April 23, 2008

AUSTIN (AP) - Here is the weekly fishing report as compiled for
the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for April 23. (Report also
available on Web as www.txfishing.com.)

CENTRAL
BASTROP: Water clear. Black bass are good on crankbaits,
spinnerbaits, and soft plastic worms and lizards. Crappie are good
on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are very good on live bait,
frozen shrimp, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.
BELTON: Water clear; 69-78 degrees; 0.27' high. Black bass are
fair on spinnerbaits and minnows. Hybrid striper are slow. White
bass are good on minnows and white riversides under lights at
night. Crappie are good on minnows and white riversides. Channel
and blue catfish are good on hot dogs, shrimp, Spam, and frozen
shad. Yellow catfish are good on juglines baited with live perch.
BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 67-74 degrees; 1.40' low. Black bass
to 4 pounds are excellent on chartreuse Bass Hogg spinnerbaits,
craw Bass Hogg jigs, Persuader crankbaits, and watermelon red
GrandeBass 6" Baby Rattle Snakes along the shoreline, among rocks,
and near dead grass in 15 feet. Hybrid striper are fair trolling
deep running crankbaits. White bass to 2 pounds are excellent on
Li'l Fishies and crankbaits from lighted docks and off points at
night. Crappie are excellent on Li'l Fishies and jigs along the
shoreline in 15 feet and over brush piles in 1215 feet. Channel
catfish are fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers over baited holes in
810 feet. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with perch in
618 feet.
BUCHANAN: Water clear; 70-76 degrees; 2.53' low. Black bass are
good on JDC Skip-N-Pop topwaters, Curb's "erratic" jigs, and
wacky rigged watermelon/red Whacky Sticks in stickups and flooded
grass back in creeks and pockets in 36 feet. Striped bass are fair
jigging white Curb's bucktail jigs and drifting live bait around
Shaw Island in 1530 feet. White bass are good vertically jigging
Bleeding Shad Tiny Traps and Pirk Minnows above Paradise Point.
Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish
are good on juglines and trotlines above Paradise Point.
CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 70-75 degrees; 0.22' low. Black bass
are good on green pumpkin Whacky Sticks on jigheads, JDC spider
Grubs, and grape Scoundrel worms on shaky jigheads in clear water
along 6-12 foot break lines. Striped bass are fair trolling Gizz 4
crankbaits on down riggers, and vertically jigging silver Pirk
Minnows and white ¼oz. Curb's striper jigs. White bass are fair
vertically are fair vertically jigging ¼oz. Pirk Minnows, and
trolling Shad Raps and Daiwa Shad Masters in 1020 feet. Smallmouth
bass are good on root beer JDC curl tail grubs, Rat-L-Traps, and
6" watermelon Scoundrels on jigheads along main lake points and
ledges in 615 feet. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are slow.
Yellow and blue catfish are fair on live bait.
COLEMAN: Water clear; 69-75 degrees; 1.56' low. Black bass are
fair on soft plastic lizards, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and moccasin
blue worms. Hybrid striper are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and
blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.
COLORADO RIVER: (At Colorado Bend State Park) Water murky. Black
bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on
minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are very good on
shrimp and nightcrawlers.
FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 75 degrees. Black bass are good
on shallow running shad colored crankbaits over grass, and on
watermelon and watermelon seed Carolina rigged soft plastic worms
along the outside edges of grass in 68 feet. Channel and blue
catfish are slow.
GRANBURY: Water clear; 0.40' low. Black bass are good on
watermelon red and watermelon green soft plastics and spinnerbaits.
Striped bass are fair on minnows and white striper jigs. White bass
are fair on minnows and chartreuse spinnerbaits. Crappie are good
on minnows. Catfish are good on stinkbait, nightcrawlers, and
shrimp.
GRANGER: Water murky; 69-76 degrees; 0.26' high. Black bass are
good on spinnerbaits and jigs in shallow areas. White bass are fair
on windy points and flats. Crappie are good on jigs in 112 feet.
Blue catfish are fair on juglines baited with shad. Yellow catfish
are good on trotlines baited with goldfish and live perch in the
river.
