Texas Fishing Report

Here is the weekly fishing report as compiled for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for Jan. 4 and also available on the internet at https://www.txfishing.com

CENTRAL

BASTROP: Water stained; 62-66 degrees. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and frozen shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.

BELTON: Water stained; 61-65 degrees; 0.62 feet high. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are fair on white striper jigs. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 63-67 degrees; 0.16 feet high. Black bass are fair on chartreuse/black jigs, small crankbaits, and watermelon red 4-inch worms over brush piles in 10-20 feet. Hybrid striper are fair on green striper jigs. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and watermelon red crankbaits under lighted docks at night. Crappie are good on Li’l Fishies and minnows over brush piles in 10-20 feet. Channel catfish are fair on stinkbait, minnows and shrimp in 10-20 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

BUCHANAN: Water stained; 62-66 degrees; 2.00 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon red JDC curl tail grubs on jigheads, Texas rigged blue flake Scoundrel worms, and blue back Fat Free Shads along ledges and points in 10-20 feet. Striped bass are good drifting live shad, and jigging Spoiler Shad swim baits and Pirk Minnows in 25-40 feet. White bass are fair jigging Tiny Traps and Curb’s crappie jigs along main lake points and creek bluffs in 15-25 feet. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 63-67 degrees; 0.27 feet high. Black bass are good on watermelon red Brush Hogs, Texas rigged Red Shad JDC drop shot worms, and tubes on jigheads in the stickups and along bluffs in 15-20 feet. Striped bass are fair jigging Pirk Minnows and trolling Shad Raps in the lower end of the lake over humps. White bass are fair on blade baits along main lake bluffs. Smallmouth bass are good on white JDC grubs, watermelon tubes on jigheads, and smoke drop shot worms along main lake points and bluff ledges. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

COLEMAN: Water stained; 64-68 degrees; 1.30 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel catfish are good on stinkbait, nightcrawlers, and frozen shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.

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

FAYETTE: Water murky. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits over grass, and on watermelon Carolina rigged worms. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stinkbait and minnows over baited holes.

GRANBURY: Water stained; 63-67 degrees; 0.01 feet high. Black bass are good on chartreuse/blue flake soft plastics and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on small spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp, stinkbait, and liver.

GRANGER: Water stained; 62-66 degrees; 0.57 feet high. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on shad in the main lake and upriver. Crappie are slow. Blue catfish are good on prepared baits, and on juglines baited with cut bait, shad, and Zote soap. Yellow catfish are slow.

LBJ: Water stained; 61-65 degrees; 1.65 feet low. Black bass are fair on PBJ colored Snag Proof jigs, pumpkin JDC drop shot worms, and green pumpkin tubes off docks. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on silver Pirk Minnows and Spoiler Shads. Crappie are fair on minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are fair on minnows and nightcrawlers. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 62-66 degrees; 0.11 feet low. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows in 9-15 feet. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 61-65 degrees; 0.52 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are fair on green striper jigs. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on frozen shad and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 63-67 degrees; 0.22 feet high. Black bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Hybrid striper are fair on silver striper jigs. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and green/black tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on bloodbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water murky; 60-64 degrees; 0.35 feet high. Black bass are fair on chartreuse spinnerbaits, soft plastics, and Rat-L-Traps. White bass are fair on pet spoons. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 62-66 degrees; 1.14 feet high. Black bass are good on green shad crankbaits, electric blue worms, and smoke grubs in 10-25 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on minnows and spoons in 30-45 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait in 25-40 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

WALTER E. LONG: Water murky. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 63-67 degrees; 3.24 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are good on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp, minnows, and stinkbait.

NORTHEAST

ATHENS: Water lightly stained; 50-53 degrees; 0.18 feet low. Black bass are fair on suspending jerkbaits, soft jerkbaits and bladed jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines and cut shad.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 51-54 degrees; 1.16 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged craws, bladed jigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

BONHAM: Water lightly stained; 49-52 degrees; 2.97 feet low. Black bass are slow 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, 49-53 degrees: 0.09 feet low. Black bass are slow on Megabass Vision 110 jerkbaits in mat shad, lipless crankbaits and squarebill crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Catfish are slow on trotlines.

