Texas Bass Fishing: An Expert’s Complete Guide

Lake Fork

Lake Fork is a powerhouse fishery with standing timber, winding creek channels, and healthy grass lines. In the spring, flipping jigs and creature baits to shallow timber produces consistent bites, and big glide baits or soft swimbaits can tempt giants staging on points. During the summer, idling along roadbeds and main-lake points often reveals offshore schools that can be fired up with deep crankbaits before switching to football jigs or Carolina rigs. In colder months, jerkbaits over submerged trees and spoons on timbered humps are reliable choices.

Sam Rayburn

Sam Rayburn is known for its vast grass flats and submerged drains, along with well-defined offshore structure. In the prespawn, red lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits that tick the grass are deadly. Once the post-spawn sets in, the first shell beds just off the grass lines become key feeding spots. In summer, community holes tend to reload with fish, making deep cranks, big worms, and spoons highly effective. Keeping a walking topwater nearby is smart for when schooling activity breaks out.

Toledo Bend

Toledo Bend offers a mix of timber-filled creek arms, grass flats, and massive offshore structure along the Texas-Louisiana border. During the prespawn, cranking channel swings and long points is productive. Later in the year, dragging Carolina rigs across ridges and ledges is a dependable approach. When baitfish suspend, spoons and umbrella rigs are excellent tools, and wind-blown grass edges can produce big bites on chatterbaits.

Lake Amistad

Lake Amistad is a canyon-clear reservoir with deep rock structure, flooded brush, and even a population of smallmouth bass. In the winter, jerkbaits and vertical minnow presentations over submerged trees can be very effective. Spring brings prime sight-fishing in protected coves, where natural-colored plastics excel. In the summer, topwater lures on long points shine at dawn, while deep cranks and jigs on ledges and saddles take over later in the day.

Falcon Lake

Falcon Lake is a shallow, brush-filled reservoir with a well-earned reputation for producing giant bass when water levels are favorable. Flipping mesquite and brush piles with heavy gear is the go-to strategy here. On windy days, slow-rolling spinnerbaits and chatterbaits can trigger reaction bites. Offshore rockpiles and ledges also hold quality fish, and fishing them with big worms or deep-diving crankbaits can lead to memorable catches.

Ray Roberts

Ray Roberts is a North Texas reservoir featuring timbered shorelines, main-lake points, and scattered grass. In the spring, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits work well, as does pitching to flooded cover. Once summer arrives, deep points and brush piles become the focus, with football jigs and 10-inch worms being top producers. After passing cold fronts, schooling activity often picks up on ridges.

Choke Canyon

Choke Canyon features a mix of cypress trees, aquatic vegetation, and rocky structure, making it a versatile bass fishery. In the spring, frogs and flipping presentations excel around shallow cover. During the summer, offshore humps and channel swings are the best bet, especially when fished with deep crankbaits or Carolina rigs. The strikes here are often aggressive and memorable.

Highland Chain: Travis, LBJ, Austin

The Highland Chain lakes—Travis, LBJ, and Austin—offer clearer water, current influence, and abundant docks and rocky points. Early mornings are prime for topwater action on points and seawalls, while mid-day is best spent skipping jigs or weightless plastics under docks. At night, big worms and glide baits can coax trophy bass, especially in the summer.

Lake Conroe

Lake Conroe is a highly pressured fishery where brush piles and boat docks often hold the key to success. Fishing jigs or shaky heads in submerged brush produces bites, and the shad spawn around riprap in spring is an excellent opportunity to throw crankbaits. When boat traffic increases, downsizing presentations and slowing down usually pays off.

Caddo Lake

Caddo Lake is a visually stunning fishery with cypress forests, lily pads, and winding lanes through shallow water. Frogs and swim jigs are ideal for working through the lanes, while pitching to cypress knees can produce bigger bites. Squarebill crankbaits are effective on isolated wood along wind-blown banks.

Fayette County Lake

Fayette County Lake is a power-plant lake where warm-water discharge keeps the bite active all year long. Lipless crankbaits and jerkbaits are excellent around the grass and in current lanes, making it a reliable choice for consistent action even in the coldest months.