Athens Review, Athens, Texas

Sports

January 25, 2010

1/25 The East Texas Fishing Report

By Matt Williams

ATHENS — Lake Athens is about normal level and clear. Water temp is in the mid-50s.

Jerry Hanson at Lake Athens Marina said bass fishing has been fair for numbers, slow for quality. Best results are coming on drop shots and Carolina rigs worked in 20-25 feet of water. Blue fleck and green pumpkin are the hot plastic colors. Not much coming up shallow.

Crappie are slow. Best reports are coming on live shiners soaked around brush piles in 20-25 feet of water. No report on catfish.

CEDAR CREEK — The lake is at normal level and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 50s.

Fishing guide Jason Barber says bass are fair to about four pounds on jigs and crankbaits. The better reports are coming around boat docks with brush in 8-12 feet of water. Barber said there also are some fish taking Carolina rigs and jigs worked along drop offs in deeper water.

Catfish are good on whole and cut shad soaked on shallow flats around cormorant roosts. Windy shorelines and points also are holding fish. White bass are fair on slabs and Lil' George's.

Crappie are fair on live shiners soaked around bridge pilings at the Highway 198 crossings. Brush piles in 15-25 feet of water also are holding a few fish.

PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is five inches high and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 50s

Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff says bass fishing has been hit and miss. The better fish up to six pounds are taking Shimmy Shakers and jigs fished along channel breaks up north in six feet of water. The fish are hugging tight to wood.

Crappie are good around Highway 155 bridge pilings. Minnows and pink/white jigs are working equally well. The fish are fish on bottom in 25 feet of water. Catfish are fair on jugs tipped with live perch. White bass are slow.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is at normal level and fairly clear. Water temp is in the upper 40s and low 50s.

Larry Winters at Midway Landing said catfish are good to 20 pounds on shad drifted in 15-25 feet of water. Punch bait is working along windy shorelines in 1-3 feet of water. Most takers are blue cat in the 2-4 pound range.

Black bass are slow. Best bite has been on jigs pitched to stumps along creeks in 8-12 feet of water. Bends with wood are especially productive. A few white bass reported on main lake points in 20-28 feet of water, mainly on slabs. Crappie are slow.

FORK — Lake Fork is a few inches high and clear. Water temp is the low 50s.

Fishing guide Gary Paris said bass fishing has been tough overall. A few fish taking Rat-L-Traps ripped in grass, suspending jerkbaits and Chatterbaits. Paris said jigs pitched to outside grass edges are good for a few slot fish. Crappie are fair. The fish are holding on bottom in 35-45 feet of water on points around dam. Live shiners are working best. Catfish are good to eight pounds on punch bait soaked around baited holes in 22 feet of water.

— Matt Williams

Text Only
Sports
AP Video
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Twitter Updates
Follow me on Twitter