2/18 The East Texas Fishing Report

Matt Williams The Athens Review

Athens — The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of February 15:

ATHENS — Lake Athens is five inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low 40s.

Jerry Hanson at Lake Athens Marina said fishing traffic has been very light since the cold snap. No current report available. Hanson predicts a much improved bite with a good warming trend.

CEDAR CREEK — Cedar Creek is three inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low 40s.

 Fishing guide Jason Barber said catfishing is fair to six pounds on cut shad soaked on bottom around stump fields in four feet of water. Barber said bass and crappie fishing has been very slow since the last week's cold snap. Not much to report.

PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is 14 inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low 40s.

Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff says cold weather, snow and chilly water has made for a tough bite for bass fishermen. The fish were shallow prior to the last cold snap. White spinnerbaits, Shimmy Shakers and Senkos worked around grass or stumps in 2-3 feet of water were the ticket up north.

Crappie fishing has been good at the Highway 155 crossing. Blue/white jigs and small shiners soaked next to pilings in 24-26 feet of water are producing the best results. The fish are hugging bottom.

White bass fishermen fishing the Neches, but Vandergriff is not hearing any reports of big stringers.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is about seven inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low 40s.

Larry Winters at Midway Landing said all fishing has been very slow since the last cold snap. Like most, Winters is hoping for some warmer weather to improve angler attitudes along with fishing conditions.

FORK — Lake Fork is two inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low-40s.

Fishing guide Brooks Rogers said bass fishing has been slow. About eight inches of snow fell last week. Rogers isn't looking for much improvement this week with cold nights and chilly days in the forecast. Guide Lance Vick predicts a major push towards the shallows with the first significant warming trend.

Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows soaked around the Highway 154 bridge pilings and off the main lake points near the dam. The fish are bunched up tight and hugging close to bottom in 30-40 feet of water. No report on catfish.

PINKSTON — Lake Pinkston is several inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low-to-mid-40s.

Crappie guide Alan Spruiell is picking up a few quality size fish using jigs around roving clouds of shad in deep water, but numbers are hard to come by. Bass fishing has been slow.

NACOGDOCHES — The water level jumped to five inches above normal after the runoff from snow and rain last week. Water temp is chilly, in the low 40s, but should warm slightly by the end of the week.

SAM RAYBURN — The lake is a foot high and rising. Water temp is in mid-40s.

Bass fishing has been tough. Best bite has been coming on deep structure in 20-30 feet of water using drop shots, Carolina rigs and football jigs. There are a  few fish taking 1/2 ounce gold 'Traps worked along inside grass lines, according to Ann Thomasson-Wilson at Ann's Tackle.

Crappie fishermen are picking up partial limits off deep brush piles using 1/8 Roadrunners, jigs and minnows. White bass are fair up the Angelina using Roadrunners, Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits.

TOLEDO BEND — The lake is two-feet low and rising. Water temp is in the upper 40s an the water is stained.

Fishing guide Tommy Martin said the bite has been very slow. Anglers are fishing for hours with just a few bites. The guide looks for the shallow bite to improve after a few days of sunshine. Try Rogues, Chatterbaits and Rat-L-Traps around grass beds and lily pad stems in 3-8 feet of water towards the backs of major and secondary creeks.

Crappie fishing has been very slow at the Chicken Coop. Martin said the best bite has been in the bellies of creeks in 18-19 feet of water. Lanan, Hausen, Six Mile and Patroon creeks have been particularly good.

— Matt Williams

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