By Matt Williams
ATHENS — Lake Athens is about four inches low and clear. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Bass are good to six pounds and crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps and light Texas rigs worked around deeper boat docks and on main lake points and drop offs. School bass are still a factor.
Crappie are fair around brush in 18-22 feet of water, mainly on minnows soaked 9-14 feet down. Bream crowds are icing plenty of hand-size fish using crickets and earth worms around boat docks.
CEDAR CREEK — The lake is about five inches low and stained. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Fishing guide Jason Barber said fishing patterns have been holding steady over the last couple of weeks. Barber said boat docks with brush are good bass up to four pounds using crankbaits, light Texas rigs, Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits.
Catfish are taking shad and shrimp drifted over humps and creek channels in deep water, 20-30 feet. Main lake points in shallow water have been productive in windy conditions.
Crappie are fair on minnows soaked around the Highway 198 bridge crossings and the Highway 334 bridge, mainly on minnows.
PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is about six inches low and stained. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Greg Porter at Porter's Sporting Goods said bass fishing has been good on plastics and crankbaits worked around submerged bridges in 12-15 of water. A few fish taking topwaters and spinnerbaits early and late. Boat houses are holding fish throughout the day.
Crappie are fair on live shiners soaked around brush and bridge pilings in 15-18 feet of water. Catfish are excellent. Porter said anglers are icing limits using punch bait fished beneath a slip cork in 3-5 feet of water, mostly around rocks.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is about three feet low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Larry Winters at Midway Landing said white bass and catfish are excellent. The whites are schooling in the mouths of coves early, then moving to points and humps in 18-25 feet of water during midday. Catfishermen are picking up limits around standing timber 10-18 feet deep, mostly on shad, minnows and punch bait.
Crappie are fair. Winters said most anglers are going through a half dozen throw backs for every keeper. The fish are suspended in 8-20 feet of water.
Black bass are slow.
NACOGDOCHES — Lake Nac is about 18 inches low and clear. Water temp is in the upper 80s, low 90s.
Bass are taking plastics and jigs dragged slowly around main lake structure at night. A 12 pounder reported just ahead of the July 4 holiday. Daytime crowds are picking up some solid fish using deep diving cranks, Carolina rig and Texas rigs around brush in 15-22 feet of water. A few fish responsive to topwaters in the shallows and creature baits flipped around pads lining the main creek.
Crappie are fair on live shiners soaked around deep brush piles. No limits reported.
TOLEDO BEND — The lake is about 1 1/2 feet low and clear. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Fishing guide Stephen Johnston said bass fishing has been fairly slow as of late. Some schooling activity in the backs of creeks, but most takers are small. Crankbaits and topwaters are producing the most hits. Johnston said the grass bite has been slow. Best bite has been on Carolina rigs and Texas rigs fished on outside edges in 13-16 feet of water.
Crappie are excellent on minnows fished around brush piles in 25-30 feet of water. The fish are suspended 18-20 feet down.
PINKSTON — Lake Pinkston is about foot low and clear. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Alan Spruiell said bass fishing has been good to about five pounds on light Texas rigs fished in 8-15 feet of water. Watermelon/purple/red is the hot color. Crappie are slow.
SAM RAYBURN — The lake is about two feet low and clear. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Bass are fair to five pounds on crankbaits worked along outside grass edges in 8-13 feet of water. Ann Thomasson-Wilson at Ann's Tackle said Carolina rigs and Texas rig Ol' Monster worms are working in the same areas. Hot colors are watermelon candy/red flake and watermelon magic. Topwaters and watermelon Super Flukes are producing good results when worked over submerged grass, mostly early and late.
Crappie are hit and miss. Wilson said the best results on coming around brush in 20-30 feet of water, mainly on minnows.
FORK — Lake Fork is at normal level and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 90s.
Fishing guide Gary Paris said bass are good to eight pounds on spoons, Carolina rigs and DD22 crankbaits worked around submerged timber 18 feet of water. Paris is picking up good numbers of fish in the 3-6 pound range. Shallow grass in 8-10 feet of water is holding a few fish, but the bite has not been very consistent.
Crappie are fair on deep brush piles, 20-25 feet, mainly on jigs and minnows. Bridges seem to be holding lots of small fish.
— Matt Williams
