Athens Review, Athens, Texas

Sports

January 19, 2010

1/19 The East Texas Fishing Report

By Matt Williams

ATHENS — Lake Athens is about an inch high and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 40s, warming to the mid-40s.

Jerry Hanson at Lake Athens Marina said bass are slow. Best bite has been on drop shot finesse worms worked in 15 feet of water near 30 foot drops. Most takers are in the 1-3 pound range.

Crappie are slow. No limits reported. A few fish taking shiners around brush in 15-20 feet of water.

CEDAR CREEK — The lake is at normal level and stained. Water temp is in the upper 40s.

Fishing guide Jason Barber said catfishing has been good using cut shad around bird roosts and wind blown points in skinny water.

Bass are fair. Barber suggests throwing jigs, spinnerbaits and 'Traps around boat docks with brush in 3-10 feet of water.

Crappie are fair in brush piles in 15-25 feet of water, major creek bends and bridge pilings at the Highway 198 crossings. White bass and hybrids are beginning to bunch in the mouths of major creeks. Main lake humps around the dam are holding fish.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is about normal level and fairly clear. Water temp is in the mid-40s.

Bass fishing has been slow. Jigs, Rat-L-Traps and chartreuse/white spinnerbaits are producing a few fish up to five pounds, mainly from the bank out to eight feet.

Larry Winters said catfish are fair on rod and reel using punch bait on windy shorelines in 1-3 feet of water. Most are channel cat in the 2 1/2 pound range.

White bass are slow. Best bite is on points using spoons in 25-28 feet of water.

PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is about five inches high and stained up north, clear down south. Water temp is in the low 40s.

Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff said bass are very sluggish due to frigid water temps. A few fish in the 4-6 pound range reported on black/blue jigs and white spinnerbaits worked along secondary drainages and creek channel breaks up north in 4-10 feet water. Fishing very slowly around stumps and brush is the key. Boat docks down south are holding fair numbers of bass in the 1-3 pound range. Crankbaits are working best.

Crappie are fair at the Highway 155 bridge. The fish are hanging tight to bridge pilings with brush in 25 feet of water.

Rod and reelers are picking up good numbers of frying size channels using punch bait around shallow rocks. White bass are slow.

— Matt Williams

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