Texas freshwater fishing report (July 26 – August 1)

ALAN HENRYWater clear on the main lake, stained up the river; 78–88 degrees; 3.85’ low. Black bass are slow on 7” Power Worms, spoons and jigs. Crappie and bass are slow on minnows. Catfish are fair on live perch and goldfish.

AMISTAD

Water murky; 83–87 degrees; 31.92’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics and perch colored Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on silver slabs. White bass are good on topwaters and slabs. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and punchbait. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines and juglines baited with live perch. Everyone in a boat must have a Mexico fishing license (if fishing the Mexico side) whether fishing or not.

ARROWHEAD

Water fairly clear; 79–87 degrees; 1.47’ low. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early, later switching to weightless flukes, Texas rigs and shallow running crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows around structure. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

ATHENS

Water lightly stained; 86–89 degrees; 0.06’ high. Black bass are fair on Carolina rigged Flukes, weightless Senkos and Yellow Magic poppers. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

BASTROP

Water stained; 80–84 degrees. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

BELTON

Water stained; 79–83 degrees; 0.08’ high. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps. Hybrid striper are good but small on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are very good on minnows under lights at night. Crappie are good on minnows in 20–25 feet under lights at night. Channel and blue catfish are good on juglines baited with frozen shad. Yellow catfish are good on juglines baited with live perch.

BOB SANDLIN

Water lightly stained; 84–88 degrees; 0.19’ high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, swim jigs and hollow body frogs. Crappie are slow on minnows. White bass are fair on minnows and topwaters. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

BONHAM

Water lightly stained; 83–86 degrees; 2.14’ low. Black bass are slow on topwater baits, crankbaits, and Texas rigged soft plastics around rocks and boat docks and. Crappie are good on minnows on brush piles in 12–15’. Catfish are slow cut bait and frozen shad.

BRAUNIG

Water murky. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and dark soft plastic worms in reeds. Striped bass are fair down rigging silver and gold spoons near the dam. Redfish are good on perch, tilapia, and shad. Channel catfish are good on liver, shrimp, and cut bait. Blue catfish are fair on cut bait. Yellow catfish are slow.

BRIDGEPORT

Water lightly stained, 83–87 degrees: 0.19’ low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged craws, shakeyhead worms and shallow crankbaits near rip rap. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfish are slow on trotlines.

BROWNWOOD

Water stained; 80–84 degrees; 0.59’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon seed, green pumpkin, and redbug soft plastic worms around docks in 8–10 feet. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and white Li’l Fishies over baited brush piles in 5–15 feet. Channel catfish are fair on cut shad and prepared bait over baited holes. Blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

BUCHANAN

Water stained; 79–83 degrees; 0.87’ low. Black bass are good on white crankbaits, watermelon Skip–N–Pop topwaters, and purple flake Whacky Sticks in creeks in 10–20 feet. Striped bass are fair on topwaters and Rat–L–Traps. White bass are fair jigging Pirk Minnows and Tiny Traps over rock piles. Crappie are good on minnows and watermelon tube jigs over brush piles. Channel catfish are fair on live bait and dipbait. Yellow and blue catfish are very good on juglines and trotlines baited with goldfish and perch.

CADDO

Water stained; 87–90 degrees; 0.30’ high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, weightless Senkos, and hollow body frogs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait.

CALAVERAS

Water murky. Black bass are good on watermelon Rat–L–Traps and soft plastic worms. Striped bass are good on spoons and striper jigs near the dam. Redfish are very good down rigging silver and gold spoons near the crappie wall. Channel and blue catfish are very good on liver, cheesebait, and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.

CANYON LAKE

Water stained; 80–84 degrees; 1.44’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red worms, Texas rigged watermelon Whacky Sticks, and white crankbaits off points. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on white Li’l Fishies. Smallmouth bass are good on green pumpkin grubs and tubes on main lake points. Crappie are good on chartreuse tube jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

CEDAR CREEK

Water lightly stained; 83–87 degrees; 0.15’ high. Black bass are good on squarebill crankbaits, Texas rigged worms and shakeyhead worms. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

CHOKE CANYON

Water stained; 78–82 degrees; 22.40’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat–L–Traps. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows. Drum are fair on worms. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and punchbait. Yellow catfish are fair on live perch and goldfish.

COLEMAN

Water stained; 78–82 degrees; 0.84’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms and perch colored crankbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.

COLETO CREEK

Water clear; 91 degrees at the hot water discharge, 83 degrees in main lake; 1.68’ low. Black bass to 6 pounds are fair on watermelon crankbaits and spinnerbaits in 4–6 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish to 8 pounds are fair on trotlines baited with live perch and shad in 8–10 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

COLORADO CITY

13.78’ low. No report available.

