So I was on a hog hunt in Tilden and decided to haul my boat from Killeen to fish Choke Canyon during the daytime. The South ramp was the only ramp open, so I launched from there. Keep in mind, my local lake is Belton so I was looking forward to catching some big ones. The lake is very large from one side to the other, and very windy these two days. I dont know the names of any specific spots, so I just take off and look for a "good spot". Lots of trees, trees everywhere, and also lots of grass. I fished a Bandit 200 in Bone Orange Belly and managed to catch a 4 lb Channel Cat! That was all I caught in two days. I tried it all, cranks, finesse, top water, chatter, you name it I tried it. Im hoping it was the lake and not my skills! Needless to say, I wont haul m y boat there again.

there is still a good population of bass in there, I truly believe those fish suspend out in the trees where you can't get a boat at. They have everything they need out there, there is some fish you can target, punching the grass you can usually catch a few or right now throwing a Carolina rig or Texas rig bait along the ledges along the river channel can get you bit as well, the old lake is not what it was, if it ever fills up that lake will be one of the hottest lakes in the country again.

Going Thursday. Last time out I found an obvious deeper spot and caught quite a few, just nothing very big! I was video game fishing a drop shot off the edge of the drop. After 3 hours the wind wouldn't let me hold anymore. After that, not another bite for the remainder of the day fishing the calm water. Like Don said, I think they are predominantly off-shore right now.

That's typical Choke Canyon where you throw out everything you've learned on other lakes when you fish there.
That lake has a way of leveling the playing field, and when you think you got it figured out you find out you really don't.
Hope the hog hunt turned out better!

Let me correct him so nobody try's, South shore is not open that I'm aware of. I'm sure he meant calliham.

Last time I was there, there was only 1 color of worm that they would hit. I'd really like to make it down there, but those fish seem to hate the cold water.

Your right.. South Shore has been closed for a long time. I agree with you.

Your'e probably correct. It was not the ramp closest to Three Rivers, that one is closed. It's the ramp closer to Tilden. Appreciate the feedback.

so sad. that lake used to be beast city. Ramps were rarely closed, and the fish would generally cooperate.

I haven't fished there since water was up five or so years ago, but still consider it my home lake. I always said that Choke Canyon was a "spot" lake vs a "pattern" lake and by that I mean that fish would group up on little spots, some no bigger than your boat, or maybe just a particular 30-50 yard stretch of a longer bank that all looked the same. Then other spots that appeared to be very similar would hold no fish.

It took me years to find enough of these little spots that I could begin to string a bunch of them together into a milk run and put together a good day. I think this trait is what makes Choke Canyon hard to fish for fist timers who are expecting to put together a patter like grass edges or rock points that they can duplicate all over the lake. Choke just never seemed to work like that for me.

used to be as easy as launching at caliham, taking a left with the trolling motor down, and dropping a red shad power worm down the edges of visible hydrilla matted on the surface...just past the swim beach.

Ha! I won a club tournament on that very shoreline, around the point from the swim area, just past the roadbed. Except it was a red craw red-eye shad, not a worm. And spring so the hydrilla was scattered, not matted.

On a C-rig, chartreuse bubble fry or falcon lake craw colored baby brush hog has been working for me. On the drop shot, any dark colored Robo like MMIII has worked. That was 3 weeks ago, who knows, I may get skunked on Thursday. On another note, the gasper goo must be thick in there, I catch at least 1 a trip on a C-rig of all things...

I've always wanted to try the gaspergoo fishing down by the dam in the summer time that I hear so much about. Those guys say it is non stop action when they are spawning.

Water temp started 63 but with a stiff north wind, cooled to 60. Caught 11 small ones, only 1 keeper. Caught em in 10-15 ft. Most on C-rig, but I caught a couple on jerk bait and 6xd. Still have a lot to learn on this lake, they aren't everywhere!

TPWD claimed south shore ramp to be repaired in 2017.
Be surprised if it Really Happens.