Freshwater Fishing Report

ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 80 degrees; 8.94’ low. Fishing patterns continue to be similar. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are good on live bait and jigs.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 83 degrees; 59.09 feet low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and punch jigs. Channel catfish are good on punch bait.

ARLINGTON: Water lightly stained; 92 degrees; 0.01’ feet high. Largemouth bass are good on spoons, spooks and ribbon tail worms.

ATHENS: Water clear; 85 degrees; 1.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits.

AUSTIN: Water clear; 89 degrees; 0.59’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on dropshots and small crankbaits. Crappie are slow.

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on drop shots and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and cheese bait.

BASTROP: Water clear; 91 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair to good on topwaters, small swimbaits and small spoons. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cut bait.

BELTON: Water lightly stained; 83 degrees; 9.01’ low. White bass are scattered, fair on tail spinners. Crappie are good on jigs tipped with minnows.

BENBROOK: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 8.59’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on deep-diving crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on punch bait.

BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 85 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on top-water frogs. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cheese bait.

BRAUNIG: Water lightly stained; 89 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse and gold spinner baits and dark soft plastics. Red drum are good on live bait. Channel catfish are good on worms and frozen shrimp.

BRIDGEPORT: Water stained; 80 degrees; 6.91’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and Texas-rigged worms. White bass are fair on small imitation shad. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water slightly stained; 83 degrees; 6.70’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs, Texasrigged worms and crankbaits. Crappie are excellent on minnows. White bass are slow. Catfish are slow.

BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 14.56’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters, crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass and white bass are fair to good on the surface on top-waters and wake baits.

CADDO: Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.54’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and drop shots.

CALAVERAS: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees. Redfish are fair on silver and gold spoons. Blue and channel catfish are fair on cut bait and live bait.

CANYON: Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 6.25’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, drop shots and Ned rigs. White bass and stripers are fair on top-waters, jigging spoons and small swimbaits. Crappie are fair on live minnows.

CEDAR CREEK:

Water normal stain; 81-84 degrees; 3.29’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged creatures and buzzbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and small jigs. White bass and hybrids are good on top-waters, spoons and trolling rigs. Catfish are good on live shad.

CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 89 degrees; 22.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-water frogs, Texas-rigged worms and flukes. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on cheese bait on a slip cork.

CONROE: Water slightly stained; 89 degrees; 1.65’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on creature lures, crankbaits and swimbaits. Hybrid striped bass are fair on shad. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on shrimp and liver.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 83 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits. White bass and hybrids are fair on large spoons. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on juglines.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 86 degrees; 3.14 feet low. Largemouth bass are fair on frogs. White bass are good on spoons, small jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on worms, shad, and soap baits.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water normally stained, 83 degrees; 3.79’ low. White bass are fair to good on chartreuse and white slabs with teaser flies. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are fair to good on punch bait.

FALCON: Water stained; 90 degrees; 44.75’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to slow on large worms. Catfish are good on cut bait and live perch.

FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 89 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs and plastics. Catfish are good on punch bait.

FORK: Water stained; 83 degrees; 5.56’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, shaky heads and square-billed crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and hand-tied jigs.

GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 1.71’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged 10-inch worms and swimbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Striped and white bass are good on live bait and umbrella rigs. Catfish are fair on punch bait.

GRANGER:

Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 2.17’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are good on slab spoons. Blue catfish are fair on drifting shad.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.22’ low. White bass are good on double-rigged slabs.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 86 degrees; 1.67’ low. Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits and shaky heads. Crappie are good on minnows.

JACKSONVILLE: Water lightly stained; 89 degrees; 1.62’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on drop shots, topwaters and Texas-rigged soft plastics.

JOE POOL: Water normal stain; 86 degrees; 1.26’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas or Carolina rigs, drop shots and creatures. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 1.51’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-water frogs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cheese bait.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 4.42’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and spinner baits with paddle tail trailers. White bass are good on white or chartreuse slabs and swimbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait, drum and gizzard shad.

LBJ: Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 0.69’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Texas-rigged worms. Crappie are good on white and chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 3.17’ low. White bass are fair on slabs and live bait. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair drifting cut shad or chicken breasts.

LIMESTONE: Water clear; 86 degrees; 4.40’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas or Carolina rigs, crankbaits and top-water frogs. White bass are good on silver jigging spoons. Catfish are good on cut bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.83’ low. White bass are good to excellent on top-waters and slabs. Crappie are slow. Striped bass are slow.

MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 95 degrees. 2.37’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on plastic worms. Crappie are excellent in flooded timber on minnows.

MEDINA: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 75.22’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass and striped bass are fair trolling slabs. Catfish are good on stink bait and cut bait.

MEREDITH: Water stained; 78-80 degrees; 53.56’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows and artificials. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on minnows. Trout are slow. Walleye are fair on minnows and nightcrawlers. Catfish are good on stink bait.

