Texas Fishing Report

Here is the weekly fishing report as compiled for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for Dec. 7 and also available on the internet at https://www.txfishing.com

CENTRAL

BASTROP: Water stained; 68-72 degrees. Black bass are good on watermelon soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

BELTON: Water stained; 67-71 degrees; 0.58 feet high. Black bass are good on dark soft plastic worms in coves. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows at night. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 67-71 degrees; 0.28 feet high. Black bass are fair on watermelon jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and soft plastic worms over brush piles in 10-25 feet. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and crankbaits from lighted docks at night. Crappie are good on minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers over baited holes. Yellow catfish are slow.

BUCHANAN: Water stained; 69-73 degrees; 2.02 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon topwaters, Bleeding Shad Rat-L-Traps, and Texas rigged silver flake Whacky Sticks in 10-15 feet. Striped bass are fair on Rat-L-Traps and Spoiler Shads off points in 20-30 feet near the dam. White bass are fair on Tiny Traps and pet spoons in the river channel. Crappie are fair on chartreuse Curb’s crappie jigs and live minnows. Channel catfish are good on liver and stinkbait. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 68-72 degrees; 0.28 feet high. Black bass are fair to good on watermelon red Whacky Sticks, dark spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps along creeks in 8-20 feet. Striped bass are fair on deep running crankbaits and blade baits around humps in the lower end of the lake. White bass are slow. Smallmouth bass are good on white JDC curl tail grubs on jigheads and watermelon Curb’s jigs along ledges and over rock piles in 8-18 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs upriver. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on juglines baited with live perch.

COLEMAN: Water stained; 70-74 degrees; 1.16 feet low. Black bass are fair on pumpkinseed soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Channel catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.

COLORADO RIVER: (At Colorado Bend State Park) No report available.

FAYETTE: Water murky. Black bass are fair on watermelon and chartreuse Carolina rigged Finesse worms, and on topwaters. Channel and blue catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.

GRANBURY: Water stained; 71-75 degrees; 0.15 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and perch colored Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and liver.

GRANGER: Water stained; 69-73 degrees; 0.48 feet high. Black bass are fair on green pumpkin soft plastics and Rat-L-Traps. White bass are fair on shad upriver. Crappie are slow. Blue catfish are good on prepared baits, and on juglines baited with cut bait and Zote soap. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch.

LBJ: Water stained; 68-72 degrees; 0.82 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits, watermelon soft plastics, and wacky rigged green pumpkin Whacky Sticks along laydowns and stumps in 10-15 feet early and late. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good vertically jigging Pirk Minnows under birds. Crappie are good on watermelon Curb’s crappie jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are fair on liver and stinkbait. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 70-74 degrees; 0.14 feet low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits and small crankbaits. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel catfish are good on nightcrawlers and stinkbait. Blue catfish are fair on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 67-71 degrees; 0.66 feet low. Black bass are good on black soft plastic worms with chartreuse tails. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on roadrunners and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on juglines baited with liver and cut shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 69-73 degrees; 0.72 feet high. Black bass are fair on chartreuse spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with cut shad and perch. Yellow catfish are slow.

STILLHOUSE: Water murky; 68-72 degrees; 0.48 feet high. Black bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and spinnerbaits. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on minnows and liver. Yellow catfish are slow.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 67-71 degrees; 0.47 feet high. Black bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on white striper jigs. White bass are fair on Tiny Traps and minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs in 15-20 feet. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and stinkbait in 20-45 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

WALTER E. LONG: Water murky. Black bass are good on perch colored Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are fair on silver striper jigs. White bass are good on minnows and Tiny Traps. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 68-72 degrees; 2.76 feet low. Black bass are fair on pumpkinseed spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on white striper jigs. White bass are good on minnows and pet spoons. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on shrimp, liver, and hot dogs.

NORTHEAST

ATHENS: Water lightly stained; 59-62 degrees; 0.46 feet low. Black bass are fair on finesse jigs, flukes and bladed jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on rod and reel.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 60-63 degrees; 1.86 feet low. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits, bladed jigs and Texas rigged creature baits. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

BONHAM: Water lightly stained; 58-61 degrees; 2.35 feet low. Black bass are good on crankbaits, jigs and Texas rig soft plastics. Crappie are good on brush piles with jigs and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.

BRIDGEPORT: Water lightly stained, 58-62 degrees: 0.08 feet high. Black bass are good on shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits and bladed jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait.

CADDO: Water stained; 61-64 degrees; 0.75 feet high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits and flipping jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 58-61 degrees; 1.66 feet low. Black bass are good on squarebill crankbaits, medium crankbaits and spinnerbaits. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines.

COOPER: Water stained to muddy; 3.59 feet low. No report available.

