Choke Canyon

up almost three foot and still rising. Anyone know how much more water is coming in? Another two to three foot should/could put it into the grassy areas. Can you say buzz bait and frog fishing?

There's a little bit of positive flow still in the Frio and the feeders to Choke, but it is tapering. You can learn all you want and more here:
Texas Water Dashboard

Click into the dashboard then turn on the layers you want. I usually turn on stream flow, reservoir level and rainfall.

I think it might catch another foot to foot and a half tops.

More rain in the forecast!

Both Frios were running good in Uvalde on Sunday evening! I have a feeling it’ll come up another 2-3’ (might just be wishful thinking), but that lake is so flat that the water has a lot of ground to cover in the process.

Up to about where it was 12 months ago and still have decent water coming down the Frio for the next 7-9 days. So we might end up around 200’ which would be a rise of around 9’. Still would need 20’ to go, but the 7-9 foot rises will do wonders for fishing.

Its back up to where it was when i fished it back in February. The fishing was surprisingly good then so hopefully it will be just as good in October my our club championship if it comes up some more.

still more rain coming!

Looks like the last push of water it just hitting Tilden, rivers at 17’ and slowly rising. Lakes not gonna come up much more, hopefully it’ll get at least another ft.

22.8’ low, 6’ rise. If we could get 10 more feet by some miracle with all the snakes in the trees. Might have to use a closet rod and steel leader to get the bass out of the brush.

The river in Tilden is still @ 19’.

One more shot of water coming thru Derby right now from Friday's rains. Hopefully catch another 2 feet total. Crazy that three weeks of rain has only yielded 6 feet of rise on 3/4 empty lake. So much water that just never makes it to the lake.

Whether it’s a 7’ rise or a 12’ rise it’s definitely a positive. Plus, there’s plenty of rain the forecast so it will probably get more in the coming weeks.

Just in case anyone cares and doesn’t know where to look. 22’2” low as of now.

Come on Mike, I thought we just judged water level by where we remember it being last year at the ramp.

Brotherman, I want to see South Shore ramp open! There’d be a lot of happy guys on here. It has to be getting close to useable again.

I hope it fills up for you guys.

-21.7”

So at what point does south shore open? Weren’t they working on it this year?

And the Frio in Tilden is rising again after the rain last night!

I am guessing the key is that the people and places downstream already have so much water that they don't want everything that comes into Choke released.

It should be useable now! 7’ of water put the sand way down there. Hopefully someone will go to the lake and ask.

I might be the only one that cares; 20.9”

No you’re not! Great to see it catching a good amount of water, how much of a rise is that, 8’?

No your not, I started fishing it as soon as it opened. I lived in Corpus back then. Good times back then fishing, Choke, Lake Corpus Christi and Falcon.

If the lake continues to come up, I will be fishing it again. Not that much further to get to Choke from Houston than my Place at Rayburn.

The river at Tilden is still at 17’ and falling, bound to be close to another 1’ for the lake in it when it settles. Should make for around an 8’ rise and there should be no reason that south shore should stay closed. Hope we can keep the rain up, fishing will be out of this world in 3 years if it can get a few more feet in her.



I remember the days of launching and driving all the way up the lake past the Daughtery section, all the cuts and creeks to wander up. Sure hope to see it again.

I was told South Shore was closed due to area under ramp being washed out and holllow. Did they ever fix that?

Yes. A few months ago when I asked about launching at SS the lady at Calliham Park said the ramp was too shallow to launch due being covered in sand. You could launch jon boats & kayaks though. Maybe I’ll call them tomorrow and find out the 411.

Report back if you find out its open. That would save a little driving for me.

Called and.... people are launching bass boats from there! She said she wasn’t sure if large boats that required deep water could launch, but def bass boats.


Hopefully the Choke sinkhole doesn’t open up too quickly and steal all the water again.

I'll be there Friday. I'll take some photos and post them

We should crack 200' sometime tomorrow! Hopefully we'll get a few more gulps of water that put it over 210 by the end of the year. Falcon is steadily catching water as well, up more than 10' so far and still raising .3-.4' a day.

