One of the usual suspects Mr R. Is preparing for a fish fry, he said Joe pool is doing well. I think he said three days this week, he has limited. Today him and his sidekick both limited pretty quickly. Average fish 12", but plenty of them. Chores for me today.

Got the pontoon out Saturday for a quick test drive and to do some crappie fishing in the creeks. While I didn't do any sand bass fishing, I did see one of the guides and his customers catching fish on the hump/creek bend/drop off on the SE corner of the island. (almost due East going towards the dam) We didn't get close enough to see what size they were catching. Seemed locked on the spot despite the wind. Prosise knows the spot well, as he's reported on it over the years. Crappie fishing (at least for us) was not very good. Thought we could catch a few on minnows in the back of Silverlake Marina cove and didn't get a bite. Not even from a bass or catfish!

Crappie on Grapevine right now are tough. Most are in the marinas spawning

My fishing mentor fished today and he said big sandbass were on Murrell Park point. Also lots of gar..

Update, Mr "R" fished GV today and limited of 12"-13"on sandbass hump. The hump just outside of Scott's on the north point.

Prosie I drove out to Murrell Park yesterday after lunch noticed quite a few Terns dive bombing right off shore had to be shad in the shallows they were working pretty good. Do you think early stages of the shad spawn is starting?

Bank fishing on Grapevine has once again proven to be an exercise in futility. Fished on Easter from about 0400-1200 around Oak Grove, McPherson Slough, and all over Murrell and didn't even get a single bite. Was mostly trying to catch catfish with punchbait, shrimp, and cut bluegill but I also threw some lures, drop shots, crappie jigs, and a worm under a bobber and nada. Went out again on Saturday from about 0500-1300. Fished around the White Chapel trailhead and then went to Trophy Club when they opened. Fish were jumping at Trophy Club but be damned if they were buying what I was trying to sell. Had something nibbling at a worm on a dropshot but that was it. I have always been a glutton for punishment so I'll be back at it again Wednesday night hopefully. I went today and picked up a bag of 20% range cubes from the feed store and a couple of whole Norwegian mackerel and some chicken hearts from the Asian Market. Never tried the range cubes before. Looking forward to baiting up a few spots and seeing what happens.

Catfish30------- two things, if we get allot of rain and Denton Creek starts flowing allot, trophy Club park (where the Creek enters the lake is really good for catfish. The catfish will move up in the creek and you can have some good fishing for catfish. Secondly, for the next couple of months you can take advantage of the shad spawn. Right now on the north bank, and inside twin coves there is a light shad spawn. Look for the white birds on the bank in the mornings. The thing that you need to focus on is the birds, and you don't have to cast far. I caught two catfish yesterday on a spinnerbait in around 5ft close to the banks. The catfish will be doing this, and it will get better as the water warms up.

Sandbass fishing yesterday was interesting during the eclipse. When it got dark, the fish turned off . It took a little while for then to group back up. Sandbass on Murrelll point, and sandbass hump. The fish were smaller, with only a few big ones. But you could sit on top of sandbass hump and catch small fish non-stop with the right lure. I met a new contact "J", and he was using a 3/4 oz inline spinner and him and his old man were catching the fish way faster than me by a mile. There were massive schools of fish, but they would do much with the small spoon. Or slabs. You really had to keep it moving for them to react. I will get the name of the little he was using, and as it when he responds.


Trophy Club park. Where I launch my canoe if I am piddling around on the upper end. Or a good catfish spot if there is current from the rains. It's got to be moving, and chocolate milk water.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QEbGfphTiavakht58



Catfish caught while bass fishing shallow along the north banks. Look for white birds.

I fished with Mr "B" on Monday, wind wasn't bad but I sure wished we had some sunshine. The bass bite was off, as the lake came up last week. I marked the level at the ramp, and when we pulled out 8 hours later the level was down 2". The whole lake is stained from the rain, and the high winds we had over the weekend. WIth that said, the bait is stacked in the creeks. You can goto the mouth of any creek and fish outside of them on the main lake points and find sandbass. We caught sandbass at the main point of Twin coves, Scotts, and some down near Rock Ledge park on the windy banks. Birds are everywhere waiting for the shad spawn to happen. You can see them picking up a shad every now and then, but it hasn't officially started. Just check the channel going into the main creeks, and you will find bait. We caught the sandbass on crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. They were pounding the worm Mr. "B" was using, but they were just pecking at it. Take care all.

I should be out there around 5pm today. Save me some action!

Any news or updates on the shad spawn or how the Sandies are biting? Took my son out a few times for the first time to Grapevine last year and had a blast, and we have been looking forward to going again all year.....but just wanted to make sure it would be worth it beforehand.

I know my son has been checking this forum constantly waiting for any news or updates, lol

It is starting to pick up…slowly but I would give it at least another week. At least on the north side the shad spawn is not yet underway but should be soon.

Me and my fishing mentor were out today looking for the green fish. Caught a bunch of really big ones at the mouth of twin coves up on the rocks. Tons of bait, and fish. Just when we saw a good sandbass, Mr "B" would catch a bigger one on the 3xd.

I was out there yesterday (4/24) as well! Looks like I might have been fishing a bit too deep based on Prosise's report of getting them on a 3X.

Fished along Murrell park. Had 4 sandies trolling a Fliker Shad in about 14 feet. 3 were small one was 14 inches! Nice one. Tons of shad all over but not really on the banks doing the spawning thing just yet... Its any day now from what I saw.

Saw a lot of LARGE buffs rolling around, tried fishing vertically on some big schools of fish but no luck doing that.

I did get "interviewed" by a nice guy from TPWD Inland Fisheries'. Asked about how long I had been fishing, what I had caught, how much money I spent that day to go on that trip, how far I drove from... Think that was it. Doing an impact/creel survey I suppose.

Im sorry, he was using a Pop-R, and a 3xd.. He was working the Pop-R very aggressively to make noise. I think we saw you over by Grapevine point, we saw two kayaks in that area. Looked like you were going into that little cove with the ramp that was closed down. But I know i saw two kayaks. We were in a blue/grey 20ft champion ( rear seat is blue). BTW, the bait has moved around allot, you really need to keep an eye out for birds working the water edge. If you see a bunch of white birds on a bank, but they are all just sitting there not picking bait keep an eye on them. The shad we saw yesterday that were actively spawning were by Twin coves and they were very small (maybe 1.5" inches long). You will see one occasionally floating on the surface of the water. We saw allot of areas with birds, but they were only hoping for some action. If you see an area where you see multiple snakes, it is a good area that has allot of bait. The snakes come out when it is very active in the shad spawn. We are still a little early, and as the water warms up it will be better. We did see some carp sucking on the green vegetation along the edge of the lake, this is what the eggs stick to. Wind is going to blow pretty good until Monday, so be careful all....

Nice! Yes I saw you guys. Pop-R!? Cool. I did not really see anything on top but buff;s or I would have been all over that.

I was indeed in that cove, as was the other yakker. He and I were both in and out of there all morning. I did not catch anything in there. I think he did but I did not get a good look at what it was. He hooked into something over by that standing timber. Now submerged again, as you know the lake is high.

My yak is grayish (The Gray Ghost) his is Green and black. I have seen him there a lot. He gets out more than me.

I would have said hi but that was not your boat... I kind of recognize your boat. You are right about the wind! I will be sticking to the bank for the next several days. Too much wind for a kayak for sure.

Enjoy your reports. Should get really good soon! Will see you on the water soon enough and say hello in person again.