The weekly fishing report as compiled for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for May 17 and also available on the internet at https://www.txfishing.com :
CENTRAL
BASTROP: Water stained; 73-77 degrees. Black bass are good on watermelon crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on live bait and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.
BELTON: Water stained; 72-76 degrees; 0.78 feet high. Black bass are good trolling Rat-L-Traps. Hybrid striper are good on shad in 20 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows under lights at night. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with live perch and live shad.
BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 73-77 degrees; 0.42 feet low. Black bass are excellent on Bass Hogg Gorilla jigs, green pumpkin soft plastics, and white/chartreuse crankbaits around docks. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are excellent on minnows and white jigs under lights at night in 10-20 feet. Crappie are excellent on minnows and white tube jigs over brush piles in 1-8 feet. Channel catfish are slow. Blue catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.
BUCHANAN: Water stained; 74-78 degrees; 0.24 feet low. Black bass are good on white/chartreuse spinnerbaits, watermelon topwaters, and green pumpkin Whacky Sticks with chartreuse tails along lake points in 8-12 feet at first light. Striped bass are fair on topwaters and Rat-L-Traps, and drifting live bait on the surface in 20-30 feet near the Lighthouse. White bass are fair trolling Shad Raps and jigging Pirk Minnows and Tiny Traps over rock piles in 20-30 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and watermelon tube jigs over brush piles in 12 feet. Channel catfish are good on live bait and cut bait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on juglines and trotlines baited with goldfish and minnows.
CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 73-77 degrees; 0.13 feet low. Black bass are fair on tomato red JDC grubs, watermelon red Whacky Sticks, and Texas rigged watermelon red finesse worms along bluff ledges in 8-16 feet. Striped bass are fair on silver spoons and 1-oz. Pirk Minnows in 30 feet. White bass are slow. Smallmouth bass are good on root beer/green JDC curl tailed grubs and craws, and smoke/red tubes on ball jigheads in 10 feet on main lake points and ledges. Crappie are good on pink tube jigs and live minnows upriver around submerged brush piles over break lines. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are good on juglines and trotlines baited with live bait.
COLEMAN: Water stained; 74-78 degrees; 0.64 feet low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin soft plastic lizards and worms. Hybrid striper are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.
COLORADO RIVER: (At Colorado Bend State Park) No report available.
FAYETTE: Water murky. Black bass are good on watermelon shallow running crankbaits and soft plastic worms in 4-20 feet. Channel and blue catfish are good on juglines baited with shrimp and shad in 10-12 feet.
GRANBURY: Water stained; 72-76 degrees; 0.40 feet low. Black bass are fair on chartreuse/white soft plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are fair on white bucktail jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and watermelon spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait, liver, and frozen shrimp.
GRANGER: Water stained; 71-75 degrees; 0.51 feet high. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on Rat-L-Traps around shallow main lake roadbeds. Crappie are fair on marabou jigs in 4-12 feet. Blue catfish are good on shad and prepared bait in 4-15 feet. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait upriver.
LBJ: Water stained; 73-77 degrees; 0.75 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red JDC Skip-N-Pop topwaters, watermelon Curb’s Erratic jigs, and weightless green pumpkin Texas rigged Whacky Sticks along break lines of flats in 6-10 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs over brush piles in 15 feet. Channel catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 72-76 degrees; 0.06 feet low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin soft plastics and spinnerbaits along banks in Liberty Hill Park and near the dam. White bass are good on Charlie slabs and pet spoons. Crappie are fair on chartreuse jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are good on minnows and nightcrawlers. Blue catfish are fair on trotlines and juglines baited with liver and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.
PROCTOR: Water stained; 71-75 degrees; 0.37 feet low. Black bass are fair on pumpkinseed soft plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are good on shad. White bass are good on minnows and shad colored crankbaits. Crappie are very good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are very good on shad and shrimp. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.
SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 74-78 degrees; 0.12 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Hybrid striper are good on silver spoons. White bass are good on slabs and spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on punchbait and liver. Yellow catfish are slow.
STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water murky; 73-77 degrees; 0.29 feet high. Black bass are good on watermelon Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.
TRAVIS: Water stained; 74-78 degrees; 1.77 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse Rat-L-Traps, watermelon worms, and smoke grubs in 8-24 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and minnows in 20-30 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs in 10-20 feet. Channel and blue catfish are fair on minnows and shrimp in 20-35 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.
WALTER E. LONG: Water murky. Black bass are very good on shad. Hybrid striper are fair on shad and silver striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on nightcrawlers, frozen shad, and frozen shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.
WHITNEY: Water stained; 72-76 degrees; 2.37 feet low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin soft plastics and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on white/chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows, Charlie slabs, pet spoons, and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Catfish are good on frozen shrimp and stinkbait.
NORTHEAST
ATHENS: Water lightly stained; 72-76 degrees; 0.22 feet high. Black bass are good on Texas rigged craws, weightless Senkos and black buzzbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on rod and reel.
BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 73-76 degrees; 0.27 feet high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged craws, Yellow Magic poppers and hollow body frogs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines and cut shad.
