Grapevine Lake

My wife just found out that she has a work conference in Grapevine TX in early June. After looking into it, it turns out that it is at a convention center right on Grapevine Lake, so naturally I am going to take advantage of the free accommodations and go with her so I can fish the whole time she is in her conferences. Does anyone here have any experience with Grapevine Lake? I will be limited to bank fishing, and will only be able to bring very limited tackle with me due to the fact that we are flying there. Being that my tackle will be limited I want to make sure I am bringing the right stuff so I give myself the best chance for some success while I'm there. Any help or advice anyone may be able to offer would be greatly appreciated. The only thing that I currently know I will be bringing are my two Temple Fork Outfitters travel rods. One is a MH casting rod, and the other is a ML spinning rod. These should allow me to cover the vast majority of possible techniques.

There's some bank fishing areas around the Katie's Woods Park. Some decent sized smallies in there too. Squarebills, neds, and flukes should get you bit.

Unrelated... what part of Albany? My mom and sister live in Gansevoort and Clifton Park, respectively...

I would recommend getting a guide for one day while you are here.

Thanks for the tips on the baits, and areas to fish. Being from NY neds and smallies sounds good to me.

As far as Albany, I am actually just across the river to the east in East Greenbush. It is about 5 minutes outside of Albany, and about 15-20 minutes south of Clifton Park.

I’d second going to Katie Woods if you are staying in Grapevine. I always catch fish on crankbaits at Grapevine but dragging a worm or a wobble head are good options too.

I live on the south side of the lake.. If it matches up with my schedule, maybe i could take you out for a morning or afternoon. Shoot me a PM and let me know the dates.

Grapevine go to's for me:

Roboworm 4-6" Straight Tail in AMart Magic Red / Blk Flake
Roboworm 4-6" Straight Tail in MMIII
Shad / White square bill
Shad / White Medium crank
5" stick bait in green pumpkin

Those seem to prove the best for me....

I fish grapevine allot, and live within 10 minutes from the lake. Shoot me an IM when you get close to the date and i can give you the latest news on the lake. If you want some independence, i have a canoe you can borrow.



It's not a stellar lake, but I like it.

Prosise

Thank you all for the info. The place I am staying is actually right next to Katie’s Woods park, so it sounds like I’ll be in a good spot for some bank fishing.

Take the guys up on a boat trip. Tell them you wanna night fish. In June, that's where you'll catch some good ones. 10"power worms...blue fleck, tequila sunrise. Fish the dam, ice house, Scotts' by the walkway, channel ledges out in front of Dove Ramp, and shadows on lighted boat docks. Fish slow. GV fish want it very slow in summer.

Shoot dude, if you have the money get you a guide. Or better yet, find one of the guys here on the forum that's willing to split a fuel bill with you for the boat. Great people on here that I'm sure wouldn't have a problem taking you on the lake!

There are some line screaming fish in the lake

Nice brownie. I hope they’re there tomorrow.

NIce to see them thriving in Grapevine. Back before 2010, when I was fishing the Vine all the time they were rare.

I feel like they still are... I have yet to see one.

Anyone know where they hang out more? I would guess they are around the dam? I never fish the dam maybe thats why I have not seen one.

We caught some good keeper smallmouth Saturday off the rocks to the right of the dam. Lost a BIG smallmouth off the point at Katie’s woods loop. Caught a few more smallmouth off the dam.

The winning team fished the dam all day. They also caught 20+ pounds last weekend at media….I assume fishing the dam.

Had a good day, two smallies in one day is a good day. Lost one which would have made the trifecta. Smallmouth can wreck a spinnerbait.

Almost 10 years fishing the Vine and I never caught a smallie. Let us know when you hit 3 in a day prosise.

I catch smallies all the time crappie fishing out there. There is a way bigger self sustaining population out there than most realize. I will say it seems they stay pretty close to the dam but you can catch them anywhere on the lake. I tend to catch most on tube crappie jigs.

If you don't fish the dam, they will seem rare. 95 percent of the ones I have caught there have been really close to the dam

Is the dam accessible for shore fisherman? This may be a good place for me to try out, given my love for catching small mouth.

I want to say yes, you should be able to walk down from the shoreline cliff onto it.

This is my PB smallmouth that came from Grapevine! It was just over 4lbs and wrecked an underspin in Mid-January a few years back.

My best Smallmouth on Lake Grapevine came in the spring of 2016.

I have caught quite a few off the dam over the years but many of them were caught back when the aerator was running...

Last Saturday’s grapevine tourney I had 5 smallmouth. It was all I could catch...then I was saved by a 5-1/2lb largemouth.

There are several areas that hold them year round. I fish deep water most of the time. Look to the bridge pillings and the large rock humps. Notice i said rock

Bridge pillings? I’m guessing there’s something underwear otherwise silver lake is gonna be covered up!