Weekly report for area freshwater and saltwater.
Sam Rayburn
FAIR. Water stained; 58 degrees; 6.34 feet low. Bass are slow on the outside of grass line in the morning rattletraps and crankbaits, try a worm. Cover lots of water throwing red craw imitation lures, such as Rayburn red. The bite improves moving to the surface of the grass when the sun is out. Crappie are slow around the stumps up the creek channels bends using minnows in 26 feet of water. Catfish are hanging with crappie cut bait and minnows fished on the bottom. White bass are slow and should be migrating into the river channels. Report by Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service.
Toledo Bend
GOOD. Water stained; 61 degrees; 4.50 feet low. The water level is 167.5 with no generators running. Water temperature at the Dam is 61 degrees. The back feeder creeks are stained and muddy, and the main lake remains clear. Wind and cold drizzle came in this week with fluctuating Fall temperatures. Chatterbaits are still producing in 3/8 to 3/4 ounce white, chartreuse, watermelon pepper, and red/black skirts. To cover a lot of water, use a squarebill crankbait or a flat side crankbait and smaller rattletraps out to eight feet in shad and perch imitation colors and the Rayburn red traps are still working. For deeper Bass, cast a Carolina rig with a worm or lizard. Jigging spoons are still producing quality bass on 1/2 to 3/4 ounce in silver with a white or yellow accent tail feather or a deep diving crank bait in citrus shad and Tennessee shad colors. The jig and pig bite has been strong. Cast your jig to long tapering points that drop off into deep water, the best colors are black and blue, PB&J football jigs 3/8 – 3/4 ounce with a 3-inch matching color craw trailer, and a green pumpkin jig with a chunk style trailer. Crappie bite is still good in 12-20 feet on the edge of the river channels using 1/16- and 3/32-ounce Wager Baits, #46 Bluegrass, #3 Monkey Milk, #09 Electric Chicken, #10 Black and Chartreuse and small minnows depending on the cloud cover and cooling night temperatures. Now that the lake is at a Winter drawdown, it’s prime time to go out scouting for new areas for Springtime fishing. Look for areas like feeder creeks, ditches, man-made structures, creek bends and undercuts, etc. Reminder: Keep and extra set of clothes in a dry bag stowed away on your vessel just in case you get caught in the rain, heavy winds, etc. Hypothermia happens quickly. Good luck and tight lines! Report from Master Captain Steve (Scooby) Stubbe, Mudfish Adventures LLC, Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide, and Mudfish Custom Rod Shop.
SALTWATER
Sabine Lake
GOOD. 65 degrees. North end of Sabine Lake is good for trout drifting from Stout’s Island to Sydney Island using five inch glo chartreuse quarter and �¾ ounce jigheads following jumping shrimp. ICW nice trout casting into 15-25 feet of water working back up on the ledge suspended at 8 feet of water. The Neches River holding nice quality redfish and trout off the buoys. Fishing towards Beaumont produces slot redfish in points and cuts. Bessie Height Marsh in the points and cuts with a Carolina rig, but the trusty popping cork and live shrimp will land some bites. Sheepshead and drum limits in the Neches River and marsh with Carolina rig, live shrimp fished off the bottom and live shrimp under a popping cork. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 65 degrees. As colder weather and Thanksgiving approaches the weather looks good through weekend with only a little wind. Now with the fishing, look for drop-offs. Fish will come to the surface as the surface water temperature heats up. Rocks hold the heat in, so twitch bait in drop-offs and around rocks. The Sloughs through goat island holding fish under birds. The deeper reefs. The jetty holding sheepshead on live shrimp. Yates sloughs holding redfish on grass lines. Thru Sievers cut holding trout and redfish under birds. Happy Thanksgiving everyone from the family here at Tail Spotter Guide Service.
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