CONROE

Water stained; 78–82 degrees; 0.09’ low. Black bass are fair on green pumpkin soft plastics, crankbaits, and Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on silver striper jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are good on prepared bait, liver, and shrimp.

COOPER

Water stained; 1.79’ low. No report available.

FAIRFIELD

No report available.

FALCON

Water murky; 81–85 degrees; 37.54’ low. Black bass are very good on watermelon crankbaits and soft plastics in 10–20 feet. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are very good on frozen shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow. Everyone in a boat must have a Mexico fishing license (if fishing the Mexico side) whether fishing or not.

FAYETTE

Water murky. Black bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps early. Channel and blue catfish are slow.

FORK

Water lightly stained; 84–88 degrees; 0.40’ low. Black bass are fair on football jigs, Carolina rigged worms and deep diving crankbaits. Some fish being caught early on topwaters. White and yellow bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait.

FT. PHANTOM HILL

Water murky; 78–87 degrees; 0.15’ low. Black bass are fair on topwaters early, later switching to Texas rigs, squarebill crankbaits and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

GIBBONS CREEK

Water stained. Black bass are good on green pumpkin Rat–L–Traps and soft plastic worms with chartreuse tails. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs. Catfish are very good on doughbait, cut bait, and frozen shrimp.

GRANBURY

Water stained; 79–83 degrees; 0.05’ low. Black bass are fair on green pumpkin soft plastics and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on shad Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on stinkbait, nightcrawlers, and frozen shrimp.

GRANGER

Water stained; 78–82 degrees; 0.17’ high. Black bass are good on watermelon crankbaits and spinnerbaits in willows upriver. White bass are fair on Rat–L–Traps along shallow roadbeds early. Crappie are good on white jigs. Blue catfish are good on shad and prepared bait. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait upriver.

GRAPEVINE

Water lightly stained; 83–87 degrees; 0.28’ high. Black bass are good on deep diving crankbaits, Texas rigged craws and topwaters. White bass and hybrid bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

GREENBELT

31.68’ low. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early and late, midday switching to squarebill crankbaits, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows.

HOUSTON COUNTY

Water stained; 85–89 degrees; 0.08’ low. Black bass to 4 pounds are fair on purple neon and watermelon seed soft plastic worms. Crappie are good on live minnows near brush piles. Bream are good on live worms near points and the islands. Channel and blue catfish are good on juglines baited with shrimp and minnows. Yellow catfish are slow.

HUBBARD CREEK

Water off color; 82–91 degrees; 0.76’ low. Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits early and late, midday switching to jerkbaits, squarebill crankbaits, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows around cover. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

JOE POOL

Water lightly stained; 84–87 degrees; 0.09’ high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged worms, shakyhead worms and football head jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

LAKE O’ THE PINES

Water stained; 84–89 degrees: 1.82’ high. Black bass are slow on buzzbaits, hollow body frogs and weightless Senkos. White bass are good on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines and cut shad.

LAVON

Water stained; 84–89 degrees: 0.36’ low. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits, weightless Senkos and Texas rigged creature baits. White bass are slow on slabs and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines and prepared bait.

LBJ

Water stained; 81–85 degrees; 0.68’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon topwaters, chartreuse Whacky Sticks, and Bleeding Shad Rat–L–Traps in 5–15 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs over brush piles in 12–15 feet. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

LEWISVILLE

Water lightly stained; 83–88 degrees; 0.04’ low. Black bass are good on shallow crankbaits, topwaters and shakyhead worms. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

LIVINGSTON

Water stained; 79–83 degrees; 0.12’ high. Black bass are good on green pumpkin spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Striped bass are good on slabs, pet spoons, and troll tubes. White bass are good on troll tubes, pet spoons, and Charlie slabs. Crappie are very good on minnows in 20 feet. Blue catfish are fair on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

MACKENZIE

73.95’ low. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait. No reports on crappie or bass.

MARTIN CREEK

Water lightly stained; 88–96 degrees; 0.41’ low. Black bass are slow on hollow body frogs, weightless Senkos, and Texas rigged creature baits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

MEREDITH

60.14’ low. Black bass are slow to fair on shallow running crankbaits, Texas rigs and jerkbaits. No reports of smallmouth bass. Bream and channel catfish are being caught in good numbers.

MONTICELLO

Water stained; 88–97 degrees; 0.05’ high. Black bass are slow on Flick shake worms, deep diving crankbaits and shakyhead worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are slow on trotlines and cut shad.