Other good news for Choke is Corpus Christi is actually full.

Any thoughts on how long it will take the fish to move to the new cover? What I have experienced in the past is that when a lake rises this much this fast that it may take months for the fish to find the new cover. I have Thursday off and would love to try it out but the thought of driving two hours and catching nothing is holding me back.

Last time it came up several ft I pounded the death off of the new cover and caught nothing. I’d go with weeks to months.



I went to Medina Sunday, it came up 20’ or something and those fish weren’t shallow. The dinks were chasing minnows up shallow, but nothing decent seemed to have moved up.

But maybe you need to take one for the team and see if the snakes are bad up in the trees.

Observing from afar it seems obvious that the only way Choke is going to be allowed to rise is if everything downstream is full or flooded. Looking at the lake level chart it is easy to see that every time Choke has come up in the last couple of years the water has been almost immediately released.

Given all the water they are running through Mathis right now Chokes Water should be safe. I don't see any big releases on the horizon.

Thanks Grout.

When you said snakes that changed my mind so I slept in late and plan on doing nothing all day.

maybe I should have mentioned the spiders too. Honestly I don’t think the snakes will be bad unless it comes up another 10’, then it’s going to get real creepy and I don’t mind snakes at all. But man my brother in law is terrified of them.

Gators will be something to watch out for also. One scared the [censored] out of me once in possum creek. Mating season and it crashed out of the bushes when I got to close. Hit the water at full speed headed toward me roaring. Never saw it until it let me know I was too close.

Looks like it might start leveling off soon and not rise much more.

I had a 10 footer float to the top just inches from me parallel with the boat. We were face to face and eye to eye. I slowly stepped on the tm and did an about face moving away in high gear. Wouldn't you know it, here comes a water moccasin and he decides to finish up the pucker job I've already got going from the gator. Took awhile to catch my breath. Had one those big gators trying to clime up on the transom of my buddies boat. If he had made it, you would have seen man walk on water.

Huisache island, will be a good spawn next spring if they don’t drop the lake. Prob gonna need braid for the big girls. In the first pic the water is all in that shallow brush/weed junk.

South Shore launch is fine, I would not trim down the motor, pretty shallow.










3 fingers




Either the fishing sucks badly or I do! Tons of hydrilla and I punched for 1/2 mile without a bite. Lake needs 10 more ft to be something special, obviously won’t happen since it takes a miracle to even get 8’.

The frio is flooding again today so more water coming down the pipe hopefully. Ill be on the lake this weekend for our club championship. Gonna be a tough one i'm sure.

Big rains near Leakey had the Frio flooding pretty good in Concan. Looks like it was pretty concentrated as the Sabinal and other feeders didn’t rise much, but could be another 2-3’ rise in the next 7-10 days.

There must be a massive malfunction with the Frio/Tilden river sensor, it shows to be at 53’ and if that is the case then the lake would most definitely fill up. But I’m a realist and know that gauge is wrong!

At Tilden right now it's 6.4 feet and 162 cfs. Should get a little shot from the rains moving up through dilly.

What site are you using? Obviously the one I watch is screwed up. (usgs - water for data)

Sent you a PM Grout.

Looks like the lake and watershed got several heavy down pours today and tonight

We need to reroute the neuces to attach to the Frio.

Yeah, all the water coming down the Nueces would probably fill Choke. Lake CC is full so all that water coming down the next 2-4 weeks will just pass right through. Some parts of Calallen (CR 73) will likely be underwater for the next 2 months. There better be a bumper crop of shrimp after all this fresh water they are getting.

Does anyone know where you can buy yellow spinnerbaits not chartreuse I am talking yellow. There use to be a little shop on the way to choke that sold them back in the 90’s and they were killer back then. I’m headed that way next weekend for a kayak tournament and would love to find some

The beloved neon gold.

Was it Elroy Krueger that built those awesome spinnerbaits for choke? Guy was a legend

Elroy could have fished without a skirt on a spinner bait and caught fish.

