Weekly Fishing Report Week of July 23, 2025
Sam Rayburn
GOOD. Water stained; 86 degrees; 3.66 feet below pool. A steady flow of freshwater continues to enter the lake, slightly impacting conditions. Bluegill are holding tight to brush and biting well. Bass are settling into typical summer patterns, with activity picking up around deeper structure and points. Crappie are also being found around brush piles, though the bite can be spotty at times. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
GOOD. Water stained; 90 degrees; 0.98 feet below pool. Fishing has been tough lately with last week’s heavy rain and more in the forecast this weekend. While it is typical summer conditions, the bite has been harder than usual. A few fish are being caught at daylight on Texas and Carolina rigs with big worms in the 15-18 feet along main lake ridges. On mornings with a little wind, a big crankbait like a DD500 can also get some action. A few schooling fish are starting to show up, mostly small to keeper size, and can be caught when they break surface using topwaters or shallow-running shad-colored crankbaits. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.
SALTWATER
Sabine Lake
GOOD. 86 degrees. Salinity is improving on the south end of Sabine Lake. Nice trout can be caught in 8-14 feet of water on the reef with ⅜ ounce jighead with a 5 inch glo chartreuse during the out going tide. The jetties have been murky, but there is a good trout bite before sunrise. Then run the gulf rigs for limits of speckled trout with live croaker Carolina rigged in 28-35 feet of water. Later morning around 9 a.m. run from the rigs to the jetties for catches of triple tail. If the water is clear at the jetties stay and fish, if not move to Sabine Channel. Trout can be caught on the rock piles in Sabine Channel with live croaker on a popping cork. Redfish, sheepshead and drum are in the channel with peeled dead shrimp on a popping cork over shell flats in 14-28 feet of water. Sharks and gafftop are abundant stealing the bait, so croaker is better than shrimp. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 79 degrees. Water temperatures are hanging in the upper 70s. Water levels are slow-moving back and forth with a moderate amount of sargassum washing in on the surf. People are catching plenty of redfish, gafftop, and black drum everywhere. There are pleasure of keeper speckled trout being caught along with sand trout, sheepshead, and crabs caught along the jetty. The bigger stingrays and sharks are definitely in full swing, and a few close to state records have been landed. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
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