Freshwater Fishing Report

ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 50 degrees; 4.85’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits. Crappie are fair on crappie jigs tipped with minnows.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 58 degrees; 48.58’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged craws. Catfish are good on stink bait and cut bait.

ARLINGTON: Water lightly stained; 44 degrees; 3.63’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on underspins, swimbaits and chatterbaits around docks.

ATHENS: Water clear; 58-64 degrees; 0.44’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

AUSTIN: Water clear; 58 degrees; 0.67’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on small swimbaits. White bass are slow to fair on live bait and small swimbaits.

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.25’ low. Largemouth bass are good shallow on creature baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and small jigs. Catfish are good on cut and prepared bait.

BASTROP: Water clear; 57 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on beds in the backs of coves in the reeds on plastics in watermelon and pumpkin.

BELTON: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 3.21’ low. White bass are moving toward spawning areas and are good on shad imitation plastics. Crappie are good in the Leon River and Cowhouse Creek on small plastics.

BENBROOK: Water lightly stained; 58 degrees; 6.01’ low. Water temperatures are warming and the bite should improve. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on small slabs. Blue catfish are good on cut bait.

BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 43 degrees; 1.10’ low. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait.

BRAUNIG: Water lightly stained; 69-72 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on reed beds and structure on jigs, soft plastics and spinner baits. Red drum are fair casting and trolling crankbaits and swimbaits, and on live tilapia and crawfish. Channel catfish are good on shrimp, worms and cheese bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 47 degrees; 2.18’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad or craw square-billed crankbaits or chatterbaits. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow.

BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 54 degrees; 4.89’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shaky heads, jigs, worms and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass and stripers are good on jigging spoons.

CADDO: Water clear; 55-63 degrees; 1.28’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are fair on prepared baits.

CALAVERAS: Water lightly stained, 67 degrees. Redfish are fair on shrimp, silver spoons and live tilapia. Catfish are fair on cut bait and cheese bait.

CANYON: Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 1.01’ low. Largemouth bass are good spawning up the river on finesse worms and flukes. Striped bass are good on small swimbaits and top-waters. Crappie are fair upriver on live minnows.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 1.60’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas rigs, finesse worms and red/black chatterbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White and hybrid striped bass are excellent on silver slabs. Catfish are good on frozen and live shad.

CHOKE CAN-

YON: Water stained; 58-62 degrees; 19.33’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits, lizards and 10-inch red shad worms. Crappie are slow.

CONROE: Water slightly stained; 57 degrees; 0.53’ low. Largemouth bass are good on creature baits and lipless crankbaits. Hybrid striped bass are good trolling with a hellbender and a pet spoon. Crappie are fair on white/chartreuse hair jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on liver, shrimp and catfish bubblegum.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 4.25’ low. Blue catfish are good on fresh cut shad. Channel catfish are good on prepared baits.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Water lightly stained; 57 degrees; 3.69’ low. Largemouth are fair on crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs near structure in coves and creeks. Catfish are good on worms, soap baits and perch.

FALCON: Water stained; 55-60 degrees; 41.58’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatterbaits, Carolina-rigged lizards and square-billed crankbaits. Crappie are good in hardwoods on minnows and jigs. Blue catfish are good on fresh cut carp, tilapia and shad.

FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on lizards, craw worms and crankbaits. Catfish are fair near structure on stink bait.

FORK: Water stained; 47-50 degrees; 6.39’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs, square bills and chatterbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 49 degrees; 0.04’ low. Striped bass are slow. Blue catfish are fair on cut shad.

GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 49 degrees; 0.13’ high. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits and Stanley jigs. Crappie are good upriver on jigs. White bass are good upriver on Twister Tail jigs. Blue catfish are good on jug lines baited with shad or soap baits.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 51 degrees; 1.32’ low. White bass are fair on small crankbaits and small jigs shallow. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 45 degrees; 0.25’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on creature lures. Crappie are fair on small minnows. Catfish are fair drifting with cut bait.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 56 degrees; 3.13’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on creature baits. White bass are good in the channels on spoons. Catfish are fair on punch bait.

JACKSONVILLE: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 0.32’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and shaky-head jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good drifting with cut bait.

JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 56 degrees; 2.05’ low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on soft plastics.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.57’ low. Crappie are good in the creek channel on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cheese bait.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 53 degrees; 3.88’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Alabama rigs, swimbaits and jigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good shallow on cut shad. White bass are good on slabs and swimbaits.

