Hi Guys,

I am going on a fishing trip this weekend to Lake Monticello and Bob Sandlin to meet up with a few friends. I am bringing my boat, so I wanted to ask you guys if the lakes are safe to run? Are there any areas to look out for stumps?

the last thing I want to do is travel back to Houston with a lower unit missing...

Thanks in advance!

Never been on Monti, but Sandlin is not safe to run really anywhere on the lake UNLESS you know exactly where you are going. I highly suggest searching this site for the maps that have been provided that give GPS coordinates for Sandlin. A lot of the lake appears clear but is far from that. Quite a bit of the middle of the lake west of the dam is safe to run, but you still need to know where. Once you've been on Sandlin a few times, you get to know safe areas, but at first, take it very easy!

Bob Sandlin Navigation
https://goo.gl/maps/YugaodJZKnGas3kQ7

Monthy is mostly safe to run, unless you go under the RR bridge, then it is trolling motor only, for the most part, but the lake itself is pretty open. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

For Monty I wouldn't run more than about 300 yards after you go under the highway bridge - you can run from the highway bridge to the RR bridge if you swing right after the highway and stay very right until you get to the power line poles. Shut down at the power lines to b safe. After you go under the highway bridge there's a long point on your right which is where I use to shut down unless your going to the RR bridge. At the point its full of stumps all the way to the far end.

If you know the clear areas. Monticello above power line is tough.
I run the east side of Sandlin from Hwy21 to Titus county park.

the link for the Bob Sandlin showing a boat lane is absolutely safe... I started fishing Sandlin in the late 80's when some of the timber was still standing.. this route is safe.

Hi guys,

Sorry for the late response but I wanted to thank all of you for the helpful pointers. Turns out we only fished Monticello but I got through the weekend with no problems running around the lake. Fishing wasn't great but at least I was able to lock into a few. Heres a decent one that put up a solid fight! the rest were right around 1 pounders. I caught 99% of them on a watermelon red senko. I didn't have much luck fishing the pads in the northeast side of the lake.

Thanks again to everyone who helped on this post. I really appreciate it.

Tight Lines!

The hat is probably what jinxed ya! LOL! Glad you got on a few. I'm curious as to how Monty is gonna be without the heat turned on.

TONS of sandbass in Monti now

There goes the neighborhood!

Lake is low and always will be now .

I'll be going out to Sandlin here pretty soon. I'll be staying on the east side of the RR bridge near the dam. Is the water pretty clear on that side? Any tips for fishing in any of that deep water on the east side of the lake?

East of the RR bridge is open. Only stumps/trees on that side of the bridge are under the 1520 bridge past Barefoot Bay. East point of Millionaires cove and eastern shore of the cove has lots of rocks/boulders and docks that hold both largemouth and spots.

Barefoot Bay cove has a long pronounced point on the west shore going into the cove. Good morning spot. This cove has many good secondary points (mostly on the west shore) with rock from the point all the way back to Barefoot Marina.

Perfect. Thank you!