He was so far ahead of his time on fishing it was unreal. He was frog fishing lake Corpus Christi back in the day when we didn’t even know what frog fishing was.

They never worked for me and about all I can figure is that they resemble a carp. The man kind of scared me and I was always afraid to ask him questions, sure regret that now!




Had Donald Harper make something similar up a few years back, haven’t thrown them much. I did have a 5lber on one of the jigs.

Cantaloupe, same color Mark Menedez used to catch that bassmaster 13lber on Richland Chambers years ago, that color pops real good in stained water.

Believe it or not, that color works well on Amistad too.

Any new updates on the water level with the additional rains?

No change to speak of, came up .20. Might gain a few inches over the next week. It’s officially 20ft low.

Pretty good amount of water hitting the lake now. It should come up another foot.

Man I hope so, nothing against the people in Concan; but I’d like to see some serious flooding this week. In the Frio side of course, I already ordered another flipping rod just in hopes that it can gain a few more ft.

Yes Elroy built a fluorescent orange spinnerbait, and when choke first opened, that was one of the baits you better have had tied on. He sold them in his bait and tackle store, and made a killing of them.

We had our club championship this past weekend on Choke. The water came up few inches over the weekend. Overall the fishing was tough but its nice to see all the hydrilla and bushes back in the water again. I caught all my fish on a squarebill in about 6ft over the hydrilla. Big fish of the tournament was a 7.5lber. Most everyone caught there fish up in the new flooded brush.

Concan getting significant rain again today. Showing the river will crest there at flood stage again tonight.

Guess they are chasing those tiny little fry around up there, I couldn’t tell if they were shad or minnows; but there were a bunch of them!

They were tiny little shad. I had a few that spit them up in the boat. About an 1-1/2" long. The winner of our tournament caught his on a frog and spinnerbait. He had a 7.5lb kicker the first day and a 5.10 lb the second.

Def changed in a week then, I threw frogs all day the weekend before.


-19.6 ft low

Edit: -19.5...

Its coming up quick. 201.15 this morning.

It’s been low so long, that I don’t even remember at what level you can get into Opossum. Has to be close now.

-19.3 and the Frios looking pretty good.

Lots of water up around Concan. Should catch a few more feet in between now and next week.

noon on Friday cant get here soon enough, kayaks are loaded ready to roll out of the cave

By the end of the week, Choke will be at its highest level since March of 2013. It’s just getting to where it was in 2016.
The river has had a couple good rises, but not any really big flooding. The Frio watershed didn’t catch anything close to what the Nueces did the past couple months, but now (after another 2-3’ coming in), we will be one good flood away from filling it. I’m talking the Frio, Sabinal, Leona, San Miguel and Hondo Creek all being over their flood stages for several days. We’ve just barely been missing that happening the past couple weeks.

-18’8” sure hope we can manage to squeeze out a few more feet. All that brush just waiting for me to flip around in...

There is no way I would be in a kayak on that lake right now with the size of gators they have down there. I bet they are just cruising the new stuff and it might be too late when you see it.

Gators gotta eat too.

I've been to Choke one time and saw the biggest Gator I've ever seen in my life by a long shot & so many over 10' we lost count.

State record was killed there too.

Two more feet and it will be the highest it has been since 2013.

Anyone else remember fishing Bo Derek in it's heyday?

Not in its heyday, but I’ve been just about all over it. When it was full I went all the way up the frio as far as you could go, could barely turn the boat around. Went back into Opossum so far that I was basically in someone’s ranch, gets spooky back there. So many places look so good, but always seems like South Shore is where it’s at. Gonna be a fun year if we can get a few more ft in her.

Also remember a t-post that got my hull in ‘possum.

Just imagine if it somehow fills... I missed the great times 10 years ago due to my daughter being born, 2 15lb bass weighed in during BassChamps. I won’t miss it this time!

Grout I know that t post well. It got a few boats.

I might have to make a trip for my first time this spring. I love to flip and blade some flooded bushes

Ehhh, not worth your time. Nothing but carp & gar in the lake, you’re better off going to Rayburn.

