Choke Canyon Winter Catfishing

A friend of mine and I are planning on making a run to Choke Canyon in the next few weeks, and I was hoping to get some advice from those with experience targeting blue catfish in the lake.

What I've seen of Choke Canyon suggests that there are a lot of shallow areas with submerged stumps and sunken timber, which would be great for flatheads if the water was warmer.

This time of year, should I try to target blues by drift-fishing the main channels and deep holes, or should I focus on shallower flats and coves?

Also, is there regular current in Choke Canyon from running water from the dam daily, or are the gates usually closed except in flood situations like many/most other reservoirs in TX? On reservoirs I've fished before with a regular water release, the catfish bite seems to track the water flow.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Choke is always good on Blues .....been a few yes since been there but always catch my limit....punch bait around trees all around island near Calliham...coves and points...good luck

Choke Canyon has a spillway that releases water into the Frio river below the dam. The big square concrete box about midway down the dam is probably the only place with constant slow current.
You are correct the only times the gates are open would be in a flood situation.

Send a personal message to "grout-scout" or post this question in the Fresh water reports section.
He lives out there, and the island you speak of is called "Hog Island!"

Thanks, I'll get in touch with him.

I’m not a cat man, but I tried to help the best that I am able too. There is no current with the lake, unless there is an inflow. Something about having to release the same cfs out that is coming in, during certain times of the year. The wind will either blow 25mph or zero, never seems to be in between that. I know the channels cats have been very good this year, kind of skinny; but plentiful. I don’t know how the blues or yellows have been, I don’t talk to many guys running jugs.

If you have a date set in stone and a strong front comes, drive up to the HWY 99 boat launch and fish the river. It’s idle only, but you can get out of the wind better up there.

I haven't fished for cats on choke in a few years, but me and a buddy are going next weekend (3-5 Jan). I'll let you know how we do.

John, a couple of my sources told me this week that the catfish are biting just about everywhere on the lake right now from mid range to deep water stacked like cordwood.
Punch bait seems to be what they will bite on like Big Marv's that is if you can find it.
From what I've been told he sells limited amounts and mainly in bulk amounts.
If you can find it, it's like putrified gold! You being a catfish man, you probably know Big Marv personally, and can shed some light on where to buy the bait.

Eater blues and channels are more than plentiful damn near anywhere on the lake. I have been crappie fishing lately and anytime I get my jig too deep in the brush pile a damn cat eats it. Choke is full of eater cats, punch bait in the trees and catch all the 12 to 15'' ers you can!

Any specific area of trees? Is South Shore ramp usable?

South Shore is open, I always fished across from Calliham in those trees, and towards telephone pole point.

Thanks

Big Marv”s is available at Buds Bait and Tackle in Three Rivers. Or you can call me and get it from me. I should have bait available anytime now. 830 789 4445
Big
Marv

Thanks for the insight Jimbo! Been hearing good reports on the whites in the lake as well, I'm getting a little excited now. As far as Big Marv's, see his (Catfish Killer) answer above.

Does Choke Canyon consistently produce large (20 lb+) blue cats with regularity, or are they mostly small like the ones that you describe?

My uncles used to tear the catfish up on jugs & trot lines, they mainly caught big yellows. Doesn’t seem like there’s a whole lot of blues in Choke. Several years ago, I caught a 13lb yellow cat while bass fishing, talk about thinking I had the state record on! Oh the disappointment when I finally got it to the boat. Seems like it’s predominantly yellows & channels, not saying there are no blues, just doesn’t seem like there’s a lot.

Now in case you have forgotten or don’t know it, the lakes full of gar (needlenose & alligator). They will have any cut or live bait cleaned off your lines in short order. We always had to bait the lines right at dusk, might not matter much if rod & reel fishing.

I've caught more blues than channels in choke. But no, there are not a lot of big blues caught in choke.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that, I was under the impression that Choke Canyon had a reputation as a trophy catfish lake, which was why I was interested in checking it out.

The lake record Blue is in the 50lbs, and the flathead is 31. I had the flathead record for a while at 28 until the current record was caught. This is rod&reel records. The all tackle record blue is 70lbs (trotline).

On Friday the wind kicked our butts and we stayed close to Calliham, we tried a couple drifts and picked up 1 small blue. Then we went into a cove and started jigging slabs for whites, we found them and ended up with 18 whites. Day 2 the lake was flat, we spent a lot of time just exploring areas that we hadn't been to in years. Then we went down towards the dam, did some power drifting and picked up 5 eater blues and a drum. On the way in we did some more jigging and I got a 4lbs LMB. Overall it was a good weekend.

I caught this one at the south end on a plastic worm weekend before last while bass fishing. I don’t fish for cats at all. I thought I had a monster bass for a while. Is this a blue or a channel? It was almost 13lbs and I assumed it was a blue.

Looking at that angle with the rays on the anal fin pretty much clear view it's a channel cat.
It looks to be a male with the big head and the anal fin rays look to be around 21-23 spines with a curved edge on the anal fin, and a blue has a more straight edged fin with around 30+ rays or spines on the fin.
The color can vary with the water clarity and a channel usually has spots along the body on the younger cats, but they aren't always present with a larger fish.
That is a big channel at 13#.

I just looked at the TP&W site- if it really is a channel cat it was a lake record ( biggest official is 8.2lbs). There was no one around and I figured is was just a decent blue and turned it loose. Wish there had been someone around to get a better pic.

Can't see the tail in the pic. Based on what I can see that is a big channel.