Texas Fishing Report

The weekly fishing report as compiled for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for Oct. 18 and also available on the internet at http://www.txfishing.com:

CENTRAL

AUSTIN: Water stained; 68-78 degrees; 0.8 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs, squarebill crankbaits and chrome Rat-L-Traps. Sunfish are fair to good on cut nightcrawlers. Catfish are fair on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

BASTROP: Water stained; 78-82 degrees. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and chartreuse Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on frozen shrimp and bloodbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

BELTON: Water stained; 79-83 degrees; 1.66 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits and topwaters. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair on hot dogs and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 78-82 degrees; 2.33 feet low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin and redbug soft plastic worms near docks in 4-8 feet, chartreuse/white spinnerbaits in 3-5 feet, and on white flukes in newly flooded grass early and late. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies off lighted docks at night in 15-25 feet. Crappie are very good on minnows and white or shad Li’l Fishies over brush piles in 8-15 feet. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

BUCHANAN: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 1.94 feet low. Black bass are good on white spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps, and chartreuse crankbaits in 8-20 feet. Striped bass are good on Red Fins, Zara Spooks, and drifting or free lining live bait in 25-40 feet. White bass are fair on Tiny Traps and 2-inch plastic swim baits along the river channel. Crappie are good on pink/white tube jigs and live minnows. Channel catfish are good on liver, minnows, and cheesebait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on live and dead shad.

CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 81-85 degrees; 2.61 feet low. Black bass are fair on Smokin’ Green Devil’s Tongues on drop shot rigs and Texas rigged 6-inch pumpkin Scoundrel worms along main lake bluffs in 12-25 feet. Striped bass are fair jigging 1-oz. Pirk Minnows at daylight. White bass are slow. Smallmouth bass are fair on smoke grubs and pumpkin Curb’s jigs with craw trailers in 10-25 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink/white tube jigs upriver. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with live goldfish and perch.

COLEMAN: Water stained; 79-83 degrees; 1.72 feet low. Black bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Hybrid striper are fair on silver spoons. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.

FAYETTE: Water murky. Black bass are good on shad patterned Pop-R’s and Spittin’ Images early. Red ear perch are good on worms in 2-8 feet. Channel and blue catfish are slow.

GRANBURY: Water stained; 77-81 degrees; 0.15 feet low. Black bass are good on shad colored spinnerbaits and crankbaits, and on topwaters early and late. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on minnows, hellbenders, and silver spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on stinkbait, liver, and nightcrawlers.

GRANGER: Water stained; 78-82 degrees; 0.11 feet high. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies off points. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles in 7-15 feet. Blue catfish are fair on fresh shad. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.

LBJ: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 0.64 feet low. Black bass are good on Curb’s buzzbaits, clear swim baits, and watermelon/purple flake Whacky Sticks in 5-15 feet early. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on Li’l Fishies at night. Crappie are fair on live minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are good on minnows and liver. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 79-83 degrees; 1.28 feet low. Black bass are slow. White bass are fair on shad colored Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

PROCTOR: Water murky; 77-81 degrees; 2.25 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on white striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 78-82 degrees; 7.01 feet high. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on minnows at night. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on minnows, nightcrawlers, and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water murky; 79-83 degrees; 1.45 feet low. Black bass are fair on tequila sunrise Power Baits. White bass are good on watermelon red and green pumpkin soft plastics in 15 feet. Crappie are good on minnows in 15 feet. Channel and blue catfish are fair on chicken livers and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 79-83 degrees; 9.92 feet low. Black bass are fair on dark soft plastic worms and crankbaits in 6-18 feet. Striped bass are fair on white grubs and jigging spoons in 30-40 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and fresh cut bait in 25-40 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

WALTER E. LONG: Water murky. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms and spinnerbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on bloodbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 78-82 degrees; 4.35 feet low. Black bass are fair on yellow/white spinnerbaits and crankbaits, and on topwaters early. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on minnows and pet spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are fair on frozen shrimp, liver, and doughbait.

NORTHEAST

ATHENS: Water lightly stained; 73-76 degrees; 0.90 feet low. Black bass are fair on weightless Senkos, buzzbaits and topwaters. Crappie are fair on minnows and white jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 73-77 degrees; 0.63 feet low. Black bass are good on bladed jigs, hollow body frogs and topwaters. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on minnows and topwaters. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

BONHAM: Water stained; 72-76 degrees; 1.16 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged soft plastics around shallow cover and boat docks. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs on brush piles 12-15 feet. Catfish are good along creek channel with punch bait.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear, 73-76 degrees: 1.29 feet low. Black bass are fair on topwaters, white buzzbaits and squarebill crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and topwaters. Catfish are good on trotlines.

CADDO: Water stained; 75-77 degrees; 0.10 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged creature baits, hollow body frogs, and bladed jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines and punch bait.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 72-76 degrees; 1.54 feet low. Black bass are fair on topwater poppers, Texas rigged craws and shakyheads on docks. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are slow on trotlines. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and topwaters.