I probably hit the same tee post!!! And a few more.

That must be the same one I hit. Knocked my transducer off on one.

Wonder if the Kitchen has water?

Looking at the graph, why did they lower the level the flood pool is set at 4 years ago, is there something wrong with the dam to hold that much water?

I participated in the Take a Soldier Fishing years ago. I put that "Hero" on some fish and he ended up with bb and heavy stringer. I don't remember what bb weighed but he told me it was the biggest he's ever boated.

You might be seeing something with the level where it goes over the dam, as far as I can tell the full level is the same it’s always been.

I don’t think Kitchen would have any water yet.

If hurricane Willa doesn’t do it, I don’t think it’s getting done.

Grout. What's the projected rainfall from Willa.

They showed 4” on the news, only saving grace will be that it’s gonna run southwest to northeast right over the drainage zone. (If it takes the projected track.)


Sucker will prob hit the Neuces and miss the frio.

Edit: looking at the current radar, I think this ones gonna do use some good, I’ll think positive!

-17.7” low...

Looks to me like Falcon and Choke will get some help

That's great.

Choke should come up several more feet. Radar shows it been raining on the lake for 6 + hours

That's really light rain though. So far no bump in local watershed. San Miguel only running at 400 cfs.

I’ve never fished choke but I really want to since it’s under 2 hrs from my house. The reports always steer me away every time

I’m expecting Falcon to be the bigger beneficiary from this storm than Choke. The name of the game with both Falcon and Amistad is the water levels in the Mexican reservoirs. I haven’t been able to find water levels for them (Mexican lakes), but storms like this are usually what it takes to top them off and cause major rises for our two Rio Grande impoundments.

I’d expect another 4-6’ out of Choke in the next two weeks though.

Stroker some of the reports are designed to keep you off of it. A lot of people that fish it and do well do not give a report at all for the same reason. It is like any other lake in that you have to put your time on it to learn it and it changes as the water level does. Can you catch fish there--yes. Is it easy--if it was everyone would be pounding it and it would be like Fork.

Not knowing anything about the lake with it low I was always worried about tearing something up on my boat. The last few trips to Fayette have been slower than normal so I may make a trip down after I put a deer in the freezer this winter.

Oh if you think Fayette is slow, no need to go to Choke. Nothing but carp & gar. Now if it could catch 10’ then it would be great in a few years, assuming they don’t drain it too fast. But you’re going to be fishing in thick trees.

Looked a little harder on radar but i guess not. Looks like 1-1.5 inches on the lake and watershed. At least the ground is soaked for this next rain. Frio still running a little

Wednesday is supposed to be the day for the most rain, we will see.

-16’8” fill up you mofo!

Nice 1 foot rise from last nights rain

I think the gauge is acting goofy, it won’t change all day (shows hourly) and then all of a sudden it will show a decent rise. Chains prob rusted from sitting low so long.

That rise was from a days worth of 4000 cfs from water in the Frio that had finally made it down from Concan. River is falling back out tonight.

203.99 as of 7:30 this morning and maybe can squeeze out another foot in the next 3-4 days. Hasn’t been this high since late 2012.

Man, if that rain pattern doesn’t drop down more, we won’t get squat out of this system.

Been hoping for Choke. The way this storm flared off to the north, we may be able to catch a few more feet in Alan Herny and then go ahead and fill up Hubbard Creek. Raining pretty good in Lubbock right now.

Well kind of drizzly, but way out there is what’s left of Huisache island. River looks really good @ 99, not sure there’s any fish up there but it sure looks promising!


Couldn’t get any pics of the river because a semi truck was on me. ‘Possum isn’t a creek yet either. The weather forecasters suck.





Mason Point

[quote=grout-scout]The weather forecasters suck.

Seems they missed it for south texas, out west Ivie is gonna catch some more water though...

Another good little rise showing on the Frio now above Derby. Might catch a couple more feet total.

Grout, you down there fishing or just taking pictures?

