fishing tough.

White bass and hybrids are good when the wind allows. The better catches are coming on spoons and Rat-L-Traps.

FORK — Lake Fork is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the upper 60s, low 70s.

Fishing guide Jeff Steele said bass are good to nine pounds on Zoom Flukes and wacky worms twitched in shallow water, 4-8 feet deep. A few guides are reporting a decent bite on spinnerbaits worked on main lake grassy points in about 10 feet of water.

SAM RAYBURN — The lake is about a foot low and clear. Water temp is in the low-to-mid-70s.

Fishing guide Lynn Atkinson said bass are fair to four pounds on Carlolina rig brush hogs dragged in 9-17 feet of water. Outside grass edges and creek breaks are most productive. Good numbers of small fish — Matt Williams

        

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