The East Texas Fishing Report

By Matt Williams

December 30, 2008 10:35 am

— The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of Dec. 28:
ATHENS — Lake Athens is about eight inches low and clear. Water temp is in the low 50s.
Charles Spearman at Lake Athens Marina said bass fishing has been fair to seven pounds. Good numbers of slot fish taking Texas rig worms and red Rat-L-Traps worked in eight feet of water. Spearman said the fish are holding on windy points along the outside edges of hydrilla.
Crappie fishermen are boxing fast limits using live shiners over deep brush piles in 20-30 feet of water. The fish are suspended on top of the brush.
No report on catfish.
CEDAR CREEK — The lake is nearly three feet below normal and stained. Water temp is in the upper 40s.
Fishing guide Jason Barber said catfishing has been good on fresh cut shad drifted over main lake structure or soaked on bottom in shallow water on points, wind blown shorelines or beneath cormorant roosts.
Barber said crappie are huddled around deep brush piles. The fish are taking jigs and live shiners equally well. Hybrids and white bass are hitting Sassy Shads and bucktail jigs worked at suspended depths beneath feeding birds.
Bass fishing has been fair on jigs, cranks and spinnerbaits worked slowly around deeper docks with brush and around rocks.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is about four feet low and stained. Water temp is in the low 50s.
Bass fishing has been fair to four pounds. Larry Winters at Midway Landing said anglers are picking up some solid fish on spinnerbaits and jigs tossed along creek banks in 4-5 feet of water. Fish are relating predominantly to wood.
Crappie are very slow. White bass are fair on spoons bounced on main lake points in 28 feet of water or crankbaits trolled in the same areas. Catfish are fair to 15 pounds on jug lines tipped with cut shad or perch. Hand liners are picking up mixed limits of channels and blues on punch bait soaked in standing timber in 15-18 feet of water. Windy shorelines also can be good
FORK — Lake Fork is about seven inches low and clear. Water temp is in the low 50s.
Tony Parker at the Minnow Bucket said bass are fair to five pounds on red Rat-L-Traps worked around hydrilla bed in 6-8 feet of water. A few few good reports coming on spoons and Carolina rigs worked on main lake structure in 30 feet of water.
Crappie anglers are making some good hauls on live shiners and jigs fished in 25-30 feet of water. Catfish are fair in standing timber 15-20 feet deep. Cormorant roosts are good when the wind allows you to fish them.
TOLEDO BEND — T-Bend is nearly four feet below normal and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 50s.
Fishing guide Stephen Johnston said bass fishing has been fair to four pounds on spinnerbaits and crankbaits worked along outside grass edges in 15-20 feet of water. Johnston said the better concentrations are holding in 27-34 feet of water around balls of shad. Best baits in deep water are spoons and drop shots.
Crappie fishing has been good along bends of the Sabine River in the Chicken Coop area. The fish are suspended 22-30 feet down over 80 feet of water.
SAM RAYBURN — Sam Rayburn is about seven feet low and clear. Water temp is in the low 50s.
Fishing guide Stephen Johnston said bass fishing has been good to five pounds on Sebile Flat Shads, Rat-L-Traps and other lipless cranks. Best reports are coming from shallow water grassbeds in 2-4 feet of water. Veach Basin, Caney, Harvey, Five Fingers and Buck Bay are getting plenty of attention.
Crappie anglers are reporting good results up the Angelina River, mainly on minnows. No report on catfish.
NACOGDOCHES — The lake is about two feet low and clear. Water temp is in the low-to-mid-50s.
Bass fishing has been fair to four pounds on crawfish pattern crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. The better reports are coming in water 3-7 feet deep, mainly around scattered clumps of hydrilla.
Crappie are fair on minnows soaked over deep brush. No limits reported.
— Matt Williams