Weekly Fishing Report Week of December 27, 2023
Sam Rayburn
FAIR. Water slightly stained; 58 degrees; 7.19 feet below pool. Reeling in the new year with consistent fishing patterns. Now is a good time to map out the lake for new locations when the water levels rise again. Bass are good shallow, with some bass on deeper points using rattletraps and shallow running spinnerbaits, and topwaters early. Crappie are slow to fair using minnows and jigs. White bass are moving up the river using small rattletraps and roadrunners. Catfish are in the creeks in 12-18 feet of water biting using cut bait, or live minnows. Many sandbars and stumps so navigate with caution. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service. Large amounts of black bass are offshore, in creek channels or main lake ditches biting Alabama rigs, jigging spoons, dropshots or shaky heads. There is a shallow bite in the early morning and late afternoon on chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits or hybrid hunters. Report by Captain Hank Harrison, Double H Precision Fishing.
Toledo Bend
GOOD. Water clear; 57-60 degrees; 4.22 feet below pool. Freezing night temperatures will slow the shallow bite, and become more active in the afternoon when the water warms. The cooler temperatures will improve the bite for midrange fish. If this happens, expect the backs of creeks to become muddy, slowing the bite until the new year. Bass continue to be good in all three depth stages. Shallow bass are in 2-6 feet of water biting spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and rattletraps. Bass in 10-18 feet of water can be caught using a big crankbait, Texas or Carolina rig worm. Deeper bass can be found in 22-28 feet of water on spoons, dropshots and any kind of deep diving bait. Crappie are good in the bends of creeks in 6-10 feet of water fishing with jigs or minnows. Catfish are slow. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
SALTWATER
Sabine Lake
GOOD. 58 degrees. Winds have been blowing out of the north wind so most fishing has been on the north end. Redfish and speckled trout are good in the Neches River with live shrimp under a popping cork or Carolina rig with live shrimp on the rocks, points, drops and turnarounds. When the winds blow out of the south you can fish in Sabine Lake along the shorelines and banks with �¼ ounce jigs with 3-4 glo chartreuse plastics in for trout and redfish. Catches of trout and bull redfish under the birds feeding on shrimp midlake to the north end. North Levee is consistently good for trout. Limits of redfish in the ICW are steady on live shrimp under a popping cork along rock banks and off points and drops. Happy New Year! Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 60-65 degrees. Reeling in the new year with consistent fishing. Catches of redfish, sheepshead, big croaker, sand trout and whiting at the jetties using live or dead shrimp and finger mullet. Most catches of trout in East Bay. Report by Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp. Fish deeper ends of the reefs or wind protected cuts with wind and cooler temperatures. The jetty holding sheepshead and trout on live shrimp close to rocks. Yates Slough’s holding redfish on grass lines close to Siever’s Cut. Stingaree to Rollover Pass holding redfish in deeper marshes on popping cork with shrimp and artificial twitch bait, or split tails. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
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