COOPER: Water stained; 73-78 degrees; 1.06 feet low. Black bass are fair. No report on crappie. Hybrid striper and white bass are fair on slabs and Rooster Tails.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water lightly stained; 72-78 degrees; 1.62 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged black/blue Power Worms, shallow running crankbaits and jigs.

FAIRFIELD: Water fairly clear. Black bass are fair to good on Senkos, Texas rigs and chatterbaits along shoreline vegetation.

FORK: Water stained; 73-76 degrees; 0.76 feet low. Black bass are fair on hollow body frogs, topwaters, and football jigs. White and yellow bass are fair on topwaters and minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are goo2 on trotlines.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 72-75 degrees; 0.55 feet low. Black bass are fair on squarebill crankbaits, shakyhead worms, and bladed jigs. White bass and hybrid bass are good on topwaters and minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 73-75 degrees; 0.88 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged worms, bladed jigs and Flukes. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 74-77 degrees: 0.93 feet high. Black bass are good on Texas rigged creature baits, buzz frogs and hollow body frogs. White bass are good on minnows and topwaters. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

LAVON: Water stained; 73-77 degrees: 1.77 feet low. Black bass are fair on black and blue jigs, shallow crankbaits and topwaters. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 72-75 degrees; 1.01 feet low. Black bass are fair on jerkbaits, topwaters and squarebill crankbaits. White bass are fair on slabs and topwaters. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 83-87 degrees; 2.57 feet low. Black bass are fair on hollow body frogs, bladed jigs and Texas rigged Senkos. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.

MONTICELLO: Water stained; 81-85 degrees; 0.35 feet low. Black bass are good on bladed jigs, Texas rigged craws, and hollow body frogs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on trotlines and prepared bait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 72-76 degrees; 0.90 feet low. Black bass are fair on Flukes, hollow body frogs, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and topwaters. White bass are good on minnows and topwaters. Catfish are fair on trotlines and punch bait.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 73-76 degrees; 1.24 feet low. Black bass are fair on topwaters, Texas rigged worms, and topwaters. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and topwaters. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 72-75 degrees; 0.49 feet low. Black bass are good on Reaction Innovation Vixens, Texas rigged craws and squarebill crankbaits. White bass are good on minnows and topwaters. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 72-76 degrees; 2.02 feet low. Black bass are fair on bladed jigs, Texas rigged craws and topwater walking baits. White bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and topwaters. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on trotlines and cut shad.

TAWAKONI: Water stained; 74-77 degrees; 0.69 feet low. Black bass are good on Texas rigged creature baits, hollow body frogs and black buzzbaits. White bass are good on slabs and minnows. Hybrid bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on trotlines.

TEXOMA: Water lightly stained; 72-75 degrees; 1.41 feet high. Black bass are fair on jerkbaits, topwaters and shakyhead worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on slabs and topwaters. Catfish are good on trotlines.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 4.05 feet high. No report available.

SOUTH

AMISTAD: Water murky; 81-85 degrees; 25.59 feet low. Black bass are fair on white or chartreuse frogs and spooks in newly flooded vegetation. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on live bait. Yellow catfish are slow. 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 dark soft plastic worms in reeds. Striped bass are slow. Redfish are slow. Channel catfish are fair on shrimp, cut bait, and live bait. Blue catfish are slow.

CALAVERAS: Water murky. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on spoons and jigs near the crappie wall and the dam in 15-20 feet. Redfish are fair on live bait and down rigging spoons near the dam in 15-20 feet. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 78-83 degrees; 23.40 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits and soft plastics in 15-25 feet. White bass are fair on pet spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on liver and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are fair on live perch and goldfish.

COLETO CREEK: Water clear; 90 degrees at the hot water discharge, 79 degrees in main lake; 0.19 feet low. Black bass are fair on crankbaits in 5-10 feet. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on live perch in 8-12 feet. Yellow catfish are slow.

FALCON: Water murky; 81-85 degrees; 18.93 feet low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow. 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; 77-81 degrees; 0.43 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and topwaters in 10-20 feet. Striped bass are fair on green striper jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and blue/white tube jigs. Catfish are fair on stinkbait, frozen shrimp, and nightcrawlers.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained. Black bass are good on green pumpkin crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are fair on frozen shrimp and live bait.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 79-83 degrees; 0.16 feet low. Black bass are slow. Crappie are good on live minnows. Bream are good on live worms near grass. Channel and blue catfish are good off piers and on juglines baited with shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 78-82 degrees; 0.53 feet low. Black bass are fair on chartreuse spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on pet spoons, slabs, and hellbenders. Crappie are fair on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad and cut bait. Yellow catfish are slow.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 79-83 degrees; 0.53 feet low. Black bass are good on topwaters, soft plastic worms, and spinnerbaits early. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Bream are fair on worms. Catfish are good on punchbait.

