Rayburn - First timers

Headed down with my family to Zavalla to spend some time together and do some fishing. We have never been on the lake before and were curious about running the lake and how it is fishing. Any pointers are greatly appreciated! Also, any good places to eat within a reasonable drive would be awesome! Thanks in advance!

Mr. Jaret Latta should be along shortly to help, he practically lives on the lake. I can tell you that it's fairly open on the south end but the farther north you go it gets pretty tight and there are no marked boat lanes. Really no need to go that far anyway plenty of fish on the south end. Best places I know to eat are in Jasper but I'm sure there are closer places. You'll fall in love with the lake, everyone does. Good luck.

Get the boat lanes chip or watch Ken Smith vids on running it. Lake is pretty wide open from caney to the dam and up to buck bay. No marked lanes. I'd be fishing deep...

Best restaurants are close to Jasper but zavalla and broaddus have a couple decent places. Nothing special...but there's also a grocery store in zavalla if you wanna cook

There are a couple really good places to eat in Zavalla and a couple in Huntington about 10 miles away.

From Zavalla you will be at the 147 bridge and everything South of there is open as Jaret said.

It is also the deep end of the lake where most everyone will be fishing this time of the year.

We normally put in at Hank's Creek which is a little over halfway to Zavalla from Huntington.

Hmmm, no its not. You must be one of the guys I saw running through the Black Forest last time I was there.

In the boat lanes yes.

I don't run through the timber North of the bridge either but there are people that do it.

It's all mapped and I'm not going to chase idiots down that do.

Follow Latta's advice. North of Caney there are a couple of forest so unless you have the boat lanes chip I wouldn't go there my first time. The fish are deep and really starting to slow down so plan on hitting a lot of areas. May find some hydrilla in places which could hold a few fish to flip on. If you see a pile while idling around stop and throw on it a few times. They usually hit pretty quick but on my 3rd or 4th cast I soak it in there pretty good. Nothing by the 9th or 10th cast I'm usually moving

Actually it fished pretty well for me this weekend. Think deep ~ 16 to 24 feet. Find brush piles. Not hard any more, they're everywhere. Drag a worm or jig through them. REAL early there's a decent bite along the hay grass - small but they are fun. Will eat a Pop R. I suspect there is a good night bite, but I like to sleep too much.

You'll have a hard time finding a better hamburger than at Lakeview-Hotel-Store-Camp. It's just (west?) of the bridge on 147. As far as running around it's not that bad. Below the bridge stay on either the side lake till Caney or Veech. Above the bridge, same go to either side. Into Phophers or up towards Jackson Hill and you'll be fine. Beyond that you need to be careful. If in doubt, duck in behind someone. Good luck.

Watch for the speed trap going into Zavalla

You got some wild info here.

First off, Jaret is correct about running the lake. Draw a line from Caney to Veach and you’re safe south of it all the way to the dam. There are two different forests between Caney and the 147 bridge. There are NO boat lanes through either forest. You need to know how to go around both of them to do it safely.

There’s only one restaurant in Zavalla now. It’s decent. For a burger, like Bryan O’ said, it’s hard to beat the deli at Lakeview Motel and Store just on the Zavalla side of the 147 bridge. If you want to cross the bridge, the Dairy Mart is good in Broaddus.

The lane is basically a straight line from Calhoun point to Harvey boat ramp. I've never seen the boatlanes chip but I'm guessing that's the path on there as well. Lake level is getting to where areas look open but lots of trees just under the surface in that area. Remember, as stated above, there are zero marked lanes anywhere on Rayburn

Yes, that is basically the lane, but I wouldn't suggest someone on their first trip to Rayburn try to run it. Play it safe and stay on the outside of the forests close to the bank. Better than that, stay at Caney or south. There is everything you would want to fish in Caney, Fire Tower, Coleman, Norris, Five Fingers and Farmers.

Thanks for all of the responses, I'm doing my best to piece all of this together to make sure we have a safe trip! Been looking over the navionics web app this morning and plan on getting my hands on a paper map ASAP. Again, thanks for the information, just looking to stay safe and get on some fish! If anyone thinks of anything else, we will take all we can get!

I'm fishing Saturday morning out of Monterrey, follow me to a couple holes and have at it. bite early is lights out. If your new to Rayburn with no starting point then its hit and miss.

What a nice offer!

Nice offer saibling.

Outlaw, you say there's only one eatery in Zavalla now? Did Carlene's or Eagles Nest close? I didn't notice last weekend. Honestly, I really can't tell the difference in the food at either. Shame that the town can't support a decent cafe. Agree on the Dairy Mart in Broaddus. It's better than either.

The Eagle's Nest bought Carlene's and moved the Eagle's Nest to Carlene's. So now the Eagle's Nest is the old Carlene's and the old Eagle's Nest is closed. Got all that?

And then in Broaddus the only restaurant now open is Dairy Mart. The Bear's Restaurant went out of business.

Fine chicken fried steak there.

PM sent

Red bug magnum finess worms on a shakey head or bubba shot rig with 5/16 ounce weight on points worked last week. 12-18 feet of water. One of the bass I caught shook out a crawfish about 4" long bright red with a grayish green head. Wife and I caught 25-30 bass up to 3.5 lbs in 3 hours.

Man, thanks for all the help! Saibling, I appreciate the offer, we get there tomorrow and will put around for a few days in the mentioned spots. It’s not my boat, but I’ll definitely throw it out there to meet up with you on Saturday. Also, if I find anything worth reporting I’ll return the favor! Thanks guys!

Wow People are a lot more forthcoming with Rayburn info these days than they used to be. You didn’t get the ol beetle spin advice.

Nice offer Saibling!

I have caught more fish fish on Beetle Spins than most any other lure.

There are still secrets! Lol

And all of the big tournies are over.

Good luck and tight lines

I dont fish any of the big tournaments, always seems I have to work. It's a general pattern with a bait I caught them on last week, you may hit 5 points and catch them on one or all of them. I just like to help where I can, and hear of people catching fish. I was throwing a big 10" worm in the same areas and catching a few, had my wife who doesn't bass fish much set up with the shakey head and mag finesse worm and she started smoking me, I picked up a heavy drop shot and it was on, also lost 3 nice ones on a homemade football jig I make in red and purple.

When i fish alone i get hard headed and only want that one bite. I will throw a jig all day long trying to get that one big one. Sometimes it pays off others it doesn't, but you can almost always catch bass on a senko or worm fishing points. Ken Smith's videos on YouTube are great as far as current happenings on Sam Rayburn.

Sounds like good folks and good information

Yeah, thats funny ask the same question in February with the beginning of tournament season and see what the answer is.. Its called crickets. LOL

I still haven't seen any real info...

Here's some REAL INFO to go along with what Jaret said earlier about watching Boats run through the Black Forest: THERE IS NOOOOOOO BOAT LANE THROUGH THE BLACK FOREST, OR THE AMBER FOREST EITHER!!!
BUT as Jaret said: There is an open area between Calhoun Point and Harvey Creek Ramp.