Catfish are the highlight of this East Texas Fishing report, with reports of excellent angling for them at Cedar Creek, Toledo Bend and Fork. Some of them are even weighing in at 50 pounds, as reported by Matt Williams in the Athens Daily Review. Here are the highlights of his article:
ATHENS — Water level is 5.65 feet low fairly clear. Water temp is in low 60s.
Jerry Hanson at Lake Athens Marina says bass are good to three pounds on Rat-L-Traps worked along outside grass edges in 4-8 feet water. A few fish also hitting spinnerbaits.
No report on crappie. Not much traffic on the water.
CEDAR CREEK — Water level is 7.73 feet low and stained. Water temp in the low 60s.
Fishing guide Jason Barber said catfish to 20 pounds are excellent on cut shad soaked in three feet of water. Lots of four pounders in the mix.
Black bass are good on jigs and spinnerbaits fished around docks with available water or any shoreline cover. White bass and hybrids are good on main points and humps down south. Slabs are a good bet for the deep water bite; ‘Traps and topwaters when the fish are shallow.
Crappie fishermen are reporting partial limits around brush in 8-20 feet of water, mostly on live shiners. Bridge crossings also are holding some decent numbers.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is 8.5 feet low and stained. Water temp in the low 60s.
Fishing guide Royce Simmons says white bass and hybrids good to 21 inches using slabs in 15-30 feet of water. The fish are chasing bait early, then moving structure tight to bottom.
Catfish are fair over baited holes and on windy shorelines using punch bait and cut shad. No report on crappie. Bass are slow.
PALESTINE — Water level is 6.42 feet low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the low 60s.
Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff says jigs are producing some solid fish in the six pound range for anglers willing to make the bumpy run north to Flat Creek. Main points are holding some decent numbers, hitting spinnerbaits, cranks and Carolina rigs.
High winds have made crappie fishing tough. A few partial limits reported at the Highway 155 crossing, mainly on jigs. White bass are fair on shallow points early, then moving to deeper water. Some schooling activity reported near Henderson Point.
TOLEDO BEND — Water level is 12.44 feet low and clear. Water temp in the low 60s.
Fishing guide Stephen Johnston said bass are good to five pounds on spinnerbaits and ‘Traps worked along outside grass edges in 10-12 feet of water. Deep cranks also are producing in slightly deeper water. Big jigs flipped in matted grass are producing some solid fish in the six pound range, but the bite has been sporadic.
Crappie are slow down south. Up north, anglers are reporting some decent catches along the edges of the river, mainly on minnows. Lots of white bass in the river hitting spoons.
Catfish are excellent to 50 pounds on stump hooks tipped with live perch. Catching bait is a problem; most anglers are bringing their own.
FORK — Water level is 7.66 feet low and stained. Water temp in in the low 60s.
Butch Mack at Lake Fork Marina says bass are good to nine pounds on Texas rigs, Carolina rigs and topwaters. Shallow bite is best early, then moving to 28-30 feet on main lake points and other structure.
Crappie are decent at the bridges and on brush piles, suspended at 12-27 feet. Catfish are excellent in 28-30 feet of water using punch bait. Good numbers of 2-3 pounders reported.
If you’re more interested in going after bass or crappies than catfish you will very likely be wanting to read the entire East Texas Fishing Report for this week at http://www.athensreview.com/sports/x67372300/11-22-East-Texas-Fishing-Report
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