Published: August 19, 2008 09:13 am            

East Texas Fishing Report

The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of Aug. 17:

ATHENS — Lake Athens is at normal level and clear. Water temp is about 88 degrees.

Bass fishing has been excellent 6 1/2 pounds, according to Charles Spearman at Lake Athens Marina. Good numbers slot fish are schooling throughout the day and taking topwaters. The better quality fish are coming on black worms rigged Texas style. Key water depth is 12 feet.

Crappie fishing has been good. Spearman said crappie anglers are sacking up fast limits over deep brush in 20 feet of water, mainly on minnows.

No report on catfish.

CEDAR CREEK — The lake is about 18 inches low and slightly stained. Surface temps have cooled to the mid-80s thanks to welcomed cloud cover.

Fishing guide Jason Barber said he has been catching largemouths using Carolina rigs, crankbaits and Texas rigs. Deeper docks and main lake humps are drops are holding the most fish.

Barber says white bass and hybrids are schooling at first light over humps and other structure near the dam. Topwaters and swim baits are working best while the fish are up; switch to spoons or live shad when they retreat to bottom.

Crappie are fair at the bridges and over brush piles, but you have to probe suspended depths to score. Minnows and jigs are working equally well at times. Catfish are fair. Best reports are coming on fresh cut shad drifted over deep humps.

PALESTINE — The lake is about one-inch high and fairly clear down south, slightly stained up north.

Bass fishing has been been fair to four pounds using topwaters, frogs, crankbaits and soft jerk baits around shallow weed beds up north. A few anglers picking up quality fish using jigs and Texas rigs along the breaks of Kickapoo and Flat creeks.

Farther south, try crankbaits, Texas rigs and Carolina rigs around deeper boat docks, main lake points and humps.

Josh Meadows at Porter's Sporting Goods said crappie are fair at best. The better reports are coming on minnows soaked around brush piles. Bridge fishermen are reporting partial limits.

Catfish are good on punch bait and cut shad. No report on white bass.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is about two feet low and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Bass fishing has been slow. A few quality fish taking Carolina rig and Texas rig plastics dragged on main lake structure in 10-14 feet of water, but overall the bite has been tough.

Crappie fishing has been good on minnows fished vertical in standing timber in 14-25 feet of water. The fish are concentrated at suspended depths.

Catfish are fair to four pounds on punch bait fished on bottom in 20 feet of water. Shallow bite is best when there is some wind to put some chop on the banks.

White bass are schooling over main lake points early and late, but not many anglers are chasing them.

FORK — Lake Fork is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the mid-to-upper 80s.

Chris Parker at the Minnow Bucket said bass fishing has been fair to 10 1/2 pounds on spinnerbaits fished along outside grasslines at night. Texas rig worms, Zoom Flukes and Carolina rigs are working best during midday hours, but the bite has been tough overall. A few fish also reported on spoons in 26 feet of water.

Crappie fishing has been fair over brush piles in 26 feet of water. Bridge fishermen who stay on the move are picking up partial limits. The fish are suspended just off bottom.

Catfish are good on punch bait soaked on bottom in 12-15 feet of water.

NACOGDOCHES — Lake Nacogdoches is about 22 inches low and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Bass fishing as been fair to five pounds. Cloud cover early in the week sparked a decent surface bite on frogs, Yellow Magics and Pop Rs. However, the better fish are still coming on soft plastics worked in relation to scattered grass in 10-12 feet of water. A few fish also reported on jigs and cranks. Schooling activity has been sporadic on the main lake.

No change in crappie patterns. Best results are coming on minnows and jigs soaked around deep brush piles and stumps lining the main creek channels.

TOLEDO BEND — The lake is about 3 1/2 feet low and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Bass fishing has been fair up north using light Texas rigs and crankbaits worked around main lake structure and timber lines in water ranging 10-14 feet. Redbug and junebug are the top soft plastic colors. Topwaters are working in the same areas while the fish are schooling. Down south, anglers are keying outside grass edges using heavy jigs, Texas rigs and deep cranks.

Crappie fishing has been good on minnows and jigs in deep water. The better fishing is happening down south, mainly around brush piles. Catfishing has been fair on trotline and rod and reel. A 41-pounder won the 1st annual Sealy Outdoors Big Cat Splash earlier this month.

SAM RAYBURN — The lake is about four feet below normal and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.

Bass fishing has been fair to around six pounds. Sherry Beard at Ann's Tackle said the bite has been tough overall, according to recent reports. Beard said the better bite has been coming in 14-16 feet of water around scattered grass using Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, cranks and jigs. A few fish hitting topwaters, but the surface bite has not been very reliable. Some schooling activity reported.

— Matt Williams

        

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