LBJ: Water stained; 69-75 degrees; 0.16' low. Black bass are
good on watermelon/chartreuse Big Pig creature baits, Bleeding Shad
Rat-L-Traps, and pumpkin JDC Skip-N-Pop topwaters along break lines
of flats in 5-12 feet. White bass are fair trolling Shad Raps and
vertically jigging Tiny Traps and Pirk Minnows under birds. Crappie
are good on live minnows and white Curb's crappie jigs in clear
water in 6-10 feet. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue
catfish are fair on live bait.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water murky; 72 degrees; 0.08' high. Black bass
are good on black soft plastic worms, Sassy Shad, and minnows.
White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows, and on
black/orange and red/chartreuse tube jigs with pink heads. Channel
and blue catfish are fair on doughbait. Yellow catfish are slow.
PROCTOR: Water stained; 69-74 degrees; 0.08' high. Black bass
are slow. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are
slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on fresh shad. Yellow
catfish are slow.
SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 68-74 degrees; 0.14' high. Black bass
are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are fair on minnows
and shad. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow.
Yellow catfish are slow.
STILLHOUSE: Water clear; 71 degrees; 0.20' high. Black bass are
slow. White bass are good on watermelon soft plastics and minnows.
Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are slow.
Yellow catfish are slow.
TRAVIS: Water clear; 69-75 degrees; 2.82' low. Black bass are
good on smoke grubs, chrome topwaters, and red shad flukes in 515
feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on chrome spoons,
white grubs, and minnows in 1018 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows
and blue/white tube jigs in 1020 feet. Channel and blue catfish are
slow. Yellow catfish are slow.
WALTER E. LONG: Water clear; 69-77 degrees. Black bass are good
on watermelon soft plastic worms and minnows. Hybrid striper are
excellent on Rooster Tails, pet spoons, and sluggos. White bass are
good on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue
catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.
WHITNEY: Water clear; 2.32' low. Black bass are good on
watermelon red and watermelon seed Texas and Carolina rigged soft
plastics and crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on minnows and
white/green striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie
are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on
stinkbait and cheesebait.
NORTHEAST
ATHENS: Water stained, 69-76 degrees; 0.37' high. Black bass are
good on buzzbaits early, midday switching to Carolina rigs and
crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Catfish
are good on nightcrawlers.
BOB SANDLIN: Water off color; 70-77 degrees; 0.21' high. Black
bass are fair to good on Stanley Ribbits, buzzbaits and topwaters
early, and throughout the day on Texas rigs, Senkos and jigs.
Crappie are good on live minnows and jigs some shallow and some
moving to deeper water. White bass are fair to good on topwaters
and Rooster Tails. Catfish are fair to good on cut and prepared
bait.
BRIDGEPORT: Water lightly stained; 69-76 degrees; 0.53' low.
Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits, Rat-L-Traps and Texas
rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows over brush
piles. White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Hybrid striper
are fair to good on live bait and Sassy Shad. Catfish are good on
cut and prepared bait.
CADDO: Water stained; 70-77 degrees; 1.33' high. Black bass are
fair to good on Texas rigged Beaver Tails, Senkos and Scum Frogs.
Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on
Humdingers and Road Runners. Yellow bass are fair on jigs and
shrimp. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and frozen
shrimp.
CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 69-76 degrees; 0.01' low.
Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits, Rat-L-Traps Texas rigs.
White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Hybrid striper are
fair to good on Sassy Shad and slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows
and jigs. Catfish are fair on cheese bait and nightcrawlers.
COOPER: Water lightly stained; 69-75 degrees; 0.24' high. Black
bass are good on Spro Frogs, wacky rigged 4" Senkos and Texas
rigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows over brush
piles. White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Hybrid striper
are fair to good on Sassy Shad and large Road Runners. Catfish are
fair on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
FAIRFIELD: Water fairly clear; 60-76 degrees. No report
available.
FORK: Water lightly stained; 68-77 degrees; 0.43' high. Black
bass are fair to good on topwaters early, and throughout the day on
Carolina rigs, swimbaits and wacky rigs. Crappie are fair to good
on jigs and minnows around the bridges and over brush piles.
Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait and nightcrawlers under
cormorant roosts.