LBJ: Water lightly stained; 60-62 degrees; 0.66’ low. Largemouth bass are good on finesse worms and swimbaits. White bass and crappie are good on live bait and jigging spoons.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 1.84’ low. White bass are fair on jigs and live shad. Hybrid stripers are slow. Catfish are good drifting cut shad or chicken breasts. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.11’ high. White bass are good up the creeks on jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and cut buffalo.

MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 2.12 feet low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and swimbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

MEDINA: Water lightly stained; 44 degrees; 49.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good shallow on chatterbaits and crankbaits. White bass are good on spoons in the creeks. Striped bass are fair on small slabs. Catfish are good drifting cut bait.

MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 46 degrees; 2.19’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs and creature baits. Crappie are good in the timber on minnows and small jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

NACONICHE: Water clear to stained; 54 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on shad imitations and Alabama rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water murky; 59 degrees. 0.70’ low. Largemouth bass are fair upriver on jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse jigs. Catfish are good on live bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 49 degrees; 1.49’ low. Crappie and white bass are fair in the creeks on hand-tied jigs and minnows.

O.C. FISHER: Water stained; 45 degrees. 42.58’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and Alabama rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and small jigs. White bass are fair on silver spoons. Catfish are fair on stink bait, live bait and cut bait.

O.H. IVIE: Water clear; 50-54 degrees; 16.76’ low. Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits, chatterbaits, worms and lizards in green with red. Crappie are fair on live minnows. Channel catfish are good deep on prepared baits.

OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 45 degrees; 6.14’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and small jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 0.11’ high. Largemouth bass are good on big-eyed jigs and small square bills. Crappie are slow. White bass are good upriver on lipless crankbaits and spinner baits. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water lightly stained; 50-54 degrees; 1.56’ low. Striped bass are fair dead-sticking flukes in chartreuse, silver and white. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on cut shad.

PROCTOR: Water clear; 46 degrees; 1.86’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Blue catfish are fair to slow on cut shad.

RAVEN: Water stained; 55-60 degrees; 3.50’ low. Largemough bass are fair on chartreuse spinner baits and red or black/blue chatterbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are slow.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 49-53 degrees; 1.93’ low. White bass are good on 1/2-ounce slabs with multiple crappie jigs. Crappie are good in shallow creeks on a slip bobber and jig.

RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 53 degrees; 0.79’ low. Largemouth bass are good on structure with umbrella rigs. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on cut shad.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS:

Water clear; 49-55 degrees; 2.29’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on slabs. Blue catfish and channel catfish are fair on punch bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 55 degrees; 3.36’ low. Largemouth bass are fair, shallow on beds on the south end, on crankbaits, Carolina rigs and drop shots. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 58 degrees; 1.13’ high. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and firecracker jigs. Catfish are fair to good on shad or stink bait.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water lightly stained; 45 degrees; 3.15’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass fair on slabs.

SULPHUR SPRINGS: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 5.33’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows and small jigs near creek channels. Catfish are good drifting with cut bait.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 2.42’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shallow crankbaits and flukes. White bass are slow. Crappie are good on warmer days on jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are good on prepared baits. Blue catfish are good on fresh cut shad. Large blue catfish are slow.

TEXANA: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.57’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, jigs and spinner baits along rocky shorelines and points. Crappie are fair on small jigs and live minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad.

TEXOMA: Water lightly stained; 53 degrees; 1.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits. Striped bass are good on live bait. Blue catfish are good on cut shad, carp and drum.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 55 degrees; 2.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina-rigged soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs under a slip cork. Catfish are good on a slip cork rig using shrimp, chicken livers and garlic weenies.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 54-57 degrees; 20.87’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on lizards, craw and curly-tailed worms, jerkbaits and shaky heads. Striped bass and crappie are good under lights at night on live bait or small swimbaits.

TYLER: Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 0.16’ high. Largemouth bass are good on live bait, crankbaits and trick worms. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are slow.

WACO: Water stained; 57 degrees; 4.54’ low. Crappie and white bass are excellent in the North and South Bosque on shad plastics.

WALTER E. LONG: Water clear; 60 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics, stick baits and small swimbaits. Crappie are good on live minnows and jigs. Hybrid striped bass are good on live shad and minnows.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 54 degrees; 2.31’ low. Striped bass are fair slow trolling soft plastics with a heavy weight.

WORTH: Water normally stained; 52 degrees; 2.07’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and finesse worms. White bass are good in creeks on small spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and white jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and cut-bait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 3.97’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and weightless finesse worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on chicken liver, punch bait and live bait.

n Saltwater reports

Page 9

Velvet axis with a bow

Continued from page 4

excitement.