I had a job get delayed so I ran down to look at a place for sale and decided to make the big loop and check it all out. Nobody was brave enough/dumb to fish, South Shore was empty. Might go down Saturday, maybe.

-15’.9 not gonna fill. Still better than -28 I guess.

I think this might be the new normal. Literally a month of rain on the water shed and this is all we got.

All we got? The lake is up 13’ in 6 weeks. Choke is a relatively flat reservoir, meaning it takes more water to equal 1’ of elevation change when compared to lakes like Canyon or Travis. It’s going to be a wet winter, and we’ll probably wind up within 5-7’ of full pool by the time it’s all said and done. I’ve fished the lake for over 10 years now and can only think of one summer it was full. We’ll be ok.

Yeah, all we got.... Worst recharge zone of all the lakes built. Drops 3’-4’ per year and it will be back to the same 25’ low in 3 years. So yep, it’s disappointing to watch all that water run down the Neuces when it could have potentially been down the Frio. Only 26k acres full, not that large of a reservoir and it’s not even 50% full yet, getting close though. As of now the lake is 16,818 acres (surface area)


Travis & Llano river saw way more water than what the frio did and of course we’ll be ok; but still disappointing when you know they will drain it again for freshwater shrimp & Mathis. Better enjoy it while we can.


Hopefully it will keep raining, but I have a feeling that the pattern is going to change. Maybe not.

I can promise 1 thing, if the fishing ever gets good I won’t ever post about it again.

Almost there (little sarcasm), hard to believe that missing 15’ is half the lake.

Fishing is going to be so bad now that I plan on waiting 6 to 9 months to go there. There were not many fish in the lake to begin with and with all this new water they will be scattered all over the place. At least they will have a chance to spawn and not get caught by the "fish eaters" that have been taking home the four plus pounders to put in the grease. Also all those guys with the "pretty" boats will not be going because they are afraid of getting scratches on their toys in the new shoreline. Yep I think June and July would be a good time to start fishing this lake again. Anyone want to meet up around then?

Remind me in 6 months!

I agree with all of this except the guys with pretty boats not going. I bet come spring, it will be like a boat show out there. I can't wait to get out there, it should be fun.

Yep you guys can be out there looking at each others boats and us poor folk will be in the brush catching them.

Spacejunkie, I hate to burst your bubble but there won't be any more catchable size fish in the lake in 6 months than there are right now. It takes a couple years for fry to grow that much.

Might be a good thing if it gets real tough for awhile, might turn the meat hunters onto another lake. Of course by the time all these new fry are catchable the lake will have dropped 5’ and the needlenosed gar will have a ball.

I think I’m going to start trying up here next spring, nobody goes up here.

I once heard that same thing back in 2006-2007 then the lake caught some water and Choke quickly became the hottest lake in the country!

Little different then though, the lake filled in 2003/04 (it stayed full for several years) and the state stocked a couple hundred thousand fry into the lake. But I guess they could stock it again, never know and it could still fill; but looks doubtful.


Edit: I think Lee was right in the lake filling in 2002.

Floods also filled the lake in 1998 and 2002.

https://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/choke-canyon


Look at the historical view.

I think their will Be plenty of bass, this lake has been down for so long and so much of it has been inaccessible by boat, acres of standing timber. I think a lot of bass just live out there, no need to move because everything they have is there and no pressure, now with the water rising will trigger them to move to get to that comfort depth they have been enjoying all these years, my guess is where their has not been a boat in the last 10 years, I would head for those creeks.

Wrong! I was all up in those bushes and trees yesterday.

May not want to wait that long, they're already starting to drop the lake.

There's no reason for them to let water out. I just looked and it's still rising slowly.

Fake news!

Most recent 2018-10-29 12:15 205.24 220.5 -15.3 below flood pool
1 hour prior 2018-10-29 11:15 205.21 220.5 -15.3 below flood pool
2 hours prior 2018-10-29 10:15 205.23 220.5 -15.3 below flood pool
6 hours prior 2018-10-29 06:15 205.29

Seems like they're dropping it while there is an inflow.

