Wisconsin boys

My dad and I are planning a bass fishing trip to Texas around the end of February. We have never been there before and I am wondering, if you guys could pick one lake or area to fish, what would it be? Factors I'm thinking about are pressure, amount of developed shoreline and obviously how good the fishing is. Thanks for the help in advance!

Falcon and then plan a day on Sugar while you're here!

Trailering a boat?

I’d go south to Falcon. Probably fish Rayburn on the way down or back up, depending on the winter we have here. I’d avoid Fork, even the guides are only catching a handful of fish that time of year (again, depends on the weather, a mild winter and Fork could be good in late Feb).

I don’t think a day or two on Sugar lake is worth the hassle for a few guys from Wisconsin.

Hard to beat falcon for numbers and size that time if year

As a Wisconsin guy myself, I can tell you it is an entirely different ball game down here. Many of the lakes are full of stumps and tricky to navigate, plus the fishing is just different. I'd highly recommend you get a guide at least on your first day. He'll teach you enough to keep you safe and point you in the right direction on a pattern that is working.

The other trick that time of year is weather. If we get a warm dry spell it could be dynamite. If it's a cold wet spring you could be fishing cold muddy water in a lot of places. That's another reason Falcon may be your best bet, as it's not likely to be a mud hole.

This

Falcon, no contest.

Another option would be the Nacogdoches area. Got Rayburn and Toledo bend close by and then all the awesome small lakes in the area (lake nac, naconiche, murvaul, kurth)

Palestine, Fork, Sandlin, Welsh

^^ I like this idea. Gives you multiple options in case a certain lake is messed up. Can drive North a couple hrs and hit Caddo or stop at Perky and Martin Creek power plant lakes too.

My thoughts exactly. You can always count on at least one of those lakes to be on fire at any given time of the year. Plus, all of these lakes are shining examples of what Texas bass fishing is all about, in my opinion.

Although I suggested Falcon for "easier" and warmer fishing...a week on these lakes would be a lot of fun. Great area where you can get to some decent food, hotels, etc. The fishing should be hot on at least 1-2 of these lakes, maybe all of them. Fork will likely be slow but the giants are eating.

Go a little farther south and you get the benefit of the East Tx style lakes with a little bit of a higher average temp. Doesn't get quite as frigid that time of year. If you can bump it back to March/April, just close your eyes and stick your finger on the map.

Also being a Wisconsin native, Texas Bass fishing is a different animal compared to Bass fishing in Wisconsin! Ponds on Golf courses or in most City neighborhoods down here are bigger than the majority of Wisconsin lakes. I have not been to Falcon so I cant provide feedback for that. But I can say if the weather is cooperative Palestine can be AWESOME in February! With other East Texas lakes in the vicinity that can produce also.

Probably the best N.E. Texas lake Jan and Feb , IMO

These are all good choices. Just so hard to say about that time of year due to weather.

^^^ THIS. It's all about the weather. And if you want to take SOME of that out of the equation, then Falcon is your best bet. In E. Tx you may get an 80 degree day or a 20 degree day at the end of Feb.

Yep

I sent you a PM.

I fished Rayburn that time of year 2019, it was cold and then warm and we had super high water. Above the 147 bridge it was muddy (chocolate milk). Fishing out of Powell Park up the Ayish was really good. I doubt that weather will be back this Feb. At least I hope not. Launching at Powell was weird with the high water but worked. We could just fit under the 147 bridge. Like any where you have to figure out the pattern that is working. Toledo Bend is just 30 miles away. I am biased I have a lake house on Rayburn.

Since you haven’t been before you have to hit Fork, Toledo, Sam Rayburn and Falcon if time allows. Fork has been pretty tough the last two years until the shad spawn and early summer deep bite. The muddy water we have had the last couple of springs the sight fishing bite has been tough. With most of the grass gone it seems the fish are suspending a lot in the tops of submerge standing timber during transition phases. They use to stack up in scattered deeper grass on points leading to spawn coves. February bite will be most likely be prespawn and some early spawing fish on Fork and other East Texas lakes. Falcon should be in all phases of spawn.

My only concern with going to Falcon is it adds another day of driving. It's at least 8 hours from Rayburn to Falcon and then add the return trip ... that's 2 days less fishing. I think Falcon will provide the best, most consistent fishing though with the better chance at a true lunker.

I dont think there has been a over 11 caught at Falcon in a few years. I saw a few 9s posted or sent to me and maybe one or two just breaking 10. Dont get me wrong those are big fish..



I was there all of Jan Feb and into March a week this year and my best was a 8lb 13oz. thats my personal best.

My best 5 were 6.62, 7.12, 7.75, 8, and 8.82. My son got a 7.33, he only fished 2 days and that was his only fish.

In all that time there at the ramp I mostly saw long faces, falcon is not as easy as people on here think it is when they look at guide pics. I had a few days I caught 20 but mostly averaged 3-4 I would say. That said I wasnt fishing early or late a day of fishing for me was usually 9-1 or 2. I never fished weekends etc.


This year the first week in Jan was nice 80s after that it was cold front after cold front it seemed like and I quickly acclimated to thinking 50-55 in the am was COLD. haha

Be prepared to head to south Texas. That time of year it could be colder here than Wisconsin.

As others have said, late Feb can be really good on Palestine, good chatterbait/senko bite shallow but it can be hard to find clear water. Also a tough lake to navigate, but the local guide sells a map chip that has clean trails to navigate and keep your lower unit in tact

There is a war going on in the town and surrounding areas of Ciudad Miguel Aleman, Sugar is the best lake on the planet but I'll leave it to the Gulf and Zeta Cartels for now. Fish Falcon more days instead! Random fire fights have been going on for months now with no end in sight, some involving the Gulf, Zeta, and Mexican Army.


https://www.breitbart.com/border/20...s-to-renewed-violence-near-texas-border/

https://www.breitbart.com/border/20...cartel-seeks-new-turf-near-texas-border/

You must travel through this to get to the lake, safe passing!

Thanks for all the replies! We could come down later, we just want to catch that prespawn time. When would be a better time to make the trip, and what lake at that time, maybe something without a ton of pressure?

Are y'all planning to bring your own boat? Navigation of our lakes can be an issue, especially getting into the upper ends of the lakes.

Are y'all planning on using guides at all? How long are y'all planning on being in Texas?

Pre spawn can start in Nov-Dec and go until April, just depends on what area of the state you are going to fish.


I will amend my recommendations, I would come through N.E. Texas in February and fish Palestine if conditions are good. I would hire a guide for at least a day and spend 2-3 days there. From there you can head South, south east and hit a power plant lake or two on the way to Ray Burn and/or Toledo Bend. Again, if possible, I would hire a guide for at least a day.

While in the area there are several good smaller lakes that you could fish within an hour or so.

Possibilities are endless and the big cold fronts and amount of rain we get will make a difference in how the bite will be at any given time. January through March are some of the best chances at a truly trophy fish being positioned to catch in Texas.

We are planning on fishing for 7 days and yes we will be hauling my boat. We had talked about getting a guide for a day as you mentioned. When you say the lakes are difficult to get around do you mean like unmarked channels, hazards that are not on gps?