FAIRFIELD: Black bass fishing reported as significantly improved. TPWD discontinued stocking the lake after the fish kill in September 2011. Redfish survived the kill in limited numbers.

FORK: Water lightly stained; 59-62 degrees; 2.86 feet low. Black bass are fair on Carolina rigged flukes, umbrella rigs and flutter spoons. White and yellow bass are good on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and white jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines and prepared bait.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 58-61 degrees; 0.30 feet high. Black bass are slow on Texas rigged soft plastics, spinnerbaits and squarebill crankbaits. White bass and hybrid bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on rod and reel.

JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 59-62 degrees; 0.84 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged craws, shakyheads and soft jerkbaits. White bass are good on minnows and slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are slow on trotlines.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 59-63 degrees: 0.42 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, bladed jigs and flipping jigs. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.

LAVON: Water stained; 59-62 degrees: 3.20 feet low. Black bass are slow on bladed jigs, Texas rigged creature baits and flipping jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 58-61 degrees; 0.09 feet high. Black bass are good on shakyhead worms, Flukes and squarebill crankbaits. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait.

MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 85-88 degrees; 1.82 feet low. Black bass are slow on Flukes, shakyheads and Texas rigged craws. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on minnows and slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

MONTICELLO: Water stained; 85-88 degrees; 0.01 feet high. Black bass are good on Texas rigged creature baits, soft plastic swimbaits and bladed jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 58-61 degrees; 1.67 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged worms, finesse jigs and flipping jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and minnows. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 59-62 degrees; 0.82 feet low. Black bass are fair on shallow crankbaits, umbrella rigs and shakyhead worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 58-60 degrees; 0.30 feet high. Black bass are good on bladed jigs, spinnerbaits and Carolina rigged creature baits. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 59-62 degrees; 1.30 feet low. Black bass are good on bladed jigs and Texas rigged worms. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

TAWAKONI: Water stained; 59-63 degrees; 2.52 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged craws, shallow crankbaits and flipping jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 58-61 degrees; 1.33 feet high. Black bass are good on jerkbaits, umbrella rigs and shakyhead worms. Crappie are good on minnows. Striped bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

WEATHERFORD: Water lightly stained; 0.72 feet low. No report available.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 3.42 feet high. No report available.

SOUTH

AMISTAD: Water murky; 72-76 degrees; 16.73 feet low. Black bass are good on topwaters, spinnerbaits, shallow running crankbaits, Senkos, and soft plastics. Striped bass are fair on slabs and jigging spoons under birds. White bass are good on slabs and jigging spoons. Catfish are good on cheesebait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers over baited holes. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines and droplines baited with live perch. Everyone in a boat must have a Mexico fishing license (if fishing the Mexico side) whether fishing or not.

BRAUNIG: Water murky. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. Redfish are fair on live perch and shad near the dam. Channel catfish are good on chicken livers, shrimp, and cut shad. Blue catfish are good on cut bait.

CALAVERAS: Water murky. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on silver striper jigs. Redfish are fair on live perch, shad, and spoons. Channel and blue catfish are good on liver, shrimp, and cut shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 69-73 degrees; 19.51 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits early and late. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on frozen shrimp, hot dogs, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are fair on live perch.

COLETO CREEK: Water murky; 76 degrees at the hot water discharge, 63 degrees in main lake; 2.43 feet low. Black bass are good on pumpkinseed soft plastics and crankbaits. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and green tube jigs near Coletoville Bridge in 8-12 feet. Channel and blue catfish to 6 pounds are fair on live perch in 8-12 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

FALCON: Water murky; 70-74 degrees; 28.65 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are very good on cut bait and shrimp upriver. Yellow catfish are slow. Everyone in a boat must have a Mexico fishing license (if fishing the Mexico side) whether fishing or not.

SOUTHEAST

CONROE: Water stained; 68-72 degrees; 0.16 feethigh. Black bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps in 15-25 feet. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are fair on liver and nightcrawlers.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained. Black bass are good on pumpkinseed spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on stinkbait and live bait.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 63-67 degrees; 0.38 feet high. Black bass to 2.5 pounds are fair on Rat-L-Traps in 15-20 feet, and on black Brush Hogs around brush in 10 feet. Crappie are fair on live minnows at drop offs with brush in 20 feet. Bream are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 67-71 degrees; 0.68 feet high. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on slabs and pet spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 68-72 degrees; 3.34 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse soft plastic worms, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps in 20-30 feet. White bass are good on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Bream are fair on worms. Catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and liver.

STEINHAGEN: 1.36 feet high. No report available.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 69-73 degrees; 4.12 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are good on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are good on slabs and silver spoons. Crappie are good on minnows over brush piles. Bream are fair on worms. Channel and blue catfish are good on minnows, shrimp, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

PANHANDLE

GREENBELT: 31.24 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs and finesse jigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows.

