Fishing Reports
1637 Fishing Reports
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Summer
Technique
Frogs/Toads
Structure
Matted Grass
Water Temperature
78°
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Summer
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Flooded Brush
Forage
Bluegill
Water Temperature
75°
I went out to the lake with my best friend and tournament fishing partner Iain and my Dad for our first time on 05/11/24. It was a mostly sunny day with morning temperatures starting in the high 50's and high temperatures reaching up around 80 degrees by the end of our time on the water, with a slight southwest wind at about 5 mph throughout the day. Water temperatures on the lake ranged from 72-78 degrees, and water clarity ranged from 1 to 3.5 feet of visibility with a tannic color to it in places. We spent the day throwing wacky rigs, chatterbaits, and texas rigs in and around the wide array of standing timber and flooded brush that the lake has to offer, and had a great day for it being our first time there and having to break it down with no contour maps or idea of the layout of the bottom of the lake at all. We ended up catching 15 on the day in half a day of fishing, and missed probably just as many, with our best 5 being somewhere around 13-14 pounds and our biggest fish being a 5 even on the scale (pictured with the report). We concentrated our efforts on mixtures of timber and green bushes in 4-12 feet of water, the closer you could get to the actual bank the better, although it was a challenge finding areas of the lake where you could actually weave a bass boat through the trees and get close to the bank. However, when you found those areas, you always caught a bass or two! I hope this report helps you break down the new lake a bit faster and catch some good bass, tight lines!
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Lily Pads
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
82°
Fishing was tough in the evening. The fish were chasing shad balls all evening, but they weren't too interested in what I was throwing. I caught a few smaller bass on spinnerbaits and swim jigs, but the biggest bass caught finally came on a buzzbait at sunset.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Reeds
Flipped it in right by some weed/reed lines in a small pocket. Gave it a couple hops, working it back slowly.
Species
White Bass
Season
Summer
Technique
Crankbaits 0-6'
Structure
Baitfish
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
78°
current was pushing shad on to points and fish were schooling on top of and the back side of the points
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Summer
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Stumps
Forage
Crawfish
Water Temperature
76°
Pitching to the bases of cypress trees or isolated clumps of pads
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Summer
Technique
Drop Shot
Structure
Stumps
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
74°
I fished the second stop of the Team Trail Outdoors TX tournament season on the lake on 05/04/24, as well as the day before for practice, with my tournament partner Iain. It was a mostly sunny day with morning temperatures starting out at around 65 degrees and warming up to around 90 degrees at the peak of the day. There was a slight southwest wind at about 5-10 mph all day, and water temperatures on the lake ranged from 69-75 degrees. Water clarity on the lake ranged anywhere from 4 inches of visibility to almost 2 feet of visibility. We caught all of our fish in practice and in the tournament on 1 long tapering point at the mouth of 2 spawning pockets where the postspawn fish are pulling back out too. It is a rock bottom point with scattered stumps on the bottom in about 9-17 feet of water. Utilizing our garmin livescope, we would creep around the point and find individual stumps or groups of 3-5 to cast to and see the bass sitting in them. We would then pick off the bass with a drop shot, texas rig, or a deep crank. It was the toughest Cedar Creek tournament I have ever seen, with the weights being extremely low for the time of year. Nonetheless, we were able to grind out a limit for 12.98 pounds and place 28th out of 186 teams, missing the money by 5 spots or half a pound. Still a fun day on the water in an absolute grinder derby and another good finish for us that should slide us up into the top 10 in AOY with 2 events to go! Cedar Creek is fishing tough right now but it is still a good time! If you get out on a windier day, the bite is a bit better, as we had close to 20 pounds on our best 5 the day before the tournament in practice when the wind was blowing 16-20 mph. Get out there, wet a line, and good luck!
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Bladed Jigs
Structure
Stumps
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
62°
My tournament partner Iain and I fished a yearly vendor tournament on the lake on Sunday 04/21/24. The day before was supposed to be our practice day, but we did not get to practice at all due to extreme rain and storms occurring basically all day. The week leading up to the tournament it was sunny and hot, and then the day before a major front blows in (of course) and dropped the lake's water temperatures from the low to mid 70's down to 59-63 degrees, which made the bite on the lake very tough. The water temperature on the lake this day ranged from about half a foot of visibility to around 3 feet of visibility, and finding the cleaner water was key to our success. We only ended up catching 2 under sized keepers to go towards the tournament, but we also caught 3 nice slot fish all between 3 and 5 pounds. We caught all of our fish on a chatterbait or wacky rig up shallow on sandy spawning flats with isolated stumps spread out throughout the spawning flats in 2-4 feet of water. The new Shimano Mastiff FC Fluorocarbon line in the 16 lb strength is what I chose to use for my chatterbait, and I was super impressed! Super smooth casting and held up well, definitely give it a try if you haven't already! Unfortunately, we did not get to weigh in our fish due to us being 20 seconds late to weigh in because Iain hooked me in the head with his Jackhammer. However, the bite was super tough that day, and we had 3 pounds in the livewell, which would have been enough to cash us a check, as it only took 2.46 pounds to get a check! The bite on Fork was tough that weekend, but with the warming weather, its only going to get better!
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Soft Jerkbaits
Structure
Open Water/Basin
Forage
Shad
Hit the discharge area near north boat ramp in the morning BASS are chewing
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Frogs/Toads
Structure
Lily Pads
Water Temperature
80°
Had a nice session in the evening after heavy rainfall. They were chasing a black and blue swimjig from 4 pm to 5 pm around isolated cypress trees. As the sun set, they were hitting dragon flies and bait on the surface, so I tossed that Spro poppin frog in there for a 3lber and a few 2lbers.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Reeds
Forage
Crappie
Post spawn fry guarder. Looking for protected points of cover.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Baitfish
Forage
Shad
Where there's birds, there's fish. The birds were swooping down on bait balls, so the bass were there too. Casting small profile swimbaits with a little flash proved to be more effective than the 3-4" swimbaits. The Shimano Mastiff line has proved to be a very durable line, and holds up after landing multiple fish.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Standing Timber
Water Temperature
72°
Fish were caught early, before 11 am, in 2 - 6ft in saltcedar, along river or creek channel bends and on wind blown points near deeper water. Used the cutter on the points, and the rage bug in thicker patches of saltcedar. 1/4 oz weight and a little chartreuse to the tails in the dirtier water.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Flooded Brush
Forage
Bluegill
Water Temperature
72°
Fishing sunny afternoon in flooded bushes and lay downs. Fish were tight into cover. Flipping Texas Rigged Pit Boss with pegged 1/4 ounce weight into a shaded area of bushes.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Worming)
Structure
Standing Timber
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
70°
Used a locally made 7.5” worm dragging the worm through the branches of the trees
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Flooded Brush
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
70°
TPWD did an excellent job at creating a new fishery in north Texas! Bass were fishing excellent in flooded brush with lots of vegetation. Green leafed trees seemed to hold them a little better than dead ones. Get out there while those fish still haven’t seen any pressure and baits. Can catch them in large schools up shallow. Flipped and drug around a 5” senko tx rigged. If not hitting on the fall, they would bite shortly after you pop it off the bottom. If you miss one or hook one and miss it you can flip right back and get them to eat again. Over all 30+ bass caught mostly in the 2lb range but was able to get quite a few over 4 easily.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Standing Timber
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
71°
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Frogs/Toads
Structure
Baitfish
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
75°
Shad spawn was in full swing and this white popping perch was critical in getting bites. I found an area the day before and got lots of bites on the clear perch, but the day of the tournament I had to switch to the white to get the bigger bite. Just put it together too late in the morning.