Matt Williams
The Athens Review
ATHENS —
ATHENS — Lake Athens is at normal level and clear. Water temp is in the mid-70s.
Jerry Hanson at Lake Athens Marina said bass anglers are reporting good numbers of fish up to five pound crankbaits, dropshots and Carolina rigs worked from five feet out to 25 feet. The shallow bite is best early and late, mainly on topwaters. A few fish taking jigs around brushy docks.
Hanson said crappie fishermen are picking up limits using live shiners in 15-20 feet water around brush. Catfish are good on punch bait and shad soaked on bottom from the bank out to 10 feet.
CEDAR CREEK — The lake is at full pool and stained. Water temp is in the mid-70s.
Crappie fishing is fair; anglers are having to hunt and peck to box limits. Fishing guide Jason Barber is having the best luck targeting post spawners around marinas and deeper docks with brush, bridge pilings at the FM 334 and 198 crossings and brush piles in the 20-foot range. Jigs and minnows are working equally well.
Barber says a few bass are still guarding fry in the shallows, but most are in transition towards deeper haunts. Crankbaits and shaky head rigs are producing keepers on points and docks in 3-10 feet of water. Carolina and Texas rig plastics also have been productive.
White bass and hybrids are active on shallow points early, then moving to 6-15 feet of water during midday. Blue cat are good on cut shad fished along wind blown banks and main lake points in 5-15 feet water.
PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is four inches low and clear down south, stained up north. Water temp is in the mid-70s.
Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff said bass fishing has been good to six pounds on Texas rig watermelon worms and shad pattern cranks worked on main lake points in 6-8 feet of water and around boat houses with brush in 5-6 feet of water. Frogs and buzz baits are working well around around grass beds up north.
Crappie are excellent on minnows and white jigs soaked around brush piles in 12-15 feet of water. The Highway 155 crossing also has been good at depths of 15 feet.
Catfish are good on rod and reel. Limits reported around boat houses and retaining walls in four feet of water. Livers and punch bait are working best. A few flatheads up to 60 pounds reported on live perch.
White bass are on a tear. The fish are ganged up on main lake points and taking spoons, Tailkickers and medium-diving cranks in 5-18 feet of water.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is at normal level and fairly clear. Water temp is in the mid-70s.
Larry Winters at Midway Landing said bass fishing has slowed down over the last week. Best bite still in 2-4 feet of water. Several fish up to five pounds reported on lizards and spinnerbaits.
Crappie are fair. The fish seem to be in transition from shallow water to deep; no limits reported. Catfish are good. Best bite is shallow, 2-6 feet on shad and punch bait. Lots of limits reported. Most fish are in the 2-4 pound range with an occasional 9-10 pounder.
White bass are schooling occasionally over main lake points, then going to bottom in 18-20 feet of water.
SAM RAYBURN — The lake is about 10 inches low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the mid-to-upper-70s.
Bass fishing has been good to six pounds. Ann Wilson at Ann's Tackle says anglers are reporting lots of fish cruising the shallows dining on fry and spawning bream in 2-4 feet of water. Baby bass Flukes, topwaters, frogs and cranks have been effective. Carolina rigs worked around main lake brush piles on points in 15-18 of water are working as well.
Wilson said crappie fishermen are picking up a few limits around brush piles in 15-18 feet of water. Live shiners and small jigs are working equally well.
FORK — Lake Fork is a few inches low and fairly clear on the main lake, stained up the creeks. Water temp is in the mid-70s.
Chris Parker at the Minnow Bucket said bass fishing has been excellent. Lots of slot fish reported. A 9.88 pounder won the Legend Boat tournament over the weekend. Anglers are catching fish on assorted baits at varied depths from shallow to deep. Topwaters, soft jerkbaits and swim baits are the tickets in shallow water. The deep bite is best on drop shots, Carolina rigs and crankbaits.
Crappie fishing is good in 18-20 feet of water. Brush piles and bridge pilings are producing lots of limits. Catfishing is excellent on night crawlers and punch bait fished in 2-6 feet of water.
— Matt Williams
