Weekly Fishing Report Week of July 17, 2024.
Sam Rayburn
GOOD. Water stained; 83 degrees; 4.27 feet above pool. The bite for all species seems to improve when the water is being generated. This stirs the water, breaking up the thermocline. Bass are slow in shallow water with many smaller fish being caught on frogs, and spinnerbaits. Deeper bass bite is fair with Carolina rigs. Crappie are slow in the morning, but improve midday. Catfish are all over the lake in 20 feet of water and in 12 feet of water in the creek channels. White bass are on points in the south end of the lake near the dam. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service. As the lake continues to drop fish are going to be moving to traditional summer locations pending the thermocline depth. Bass are good early morning on shallow main lake points with medium or deep diving crankbaits, and topwaters. Main lake ledges with Carolina rig shaky head and spoons. Brush piles shallower than the thermocline with Texas rigs, jigs or Carolina rigs. The thermocline is actively fluctuating and will continue to do so while lake level changes. Navigate with caution watching for floating debris, trees, and stumps. Report by Hank Harrison, Double H Precision Fishing.
Toledo Bend
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 91 degrees; 1.42 feet below pool. The lake is slowly releasing water and conditions are normalizing. Hot weather has slowed the bass bite during the day. There is little to no topwater action in the morning while fish stay close to bottom in 8-14 feet and 16-22 feet of water. Target bass slowly working a Texas or Carolina rig. On a day with light wind, shallow and deep diving crankbaits are working. Now the best bite has been at night, and with the full moon coming it will only improve. The best bite is on big spinnerbaits on main lake points in 10-16 feet of water, but while a Texas rigged worm or 9-10 inch lizard are not catching numbers these baits are landing fish up to 9 pounds. Crappie are still hit-or-miss over the lake, but it seems like the mid lake area from around the bridge north a few miles has been the best. Minnows are best but jigs will land a few bites focusing on brush piles and standing timber. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
SALTWATER
Sabine Lake
FAIR. 86 degrees. Inside of the jetties are producing nice catches of redfish and limits of trout early in the morning on popping cork with live shrimp and also Carolina rig. Drum catches with live shrimp. After Hurricane Beryl the triple tail moved into 14-30 feet of water off the beaches in the gulf. Many were under the legal limit, but we also had some very nice keepers. Speckled trout and redfish are at the rigs in 14-18 feet of water to 35 feet of water offshore with a ⅜ ounce jig heads with LSU short tail. Catches of trout wading the beach while wind was out of the north fishing towards the Cedars and mud flats. Look for birds to point out trout feeding on the shrimp along the beach. Very nice trout, and quite a few throwbacks over 20 inches, as well as sheepshead and drum on the reef on the South end of Sabine Lake. Target the reefs in 14 feet of water dragging ⅜ ounce jig heads with glow and sparkle soft plastics on the bottom on the incoming tide. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 82 degrees. The fishing is Excellent! There are plenty of redfish, croakers along with sand trout, sheepshead, black drum, speckled trout, and crabs caught along the jetty with plenty of stingrays and sharks. Pompano and the occasional jack crevalle are still running. The surf is producing redfish and black drum, gafftop, lots of stingrays, and bigger sharks along the whole peninsula with high activity towards Gilchrist and High Island mainly. The sea weed remains sporadic in spots per normal. People are using all kinds of different things for bait this past week with awesome results. We are selling out of live bait on most days at the North Jetty Bait Camp with plenty in stock so call ahead to your favorite bait shop. Finger mullet has been a popular alternative. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
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