Weekly Fishing Report Week of May 3, 2023 PLUS some marked fishing spots!
SALTWATER
Sabine Lake
GOOD. 71 degrees. Trout and redfish are good in the jetties with topwaters lures. Sabine Channel is holding sheepshead, drum, speckled trout and redfish along the rock banks. Flounder are starting to show up biting three inch plastic baits. Sabine Lake is holding nice catches of flounder off the points and drops using three inch plastic baits. Sheepshead, drum, with a few redfish mixed in are good with live shrimp under a popping cork. Birds are working bull redfish and trout. It is almost time for the brown shrimp to migrate from the marsh into the lake. Mid May look for bird action and throw plastics to land trout and redfish. North Levee is on fire for limits of speckled trout with topwaters early morning, then live shrimp under a popping cork or three inch plastic swimbaits. East Pass holding a few sheepshead and drum on live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are biting on the flats in Bessie Heights, and sheepshead and drum are in the cuts in six feet of water. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 72 degrees. The surf is starting to hold some pompano, small sharks and the occasional redfish. The gulf side of the North Jetty is holding sheepshead and trout against the rocks, look for bait up close to rocks. Channel side holding some nice trout and big redfish on the bottom. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.
FRESHWATER
Sam Rayburn
GOOD. Water stained; 68-70 degrees; 0.08 feet above pool. Spring fishing patterns are holding steady, but some fish may push deep as the lake drops. Bass are in all stages of the spawn with a few still shallow. Bass are good flipping crankbaits, jigs and soft plastics into buck brush and timber, and the grass lines in 6-12 feet of water. Some fish can be found on secondary points and in 25 feet of water with crankbaits, Carolina or Texas rigged worms. Crappie on piles biting minnows and jigs, some fish still spawning. Catfish are spawning shallow with some catches on the points in creek channels. Sand bass are starting to show up in the main lake, and schooling action should pick up as the weather warms. Big bluegills on brush piles, and moving shallow to spawn. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
GOOD. Water stained; 65-69 degrees; 0.30 feet below pool. The water level is 171.6 with both generators running 24 hours a day. Water temperature at the Dam is 70 degrees. North of the three-mile Pendleton bridge the water temperature is 70-74 degrees. Good numbers of bass have been caught on bladed jigs in colors of black/blue, white chartreuse, and watermelon pepper. Bass are also biting 1/2 ounce to one ounce Jig-n-pigs on points with clay bottoms, in colors black/blue, peanut butter and jelly. In darker colored water use a Carolina rig with a plastic worm 8-10 inch in watermelon red and plum apple. Zoom speed craws rigged Texas style and u-tail swimming worms in all white and white with a dipped chartreuse tail have been producing in shallow water. Some bigger bass have been caught on Senko’s and flukes in black/blue flake, watermelon red, black/red flake and motor oil colors rigged wacky or Texas style. The spinnerbait bite is starting to pick up in flooded vegetation in the buck brush. Popping frogs and hollow body frogs are producing catches late in the evenings over vegetation. Flyrodders are catching quality bass over vegetation using eight and 10 weight fly rods. Top flies this week have been a weighted spoon fly black with red glitter, and a Stealth Goober top water fly. Best color has been a green/back with a chartreuse bottom and a yellow/black back with a chartreuse bottom. Crappie bite has really slowed in the shallows while more and more crappie move to vertical timber and brush plies. Some Crappie have spawned, and others are fluctuating in and out depending on water depth and water temperatures. Bluegill are starting to show up in the shallow flats and boathouses. Bluegill should be starting their beds on the next full moon. Remember, it is always better to play it safe by telling a loved one or friend the area you will be fishing, how many people are in your party and the expected return time. Good luck and keep casting forward! Report from Master Captain Steve “Scooby” Stubbe, Mudfish Adventures LLC, Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide, and Mudfish Custom Rod Shop.
The Sabine River Authority of Texas (SRA) was pleased to partner with Texas Parks and Wildlife and
Texas B.A.S.S. Nation to construct and deploy one hundred fish habitat structures placed into Toledo Bend Reservoir. These artificial habitat structures have been scientifically studied and proven to be effective at attracting large numbers of fish. The goal of this project is to provide opportunities for successful fishing trips for the public when visiting Toledo Bend Reservoir.
The habitat structures can be located at the GPS coordinates listed below:
Haley’s Ferry: 31.72961, -93.82158 (20 structures)
Patroon: 31.50764, -93.75727 (20 structures)
Pendleton: 31.47104, -93.75264 (14 structures)
Palo Gaucho: 31.41694, -93.72186 (20 structures)
Indian Mounds: 31.34398, -93.67493 (20 structures)
Six Mile Fishing Pier: 31.23944, -93.75551 (6 structures)
David Montagne, SRA’s Executive Vice-President and General Manager, stated, “At SRA we are making substantial investments to promote recreational access and opportunities on Toledo Bend and with this project we are creating new habitat for anglers to fish. I would like to thank our partners at Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas B.A.S.S. Nation, and the many volunteers who made this project happen.”
The Sabine River Authority was created by the Legislature in 1949 as an official agency of the State of Texas and covers all or part of 21 counties in East Texas. The Authority serves as a conservation and reclamation district with responsibilities to control, store, preserve, and distribute the waters of the Sabine River and its tributary streams for useful purposes.
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