Published: July 01, 2008 08:57 am            

The East Texas Fishing Report

The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of June 29:

ATHENS — The lake is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Charles Spearman said bass fishing has been excellent to nine pounds. Best bite has been coming Texas rig watermelon worms and white crankbaits worked in eight feet of water. A few fish hitting topwaters early and late.

Crappie are good. Several limits coming off brush piles in 25 feet of water, mostly on minnows.

Catfish are good to seven pounds on frozen shad fished from shore in 7-8 feet of water.

CEDAR CREEK — Cedar Creek is about eight inches low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 80s.

Fishing guide Jason Barber said white bass are good on spoons dipped in 15-20 feet of water. Lots of schooling activity reported.

Largemouth bass are fair on plastics and crankbaits fished around deeper docks on 7-12 feet of water. Docks with brush are best. Good numbers of fish beginning to pile up around main lake humps and other structure. Carolina rigs and DD-22 cranks are working best off shore.

A few crappie still hanging around the marina and deeper docks. The best bite has been around the bridges and brush piles in 17-20 feet of water.

Catfish are excellent on cut shad fished in 20 feet of water. Drifting over deep flats also has been productive.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Larry Winters at Midway Landing said bass fishing has been fairly tough as of late. It took 19.64 pounds to win last weekend's Bass Champs event; eight more sacks of 15 pounds or more weighed in. Try cranks and plastics around boat docks with brush. Carolina rigs and cranks are working on main lake strucure.

Crappie are fair in deep, standing timber, mostly on minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait fished along the banks and in standing timber 12-18 feet deep. White bass are schooling early, then retreating to bottom on main lake points.

PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is at normal level and on a slow rise. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Greg Porter at Porter's Sporting Goods said crappie fishing has been good in 18 feet of water around brush piles. Minnows and jigs are working equally well. Not much happening at the long bridge.

White bass are excellent at night. Anglers are reporting fast limits at the bridge on minnows fished beneath lights.

Largermouth bass are fair to four pounds on topwaters and buzz frogs worked in shallow water early and late. Midday bite is best on Carolina rigs and deep crankbaits worked on main lake structure and along channel breaks.

SAM RAYBURN — The lake is about two feet low and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Ann Thomasson-Wilson at Ann's Tackle said bass fishing has been good to 10 pounds lipless and billed crankbaits fished around hydrilla beds in 4-10 feet of water. There also have been some quality fish reported on Yellow Magics, Pop Rs and Zara Spooks worked over submerged grass in shallow water. The surface bite has been good all day at times. Soft plastics rigged Texas and Carolina style are working around main lake brush piles.

Crappie anglers are reporting limits off man made brush piles in 20-25 feet of water, mostly on minnows.

FORK —The lake is about seven inches high after two inches of rain Sunday morning. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Tony Parker at the Minnow Bucket said bass fishing has been excellent to nine pounds on Yellow Magics and buzz baits fished over grass beds in 2-10 feet of water. Light Texas rigs has as been good on outside grass edges and in timber out to 15 feet. Redbug and red shad are good color choices. Crappie are fair. Lots of small fish hanging around the bridges. The better fish are coming off brush piles in 25-30 feet of water, mainly on minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut shad fished in 10-15 feet of water.

TOLEDO BEND — T-Bend is about a foot low and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Fishing guide Tommy Martin said bass fishing has been good to five pounds on Texas rig worms and spoons fished around main lake structure in 17-20 feet of water. Junebug and redbug are the top colors. Martin said the grass bite has been fair down south, mostly on jigs and heavy Texas rigs. A 10.98 pounder won the McDonald's Big Bass Splash held June 20-22. Jason Broadway of Robeline, La. caught the fish out of eight feet of water using a watermelon/red Zoom brush hog.

— Matt Williams

        

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