GRAPEVINE: Water off color; 69-77 degrees; 3.46' high. Black
bass are fair on finesse worms, Texas rigs and shallow to medium
running crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs.
White bass are good on slabs and Humdingers. Catfish are fair to
good on nightcrawlers and frozen shad.
JOE POOL: Water off color; 68-76 degrees; 1.49' high. Black bass
are fair to good on buzzbaits, jerkbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie
are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. White bass are good
on Humdingers and Rooster Tails. Catfish are fair to good on
nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
LAKE O' THE PINES: Water stained; 70-77 degrees; 0.17' high.
Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early, wacky rigs, Texas
rigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs
over brush piles. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and
prepared bait.
LAVON: Water stained; 69-77 degrees; 1.05' high. Black bass are
fair to good on Texas rigs, wacky rigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie
are good on minnows and jigs moving to deeper water. Catfish are
good on cut shad and prepared bait.
LEWISVILLE: Water off color; 69-76 degrees; 1.28' high. Black
bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Texas rigs and shad pattern
crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are
fair to good on Humdingers and slabs. Hybrid striper are fair on
slabs and large Rooster Tails. Catfish are good on prepared bait
and cut shad.
MARTIN CREEK: 0.06' high. No report available.
MONTICELLO: Water fairly clear; 74-88 degrees; 0.23' low. Black
bass are good topwaters early, and throughout the day on
Rat-L-Traps, Texas rigs and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair to good
on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Catfish are fair to good on
nightcrawlers and prepared bait.
PALESTINE: Water stained; 69-77 degrees; 0.4' high. Black bass
are fair to good on spinnerbaits, weightless flukes and Texas rigs.
Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs over brush piles.
Hybrid striper are fair to good on topwaters, large Rooster Tails
and live shad. White bass are good on Humdingers and slabs. Catfish
are fair to good on prepared bait and nightcrawlers.
RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 69-76 degrees; 0.04' low. Black bass
are fair to good on Stanley Ribbits, spinnerbaits and Texas rigs.
Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. White bass
are good to excellent on topwaters, Humdingers and Rooster Tails.
Hybrid striper are fair to good on Humdingers and Sassy Shad.
Catfish are fair to good on cut and prepared bait.
RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 70-75 degrees; 0.72' high.
Black bass are good to excellent on shad pattern Yum Dingers,
Houdini Shad and Booyah buzzbaits midday switching to Carolina
rigged Yum Sooies. Crappie are excellent on Road Runners and
minnows over brush piles. White bass are excellent Sassy Shad, Pop
Rs and Super Spots sporadic surface action when they go down use a
jigging spoon. No reports on catfish.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water off color; 69-76 degrees; 0.01' high.
Black bass are fair to good on Spro Frogs, wacky rigs, Texas rigs
and medium running shad pattern crankbaits. White bass are good on
Humdingers and slabs. Hybrid striper are fair to good on slabs and
live shad. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair
on prepared bait and nightcrawlers.
TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 68-75 degrees; 0.89' high.
Black bass are fair to good on white/chartreuse spinnerbaits,
chrome Rat-L-Traps and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair to good on
minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Humdingers and slabs.
Striped bass and hybrid striper are fair to good on topwaters, live
shad and Sassy Shad. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and prepared
bait.
TEXOMA: Water off color; 68-74 degrees; 3.4' high. Black bass
are fair to good on spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps, jerkbaits and
Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs.
Striped bass are good on topwaters, Sassy Shad and live shad.
Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait, cut and live shad.
WEATHERFORD: Water stained; 68-76 degrees; 0.05' low. Black bass
are fair to good on spinnerbaits, tubes and Texas rigs. Crappie are
fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared bait
and cut shad. White bass are good on Humdingers and slabs.
WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 69-77 degrees; 19.09'
high. Black bass are fair to good on spinnerbaits, Texas rigs,
Stanley Frogs and shallow running crankbaits. Crappie are fair to
good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and
nightcrawlers.
SOUTH
AMISTAD: Water clear; 78-84 degrees; 11.13' low. Black bass are
excellent on Senkos, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits, and soft
plastic worms and lizards. Striped bass are good on redfins. White
bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cheesebait.
