Nov. 12, 2013

TPWD Shocks Up Big Bass at Lake Ray Hubbard

Recent electrofishing surveys conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologists turned up a surprising number of big largemouth bass in Lake Ray Hubbard.

TPWD�s Inland Fisheries district office in Fort Worth is responsible for managing and monitoring Lake Ray Hubbard�s fishery. Each fall they conduct a nighttime electrofishing survey on Lake Ray Hubbard. Electrofishing, commonly known as �shocking,� uses electricity to temporarily stun fish, which are then collected using dipnets, measured and weighed.

The two-night survey consisted of 24 randomly selected stations around the shoreline of the lake. Each area was electrofished for five minutes and all target species, which included shad, sunfish and black bass, were collected.

Despite low water levels, this year�s survey revealed record catch rates for largemouth bass over 14 inches. Incredibly, the best five fish weighed 34.62 lbs. That is not bad for a lake within easy driving distance for many DFW area anglers.

Most big fish were collected along the many areas of riprap found around the lake. The two biggest fish were each 23 inches long and weighed 8.1 and 7.2 pounds.

Ray Hubbard continues to be a great spot for sportfishing and has produced two Toyota ShareLunkers, fish weighing 13 pounds or more. The most recent ShareLunker entry was in 2003.

Because of its big fish history and good habitat, Ray Hubbard has been stocked annually with Florida largemouth bass since 2010. This year TPWD added another 502,264 fingerlings with expectations that the Florida influence will produce even more big fish.

2013-11-12

good info

U still hear people say Ray Hubbard doesn't have any fish. Really

Hubbard has them, there is no doubt. It can be challenging at times to find them. However, when you do it's crazy good.

I live 15 minute from Ray Hubbard never fishing it. I fished every lake in east tx. Always have plan to bass fish the lake, just never get around to it. Went over the lake going to bob sandlin Monday. Spent 100 buck in gas. Ray hubbard would be cheaper to fish about 2 gallon of gas.

Ray Hubbard aka Lake Z is a mudhole and doesn't have any fish in it, I would go elsewhere

Ask a biologist and they will tell you that big fish don't shock up well. A few twitches of the tail and they can escape the current. So the fact that they did that well shocking really says a lot for the lake.

Very nice to hear.

Great info! I haven't had luck there in years, but I'm hearing more and more about this lake from friends and this forum....maybe time to take another look

Definitely have to pick and choose my times to fish Hubbard to keep my sanity due to all the pleasure boaters but I love the lake.

I know Hubbard is a good lake, i just rarely do well on it. Never really take the time to learn it, guess its time to do so

THERE IS NOT A LOT TO LEARN, 30 ROCKS ALL DAY LONG, BACK AND FORTH, CRANK BAIT, SHAKEY HEAD WITH BIG HOOK RIGGED WITH A SENKO, PERIOD. THERE IS NO RIVER TO FISH. NINE OUT OF TEN TOURNAMENTS ARE WON THIS WAY WITH LOTS OF BIG SACKS. THE ONLY TIME THIS CHANGES IS WHEN THE LAKE HAS ENOUGH WATER TO BRING THE RIVER INTO PLAY. THERE IS NO MYSTERY TO IT. CHARTRUSE 2.5, SEXY SHAD SERIES 5, 8" SENKO GREEN PUMPKIN OR JUNE BUG, GO TO WAL MART BUY THE ARKIE SHAKEY HEAD IN 1/4 OZ SIZE, REMOVE THE FACTORY WIRE AND REPLACE WITH A SCREW LOCK, SCREW THE SENKO ON, SET THE BOAT IN 18 FT OF WATER, CAST UP TO THE BANK ON THE ROCKS AND WORK THE BAIT BACK OUT UNTIL IT IS DIRECTLY UNDER THE BOAT. SLOW. YOU WILL GET HUNG UP ALOT, WHEN YOU GET HUNG UP USE THE T MOTOR AND GO PAST WHERE YOU ARE HUNG UP AND POP THE BAIT FREE, IF IT DOESN'T COME FREE BREAK IT OFF, SIT DOWN AND TYE ANOTHER ONE ON AND TRY AGAIN. TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE DEPTH YOU ARE GETTING BIT AND NARROW YOU'RE FOCUS TO THAT DEPTH. YOU WILL BREAK OFF OFTEN THIS WAY BUT THAT IS THE TICKET TO THE 30 ROCKS. GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY.

Well there you have it. Now you know.


Thanks

Did BPS have any influence in the stockings of Floridas , years ago you could not buy a respectable bass out there .

30 years ago ?????