MACKENZIE: 73.48 feet low. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

MEREDITH: 60.77 feet low. TPWD has begun restocking the lake with Walleye. Reports of black bass are rare. No reports of smallmouth bass. Bream and channel catfish are being caught in good numbers.

PALO DURO: 57.12 feet low. No report available.

WEST

ALAN HENRY: Water clear main lake, stained up river and creeks; 49-55 degrees; 1.5 feet low. Black bass are good on crankbaits, wacky worms and shakyheads with finesse worms at first light. Spoons are producing all day on fish schooling in 25-50 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on juglines with goldfish, perch or minnows.

ARROWHEAD: Water fairly clear; 49-56 degrees; 0.67 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs, drop shot rigs and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

COLORADO CITY: 12.67 feet low. No report available.

FORT PHANTOM HILL: Water murky; 50-56 degrees; 0.32 feet low. Black bass are fair on shakyheads, chatterbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water off color; 51-55 degrees; 0.46 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs, jigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

NASWORTHY: 49-55 degrees; 1.15 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on Texas rigs and chatterbaits. No reports on crappie. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

OAK CREEK: Water stained; 48-56 degrees; 9.47 feet low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on chartreuse (use Worn-Glo) nightcrawlers.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 49-56 degrees; 34.11 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and live bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water off color; 48-55 degrees; 0.02 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on jigs, Texas rigs and drop shot rigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and live minnows. White bass are fair to good on slabs. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.

SPENCE: 50.06 feet low. No report available.

STAMFORD: 0.16 feet low. Black bass and crappie are fair to good, but mostly undersized. White bass are fair to good on minnows and Rooster Tails. Blue catfish are fair to good on cut and live bait.

SWEETWATER: Water off color; 47-53 degrees; 23.22 feet low. No report available.

WHITE RIVER: Water stained; 45-52 degrees; 19.3 feet 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.

COASTAL

NORTH SABINE: Trout are good under birds and pods of shad on soft plastics. Redfish and flounder are good in the marsh on shrimp. Flounder are good on the falling tide on the muddy shorelines.

SOUTH SABINE: Trout are good under birds and pods of shad. Redfish are good at the jetty on live bait and cracked crabs. Flounder are good on Gulps in the bayous.

BOLIVAR: Trout, black drum, sand trout and redfish are good at Rollover Pass. Trout are fair to good while drifting shell on plastics. Bull redfish are good on the beachfront.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working deep shell. Trout are good under birds on soft plastics. Redfish are good at the Spillway on shrimp and Gulps.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout and large Gulf trout are good for drifters working deep shell on plastics and fresh shrimp. Redfish and flounder are fair to good in the marsh around drains on shrimp. Trout and redfish are good under the birds.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Bull redfish and flounder are good at San Luis Pass on shrimp and shad. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. Trout are good under the birds in the afternoon over deep shell.

TEXAS CITY: Bull redfish are good in the channel on shrimp and crabs. Gulf trout are good in the channel on fresh shrimp.

FREEPORT: Trout are good on reefs on shrimp and DOA Shrimp under corks. Redfish are fair to good on the reefs in Christmas Bay and Bastrop Bay. Bull redfish are good on the beach.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are good for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell and under birds when the wind allows. Trout and flounder are fair to good on muddy shorelines on Gulps.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair on sand and grass humps on soft plastics and topwaters. Redfish are good on live shrimp at Shell Island, Oyster Lake, Crab Lake and Mad Island. Flounder are good in the Diversion Channel on Gulps.

PORT O’CONNOR: Bull redfish are good at the jetty on crabs, mullet and shad. Trout are fair to good on the reefs in San Antonio Bay on live shrimp. Flounder are fair to good in bayous on Gulps and jigs tipped with shrimp.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair to good on Corkies while working reefs. Redfish are good in Redfish Bay on mullet and crabs. Bull redfish, black drum and flounder are good in the Lydia Ann Channel on shrimp and mullet.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair at Shamrock on topwaters and plum soft plastics. Bull redfish are good at the jetty and on the beachfront on natural baits.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Bull redfish are good in the surf on mullet and shrimp. Trout are fair for waders working mud and grass on Gulps and topwaters. Redfish are good in the channels on natural baits.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are good on topwaters and Gamblers around rocks and grass. Trout are good while drifting deep rocks on plum plastics. Redfish are fair to good on Gulps and plum plastics around spoil islands.

PORT MANSFIELD: Redfish are good while drifting pot holes on topwaters and soft plastics under a popping cork. Trout and redfish are fair to good on the spoils on small topwaters and red shad plastics.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout are fair to good while drifting grass and mud on plastics and live shrimp. Redfish are good in Airport Cove and around the causeway on Gulps and DOA Shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are good while drifting sand and grass on Gulps and soft plastics. Bull redfish are good along the channel near the causeway on mullet.