CADDO: Water stained; 50-54 degrees; 0.75 feet high. Black bass are slow on Texas rigged creature baits, weightless Senkos and bladed jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 49-53 degrees; 1.75 feet low. Black bass are good on squarebill crankbaits, lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

COOPER: Water stained to muddy; 3.6 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; 49-53 degrees; 2.84 feet low. Black bass are good on squarebill crankbaits, bladed jigs and lipless crankbaits. White and yellow bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait and stinkbait.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 49-52 degrees; 0.28 feet high. Black bass are fair on suspending jerkbaits, shakeyhead worms and spinnerbaits. White bass and hybrid bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared bait.

JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 48-52 degrees; 0.5 feet low. Black bass are good on finesse jigs, bladed jigs and medium crankbaits. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 49-52 degrees: 0.05 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged creature baits, bladed jigs and flipping jigs. White bass are fair on slabs and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

LAVON: Water stained; 50-53 degrees: 3.45 feet low. Black bass are slow on flipping jigs, Texas rigged creature baits and bladed jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 48-51 degrees; 0.08 feet low. Black bass are slow on spinnerbaits, squarebill crankbaits and umbrella rigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 84-88 degrees; 1.74 feet low. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits, squarebill crankbaits and Texas rigged craws. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.

MONTICELLO: Water stained; 84-88 degrees; 0.01 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged creature baits, flipping jigs and swim jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 49-52 degrees; 1.35 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged worms, bladed jigs and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on trotlines.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 48-52 degrees; 1.25 feet low. Black bass are good on shallow crankbaits, umbrella rigs and shakyhead worms. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait.

RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 48-51 degrees; 0.01 feet low. Black bass are good on bladed jigs, soft plastic jerkbaits and Carolina rigged creature baits. White bass are fair on slabs and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 48-51 degrees; 1.54 feet low. Black bass are slow on bladed jigs, swim jigs and finesse jigs. White bass are fair on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

TAWAKONI: Water stained; 49-53 degrees; 2.62 feet low. Black bass are fair on bladed jigs, Texas rigged creature baits and flipping jigs. White bass are good on slabs and crankbaits. Hybrid bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 47-51 degrees; 0.76 feet high. Black bass are fair on suspending jerkbaits, umbrella rigs and shakyhead worms. Crappie are good on minnows and white jigs. Striped bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on trotlines.

WEATHERFORD: Water lightly stained; 0.8 feet low. No report available.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 5 feet high. No report available.

SOUTH

AMISTAD: Water murky; 66-70 degrees; 16.27 feet low. Black bass are good on crankbaits, jerkbaits, and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on slabs, spoons, and jigs in 30-65 feet. White bass are good on slabs, spoons, and jigs in 30-65 feet. Catfish are good on shrimp, chicken livers, nightcrawlers, and cheesebait. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines 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 good on spinnerbaits, dark soft plastic worms, and minnows in the reeds and near the dam. Striped bass are good on spoons in deeper water. Redfish are fair on perch, shad, and silver spoons. Channel and blue catfish are good on liver, shrimp, perch, and shad.

CALAVERAS: Water murky. Black bass are good on dark soft plastic worms, live minnows, and crankbaits around reeds and near the dam. Striped bass are good on shad near the dam in 15-20 feet. Redfish are fair on live perch, shad, tilapia, and crawfish. Channel catfish are good on liver, shrimp, and minnows. Blue catfish are good on liver and nightcrawlers. Yellow catfish are slow.

CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 63-67 degrees; 19.67 feet low. Black bass are good on crankbaits, heavy jigs, and large soft plastic lizards in the grass. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on punchbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

COLETO CREEK: Water murky; 77 degrees at the hot water discharge, 67 degrees in main lake; 2.52 feet low. Black bass to 5 pounds are fair on green pumpkin soft plastics and crankbaits in 8-10 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

FALCON: Water murky; 65-69 degrees; 28.53 feet low. Black bass are fair slow rolling spinnerbaits, and on large worms in 12-18 feet. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are excellent 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.

