Lake Conditions
The weekend of March 3 is going to be cooling down a bit; but, the surface temperature in the Lake is 64 and better depending on where you are on the Lake. The wind has pushed most bass fishermen to the backs of coves; but, this is where the fish are anyway. There is plenty of grass in all the coves and the big fish are moving on the beds. The water level is just slightly over pool and there is plenty of water in the grass along the shore where water levels were low last year and at the heads of all the creeks.
White Bass and Hybrid/Striped Bass
Papa John out of Anchorage Marina had a party out Wednesday on a hybrid and white bass adventure. He was in town for a couple of days. Two large fish, 27 and 28 inches were caught in the mouth of Caney Creek using lead core line and a silver/black-back countdown Rapala. These fish could be found on the electronics in 25 to 35 feet of water and wanted a pretty fast troll. Both white bass and hybrids will hit the Rapala. Thursday was very windy; but, Papa John found the hybrids on the River Channel out in front of the Bentwater road beds. No large hybrids; but, lots of legal fish. Other fishermen have been fishing at night with lights and catching lots of white bass using minnows under the lights. Several good catches of both Hybrids and White Bass have been reported trolling the main lake points and the mouth of several of the creeks in 20 - 30 feet of water. Good catches have also been reported on the South end of the Lake near the dam.
Catfish
Catfish fishing has also picked up. There have been more and more fishermen reporting good catches under the 1097 Bridge. Larger fish have been caught in 20 - 30 feet of water in the creeks where there is timber and baited holes. Several reports from fishermen fishing 8 to 10 feet of water in the backs of creeks and inlets where the water is warmer. Range cubes and chicken scratch are still good chum. Chicken Liver, Catfish Killer Cheese Bait, Magic Bait Company "Premo" and shrimp dipped in Catfish Killer Cheese bait have all produced some nice fish. Haven't much action this week from the Jug line fishermen . As the water warms and the shad move into the bulkheads, there will be plenty of catfish along the bulkheads in 3 - 7 feet of water. Keep a close watch on the shad.
Black Bass
Tex Bonin out of Anchorage Marina on Lake Conroe, reported the bass are moving on spawning beds in Lewis Creek, Peach Creek, and Caney Creek...Several good catches of bass to 11 pounds during the past week. See Texas Guide Service for more information.
Carl Bostic(Wethook Guide Service) had a party out on Thursday and they worked the beds all day catching lots of 6 to 9 lb fish. Smaller fish are also in the grass just off the beds. Black bass are good on blue/black/purple Texas rigged worms, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Dark soft plastics have proven very successful on the beds. Other fishermen report using white soft plastics in order to observe the big bass when they suck in the plastic and are able to set the hook before they blow it back out.
Crappie
Crappie have been fair on minnows and pink tube jigs. Brush in 15 -17 feet of water and stands of timber at the head of creeks has been producing the best fish. Crappie have been caught in most of the marinas around the lake that have deep water and good catches have been coming from under the 1097 Bridge. The power lines in both creeks have also be producing some nice crappie where there is brush. There has been some real nice brim starting to show up with the crappie in the brush piles. A good way to draw the brim is to put some range cubes in a fish basket and lower it down two feet or so in the water. As the range cubes dissolve, if the brim are in the area, they will come up to feed on the dissolving range cubes. Just drop and small jig or nightcrawler in the water under the fish basket to check and see if they are there. If they gather, you can get a bucket full in no time at all.
Water levels, river flow and rainfall can all be view by visiting the San Jacinto River Authority website at: http://www.sjra.net/
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