East Texas Fishing Report

By Matt Williams Outdoors Writer

August 26, 2008 10:06 am

— The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of Aug. 24:
ATHENS — Lake Athens is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s.
Charles Spearman at Lake Athens Marina said bass fishing has been good to five pounds. Lots of slot reported on topwaters fished along grass edges in eight feet of water. Lots of slot fish reported. A few fish taking Texas rigs in the same areas.
Crappie are holding brush in 18-20 feet of water. Spearman is seeing plenty of limits, mainly on minnows. Best bite has been at night.
No reports on catfish.
CEDAR CREEK — The lake is about 18 inches low and slightly stained. Water temps is in the mid-to-upper 80s.
Summer patterns continue to dominate the bass fishing scene. Fishing guide Jason Barber suggests working crankbaits, Texas rigs and Carolina rigs on main lake structure with defined breaks. Some of the deeper boat docks with brush are holding some quality fish, as well.
Anglers are picking up good numbers of white bass and hybrids during low light hours, particularly when the fish are schooling on shad. Barber suggests targeting the schoolies with swim baits or topwater, switching to 3/4 ounce spoons or shad when they go down.
Crappie fishermen are picking up partial limits around bridges and deep brush piles using minnows at suspended depths. The better quality catfish are coming on fresh shad drifted over deep humps near the dam. Catfish are fair on cut shad drifted over deep humps.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is about two feet low and clear on the main lake, slightly stained in some of the creeks. Water temp is in the mid-to-upper 80s.
Larry Winters at Midway Landing said topwaters are working fairly well early and under cloudy skies. Best bite has been in 2-4 feet of water.
Crappie are good in standing timber in 18-28 feet of water. The fish are suspended and taking live shiners best.
Catfish are good. Windy shorelines are producing limits of channels and blues in the 2-5 pound range. Standing timber in 12-18 feet of water is best under still conditions.
White bass schooling over points early and late. During midday the fish are hold tight to bottom in 28 feet of water.
PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is about normal level and fairly clear. Water temp is in the mid-to-upper 80s.
Bass are fair to six pounds. Soft plastics rigged Carolina and Texas style are yielding some solid keepers when dragged on points, humps and along channel breaks at the south end of the lake. Some of the deeper docks at the south end of the lake are holding fish, as well. The best bite up north has been along Kickapoo and Flat creeks in water ranging 8-12 feet. A few fish taking topwaters and buzz baits in the shallows during low light conditions.
Crappie are fair on minnows soaked in deep brush or around bridge pilings. Catfish are good on punch bait fished on bottom around standing timber in 6-12 feet of water.
FORK — Lake Fork is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the mid-80s.
Fishing guide Gary Paris has been using Texas rig worms and Carolina rigs to pick up some solid fish in on humps, road beds and points in water ranging 18-25 feet deep. Spoons have been productive as well. Topwaters and buzz frogs are working fairly well in shallower water around lily pads and hydrilla.
Crappie fishermen are reporting the best results around brush piles in deep water. A few fish also hanging around cross members at bridge crossings.
Catfish are fair to good using punch bait and cut shad in 12-18 feet of water.
TOLEDO BEND — T-Bend is about 3 1/2 feet below normal and clear. Water temp is in the mid-to-upper 80s.
Fishing guide Tommy Martin said bass are good to four pounds in 10-18 feet of water around underwater ridges, points and brush piles. Best bite has been on light Texas rig worms in a june bug or red bug pattern. Lots of schooling activity reported. Down south, Texas rigs, Carolina rig and deep diving cranks are working around deep brush.
Crappie fishing has been good on minnows soaked around deep brush piles at the south end of the lake.
Catfish are good to 30 pounds on trotlines tipped with live perch and cut bait. Rod and reelers are picking up good numbers of channels and blues using cut bait and night crawlers along the edges of the Sabine River.
SAM RAYBURN — The lake is about four feet low; clear on the main lake and stained in the backs of some of the creeks. Water temp is in the upper 80s.
Bass fishing has been good on topwaters early and late. Chrome/blue and bone patterns have been especially good. Some of the better fish are coming on light Texas rigs and jigs swimmed through deeper hydrilla in 8-13 feet of water.
Crappie fishing has been fair in deep brush in 18-25 feet of water. The fish are suspended. Catfish are holding around deep brush piles as well.
PINKSTON — Lake Pinkston is about three feet low and clear. Water temp is in the mid-to-upper 80s.
Bass fishing as been fair to six pounds on blue fleck Texas rig worms and deep crankbaits worked in relation to points underwater brush. Flipping with jigs and heavy plastics is producing some solid fish around matted grass up the Little Sandy channel. Lots of schooling activity on the main lake near the day; some quality fish in the mix.
No report on crappie.
— Matt Williams