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Lake Granbury

Published: Nov 1, 2018Updated: May 20, 2025

Table of Contents

Spring Fishing Patterns on Lake Granbury

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	58-63	Bass are actively transitioning from winter patterns to spawning areas, staging in pre-spawn locations between 58-62°F Fish are showing increased feeding activity, particularly around creek mouths and staging areas near spawning flats Daily movement patterns show fish utilizing shade during bright conditions, especially around docks and laydowns	Creek arms and creek mouths with transitional structure Riprap banks near bridge crossings Boat docks and laydowns in protected areas	Shakey Heads with finesse worms worked slowly around structure Medium diving crankbaits (7'-12') worked along riprap and channel edges Spinnerbaits around docks and laydowns	Crawfish emerging and active in rocky areas Shad schools in creek mouths and along channel edges	Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Crappie	52-62	Crappie are transitioning from winter patterns to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding but remaining near deep water access Fish are starting to move towards shallower staging areas but maintaining proximity to brush piles and dock structures for cover	Brush piles adjacent to spawning flats in 12-15 foot depth range Boat docks with deep water access Creek channel bends near spawning coves	Finesse Jigs worked slowly through brush piles Crappie Dock Shooting for boat dock fish Live Bait Rigs with minnows around structure	Shad (primary forage base indicated in reports) Small minnows (effective live bait mentioned in reports)	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Catfish	58-68	Pre-spawn catfish beginning to move from winter deep-water haunts to staging areas near spawning flats, becoming more active with increasing water temperatures Feeding activity intensifies as fish prepare for spawning, with most active periods during dawn and dusk Fish utilizing current breaks and structure edges as transition zones between deep winter areas and spawning locations	Deep channel edges adjacent to spawning flats, especially areas with timber or brush Bridge pilings and rip rap areas that provide current breaks Creek channel intersections with abundant wood cover	Live Bait Rigs with fresh cut shad positioned near structure Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') along channel edges Carolina Rigs worked slowly through timber-laden areas	Shad schools beginning to move shallow Bluegill becoming more active in warming waters Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	58-62	Bass are actively moving into spawning areas in creek arms, with water temperatures prompting spawning behavior. Fish are territorial and aggressive in protecting nest sites. Fish showing daily movement patterns between spawning flats and adjacent deeper water, particularly utilizing dock shade during bright conditions.	Protected creek arms with spawning flats Shallow areas near docks with good spawning substrate Creek mouth transitions to main lake	Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around shallow cover and spawning areas Swim Jigs along shallow flats and through spawning pockets Soft Jerkbaits for sight fishing and covering water between beds	Crawfish emerging in spring, particularly active in rocky areas Small bluegill and bream around spawning areas Shad schools in creek arms	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Pink Colors
Spring (Spawn)	Crappie	58-82	Crappie transitioning between pre-spawn staging and spawning, with fish suspending at 12-15 feet in murky water conditions Fish actively feeding on shad, making frequent movements between deeper staging areas and shallow spawning zones	Brush piles and boat docks in 12-15 foot depth range Protected coves and creek channels near spawning flats Secondary points with access to deeper water	Crappie Spider Rigging Live Bait Rigs Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling)	Shad Small minnows	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Spring (Spawn)	Catfish	65-75	Moving into shallower water (2-8 feet) near spawning areas, particularly around woody cover and creek channels Males actively preparing and guarding nest sites in protected areas with firm bottom composition Increased feeding activity during pre-spawn, followed by more territorial behavior during actual spawning	Protected coves with timber and brush piles in 2-8 feet of water Creek channel intersections with abundant woody cover Shallow flats adjacent to river channels with stumps or brush	Live Bait Rigs with cut bait or live bait positioned near structure Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around visible cover and spawning areas Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') near identified spawning locations	Shad schools moving into spawning areas Small sunfish and bluegill in shallow areas Crawfish becoming more active in warming waters	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	52-65	Post-spawn bass transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy Fish moving between shallow and mid-depth areas throughout the day, using rip rap and other hard cover as primary holding areas	Rip rap banks, especially near deeper water access Secondary points leading out of spawning bays Docks adjacent to spawning flats	Bladed Jigs worked parallel to rip rap Shakey Heads worked along transitions Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') around hard cover	Crawfish emerging in rocky areas Small shad schools beginning to form	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Crappie	68-78	Transitioning from shallow spawning areas to deeper, suspended positions near structure, actively feeding to recover from spawn Forming loose schools around brush piles and dock structures, becoming more active during early morning and late evening	Brush piles and boat docks in 12-15 foot depth range Secondary points and creek channel edges adjacent to spawning flats Suspended areas near deep dock structures with shade	Crappie Dock Shooting Crappie Spider Rigging Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling)	Shad (primary forage base) Small sunfish and juvenile baitfish Aquatic insects and larvae	Chartreuse Colors Pink Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Catfish	65-75	Post-spawn catfish actively feeding and dispersing throughout the lake, primarily near structure and current breaks Fish transitioning between deeper channel areas and shallower feeding zones, especially during dawn and dusk	Creek channel intersections with timber and brush piles Rip rap areas near bridges providing current breaks Shallow flats adjacent to deep water with woody cover	Live Bait Rigs with cut bait positioned near structure Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') around timber and brush piles Texas Rigs (Worming) dragged through timber-laden areas	Shad schools beginning their shallow water patterns Small sunfish and bream near woody cover Crawfish emerging in rocky areas and rip rap	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns

