Granger
GOOD. Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.10 feet above pool.
Black bass are good on spinnerbaits fished in shallow water in areas where the shad are spawning.
Crappie are fair on jigs fished in brush piles.
White bass are fair along windy main lake roadbeds and points.
Blue catfish are very good on jug lines baited with shad or Zote soap.
Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines fished up river.
Report by Tommy Tidwell, Tommy Tidwell’s Granger Lake Guide Service.
Somerville
GOOD. Water stained; 71 degrees; 2.38 feet below pool.
Fishing patterns are holding steady.
At the marina, the crappie bite is fair, bluegill are fair on crickets or worms, the catfish are fair on minnows or punch bait.
On the lake, crappie are fair on jigs and minnows over brush in 8-18 feet of water. Crappie are spawning.
Catfish are excellent in 3-10 feet of water with cut shad or punch bait. Catfish are a few weeks from the spawn.
Black bass are good on crankbaits and shiny spinnerbaits in 2-8 feet of water. Bass are nearing the end of the spawn.
White bass are excellent trolling with various spoons or anchored with shad and ghost minnows.
Hybrids are fair with many undersized fish being caught in deeper water using cut bait or mussels.
Below the dam fishing is slow, since no water is being released.
Report by Weldon Kirk, Fish Tales Guide Service.
Stillhouse Hollow
GOOD. Water stained; 67 degrees; 4.26 feet below pool.
The annual white bass spawn has almost completely run its course, and the annual threadfin shad spawn is now well underway. These coinciding events bring white bass into shallow water to feed on spawning shad most mornings on slow tapering wind blown topographies.
With the clear water, these fish quickly move to the 20-25 foot mark after the direct sun rays strike the water shortly after sunrise.
In shallow water, the MAL Original works very well to imitate spawning adult shad. Once the fish move out deeper, the silver, three-quarter ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab has been the ticket to later morning fish. Dropping the slab to the bottom and cranking it smoothly and consistently 5 to 6 turns up off the bottom while observing for fish response on 2-D sonar or forward facing soar is the key to getting bit consistently.
Largemouth bass are now consistently in 8-14 feet of water, especially on topographic irregularities with some form of cover present. Dark, small, naturally-colored soft plastics worked with Texas rigs or Carolina rigs are consistent producers here.
Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.
Belton
FAIR. Water stained; 67 degrees; 3.32 feet below pool.
The annual threadfin shad spawn has now become very consistent and will typically remain so through about the third week of May. With so much forage consistently shallow, the game fish have moved shallower as well.
Most morning action is taking place from the bank to 25 feet on areas impacted by overnight winds. Live bait will have an edge to catch white bass and hybrids over artificial presentations until the shad spawn begins to weaken.
Fish found on sonar will typically not remain in one location very long as bait and fish move rapidly thanks to increasing metabolism as the spring season moves on.
Fishing large, four inches or longer, live shad will help select for hybrid stripers, and keep smaller white bass at bay.
Smaller baits will ensure more action, but for smaller fish, including white bass and blue catfish.
Cut, fresh, dead shad is also an option when fishing gets tougher after cold fronts and during calm winds.
Those game fish spotted feeding on shad on the surface in the first hour of the day and/or under cloudy skies, can be sight-cast to. The MAL Original or MAL Heavy with silver blade and chartreuse tail are just the ticket for this scenario.
Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service.
Catfish remain excellent with a consistent bite.
Anglers should search for blue catfish in river channels and around ledges in 20-30 feet of water.
Larger cut baits have been effective for trophy size fish. Slow drifting with small cut shad along sand flats will produce eater fish under 10 pounds.
Channel catfish are fair but can still be caught on warmer days using punch bait in 15-25 feet of water.
Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.
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