BONHAM: Water lightly stained; 72-75 degrees; 2.75 feet low. Black bass are good on topwater baits, shallow crankbaits, and Texas rigged soft plastics around rocks, docks and secondary points. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good cut bait and frozen shad.
BRIDGEPORT: Water lightly stained, 71-74 degrees: 0.08 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged craws, weightless Senkos and squarebill crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and topwaters. Catfish are fair on trotlines.
CADDO: Water stained; 74-77 degrees; 1.25 feet high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, black buzzbaits, and hollow body frogs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait.
CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 71-74 degrees; 0.02 feet high. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Texas rigged worms and topwater poppers. White bass are good on slabs and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.
COOPER: Water stained; 2.91 feet low. No report available.
FAIRFIELD: No report available.
FORK: Water lightly stained; 71-75 degrees; 0.25 feet high. Black bass are fair on squarebill crankbaits, white buzzbaits, and hollow body frogs. White and yellow bass are good on slabs and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.
GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 71-74 degrees; 0.04 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged worms, football jigs and topwater poppers. White bass and hybrid bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.
JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 71-75 degrees; 0.27 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged craws, weightless Senkos and spinnerbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.
LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 71-75 degrees: 4.72 feet high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, hollow body frogs and buzzbaits. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines.
LAVON: Water stained; 70-74 degrees: 0.75 feet low. Black bass are fair on squarebill crankbaits, buzzbaits and Texas rigged craws. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and prepared bait.
LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 70-74 degrees; 0.12 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged craws, squarebill crankbaits and topwaters. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.
MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 72-77 degrees; 0.54 feet low. Black bass are fair on buzzbaits, hollow body frogs, and weightless Senkos. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on minnows and crankbaits. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.
MONTICELLO: Water stained; 72-77 degrees; 0.13 feet low. Black bass are slow on hollow body frogs, buzz frogs and Texas rigged creature baits. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.
PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 70-74 degrees; 0.01 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged craws, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Hybrid striper are fair on slabs. White bass are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.
RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 70-75 degrees; 0.26 feet low. Black bass are fair on shallow crankbaits, topwater walking baits and shakyhead worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.
RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 71-75 degrees; 0.08 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged worms, topwater poppers and football jigs. White bass are good on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 70-74 degrees; 0.16 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged creature baits, swim jigs and spinnerbaits. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.
TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 71-75 degrees; 1.90 feet low. Black bass are fair on black buzzbaits, hollow body frogs and Texas rigged craws. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Hybrid bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.
TEXOMA: Water lightly stained; 70-74 degrees; 2.47 feet low. Black bass are good on medium crankbaits, topwater poppers and Texas rigged worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are fair on slabs and topwaters. Catfish are good on trotlines.
WEATHERFORD: Water lightly stained; 0.72 feet low. No report available.
WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 6.33 feet high. No report available.
SOUTH
AMISTAD: Water murky; 76-80 degrees; 32.83 feet low. Black bass are good on topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on Red Fins, crankbaits, and topwaters. White bass are fair on spinnerbaits and minnows. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cheesebait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers over baited holes. Yellow catfish are fair on live perch near rockslides. 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 crankbaits and dark soft plastics in reeds. Striped bass are fair on liver and perch off points near the pier. Redfish are good on perch, shad, and silver spoons. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp, cheesebait, cut bait, and liver near the dam. Yellow catfish are slow.
CALAVERAS: Water murky. Black bass are fair on dark soft plastic worms and crankbaits over reed beds. Striped bass are good on spoons and striper jigs near the dam and the crappie wall. Redfish are fair down rigging silver and gold spoons in 10-20 feet. Channel catfish are good on liver, shrimp, cheesebait, and shad. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and liver. Yellow catfish are slow.
CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 75-79 degrees; 21.05 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon deep running crankbaits and white spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Drum are fair on nightcrawlers and spoons. Channel and blue catfish are good on punchbait. Yellow catfish are fair on cut bait.
COLETO CREEK: Water murky; 90 degrees at the hot water discharge, 79 degrees in main lake; 1.01 feet low. Black bass to 5 pounds are good on watermelon crankbaits and spinnerbaits in 6-8 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and green tube jigs near Coletoville Bridge in 8-10 feet. Channel and blue catfish to 8 pounds are good on trotlines baited with live perch and shad in 8-10 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.
FALCON: Water murky; 75-79 degrees; 33.60 feet low. Black bass are very good on crankbaits off ledges and points. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are fair on watermelon tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on cut bait and frozen shrimp. 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; 73-77 degrees; 0.43 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon Texas and Carolina rigged soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are good on chartreuse striper jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on stinkbait, frozen shrimp, and nightcrawlers.
GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms with chartreuse tails. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Catfish are good on minnows, shrimp, and liver.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 75-79 degrees; 0.12 feet high. Black bass are fair on pumpkinseed soft plastics. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows in creek channels. Bream are good on live worms. Channel and blue catfish are good on shad, live worms, and chicken livers. Yellow catfish are slow.
LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 73-77 degrees; 0.01 feet high. Black bass are good on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, soft plastics, and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on slabs, pet spoons, and troll tubes. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.
SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 72-76 degrees; 1.50 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red soft plastics and crankbaits. White bass are fair on minnows, hellbenders, and silver spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs over brush piles. Bream are fair on nightcrawlers. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.
STEINHAGEN: 0.89 feet high. No report available.
TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 73-77 degrees; 0.83 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on bucktail jigs. White bass are fair on silver spoons and slabs in the river. Crappie are good on minnows and pink jigs over baited holes. Bream are good on crickets and nightcrawlers. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.
PANHANDLE
GREENBELT: 30.45 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on Yellow Magics early, later switching to Texas rigs, Rat-L-Traps and jigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows.
MACKENZIE: 73.16 feet low. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.
MEREDITH: 59.32 feet low. TPWD has begun restocking the lake with Walleye. Reports of black bass are limited. No reports of smallmouth bass. Bream and channel catfish are being caught in good numbers.
PALO DURO: 58.95 feet low. No report available.
WEST
ALAN HENRY: Water clear on the main lake, stained up the river; 69 degrees main lake, 72 degrees up the river; 2.67 feet low. Black bass are slow on 7-inch Power Worms, spoons and shakyheads with Z Man TRDs (some bass still moving up). Crappie and bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on rod and reel with cut bait and punchbait on baited holes.
ARROWHEAD: Water fairly clear; 65-69 degrees; 1.03 feet low. Black bass are good on Yellow Magics early, later switching to Texas rigs, drop shot rigs and shallow running crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows around structure. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.
COLORADO CITY: 13.99 feet low. No report available.
FORT PHANTOM HILL: Water murky; 66-69 degrees; 0.45 feet low. Black bass are fair on chatterbaits early, later switching to Rat-L-Traps, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water off color; 64-68 degrees; 0.83 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on Whopper Ploppers early, later switching to 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.
NASWORTHY: 63-68 degrees; 1.13 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on drop shot rigs, finesse jigs and Texas rigs. No reports on crappie. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.
OAK CREEK: Water stained; 65-69 degrees; 8 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigs and topwaters. Crappie are fair to good on live minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers.
O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 63-68 degrees; 33.52 feet low. Black bass are good on Whopper Ploppers early, later switching to shallow running crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water off color; 63-68 degrees; 0.61 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on drop shot rigs, Texas rigs, medium running shad pattern crankbaits and green pumpkin 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.
SPENCE: 50.3 feet low. No report available.
STAMFORD: 1.38 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early, later switching to Texas rigs and weightless flukes. Crappie are fair to good on live minnows in the shallows. White bass are fair to good on Rooster Tails. Blue catfish are fair to good on cut and live bait.
SWEETWATER: Water off color; 57-63 degrees; 22.34 feet low. No report available.
WHITE RIVER: Water stained; 55-62 degrees; 20.18 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 fair to good on the Louisiana shoreline on topwaters and Corkies. Flounder are fair on jigs tipped with shrimp around marsh drains. Trout are good in the river on shad.
SOUTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under birds and pods of shad. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good around Lighthouse Cove on topwaters.
BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on Bass Assassins, Lit’l Johns and Gamblers. Black drum, sand trout and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.
TRINITY BAY: Trout are fair on live bait around the reefs. Redfish are fair to good in the marsh on shrimp and mullet.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good on the south shoreline on She Dogs and soft plastics. Trout are good while drifting the reefs on plastics. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair on topwaters and Corkies in the afternoon. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.
TEXAS CITY: Trout are fair to good on Dollar Reef on live shrimp and croakers. Redfish are fair in Moses Lake on mullet and shrimp.
FREEPORT: Trout are fair to good at San Luis Pass on shrimp. Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs in Christmas Bay. Black drum are good at the jetties on cracked blue crabs.
EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are good for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet and under mud boils in the middle of the bay.
WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the edge of Oyster Lake on shrimp and crabs. Trout are fair on shell and grass on soft plastics. Redfish are fair to good in Lake Austin on crabs.
PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfish are good on topwaters over sand and grass in the guts in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp. Trout are fair to good at the jetty on live shrimp and croakers.
ROCKPORT: Trout are fair to good in the guts and channels on free-lined shrimp. Black drum are good in the Lydia Ann Channel on crabs. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp.
PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair to good at East Flats and around Dagger Island on shrimp and crabs. Trout, redfish and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp and croakers.
CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on Gulps and live shrimp. Redfish are good in the potholes on shrimp. Trout are good for drifters working like shrimp over sand and grass.
BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good on topwaters and live bait over deep rocks. Trout are good at night in the Land Cut on live shrimp.
PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are good on topwaters around sand and grass at Green Island and Gladys Hole. Redfish are fair to good while drifting pot holes and while anchored with natural baits at East Cut.
SOUTH PADRE: Trout are good around the spoil islands, channel edges and color changes on DOA Shrimp and live shrimp. Redfish are good on the edge of the flats on live bait. Snook are fair to good in South Bay.
PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the flats on live shrimp. Redfish are fair to good in while drifting flats with DOA Shrimp under a cork.
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