Just got back into fishing now that I have all my poles here in texas, grew up fishing Massachusetts, and New jersey, mostly saltwater. all the big freshwater fish here got me hungry to catch some, but I've fished everyday for the past the two weeks only to catch small Bass, Small panfish and a few carp. It's really pushing me to buy a boat because of the dissapointment I've had, I've tried a few small lakes on base, belton and stillhouse lake. fishing open lakes is still weird to me.

Try looking up cowhouse creek I fish there all the time and catch big crappie, white bass, largemouth and I hear there's some big catfish in there too.

Your rods and reels might be too heavy for the type of fishing you're doing. The rigs I've seen those guys use up in NE have been crazy big. Those type of rigs are better suited for bull reds, big black drum and the like down on the coast. Smaller, lighter rigs would make for more fun and more sport.

what are you usually fishing with in that area/time of day just of curiosity, that's the one spot I have yet to try

when I go I've been using my bigger rod for cat and letting it sit, and fishing with a small pole and 10lb with a weedless worm for bass, the wind has been awful this week but I've pulled in a handful of bass under 3 lb's

For bass a small spinnerbait or roadrunner, this can work well for crappie and white bass too. Also a white marabou jig about 2 foot below a float works well of jigged around brush. Don't know about catfish haven't tried. I always see people catching crappie and bass on minnows but I'm too stubborn to use live bait.