Yep it sure did then got low again 2006ish everyone was complaining about how fishing stunk then it filled back up in 08 then we got to fish something very special for 2-3yrs . While working at BPS during this time frame I heard it all and got to witness most of this from fishing bass champs to fishing with customers out there 2-3 time a week.

Unfortunately that's just the nature of that lake. Enjoy it while you can. I think it will take a few years until the fishing gets really good again assuming we are able to keep the level. I think the best the lake ever fished was in the early 90s personally. But I can't complain about the last time it was full. I caught a lot of big fish including the lake record. Haven't been down there is several years but maybe I'll sneak down there this spring when all that water gets settled.

You have the lake record? What is that, I can’t say that I have ever heard the record for Choke. I know Elroy & another guy had 2 15’s in the BassChamps, I figured one of the 15’s would have been the record.


Edit: I remembered wrong, Elroy didn’t have a 15.

15.45

If it stays up a while it’s going to be good. Always is. Falcon is an excellent example. When it refilled 8+- years ago it was on fire almost overnight. I can’t explain the “same number of fish spread out over a larger area” syndrome but refilling always makes it better...faster than common sense will allow!

Would you mind sharing details on how you caught it?

Can you imagine being in that bass champs tournament and catch a 15 lber, then come to weigh in and not get big bass because someone else’s 15 lber was bigger.......

Would be something, wouldn’t it?


Me personally, I think I’d [censored] myself when it came up.






I most definitely am interested!




Good reads.

http://www.basschamps.com/news.cfm?tourn...9&junior=no

http://www.basschamps.com/news.cfm?tournament_id=38

Bass, Largemouth 15.45 26.25 Jan 21, 2009 Brad Bookmyer crankbait

If I remember correctly 2-15 pounders were caught during bass champs along with a 13 pounder.

Derick Kuyrkendal would have the lake record but I dont know the story on why he doesnt, his fish ended up dying so off to the taxi it went. It weighed in at 15.56 and Elroy Kruger's came in at 15.20. I remember Derick telling me his came off of Calliham point dont remember what bait and Elroy saying his came off of a hump in 7-10 ft throwing a carolina rig.

I posted both BassChamps stories above in case you didn’t see them, amazing the pigs the lake was putting out! I was wondering why the 15.45 didn’t get the record, guess the scales aren’t certified at BassChamps? Used to be a time that they had scales for weighing big bass down by the Calliham launch, guess they don’t use that ever anymore.

Largest population of 10 foot gators ever seen..wow. big bass not bad but not easy..

If my memory serves me correctly There was another boat that tournament with a 13 and a 10 and they didn’t win LOL!!!

Been some big bags, and fun tournaments. Hope it can be a tournament destination next year.

Turns out the scales used at BassChamps were not even close to being accurate. Yes I remember that big fish died and it weighed several ounces less on the certified scales. I think the 15.2 pound fish was in the 14 pound range on certified scales. I don't remember the exact numbers but I thought it was strange those two fish weights were not off by the same amounts. A lot of big fish were caught in that tournament but it also is a good example that those big fish don't need to ride around in a live well all day long. I think a lot of big fish bit the dust during that tournament.

Interesting point about scales. When they have to zero out the scales I always wonder what happened the the guy before , did it help or hurt him.

Both of those fishes weights were considerably heavier on the bass champs scales which were not certified. TPWD came out and got certified weights on those fish after the weigh in. I don't fish tournaments so I wasn't there but that's what I remember reading. I'm pretty sure Bass Champs had to do something to address the mortality in future tournaments also.

After that they started to have a number available to call to weigh big fish in all day.

Doctorb, do you have a picture that you can post here of your big girl? I know it’s a pita to post pics, but I’d love to see your bass if you can post one.



I talked to an older fella this morning that fished Choke for a couple days last week. He said slow was an understatement, 3 fish is all they caught in several days; but who knows since nobody else is saying much.

Wow!

