Weekly Fishing Report Week of July 26, 2023
Sam Rayburn
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 88-90 degrees; 2.17 feet below pool. Summer pattern is holding steady as the weather remains hot. As they drain water for repairs on the dam, fish will set up on the outside points in the current. Fish are staying near older wood where the PH is lower and the water continues to be off color. Bass are good with topwaters in the pencil grass and hydrilla. Bigger bass are on points and humps biting crankbaits and Carolina rigs. Crappie are stacking up on brush in 16-22 feet of water with bluegill mixed in biting on minnows or jigs. Catfish are good in 22-25 feet of water on brush and around creeks. White bass are schooling on points biting jigs and crankbaits. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
GOOD. Water stained; 86-90 degrees; 1.94 feet below pool. The water level is 170.0 with both generators running 6 hours a day. Water temperature at the Dam is 88 degrees. North of the three-mile Pendleton bridge, temperatures have been running 86-90 degrees. Crappie are still being caught in 12-20 feet of water depending on cloud cover and generator schedule. Small minnows are the preferred bait this time of year. Bass are good using topwater poppers, chuggers, spooks and frogs over vegetation early and late in the day. Another bass pattern is a 7-10 inch flutter spoon over humps and ledges. During the heat of the day bass are being caught in 20-25 feet over ledges with deep diving crankbaits. Texas and Carolina rigs have been producing in the outer swings of the creek bends. Best colors for 7-10 inch worms are watermelon candy red, June bug red and Red shad. The night bass bite has been coming on strong with Texas ridged 10-12 inch worms in all black, black with a red glitter, black with a blue tail, Vudu magic super 7, and midnight special from Natural Forage Baits. Another great summer nighttime Bass bait is a spinnerbait in all black with a single spin Colorado blade 3/4 or 1 ounce, cadence slow off points. White bass have been producing on a black/blue back �½ ounce rattletrap, a jig-n-spoon in 1/2 and 3/4 ounce, and a medium diving crankbait. Kayakers are catching blue and channel catfish shallow with the spawn going on in 1-6 feet of water with a floating cork and split shot from 3-12 pounds in the shallow flats close to deep water. Best baits are punch baits, squid, finger mullet, shrimp, and fresh lake shad. 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.
SALTWATER
Sabine Lake
GOOD. 90 degrees. Limits of trout can be had early in the morning on topwaters in the jetty, after the sunrises switch to a popping cork with live shrimp. Redfish and trout are good in outgoing tides inside the jetties on rock piles and bulkheads with a popping cork and live shrimp. Flounder are being caught in the Sabine Channel bulkheads with a 1/4 ounce jighead tipped with shrimp. In August the flounder start transitioning from the marshes to feed up before heading offshore in the fall. Slot redfish, trout and flounder are in the Intracoastal Canal biting live shrimp under a popping cork or 5 inch plastics with 1/16 ounce jig heads. Redfish can be had along rock piles from East Pass to Sydney Island. Redfish and trout can be caught in the morning drifting under the bird action on f the north end of Sabine Lake. North Levy first and second pike continue to boast good catches of trout with an early morning topwater bite, switching to crankbaits and live shrimp under a popping cork as the day progresses. Expect bigger trout as we head into August. Trout are feeding on brown shrimp as they migrate into the Intracoastal behind Keith Lake. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 81 degrees. The surf is holding lots of black drum, shark, and some big redfish on cut bait or live on the bottom. The North Jetty Gulf side is holding limits of sheepshead and trout against rocks with an occasional redfish near the end with a popping cork and shrimp. The wreck is holding good numbers of trout on free-line shrimp or croaker close to rocks. Channel side holding some nice trout close and big redfish on the bottom. Sharks are at the end of the jetty on the gulf side. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.
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