I live on Texoma and plan to make a whirlwind tour through east Texas this weekend. I used to fish Monticello in the winter but it has been 25 years. I want to fish 3 lakes but dont know which is best in summer. Bob Sandlin, Cypress Springs, Welsh, Hawkins, Winnsboro? Too many to choose from. Kinda like a kid in a candy store. Any suggestions much appreciated. Which 3 would you fish in late August? Thanks guys.

Check out Honeyhole shows on the net to get a feel for the lakes in that area. I know some of them have been on lately.

How far east is East Texas to you?

Deep east texas has Rayburn and T-Bend that you absolutely can't pass up.

Cypress will have a ton of jet fleas and wake boats on it this weekend. That is a better choice during the week and at night.

I would lean towards Bob Sandlin, maybe Fork, and if you want to go after some Hybrids or Sandies to fill the freezer try Tawakoni.

Good luck and be safe!

I watched some super good videos on Sandlin yesterday. I have always been a shallow water fisherman but you have to learn how to fish deep on Texoma. My goal until spring is to fish only deep water and Sandlin looks perfect for that.

Yes I caught my heaviest stringer ever on sandlin CR'ing in a large cove on the creek channel in 25' of water.

First light you might get into some top water action. Back in the day when I fished there buzz baits in early morning were always productive.

We used to fish Monticello in the winter and camp at the park. Under the bridge and fishing in the stumps. I cant count how many times I got high centered in my Ranger. That was over 25 years ago and the fishing was outstanding there. We caught dozens of slots every time we went, all in the 4 to7 pound range. My brother caught an 11 pounder one night and my largest was 9. Dont know how the lake fishes now. I did catch one on a spook one night that went well over 10 pounds, maybe even 15. Unfortunately it was a nutria and he was pI$$ed! Lost my spook. LOL

There was a story going around many years ago that a man sitting on the dock at the state park at Sandlin fishing with a zebco 33 and minnows caught a huge bass that he took to a bait store and asked if they could clean it for him. The bait store called TP&W and they certified the fish as a new state record. I lived in Memphis then and I believed that story for 15 years. It was just a story the guy who owned a cabin we rented at Monticello started,

I love Sandlin. Its one of them dark water lakes that when you are fishing it you just know a huge bass isn't far and it could happen on any cast. Its a heck of a bass fishery.

To the OP, if you like shallow water fishing there should be some lilly pads on the far west end. Head west past the bridge at the state park and they won't be far. That end of the lake is shallow. You might get into some good frog action back in there.

There used to be a huge hydrilla mass up near the dam on the north side. Always a fish to be caught there too. You shouldn't have any trouble finding hydrilla all around the lake.

That sounds good. I may to go to Monticello Saturday and fish the intake for a couple of hours then pull the boat out and launch it into Sandlin. I guess there is still a ramp for both lakes at Titus park? Cypress looks good for Monday. Should be a good trip. I have been to Fork 3 times this year fishing the humps and the change will be good. Have you ever fished Texoma? We just moved up here in May and the lake has been flooded so I am just now trying to learn the lake. It is so big it is tough to learn. We used to live on Granbury and it was fun to fish. I caught my largest bass there flipping boat houses. Electronics and trolling motors have realky made it more fun to fish deep water. I have an HDS 7 on the console and HDI on the bow, would love an HDS 12 but I am retired and cant afford the box it comes in. I put an i5 TM on this year and I love it. The anchor mode makes fishing humps so much easier. Sure beats the old flasher and throwing out markers I had in my old Ranger 25 years ago.

Yes there are ramps for both Monticello and Sandlin at the Monticello park. With the water being up the ramp at Sandlin is now usable.

If you have not been to Sandlin in several years you will be surprised to find a buoy barricade at the entrance to Monticello cove. There is a small opening to get a boat through. A number of years ago the jack wad that was developing the land to the west of the cove cut down I'll say a hundred (not really sure how many but a lot) or more trees in the cove when the water was way low to give open room for docks. TPW fined him something like $250/K and erected that barrier to keep the trees he cut down from drifting out in the main lake and becoming hazards.

Sandlin is one of my favorite lakes to fish (I own a place a few blocks off the lake). Another lake to try down there is Gilmer. A fun lake with lots of grass and some good fish.

caddo is a neat lake for something different from the other lakes...not really a consistent fill the boat with lunkers lake...but fun.

Yeah I know. I have fished Caddo many times and it is feast or famine just like Fork. Caddo looks like you should catch something every cast.

Hey allen bass fisher I see you are from Allen. I retired in March and we moved up to Texoma in May from Allen. Did you move from Allen too? I will fish the intake at Monticello for a couple of hours Saturday and then move over to Sandlin for the rest of the day. If you are on the lake I will be in a red Champion. Stop by and say Hi. That goes for the rest of you too. Come on over Anchorman. Maybe we can stir up some fish.

No I'm still working and living in Allen but I have a home away from home on Sandlin. I'll be retiring in a few years, maybe we can hook up and go fishing during the week when the rest of the poor slobs are at work and having to fish on the weekends.

I will not be out there this weekend but will be out the following weekend. If your out that weekend I'll show you around Gilmer. Would have to take your boat as mine is in the shop now.