The way those scales work, if they get out of calibration it turns into a ratio thing. The heavier the weight the more it will be off. It's similar to putting oversized tires on a pickup. Your speedometer will be off by 2 mph when your going 40, but it will be off by 8 mph when your going 80.

Holy fat pig! Thanks for posting

I can only imagine how my heart would be racing if I saw that huge thing come up to the side of the boat. Nice colors too, for a big ol fish.

Beautiful fish, I will ask again, can you elaborate on the catch?

Well boys, she’s -15 and 51.8% full.

Hopefully some of this rain will push south

Caught that fish on the South Shore. Really of tough day of fishing until I ran into that group of fish. Started the morning out with ice on the boat but it warmed up considerably that day. Fishing solo. Didn't get a bite until around 11 or so. Then I ran into a group of big fish that were staging up getting ready for the spawn. Lost 2 fish that were pulling drag like a freight train under the boat before I caught that big one. Smallest fish I pulled off that spot was 4 pounds. Almost all of them were caught on a crank bait. They wouldn't hardly touch a soft plastic. That group of fish stuck around for 2 weeks on that spot. Side note I also caught a 12 pound bass in June of that same year out there. That fish came off the north shore.

How's the water clarity? It was pretty stained last weekend. Just wondering if it has cleared up at all in the last week.

Thank you!

The stuff we dream of, a school of lunkers.

Well this one brings back a lot of memories.

I fished that bass champs y’all are talking about and watched both fish weighed. Elroy had a similar wiegh time to us and I remember almost falling out of the boat when he lifted his 2 sacks of bass out of the boat while I unloaded our measly 15 lbs (we didn’t sniff a check).

Caught my biggest fish, 8-13, on that lake on the creek channel bend a cast distance from the south side of 99 bridge at possum. An hr before my buddy hung a 7.5 on the top of a log, out of the water, in kitchen creek, and we were able to land it. Right then a game warden motors into the creek on a jet ski of all things. After he checked us he ran his ski aground on one of the bars that flanked the creek at the mouth and got stuck. We had a 35 lb stringer that day.

Even though I haven’t fished there in 5 yrs, I still consider it my home lake. I always did well in club tourneys there during the short time I fished clubs. Even won a few.

Also, Choke always seemed to me, more than any other lake, to be a lake where you needed to know very small, specific, pieces of structure that would hold fish. Small rock piles, humps, channel bends, brush piles, isolated pieces of hydrilla, one tree that held fish over all the others etc. finally by the time I’d fished the lake 5 yrs or so I had a bunch of these at diff levels I could run and catch 1-2 fish off each one and string together a good day.

I think this is part of what makes some guys who want to put the TM down and fish a whole shoreline or point or cove think it’s a tough lake. Putting your time in on that lake makes more of a difference than most.

Public Service Announcement: Don’t waste your time bass fishing up at 99, no fish up there.


But it sure did look good, maybe next year... or the year after, when there’s actually a population of fish.

If you do go, I’d recommend not taking inexperienced casters with you. It’s pretty much a flipping needle threading type of cover up there.


Do any of you guys know which creek was known as Bo Derek creek? Seems to be a given name, not shown on the maps.

Bo Derek is a pretty good ways away from the 99 bridge (north) prolly not enough water to get anywhere near it right now. Ill snap a pick of it on the map for ya tomorrow when I get to my boat.

Will, thanks. You can just tell me if it’s past San Miguel or before it, east or west side.

Bo Derek creek is up the Frio River arm past the Daughtrey boat ramp on the left hand side. The lake has to be pretty darn full to fish in there. That area was really good a long time ago. I used to wade fish from the Daughtrey parking lot and caught a bunch of really big fish in that area. That was a long time ago though. Duck hunting up in there was world class. That was before anyone knew about it.

You "wade fished" in Choke Canyon?! You're braver than I am! Haha.

Yesterday as I was fishing the jungle of trees where someplaces you couldn’t even think about getting a bait too if you wanted, it dawned on me. Where in the world did all the bass come from when Choke first filled up? A tiny little brush filled river couldn’t have been too populated. How many years did it take to get good from the time it filled?