Yellow catfish are good on live perch near rockslides. Mexican
fishing licenses are required to fish Mexican waters. Everyone in
the boat must have a Mexican fishing license whether fishing or
not. Mexican boat permits are no longer required.
BRAUNIG: Water stained; 77-88 degrees. Black bass are slow.
Striped bass are excellent on liver and perch near Dead Tree Point,
and down rigging spoons near the dam and jetty. Redfish are slow.
Channel and blue catfish are excellent on shrimp, cheesebait, cut
bait, and liver.
CALAVERAS: Water stained; 78-89 degrees. Black bass are slow.
Striped bass are good on spoons and striper jigs near the dam, and
on chicken livers and shad near the dam and power lines. Redfish
are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are excellent on liver,
shrimp, cheesebait, and shad. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and
liver near 181 Cove and the railroad bridge. Yellow catfish are
slow.
CHOKE CANYON: Water lightly stained; 73-78 degrees; 1.57' low.
Black bass are good on chartreuse/white large spinnerbaits and
Texas rigged lizards and large worms. White bass are slow. Crappie
are fair on minnow tipped jigs. Drum are slow. Channel and blue
catfish are fair on punchbait and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are
fair on trotlines baited with live perch.
COLETO CREEK: Water clear; 76 degrees (84 degrees at discharge);
0.68' low. Black bass to 3 pounds are fair on soft plastics and
spinnerbaits in 610 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are
slow. Crappie are good on minnows in 912 feet. Channel and blue
catfish to 3 pounds are fair on perch and liver in 1218 feet.
Yellow catfish to 5 pounds are fair on trotlines baited with live
perch in 1215 feet.
FALCON: Water stained; 78-86 degrees. Black bass are excellent
on chartreuse crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Carolina rigged soft
plastics. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue
catfish are very good on shrimp and stinkbait upriver. Yellow
catfish are slow. Mexican fishing licenses are required to fish
Mexican waters. Everyone in the boat must have a Mexican fishing
license whether fishing or not. Mexican boat permits are no longer
required.
SOUTHEAST
CONROE: Water clear; 70-77 degrees; 0.08' low. Black bass are
good on watermelon red and watermelon/green Carolina and Texas
rigged soft plastics, and on spinnerbaits and Rat-L- Traps. Striped
bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows and green
tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait, liver, and cheesebait.
GIBBONS CREEK: Water clear. Black bass are good on watermelon
and pumpkinseed soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits.
Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are
good on stinkbait and shrimp.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water clear; 71-77 degrees; 0.57' high. Black
bass to 6 pounds are very good on crawdad and green soft plastics
in 1 foot. Crappie are good on live minnows near the islands and
the pump station. White bass are good along the northeast shore.
Bream are good on live worms in 7 feet. Channel and blue catfish to
4 pounds are good on trotlines baited with live caterpillars.
LIVINGSTON: Water murky; 70-77 degrees; 0.24' high. Black bass
are good on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics. Striped
bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows.
Blue catfish are good on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.
SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 70-78 degrees; 0.41' low. Black bass
are fair on watermelon red Senkos, lizards, and Brush Hogs. White
bass are excellent on spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and tube
jigs in shallow areas. Bream are good on nightcrawlers and
crickets. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with nightcrawlers.
STEINHAGEN: 1.45' high. No report available.
TOLEDO BEND: Water clear; 71-77 degrees; 0.07' low. Black bass
are fair on watermelon red soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Striped
bass are slow. White bass are good on spoons in the river. Crappie
are fair on chartreuse jigs under the bridge. Channel and blue
catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait. Yellow catfish
are slow.
PANHANDLE
GREENBELT: Water lightly stained; 62-64 degrees; 27.24' low.
Black bass are good on shad-colored crankbaits and spinnerbaits
worked along outer timber line, points and drop-offs. Crappie are
good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live baits and
jerkbaits along riprap. Smallmouth bass are good on live baits and
chrome black back jerkbaits along riprap. Walleye are good on
crankbaits and live baits. Catfish are good on live and cut baits.
MACKENZIE: Water lightly stained; 60-68 degrees; 73.72' low.