Summer Fishing Patterns

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Summer	Largemouth Bass	72-82	Largemouth bass establishing summer patterns with early morning/late evening shallow feeding activities and midday movements to deeper, shaded cover Fish actively using man-made structure (docks, rip rap) for shade during bright conditions, moving between feeding zones and comfort zones throughout the day	Shaded dock areas, especially those near deeper water access Creek channel edges with adjacent cover Rip rap banks during low light periods	Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around dock posts and shallow cover Deep Diving Crankbaits (13'+) along creek channel edges Shakey Heads worked slowly near dock edges and deeper structure	Shad schools suspending near channel edges and dock areas Crawfish active in riprap and rocky areas during early morning	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Summer	Crappie	72-85	Crappie are suspending near deep brush piles and boat docks to escape summer heat, actively feeding during dawn and dusk periods Fish are schooling tightly around structure in 12-15 foot depths, following shad movements throughout the day	Deeper boat docks with brush in 12-15 foot range Main lake brush piles near creek channel intersections Shaded areas between docks during midday hours	Crappie Dock Shooting Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') Crappie Spider Rigging	Shad schools suspending near structure Small bluegill around dock structures	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Summer	Catfish	75-82	Active feeding during night and early morning hours, seeking cooler water during peak daylight Utilizing deep structure during day, moving to shallower flats and channel edges during low light periods Aggressive response to scent trails in turbid conditions	Deep channel edges with timber and brush piles (15-25 feet) Bridge pilings and riprap areas with current breaks Shallow flats adjacent to channel drops (active during night)	Live Bait Rigs with cut bait or whole shad Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+) near structure Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around timber and brush	Shad schools in deeper water Bottom-dwelling fish like bluegill Crawfish near structure	Chartreuse Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns

Fall Fishing Guide for Lake Granbury

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Fall	Largemouth Bass	75-82	Fish are following a distinct daily pattern - active shallow in mornings, transitioning under docks as the day progresses for shade Actively feeding on shad, particularly around creek mouths and main river channel areas during morning hours	Docks, particularly during midday and afternoon periods Creek mouths and main river channel intersections Riprap banks, especially during morning hours	Bladed Jigs worked around creek mouths and channel areas Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) worked around dock areas Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked along riprap and in creeks	Shad schools moving into creeks and along channel edges Smaller baitfish relating to dock areas	Bold Striped Patterns Chartreuse Colors
Fall	Crappie	58-68	Crappie are schooling more tightly and following shad schools as they migrate to deeper water Fish are becoming more active during daylight hours as water temperatures moderate, with peak feeding during morning and late afternoon	Brush piles and boat docks in 12-15 foot depth ranges Creek channel bends and deeper coves where shad are congregating Main lake points near deep water access	Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) along creek channels and deeper structure Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') around brush piles and dock posts Crappie Spider Rigging near schools of suspended fish	Shad schools migrating to deeper water Small sunfish around dock structures	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Fall	Catfish	65-82	Actively feeding and bulking up for winter, with increased activity during dawn and dusk periods in shallower areas Moving between deep channel edges and shallow feeding zones, following baitfish schools	Deep river channels adjacent to shallow flats with timber Bridge pilings and rip rap areas with current breaks Brush piles and timber near creek channel intersections	Live Bait Rigs with cut shad positioned near structure Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+) along channel edges Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around timber and brush piles	Shad schools congregating in creek channels Sunfish around timber and brush piles Crawfish in rocky areas and rip rap	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns

Winter & Ice Fishing Patterns

Season	Species	Water Temp	Behavioral Patterns	Key Locations	Best Techniques	Forage Types	Bait Colors
Winter	Largemouth Bass	45-52	Largemouth bass are transitioning to winter patterns, congregating around deeper structure near primary creek channels and points Fish are actively feeding on crawfish and baitfish, but with reduced metabolism due to cooling water temperatures Bass show preference for slower-moving presentations, particularly around standing timber and rip rap	Standing timber adjacent to creek channels Rip rap banks with deep water access Deep points near primary creek channels	Umbrella Rigs worked slowly through timber Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to rip rap Football Jigs dragged along deeper structure	Crawfish seeking winter refuge in rocks and timber Shad schools congregating in deeper creek channels	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Winter	Crappie	45-55	Crappie are schooling in deeper water around key structure, moving less but still actively feeding during warmer parts of the day Fish are suspending near abundant shad schools, showing preference for areas with reduced light penetration in turbid conditions	Deep brush piles and submerged timber in 12-15 foot range Deeper boat docks with good overhead cover Creek channel bends and deeper coves protected from wind	Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') Crappie Spider Rigging Damiki Rig	Suspended shad schools in mid-depth ranges Small baitfish relating to structure	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Winter	Catfish	48-55	Catfish are concentrated in deeper water areas, particularly near timber and drop-offs along the main river channel, exhibiting reduced but steady feeding activity Fish are relying heavily on scent to locate prey in the turbid conditions, with metabolism slowed but still actively feeding when bait is properly presented	Deep drop-offs with timber near the main river channel Bridge pilings and rip rap in deeper water Deep holes and channel bends with woody structure	Live Bait Rigs with cut bait positioned near bottom structure Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+) with scented baits near structure Deep structure fishing with heavy bottom rigs and fresh cut bait	Shad and other baitfish concentrations in deeper water Bottom-dwelling prey such as smaller fish and crustaceans	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns

Key Seasonal Structures in Lake Granbury

Season	Species	Primary Structure	Secondary Structure
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Creek arms and creek mouths with transitional structure	Riprap banks near bridge crossings
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Crappie	Brush piles adjacent to spawning flats in 12-15 foot depth range	Boat docks with deep water access
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Catfish	Deep channel edges adjacent to spawning flats, especially areas with timber or brush	Bridge pilings and rip rap areas that provide current breaks
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Protected creek arms with spawning flats	Shallow areas near docks with good spawning substrate
Spring (Spawn)	Crappie	Brush piles and boat docks in 12-15 foot depth range	Protected coves and creek channels near spawning flats
Spring (Spawn)	Catfish	Protected coves with timber and brush piles in 2-8 feet of water	Creek channel intersections with abundant woody cover
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Rip rap banks, especially near deeper water access	Secondary points leading out of spawning bays
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Crappie	Brush piles and boat docks in 12-15 foot depth range	Secondary points and creek channel edges adjacent to spawning flats
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Catfish	Creek channel intersections with timber and brush piles	Rip rap areas near bridges providing current breaks
Summer	Largemouth Bass	Shaded dock areas, especially those near deeper water access	Creek channel edges with adjacent cover
Summer	Crappie	Deeper boat docks with brush in 12-15 foot range	Main lake brush piles near creek channel intersections
Summer	Catfish	Deep channel edges with timber and brush piles (15-25 feet)	Bridge pilings and riprap areas with current breaks
Fall	Largemouth Bass	Docks, particularly during midday and afternoon periods	Creek mouths and main river channel intersections
Fall	Crappie	Brush piles and boat docks in 12-15 foot depth ranges	Creek channel bends and deeper coves where shad are congregating
Fall	Catfish	Deep river channels adjacent to shallow flats with timber	Bridge pilings and rip rap areas with current breaks
Winter	Largemouth Bass	Standing timber adjacent to creek channels	Rip rap banks with deep water access
Winter	Crappie	Deep brush piles and submerged timber in 12-15 foot range	Deeper boat docks with good overhead cover
Winter	Catfish	Deep drop-offs with timber near the main river channel	Bridge pilings and rip rap in deeper water

Primary Forage by Season

Season	Species	Primary Forage	Secondary Forage
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Crawfish emerging and active in rocky areas	Shad schools in creek mouths and along channel edges
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Crappie	Shad (primary forage base indicated in reports)	Small minnows (effective live bait mentioned in reports)
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Catfish	Shad schools beginning to move shallow	Bluegill becoming more active in warming waters
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Crawfish emerging in spring, particularly active in rocky areas	Small bluegill and bream around spawning areas
Spring (Spawn)	Crappie	Shad	Small minnows
Spring (Spawn)	Catfish	Shad schools moving into spawning areas	Small sunfish and bluegill in shallow areas
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Crawfish emerging in rocky areas	Small shad schools beginning to form
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Crappie	Shad (primary forage base)	Small sunfish and juvenile baitfish
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Catfish	Shad schools beginning their shallow water patterns	Small sunfish and bream near woody cover
Summer	Largemouth Bass	Shad schools suspending near channel edges and dock areas	Crawfish active in riprap and rocky areas during early morning
Summer	Crappie	Shad schools suspending near structure	Small bluegill around dock structures
Summer	Catfish	Shad schools in deeper water	Bottom-dwelling fish like bluegill
Fall	Largemouth Bass	Shad schools moving into creeks and along channel edges	Smaller baitfish relating to dock areas
Fall	Crappie	Shad schools migrating to deeper water	Small sunfish around dock structures
Fall	Catfish	Shad schools congregating in creek channels	Sunfish around timber and brush piles
Winter	Largemouth Bass	Crawfish seeking winter refuge in rocks and timber	Shad schools congregating in deeper creek channels
Winter	Crappie	Suspended shad schools in mid-depth ranges	Small baitfish relating to structure
Winter	Catfish	Shad and other baitfish concentrations in deeper water	Bottom-dwelling prey such as smaller fish and crustaceans

Bait Colors by Season for Lake Granbury

Season	Species	Bait Colors
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Crappie	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Spring (Pre-Spawn)	Catfish	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Pink Colors
Spring (Spawn)	Crappie	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Spring (Spawn)	Catfish	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Largemouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Crappie	Chartreuse Colors Pink Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Spring (Post-Spawn)	Catfish	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Summer	Largemouth Bass	Dark Neutrals Vibrant Craw Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Summer	Crappie	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Summer	Catfish	Chartreuse Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Fall	Largemouth Bass	Bold Striped Patterns Chartreuse Colors
Fall	Crappie	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Fall	Catfish	Vibrant Craw Colors Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns
Winter	Largemouth Bass	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns
Winter	Crappie	Chartreuse Colors Bold Striped Patterns Pink Colors
Winter	Catfish	Vibrant Craw Colors Dark Neutrals Bold Striped Patterns

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