Wade fishing is one heck of a way to catch a lot of bass. I just didn't have a boat back then. You can really pick apart the cover way more effectively than in a boat and get to areas that a boat just can't get to. And it's amazing how close you can catch a bass to yourself when wade fishing. Having grown up in SE Texas I really didn't worry about the alligators too much.

Yesterday as I was fishing the jungle of trees where someplaces you couldn’t even think about getting a bait too if you wanted, it dawned on me. Where in the world did all the bass come from when Choke first filled up? A tiny little brush filled river couldn’t have been too populated. How many years did it take to get good from the time it filled? [/quote]

from the earthen tanks in the 3 fingers area that were stocked well in advance of construction of the dam.

TP&W stocked a lot of ponds in the Choke Canyon basin. At one point, the fish were growing and the lake wasn't and they opened it up for people to come catch the fish out of the ponds.

I have seen this lake fish tough a few times over the years, this is the hardest I’ve seen it. If someone can catch them here now, they need to join bassmasters. Disbelief.... I think Canyon might fish better right now.

Mike have you fished out deeper yet or have you just been up in the jungle? I haven’t been since all the new water but I’ve been thinking if I go, I wouldn’t touch the new stuff, they have to be way too spread out in that stuff. Maybe they are grouped up off shore somewhere, idk...

50’-40’-30’-20’-10’-5’, I have drug roads, fished ponds, creek channels, sharp drops, punched hydrilla (and it’s quite healthy), threw topwater, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, Carolina rigs, swimbaits, Texas rigs, pitched to hardwoods, pitched to softwoods, drove as far back & shallow as you can get looking for baitfish and nothing. I’d almost swear that there are no bass in the lake. I know someone knows how to catch them; but I guess this is a sign, I was the last truck at the ramp. Seems everyone else gave up and went home early. I think it might take 3 years worth of spawns to make a showing, if the lake can stay up. Today was a beatdown on my confidence.

Now I did graph baitfish around 20’, but all the fish around them are suspended.

Oh and in case anyone is curious, water temp averaged around 63 at South Shore & 4 fingers. 56 in the very back of possum, way back.

I think il go elsewhere for a while!

When I got there yesterday morning, South Shore was almost full of trucks. Sure isn’t anyone saying anything about the fishing, very odd. Surely someone has to be a member here.

Gold jigging spoon off of points put a few in the boat for me
Nothing huge but still fun.

at least someone figured out something.

Maybe just guys just checking out the new water

Its been pretty quiet for awhile now. Either the fishing is really good or really bad. Someone needs to give it up,we are all waiting with anticipation.

I can tell you they are not on old rocky points like they were before the water rose. I went Wed. and figured I wouldn't mess with the new growth since its everywhere! Well, maybe I should have, 2 dinks. I only fished in 15-25 ft. I did find a school of whites at 1:00 and caught those until I left at 3:30, catching one on every other drop. Only 2 other boats that day, and 1 was a catfisherman that said they caught over 100. Oh, and why is South Shore Ramp closed? I was at the gate at 7:00 am and it was chained shut??

Also, I talked to a guy yesterday at Fayette County that said they had a tournament there last Sunday, I believe. He said something like 8lbs won.

I had to think about this for a minute, they closed the park for state deer hunts around that area. I don’t know if they hunt South Shore, but they drive across the dam and hunt the 3 & 4 finger side. My bro in laws kids were selected a few years back to hunt that area, I was a chaperone for one of the minors. Pretty awesome view on the dam.

Have not made it down there yet but still intent to go first chance I get so thanks for the information. If this front coming through now lives up to it's hype the lake may still come up more. If nothing else it will be nice to see the new look and not have to worry so much about the safety of driving from one spot to another. Fishing to me and my schedule is just a way to relax some. Catching is a bonus.

Thanks Minner Bucket,we all have to get are fix,either thru online information or going in person. I will start in a couple of weeks and see what I can find.

Ivie may fill before choke does, never woulda believed that...