Black bass are fair on live bait and jerkbaits. Crappie are fair on
minnows and jigs. White bass and striped bass are good on minnows
and lipless crankbaits. Smallmouth bass are slow on live baits.
Walleye are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on live baits.
MEREDITH: Water lightly stained; 61-67 degrees; 75.64' low.
Black bass are fair on black/blue jigs and shad-colored crankbaits
off points and rocky areas, and live baits around timber. Crappie
are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live bait and
jerkbaits. Smallmouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and live baits.
Walleye are good on crankbaits and live baits along riprap and
drop-offs. Channel catfish are good on live baits.
PALO DURO: Water lightly stained; 61-66 degrees; 56.56' low.
Black bass are good on live baits. Crappie are fair on jigs and
minnows. Smallmouth bass are fair on jigs and live baits. Walleye
are fair on live bait. Channel catfish are good on live and
prepared baits.
WEST
ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 0.92' Black bass
are good on black/blue jigs, green pumpkin soft plastics and white
soft plastic jerkbaits worked through in timber, and white
spinnerbaits along tree lines. Crappie are good on minnows and
jigs.
ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees; 2.52' low. Black
bass are good on swim-blade baits and Texas-rigged worms fished
shallow. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs at state park early
and late in day, and around Deer Creek bridge pilings on minnows
suspended 8-15 feet deep with spawning starting. White bass are
slow trolling and jigging with silver slabs near Pawnee Point hump.
Blue Catfish are good on juglines and drift fishing with shad or
punch bait in the lower part of lake.
COLORADO CITY: Water clear; 65 degrees; 4.46' low. Black bass
are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water clear; 64 degrees; 1.47' low. Black bass
are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair
on live baits. Catfish are slow on live baits.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 2.82' low.
Black bass are fair on minnows along points, and black/blue or
black/chartreuse jigs, and black neon soft plastics worked along
timber and reeds. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass
and hybrid striper are good on live baits and lipless crankbaits
over humps and along points. Catfish are good on live baits and cut
shad.
NASWORTHY: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees. Black bass are
fair on live baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Redfish
are fair. White bass and striped bass are fair on live baits and
inline spinnerbaits. Catfish are fair on live baits.
OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 0.52' low. Black
bass are slow on live baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.
Catfish are good on live and cut baits.
O.H. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 10.40' low. Black
bass are fair on shad-colored crankbaits, spinnerbaits and white
pearl soft jerkbaits worked along points and tree lines, and live
baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on
live baits and jerkbaits. Smallmouth bass are fair on live baits
and crankbaits. Channel catfish are good on live baits.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained 63 degrees; 1.64' low. Black bass
are fair on shad-colored crankbaits in the southern part of the
lake. White bass are fair on silver slabs on the deep points in the
mouth of the river and the Rock Creek area. Stripers are good below
the dam on 1 oz. white jigs. Catfish are good on set lines baited
with liver in the cover adjacent to Rock Creek and in the river two
miles below the dam.
SPENCE: Water lightly stained; 60-65 degrees; 48.94' low. Black
bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Striped bass
and hybrid striper are slow. Catfish are slow.
STAMFORD: Water lightly stained; 61-66 degrees; 1.62' low. Black
bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White and striped bass are fair on
live baits. Catfish are fair on live and cut baits.
SWEETWATER: Water lightly stained; 60-66 degrees; 4.14' low.
Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish
are slow.
WHITE RIVER: Water lightly stained; 60-66 degrees; 31.10' low.
Black bass are fair on black neon or black/blue soft plastics or
jigs, white spinnerbaits, and live baits along stickups and rocky
points. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Walleye are good on
live baits and crankbaits. Channel catfish are good on live and cut
baits.
WICHITA: Water turbid; 63 degrees; 1.56' low. Crappie are good
near pavilion pilings and off dam. White bass and hybrid striped
bass are fair on minnows or live shad in front of the dry spillway
area. Channel catfish are fair drift fishing with shad and on
trotlines. Boat launching is difficult due to low water conditions.
COASTAL
NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under birds. Flounder are
good on red shad plastics on the Louisiana shoreline. Redfish are
good in the marsh on topwaters and spoons near Black's Bayou.