STEINHAGEN: 1.58 feet high. No report available.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 80-84 degrees; 4.14 feet low. Black bass are good on redbug soft plastic worms, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and topwaters early and late. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows in 12-15 feet over baited holes. Bream are fair on nightcrawlers. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

PANHANDLE

GREENBELT: Water off color; 72-79 degrees; 31.88 low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs and shallow running shad pattern crankbaits. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Catfish are on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

MACKENZIE: 73.12 feet low. Black bass are fair on silver spoons, Texas rigs and Rat-L-Traps. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers. No reports on crappie.

MEREDITH: Water fairly clear; 73-79 degrees; 49.69 feet low. Black bass are fair on split shot rigged flukes, Texas rigs and pumpkinseed jigs. No reports of smallmouth bass or walleye. Bream and channel catfish are being caught in good numbers.

WEST

ALAN HENRY: Water clear main lake, stained to muddy up the river; 72-78 degrees; 3.83 feet low. Black bass are fair on 7-inch Power Worms, spoons, topwaters and jigs. Crappie and bass are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on live bait and punch bait.

ARROWHEAD: Water fairly clear; 73-79 degrees; 1.53 feet low. Black bass are fair on crankbaits, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on live minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

COLORADO CITY: 14.69 feet low. No report available.

FORT PHANTOM HILL: Water off color; 72-78 degrees; 0.68 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs, white squarebill crankbaits and watermelon seed flukes. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water off color; 73-78 degrees; 2.35 feet low. Black bass are fair to good chrome/black Rat-L-Traps, Texas rigs and shakyheads. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and live shiners.

NASWORTHY: 73-77 degrees; 1.26 feet low. Black bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, Texas rigs and black/blue jigs. No reports on crappie. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.

OAK CREEK: Water stained; 72-78 degrees; 9.95 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on Shad/Blue Glimmer ChatterBaits, Texas rigs and shakyheads. Crappie are fair to good on live minnows. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 71-78 degrees; 36.63 feet low. Black bass are fair on squarebill crankbaits, Texas rigs and ¼-oz. green pumpkin jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water off color; 74-79 degrees; 0.31 feet low. Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits early, later switching to Carolina rigs, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs and tail spinners. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

SPENCE: 50 feet low. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

STAMFORD: Water stained; 72-79 degrees; 0.08 feet high. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs and Sexy Shad colored crankbaits. Crappie are fair on live minnows around structure. White bass are fair on live bait and Little Georges. Blue catfish are fair on cut and live bait.

SWEETWATER: Water off color; 71-78 degrees; 23.75 feet low. No report available.

WHITE RIVER: Water stained; 73-78 degrees; 20.55 feet low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs and spinnerbaits. No reports on crappie. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

COASTAL

NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under the birds on soft plastics and good in the river on live shad. Redfish are good in the marsh on small topwaters and Stanley Ribbits and small SkitterWalks.

SOUTH SABINE: Bull redfish are good at the jetty on crabs. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Trout are fair around the Reef on live shrimp and under birds on soft plastics.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on soft plastics and plugs. Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.

TRINITY BAY: Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet. Flounder are fair on the shorelines on Gulps.

TEXAS CITY: Gulf trout and sand trout are good on fresh shrimp around the dike. Bull redfish are good on the end of the dike on natural baits.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good while wading with topwaters. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp. Gulf trout are fair in the channel on shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Bull redfish are good on the beachfront on crabs, mullet and table shrimp. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. Trout are good on deep shell on the lower end of the bay.

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

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good in Lake Austin on live shrimp.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good in Oyster Lake on shrimp. Trout are fair on shell and grass on soft plastics. Black drum are fair to good at Shell Island on live shrimp.

PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair on topwaters over soft mud in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp and topwaters. Bull redfish are good at the jetty.

ROCKPORT: Bull redfish are good in the Lydia Ann Channel on crabs. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp. Redfish are fair to good on the Estes Flats on mullet and shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: Bull redfish are good in the Shrimpboat Channel and at the jetty on crabs and finger mullet. Redfish are fair to good on the East Flats on topwaters and Gulps.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are fair to good around Shamrock Cove on small topwaters and gold spoons. Redfish are good in the Humble Channel on crabs and table shrimp. Black drum are good on the reefs.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good around the spoils on topwaters and soft plastics. Trout are fair to good in mud and grass on Corkies and topwaters. Redfish are good in the Land Cut on natural baits.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on topwaters around sand and grass holes. Redfish are fair to good while drifting pot holes. Bull redfish are good at East Cut on crabs.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp and Gulps. Tarpon and redfish have been caught at the jetty on live shad.

PORT ISABEL: Redfish are fair to good in Cullen Bay on Gulps and She Pups. Trout and redfish are fair to good in South Bay on live shrimp. Trout are fair over sand and grass humps on plastics under popping corks.