Hello all. New member here from Crosby TX. I have recently picked up fishing as a hobby. I’m looking for someone to show me the ropes and be a fishing buddy. I have an 18’ Tracker All Fish we could take out. Glad to be a member!!! Let me know

Welcome to the forum! Now when you say new to fishing, how new exactly? Have you fished Texas waters before? If you are a relo from another part of the country, we'll have to fill you in on a few things about the water down here for safety sake. (Mostly the fact that just about every lake is filled with trees/stumps that can kill you, destroy your boat, or eat your lower unit.)

Over where you are at the two closest bodies of water are Sheldon and Livingston. I'm not experts on either so someone else will have to chime in.

Next would be Conroe. Conroe produces giant bass every year 10-13lbs, however it can be a fickle beast. In the warm months the lower end can be almost dangerous to fish in a boat your size. The lake gets extreme pleasure boat pressure. The entire southern end has a sea wall around it, and big waves get bounced around like it's a bath tub. Try deep docks and the deep crank bite offshore on primary and secondary points. For my money Conroe is the toughest fishing lake in the state.

Out towards Austin you have Fayette County and Basstrop. Normally my recommendation would be to head to Fayette. It's got a pile of 3-5lb fish in it. That said, there was a chemical spill there in October and the fishing has been very tough. Also, it gets extreme pressure in the winter as every bass club and Tom, Dick, and Harry want's to fish a warm water lake in the winter. Still, if you can get out there during the week, it's worth the trip. Drag a C-rig on points on the warm side during the winter. Also, when in doubt, fish rock it's not hard to find.

From there, and this may be your best bet, you have Rayburn to the NE. I'd suggest you get a guide up there to start out, but it's a really solid option with a good mix of numbers and potential for size.

Shoot me a PM if you want to join me on a trip out to Fayette sometime. I make a couple of trips a month out there and often have a open seat.

Welcome, I live in Crosby as well. Actually the closest lake to you is in your backyard. Lake Houston is not known for trophy fish but there are fish in it and there are some good ones in it. Sheldon has some good fishing as well as Raven. I have seen some good fish come out of Conroe, unfortunately I cant catch any. You either love that lake or hate that lake. Should you want to go out one day, PM me and I will show you how to get around Lake Houston. If you stay south of the RR tracks you are pretty safe. Once north of them it is best to know where you are and where to avoid, as there is some 1 and 2 foot water where you wouldn't expect it. If you don't have one, I would invest in a good fish finder with gps mapping for any lake in east Texas so that you can get around safely. You can create yourself some safe boating routes with it. PM me if you want to.

Thanks for the welcomes. I’ve fished on and off my whole life. But it was mainly just worms on a bobber. I had no idea there was so much to it. I’ve been out on lake Houston a lot as I’ve lived on the east side of Houston my whole life. But this is the first time that I’ve driven a boat in there. Yes we stay south of the RR for now as our boat launch is in Indian shores and it’s 2 min from house which is nice. I know a lot of good fishing is in the east and west forks right now. I love fishing in Sheldon I’m my small boat. I’ve been 4 times and have only been skunked once! Oh and I know this is the Bass section, but I love all kinds of fishing, from perch jerkin to offshore. Long as it bites I’ll take it.

You made a bad choice getting into real fishing... You'll go broke quick lol.

It's addicting..... Around Crosby, I would put your rig in Lake Sheldon and bounces some soft plastic worms around the banks there. You can also put in at Ponderosa Marina on Lake Houston and fish up in that creek. If you're really feeling it you can head up to Lake Conroe. Just start small though, Sheldon is a great lake to learn on

Wecome...If you put in at Indian Shores there is some decent Largemouth fishing in that area. Also crappie and the white bass usually school up right out from the ramp.

Welcome to the forum! I haven't been a member for very long, but I've learned a lot from these guys already. I moved from the midwest to Texas. Fishing isn't new to me, but fishing IN TEXAS is. These guys have so much information, it's almost overwhelming. Good luck and happy fishing!

Area around the Indian shores ramp? I’ve heard up the channels that go into the neighborhoods can be decent.

lol yes I see how one can go broke especially being new and just wanting to buy everything. Luckily I’ve been getting some good deals on various sites on some slightly used and even new equipment. And gotta love Amazon. 2 months ago I could care less about fishing. 2 boats, 9 poles, 8x4 pegboard full of bait and tackle, here I am lololol

I sent you a PM. Blinking folder by your name