“I got into the stand fairly early and didn’t really have any expectations of seeing the axis until later in the evening,” Reinhart said. “Then, about 15 minutes into the hunt, I saw him come into view. He just stood in the brush about 50 yards away without moving a muscle for almost 45 minutes. The axis didn’t appear to be spooked by any means, but he wasn’t getting any closer either.”

The deer finally began to approach Reinhart’s feeder, but then stopped at about 38 yards from his blind.

“He just stood there facing me for another 10 minutes or so,” Reinhart said. “I watched him for over an hour from my elevated bow blind before he ever gave me a shot.”

The axis eventually came in, standing broadside at 28 yards. Reinhart drew back his bow and let an arrow fly.

“To my disbelief, I actually missed,” he said. “My shot was low and went right under him. It was a clean miss.”

To his surprise, the axis simply looked around a little bit, and then went back to eating.

“I couldn’t believe it, because there were four other axis deer there when I shot and they all ran off,” he admitted. “I shook off my mistake, ranged him again, nocked another arrow, and took another shot. This time, the arrow hit right where I wanted it to, and I felt confident that I had made a great shot.”

After trailing the axis buck for nearly 100 yards, Reinhart was finally able to put his hands on the animal.

Reinhart said the buck only had eight teeth left on his bottom jaw, which included four on each side.

“This was without a doubt the oldest axis buck I have ever taken,” he said. “And the fact that he was in full velvet made the harvest that much more memorable.”

“I use a Minn Kota trolling motor that can work with my Humminbird electronics with a spot lock,” he said. “The Humminbird tells the trolling motor where to go. Like maybe along a creek channel, or a ledge that drops from the shallow water to deep water. This kind of stuff was unheard of in the world of fly fishing.”

Welander is not only a fly-fishing guide, but a sales rep for fly shops in Texas, and he stays on top of the fly-fishing scene.

“I take both beginner and experienced people fishing,” he said. “If I book somebody that’s never been fly-fishing, I suggest we spend a couple of hours together learning the basics. In fly-fishing the main thing is to be able to make a cast from 30 to 40 feet long. That’s a big plus for catching more fish. I use mostly 7 and 8 weight rods. They are good for making a long cast and can handle big largemouth bass as well as stripers and hybrids. And they help in getting distance with bulky flies like poppers and frog imitations.”

Welander uses both floating and sinking lines, with the floating line best for fishing frog flies, which are one his favorites for taking largemouth bass. For white bass, he’ll opt for a No. 6 or 8 Clouser, a minnow imitation, in chartreuse/white or gray/white.

“It’s important to used flies that represent what the fish are feeding on,” he said. “For example, largemouth bass feed a lot on shad, frogs and crawfish. White bass, stripers and hybrids pretty much feed on just shad.”

Toward the end of spring and the first month of summer, Welander targets bream that are up shallow spawning and on the beds. His favorite place to find big bluegill, and lots of them, are on the LBJ National Grasslands.

“One of the most popular activities at the Grasslands is fishing,” he said. “It’s got large and small lakes to fish. The larger reservoirs provide largemouth bass, crappie, white bass, and catfish while the smaller lakes all contain largemouth bass, panfish and channel catfish.”

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Elusive pig

Continued from page 4

nesters when the pig was on the island,” said Wilkinson, whose father-in-law, Chester Smith, was the island warden for 25 years. “During his time on the island he saw one pig that quickly disappeared.”

Wilkinson said they tried everything to get rid of the big boar that in the end was estimated to weigh nearly 300 pounds.

“He was becoming a problem and making wallows all over the island,” he said. “We did everything but run dogs. We got a guy out here that had killed lots of pigs that caused problems. Based on the pigs tracks he estimated that it was a boar weighing from 125 to 135 pounds when it first arrived on the island.”

The attempts to eliminate the boar failed.

“We used bait,” Wilkinson said. “That didn’t work. We used an electronic call. That didn’t work. We eventually used a drone with a thermal camera. We could only use it at first light. That didn’t work. We moved in a round mesh trap that was easy to relocate. We baited it up with corn. That didn’t work. We found his tracks around the trap, but he wouldn’t get near it.”

As spring approached, desperation was setting in.

“The spring birds were beginning to come in,” Wilkinson said. “We set up a game camera for night photos and finally got a look at him. He was not only smart, but real big.”

Wilkinson found a friend and pig hunter who owned a helicopter, and the next step in the quest for the destructive hog was planned.

The helicopter took off in late January and jumped the beast.

“They scared him into a wooded area and shot him with buck shot from the helicopter,” Wilkinson said. “They gave my brother and I the coordinates and we found him dead three days later.”

The nest-destroying hog was no more, which was good news to the island’s warden.

“I hope I don’t ever have to deal with another hog,” Wilkinson said.

Different bass

Continued from page 8

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