3/2 FISHING REPORT: Bass to move to shallow water with warming trend
By MATT WILLIAMS
Outdoors writer
Friday, March 02, 2007
NACOGDOCHES: Lake Nac is at normal level and stained. Water temp is in the mid 50s.

Bass are fair to five pounds on Senkos, Texas rigs and drop shots worked in 4-to-8 feet of water. Hydrilla sprigs left floating by coots are making it tough to work moving baits without fouling them. Look for good numbers of quality bass to move shallow with the warming trend and March 3 full moon.

Crappie are fair on minnows soaked at the power lines and over deep brush.

SAM RAYBURN: The lake is about 18 inches high and fairly clear. Water temp is in the mid-to-upper 50s.

Bass fishing has been good to 10 pounds on Carolina rig plastics, spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and Texas rigs worked along inside grass lines in 4-10 feet of water. Anglers can look for some fish to move onto beds up north this week, if they haven't already.

Crappie are fair at the Highway 147 crossing and over brush piles. Live shiners are working best.

White bass are good up the Angelina, mostly on Roadrunners worked slowly around underwater brush and sloughs.

TOLEDO BEND: Toledo Bend is about 2 1/2 feet low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the upper 50s.

Bass are good to six pounds on Texas rig plastics, Senkos and wacky worms worked over shallow flats near creek breaks and on main lake points.

Crappie are fair on minnows. Charlie Shively at Bill's Landing said the fish are scattered and beginning to move up creeks towards towards traditional spawning areas.

Catfish are good on trotlines baited with cut shad and perch. Several blues in the 20-to-30 pound range range showing up in angler creels.

The white bass run is on up the Sabine River. Anglers are reporting solid limits on sandies up to three pounds crawling Roadrunners on the back sides of sandbars.

FORK: Lake Fork is about 2 1/2 feet low and fairly clear. Water temp is in the mid 50s.

Big bass are on the verge of going on a tear. A 12.58 pounder was weighed at the Minnow Bucket over the weekend by guide Danny Howell. The fish was suspended in a treetop in 12 feet of water. Rat-L-Traps and suspending Rogues are deadly.

Crappie are hit-and-miss over deep points around the dam. A few keepers also showing up at the bridge crosssings.

Channel catfish are fair on chicken gizzards tossed beneath active cormorant roosts. The bite is best on relatively calm days. A few blues in the mix.

PINKSTON: Lake Pinkston is at normal level and slightly stained. Water temp is in the low-to-mid-50s.

Bass are fair to six pounds on Texas rig plastics and lipless cranks worked along outside grass edges and other pre spawn staging areas in 4-10 feet of water.

Crappie are slow.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: RC is six feet low and stained. Water temp is in the mid-50s.

Larry Winters at Midway Landing said bass fishing has been good to eight pounds. Best bite has been on soft jerkbaits and jigs fished slowly along creek channel breaks in six feet of water. The fish are holding tight to wood.

Catfish are good on rod and reel. Blues to 20 pounds are taking cut shad and punch bait fished shallow, 3-to-4 feet. Plenty of limits reported.

Crappie and white bass are slow.

ATHENS: Lake Athens is at normal level and stained. Water temp is the 50s.

Bass fishing has been good on soft jerkbaits, Texas rigs and spinnerbaits worked on brushy points and in areas with lily pad stubble. Most fish are in or under the slot.

Crappie anglers are using minnows to pluck a few keepers off man made brush piles in 20 feet of water. Catfish are fair on punch bait and stink bait.

CEDAR CREEK: Cedar Creek is 18 inches low and stained. Water temp is in the low 50s.

White bass and hybrids are taking spoons bounced on deep humps and ridges in front of the dam. Crappie anglers are picking up partial limits using minnows around brush piles and bridge pilings.

Black bass fishing is picking up with warming water temps. Anglers are reporting keepers in the 3-to-4 pound range, mainly on spinnerbaits, jigs and plastics.

Catfish are fair on cut shad drifted along creeks and over humps.

PALESTINE: Lake Palestine is at normal level and stained. Water temp is in the low 50s.

Bass anglers are picking up some solid to six pounds using jigs. The better fish are relating to wood along creeks up north. Carolina rigs, Texas rigs and soft jerkbaits are producing strikes around docks and points at mid range depths on the south end of the lake.

Hi TBend, you need to get over to Pinkston soon the bite has really been turning on the last couple of weeks! Thanx for the reports,
shoot me a pm if your going to be down this way.

Hey, Nac...I am in town (Tyler area) for another week. I was planning on fishing Pinkston, in my Waterquest 10.6 boat with a 2 HP Honda! I got this rig, recently. Its great for smaller, type of waters, thats for sure. I am going to launch, in the overflow, POND, side. I should have some luck I hope. The spawn should be getting close, and those mama's should be good and fat! I will be throwing Senkos and frogs. What do you think? I might snag a HOG!...I will be there Friday am. also going to fish Lake Murvaul probably Saturday. It was good hearing from you.

Any news about Caddo?