Weekly Fishing Report Week of September 17, 2025
Sam Rayburn
Water stained; 80 degrees; 7.11 feet below pool. Lots of trash and clumps of hyacinth and weeds were washed out from the creeks into the main lake. Lots of bass are in the shallows. Top water bite around pencil grass and reeds or any cover you can find. Yellow magic and top water bait early have been seeing some action. Crankbaits on points and drains. Jigs and Carolina rigs off ledges and structure. Crappie are slowly moving out to brush and timber. White bass school off points. Catfish move out to deeper water and creek channels cut bait doing good. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
90 degrees; 3.89 feet below pool. Water temperatures are back up in the mid to high 80s, and fishing has been tough on the south end of the lake as it continues turning over, with brown bubbles showing up-something that should settle in the next 5-6 days. For now, it’s best to stay north of the bridge. Main lake ridges in 12-18 feet are producing a few bites on Texas rigs and big crankbaits, while creek bends in 3-8 feet are giving up some small fish and keepers on square bills and lipless baits, though not many over 2 pounds. Crappie remain slow on brush piles and natural timber in 16-22 feet, with most caught on live bait rather than jigs. The fall transition keeps getting delayed by the heat, but signs point to a real shift coming next week once the turnover passes. Despite the tough bite, a few big fish have been landed recently, including several in the 9-pound range. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
SALTWATER
Sabine Lake
89 degrees. Sabine Lake salinity has finally improved, but the lake is primarily producing smaller sized trout. Bigger trout are deep preparing to transition to the ICW for the fall pattern. Trout can be caught during outgoing tides in the ICW in 12-15 feet of water off of shell flats, or work up ledges with 3-5 inch plastics with �¼-⅜ ounce jigheads. Sheepshead, drum and redfish can be caught on ICW rock piles with shrimp on a popping cork. Flounder are improving in Sabine Channel on bulkheads, rock piles and shell flats during outgoing tides with plastics tipped with shrimp on �¼ ounce jigheads, or Carolina rigged mullet or live shrimp. Jetties are good early morning for trout, then sheepshead on Carolina rigged live shrimp. Coldfront make it hard to fish in the gulf, but when the weather allows nice trout can be caught with Carolina rigged live croaker 25-35 feet of water off the bottom, or 3-5 inch plastics with ⅜ ounce jighead. Triple tails can be caught along the beach. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
85 degrees. Get ready for a good week of beautiful fishing weather! There is a week of sunshine with temperatures in the upper 80s in the forecast. Check the daily forecast or call your favorite bait shop for updates. Mostly calm winds, and two tide days changing back to four tide days on Friday means the fish are active multiple hours morning, noon and nights! Water temperatures are hanging in the 80s. Anglers are catching plenty of redfish, trout, gafftop, and black drum everywhere. There are plenty of keeper speckled trout being caught along with sand trout, sheepshead, and crabs caught along the jetty. A few flounder were caught near Fort Travis. The bigger stingrays and sharks are in full swing with plenty of bait along the shoreline. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
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