Fishing Choke Canyon

Next weekend, my buddy and I are taking his boat and headed to Choke Canyon Lake on Friday evening and will be back Monday. Neither of us have ever fished there, or even seen the lake, but we do that is a very high producing lake as far as bass goes. Does anybody have any info on fishing the lake, recommendations on where to put in, navigation hazards, lures that work well, etc..?

Thanks!

Edit- Also possibly after catfish and crappie, but primarily bass.

I've only been there once, for TABC tourney.
Launch at park ramp, head straight out from ramp, go left to very back. lots of small ponds back there. weightless stickbaits worked for us. One of our teams brought in little over 20 pound sack.
On the outer part of the park, numerous willows in shallows. Pegged creature bait, or spinnerbait.....
Wish the lake was closer to Jacksonville.....

There's still fish in Choke?

It's better than it was, not all that great though. I'm thinking the 20lb bag was several years ago.

Make sure you follow the channels when running. Otherwise you'll lose a lower unit or pop a hole in your boat. I fished yesterday and only caught a few small fish. I think the fishing will get better as Fall goes on, but right now it's a fickle lake. Redbug or plum worms are your friend. Spinnerbaits will catch fish there, but those fish have seen more spinnerbaits than real shad themselves. Good luck!

I haven't been there in awhile, right now it's almost 19 feet low. There are plenty of hazards there and I would personally chose another lake until it fills up again. The fishing was good when the lake was up and plenty of hydrilla to punch through, but I don't know about now. We usually launched out of the South Shore ramp, but I don't know if it is still open.

South shore hasn't been open for years and running the channels is the worst thing he could possibly do now. The only safe channel to run right now is the one out of Calliham, the rest of them are death traps.

Thanks guys! We fish the Galveston bay system mostly but decided to try out a lake. I've grown up bass fishing, just never have been to Choke Canyon. Is there maybe any other lakes y'all would recommend?? Trying to stay under 300 miles (we're located in SE Houston.) Was thinking possibly Belton, Fayette, Toledo, Rayburn, COleto, etc.. We were going to bring my Majek but after reading all the hazards I'd rather leave my boat at home.. He still has his heart set on Choke so we'll be taking his boat.. But hey, if the lower unit goes missing, it isn't coming out of my pocket. All I can say to him is the ole "I told you!"

Other lakes within 300 miles of houston that are producing right now?

Rayburn. No question

Coleto is good. I caught good fish there a couple of weeks ago up to about 8 lbs.
Blue fleck power worms. I fish the drop offs next to shallow areas.

I've fished both Rayburn and Coleto plenty of times. Really wanting to try out a new lake. If we can't find one half decent, most likely will be headed to Rayburn


We're now thinking about Belton/Stillhouse Hollow. Neither of us have caught a smallmouth and we'd figured we'd give that shot. Since we are both new to the lakes and smallmouth bass, what are the tips?

Now that the weather is cooling the smallmouth bite should get better. Back in April we caught smallmouth on the dam.

In Belton or Stillhouse?

Better smallmouth in Belton and more of them....caught a 4lber three weeks ago in a tournament on spinnerbait. Had another 2-1/2 in our bag as well.

If you decide on choke let me know, I'll draw you a map of where to drive and not to drive.

Rayburn it is...