SOUTHEAST

CONROE: Water stained; 62-66 degrees; 0.20 feet high. Black bass are fair on watermelon red spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps in 15-30 feet. Striped bass are good on chartreuse striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait and frozen shrimp.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained. Black bass are fair on watermelon red spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp and liver.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 60-64 degrees; 0.21 feet high. Black bass to 4 pounds are fair on crankbaits and clear/metal flake Brush Hogs off piers. Crappie are fair on minnows. Bream are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 61-65 degrees; 0.33 feet high. Black bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 62-66 degrees; 3.07 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon soft plastics, crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. White bass are fair on live minnows and silver spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Bream are fair on worms. Catfish are good on stinkbait, frozen shrimp, and liver.

STEINHAGEN: 1.49 feet high. No report available.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 63-67 degrees; 3.80 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs over brush piles. Bream are fair on worms. Channel and blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers, shrimp, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

PANHANDLE

GREENBELT: 31.27 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs and finesse jigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows.

MACKENZIE: 73.67 feet low. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

MEREDITH: 60.91 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: 57.4 feet low. No report available.

WEST

ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 48 degrees; 1.77 feet low. Black bass are slow on deep diving crankbaits, swimbaits and jerkbaits. Crappie and bass are slow on minnows. Catfish are good on rod and reel with punchbait on a #6 treble hook up the river.

ARROWHEAD: Water fairly clear; 49-56 degrees; 0.8 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: 12.81 feet low. No report available.

FORT PHANTOM HILL: Water murky; 50-56 degrees; 0.5 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; 0.57 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; 1.28 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; 9.38 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs, crankbaits and shakyheads. 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; 34.04 feet low. Black bass are fair on pearl crankbaits, Texas rigs and swimjigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water off color; 48-55 degrees; 0.09 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on swimjigs, Texas rigs and medium running crankbaits. Crappie are fair on live minnows. White bass are fair to good on slabs. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.

SPENCE: 50.04 feet low. No report available.

STAMFORD: 0.3 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; 23.16 feet low. No report available.

WHITE RIVER: Water stained; 45-52 degrees; 19.47 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: Redfish are fair to good at the discharge canal on peeled shrimp. Black drum are fair around rock groins. Sand trout are good in the deep holes on shrimp.

SOUTH SABINE: Bull redfish are good at the jetty on crabs. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp.

BOLIVAR: Sand trout are fair to good in the ICW on shrimp. Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.

TRINITY BAY: Redfish are fair to good in the bayous for waders tossing plastics. Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair over deep mud and structures on MirrOlures. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair for waders in the mud and shell on MirrOlures and Corkies. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

TEXAS CITY: Sheepshead are good around the rocks on shrimp. Trout are fair on shrimp over shell.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Redfish are good in Cold Pass and San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair on the south shoreline in the guts and bayous. Sheepshead are fair around piers and rocks on shrimp.

PORT O’CONNOR: Redfish are fair on Corkies over soft mud and drop-offs near reefs on plastics. Redfish are fair at the mouths of drains on soft plastics and gold spoons.

ROCKPORT: Redfish are fair to good at California Hole on shrimp. Trout are fair on the edge of the ICW on glow DOA Shrimp. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Estes Flats on mullet and shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the channel on Gulps and mullet. Sand trout are good on shrimp in the channel.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are fair good in the Humble Channel and around Emmords Hole on crabs and shrimp. Trout are best on the edge of the flats on live shrimp and DOA Shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and rocks on Corkies and Soft-Dines. Redfish are fair on the edge of the Land Cut on plastics tipped with shrimp.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on DOA Shrimp around grass holes. Trout and redfish are fair on muddy shorelines and on the edge of the ICW on Corkies and soft plastics worked slowly.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp and Gulps. Redfish, black drum and mangrove snapper are fair to good in the channel on shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: Trout are fair on the edge of the flats on soft plastics and imitation shrimp. Redfish are fair in the deep holes and along the edge of the channel on gold spoons and jigs tipped with shrimp.