By Matt Williams
The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of Jan. 21:
ATHENS — The water level has jumped about three feet over the last two weeks, still about 18 inches low. Water clarity is stained.
Catfish are good off the bank using cut shad or punch bait. Good numbers of channel cat are roaming the shallows. Bass are fair on jig/pork combos dragged along creeks and points with brush in 8-15 feet of water. Crappie are scattered. Best results are coming on minnows soaked around man made brush piles and along underwater channels.
CEDAR CREEK — Cedar Creek has caught about four feet of water, but remains two feet low. All ramps are back in business. Water clarity is stained and surface temp is in the upper 40s.
Dean Janke at Sunny Glen Marina said all fishing has been slow due to nasty weather. A few bass fishermen have been out, but good reports have been tough to come by due to all the influx of fresh water.
PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is one foot high and stained. Water temp is in the upper 40s.
Greg Porter at Porter's Outdoors said bass fishing has been fair on spinnerbaits fished around stumps and creek breaks up north. Boat houses with brush are holding fish down south. Bass angler also are finding some quality fish along creeks using jigs and lizards.
Crappie are hitting jigs and minnows at Highway 155 bridge and at the dam. The fish are on bottom on 18-40 feet of water.
White bass are just beginning to run up the Neches River. Good bank and ramp access is available off State Highway 31 near Chandler.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is seven feet low and stained due to recent runoff. Water temp is in the upper 40s.
Larry Winters at Midway Landing said bass fishermen are picking up some decent keepers on spinnerbaits and jigs tossed around stumps with a mix of hydrilla in water ranging 4-9 feet feet.
Catfish are good to 30 pounds on jugs and trotlines baited with cut shad and perch. Rod and reelers are faring best on windy shorelines, mainly on punch bait and cut shad.
White bass are fair on chartreuse or white slabs bounced on deep points out to 28 feet. Crappie are very slow.
FORK — Lake Fork is two feet low and stained. Water temp is in the upper 40s.
Martin Edwards at Minnow Bucket Marina said crappie fishing has slowed down with the influx of fresh water. Best bite has been coming on minnows soaked in 42 feet of water; the fish are glued to bottom.
Bass anglers are picking up some quality fish on Rat-L-Traps and jerk baits worked over submerged grass 4-8 feet of water. Jigs tossed to stumps lining creeks also are producing some solid fish.
Catfish are good under cormorant roosts in 28 feet of water.
TOLEDO BEND — T-Bend filled to full pool over the weekend. Water clarity is stained and surface temp is in the upper 40s.
Charlie Shively at Bill's Landing said catfishing has been outstanding since the rise. Trotliners are reporting blues to 20 pounds; good numbers of fish in the 2-5 pound range taking cut bait. Rod and reelers are finding fish at shallow and medium depth ranges.
Bass and crappie are slow. White bass are in the river north of the Logansport bridge. Look for the best action to occur in the clearer feeder creeks using Roadrunners tipped with crawfish.
SAM RAYBURN — The lake is about three feet high and stained. Water temp is in the upper 40s, low 50s.
Bass are good to seven pounds. Ann Thomasson at Ann's Tackle said Rat-L-Traps have been hot over submerged hydrilla in 4-8 feet of water. Anglers also are reporting a decent bite on spinnerbaits and Texas rig senkos.
— Matt Williams