NACONICHE: Water clear to stained; 87 degrees; 1.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and junebug worms. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water murky; 86 degrees. 0.92’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and top-waters. Crappie are good on black and chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait and stink bait.

NAVARRO MILLS:

Water stained; 85 degrees; 2.40’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows.

O.H. IVIE: Water clear; 88 degrees; 21.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and crankbaits. White bass are good on live bait and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on prepared baits and live bait.

OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 9.44’ low. White bass are good on spinner baits and gold or silver spoons. Channel catfish are good on chicken liver.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 1.96’ low. Largemouth bass are good on big-eyed jigs and small crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass and hybrids are slow. Catfish are good on chicken liver.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 4.02’ low. Striped bass good trolling live bait and on pink and chartreuse slabs. White bass are good on top-waters and lipless crankbaits. Catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait.

RAVEN: Water stained; 85 degrees; 3.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged senkos. Catfish and crappie are good on minnows.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 83-85 degrees; 1.85’ low. White bass are good on inline spinners and tail spinners. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are excellent on stink bait.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 84 degrees; 1.40’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on small crankbaits and small swimbaits. White bass are good on jigging slabs. Blue catfish are in the same schools biting the slabs.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS:

Water clear; 89 degrees; 4.27’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are slow. Hybrid striped bass are good on live shad. Catfish are good on punch bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 88 degrees; 4.28’ low. Largemouth bass are fair in drains and ditches on Carolina rigs and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good in creek channels on stink bait.

SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 83 degrees; 4.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs. White bass are good trolling with pet spoons, and on shad and pencil minnows. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on minnows, worms and punch bait.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water lightly stained; 83 degrees; 8.90’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are fair on tail spinners.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 3.22’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass and striped bass are good trolling spinners and plastics. Channel catfish are excellent on punch bait and dip bait

TEXANA: Water stained; 84 degrees; 4.88’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and weightless flukes. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on liver, perch, cut bait and juglines.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 88 degrees; 1.38’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on topwaters, live shad and slabs. Blue and channel catfish are excellent on cut shad and prepared baits.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 77-79 degrees; 3.81’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jig-n-pigs, swim jigs and square-billed crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 83 degrees; 36.67’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on top-waters, weedless swimbaits and drop shots.

WACO: Water stained; 83 degrees; 9.36’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows or soft-body jigs tipped with minnows. White bass and hybrids are good on top-waters early.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 7.12’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on big spoons, swim jigs and Texas rigs. Striped bass are excellent on live bait, swimbaits and top-waters. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on cut bait and punch bait.

WORTH: Water stained; 84 degrees; 1.35’ low. White bass are fair to good on chartreuse and white slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on punch bait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 1.23 feet high. White bass are good on tail spinners. Catfish are fair on punch bait.

n Saltwater reports

Page 24

Stealing the resource

Continued from page 1

said. “We operate the Capt. Murchison, an 80-foot vessel and patrol weekly.

On that Thursday, the crew was out on its normal patrol when a Coast Guard pilot discovered several lanchas 25 miles east of South Padre Island in the Gulf, and 5 miles north of the maritime southern border.

“They were clearly in U.S. waters,” Groth said. “The pilot guided us to where they set the longlines, but when we got there, the plane had scared the illegal fishermen back to Mexican waters.

“We seized the longline gear,” Groth said. “There was 45,000 feet of longline gear and several thousand pounds of snapper and sharks. We also released some stingrays.”

Groth said estimating the damage caused to the fishing resources was difficult to quantify — but is definitely substantial.

“Each lancha can take up to 1,000 pounds of fish at one time,” he said. “We can see up to nine vessels in our waters at a time. That’s 9,000 pounds at a time.”

In 2020, the Marine Tactical Operations Group seized more than 116,860 feet of illegal longline and 2,500 feet of illegal gillnet. The team recovered more than 3,600 pounds of illegally harvested red snapper, rescued and released three sea turtles, and seized two commercial Mexican fishing vessels.

The group was named the recipient of the 2020 Law Enforcement Officer/Team of the Year award by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.

“We battle this on a yearly basis,” Groth said. “We seize the boats, but it’s a never-ending battle. And it can be a cat-andmouse game.”

The crew will be out again after the Labor Day weekend.

“We do weekly patrols out of South Padre Island,” Groth said. “The boat can go 450 miles, so we can go for three or four days. We also check shrimp boats and the recreational and commercial boats we see.”

Groth had a request for the commercial and recreational fishermen in the Gulf.

“If you see the lanchas or the longlines, give us a call and provide the GPS coordinates,” he said. “We need all the watchful eyes we can have.”

Members of the Marine Tactical Operations Group retrieved longlines from the Gulf of Mexico in U.S. waters, where they seized more than 45,000 feet of longline and discovered several thousand pounds of snapper and sharks on Aug. 25. Photos by Erich Schlegel, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

PORT O’CONNOR

361-238-7177

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