NASWORTHY

79–88 degrees; 1.16’ low. Black bass are fair to good on Texas rigs, drop shot rigs, Carolina rigs and weightless Senkos. No reports on crappie. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

NAVARRO MILLS

Water stained; 78–82 degrees; 0.03’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon shallow running crankbaits near the dam. White bass are fair on Humdingers, Little Georges, and silver spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse jigs off docks in Liberty Hill Park. Channel catfish are good on stinkbait over baited holes. Blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

O.H. IVIE

Water stained; 81–90 degrees; 34.76’ low. Black bass are good on Whopper Ploppers early, later switching to weightless flukes, Texas rigs, jigs and squarebill crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

OAK CREEK

Water stained; 79–89 degrees; 8.83’ low. Black bass are fair to good on split–shot weighted flukes, Texas rigs and shakyheads. Crappie are fair to good on live minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

PALESTINE

Water lightly stained; 84–87 degrees; 0.12’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged worms, shakyhead worms and swim jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. White bass are good on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines and prepared bait.

PALO DURO

60.84’ low. No report available.

POSSUM KINGDOM

Water off color; 81–89 degrees; 0.02’ high. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early, later switching to drop shot rigs, Texas rigs, medium running crankbaits and jigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows. White bass are fair to good on slabs and inline spinners. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.

PROCTOR

Water murky; 78–82 degrees; 0.04’ high. Black bass are good on green pumpkin crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on live shad. White bass are fair on live shad and pet spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and pearl tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on trotlines and juglines baited with live bait and cut shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

RAY HUBBARD

Water lightly stained; 84–88 degrees; 0.26’ low. Black bass are slow on Flukes, football jigs, and Carolina rigged craws. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and topwaters. Catfish are slow on trotlines.

RAY ROBERTS

Water lightly stained; 84–87 degrees; 0.31’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged worms, football jigs and deep diving crankbaits. White bass are good on minnows and slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow on trotlines.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS

Water lightly stained; 85–88 degrees; 0.15’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, Texas rigged worms and shakeyhead worms. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and rod and reel.

SAM RAYBURN

Water stained; 78–82 degrees; 0.51’ low. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and watermelon spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs over brush piles. Bream are fair on crickets and nightcrawlers. Catfish are fair on trotlines baited with shrimp and cut bait.

SOMERVILLE

Water murky; 79–83 degrees; 0.27’ low. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are fair on silver striper jigs. White bass are fair on silver spoons. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shad, live minnows, and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish are slow.

SPENCE

48.88’ low. No report available.

STAMFORD

Water stained; 79–88 degrees; 0.9’ high. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early and late, midday switching to shallow running crankbaits, Texas rigs and finesse jigs. Crappie are good on live minnows around cover. White bass are fair to good on live bait and tail spinners. Blue catfish are fair to good on cut and live bait.

STEINHAGEN

1.45’ high. No report available.

STILLHOUSE

Water murky; 78–82 degrees; 0.16’ high. Black bass are good on green pumpkin soft plastics and crankbaits. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stinkbait and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish are slow.

SWEETWATER

Water off color; 79–87 degrees; 22.61’ low. No report available.

TAWAKONI

Water lightly stained; 85–90 degrees; 1.48’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, hollow body frogs and shallow crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Hybrid bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

TEXOMA

Water lightly stained; 83–86 degrees; 17.26’ high. Black bass are slow on Texas rigged craws, topwater walking baits and shakyhead worms. Crappie are fair on minnows in deeper brush piles. Striped bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

TOLEDO BEND

Water stained; 80–84 degrees; 0.50’ low. Black bass are good on June bug and plum soft plastic worms early and late, and on topwaters early. Striped bass are fair on silver spoons. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and spoons. Crappie are slow. Bream are very good on crickets and nightcrawlers off docks. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait, stinkbait, livers, and hearts in 30 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

TRAVIS

Water stained; 81–85 degrees; 6.83’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon topwaters, green pumpkin soft plastic worms, and smoke grubs in 15–30 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on pearl grubs, topwaters, and chrome jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers and fresh cut perch. Yellow catfish are slow.

WALTER E. LONG

Water murky. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on pet spoons and hellbenders. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.

WEATHERFORD

Water lightly stained; 0.80’ low. No report available.

WHITE RIVER

Water stained; 80–89 degrees; 20.41’ low. Black bass are very slow (the bass population was greatly reduced during the drought). No reports on crappie. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

WHITNEY

Water stained; 78–82 degrees; 2.06’ low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin soft plastics and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on white Li’l Fishies. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and stinkbait.

WRIGHT PATMAN

Water stained; 6.80’ high. No report available.

-TSF-

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