Best crappie lakes in texas

Mary Claire Patton, Digital Journalist. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staff recently compiled a list of 12 places that it considers some of the best hot spots for crappie fishing in the state.

Bass might be the most popular game fish in Texas, but crappie hold a special place in the hearts of many Lone Star anglers. Both white crappie and black crappie call Texas home. White crappie, also known as white perch, are most comfortable in muddier lakes and ponds, while black crappie thrive in deeper, clearer waters. During the summer and winter months, it may simply be necessary to focus on deeper water. Crappies often spend these seasons in submerged brush and trees between 15 and 30 feet. Live minnows and small jigs are the baits of choice for most crappie anglers, but small spinners, crankbaits and jerkbaits can be effective too.

Best crappie lakes in texas

Although bass may get most of the attention, crappie fishing in Texas is a big deal. Highly prized not for savage strikes, dramatic leaps, or ability to make a drag scream but because when you catch one, you may be on a pile of them. And frankly, except for perhaps walleye or yellow perch, it would be difficult to top crappie fillets. There are so many from which to choose, I suggest starting your investigation of where to fish Texas by visiting the Texas parks and wildlife department. This is a BIG state, and you will want to spend most of your time on the water, rather than on the road. Within each region exists recent Texas crappie fishing reports. The best crappie fishing in Texas not only varies by year, but from week to week as various influencing factors come into play such as forage availability, spawning success, and water level. For example at time of writing, Lake Conroe was good in the Pineywoods region and Lake Stamford in the Panhandle Plains region, but in a couple of weeks, Sam Rayburn or Possum Kingdom may become hotter crappie destinations in their respective regions. Tips for crappie fishing always include locating structure such as docks or standing or fallen timber and crappie fishing in Texas is no different. Crappie can be caught on lures such as small crankbaits, spoons, and spinnerbaits, but small jigs or small minnows with light line and long limber rods usually have a higher success rate. Spawn occurs when water exceeds 60 degrees, which is usually sometime between March and May. This concentrates a fish that already is gregarious so this may be the best time to fish for crappie in Texas. When you are getting your Texas fishing license , be sure to check the regulations. Anglers are able to keep a large number:

Small jigs including tubes and marabou are very effective, and live minnows will tempt crappies when all else fails. Vegetation is sparse, so woody cover is often the only game in town. T-Bend is a beast.

Mississippi power troller Les Smith holds a summer crappie taken on a large Pro Series Crappie Magnet, a spinner head jig. His choices for best lakes include Arkabutla, Grenada and Sardis in that order , all in our top 12 list. Photo: Tim Huffman. Ask ten people their favorite candy bar and you are likely to get ten different answers. It is the same with best fishing waters. Waters are ranked based upon which experts are asked and other factors used to judge good fishing waters. Numbers and size have been improving since a big slump a few years ago due to bad spawns, carp, and fishing pressure.

Few states offer a greater wealth of bass fishing options than Texas. Some of the best bass lakes in America are right here. Texas is a state where, as the saying goes, everything is bigger. And a handful of waters in the central part of the state are home to Guadalupe bass, a species of black bass that can be caught nowhere else on earth. The following are the 21 best bass lakes in the Lone Star State. The following 11 locations are simply a bucket list of lakes for anyone and everyone who loves bass fishing and has the good fortune to fish for them in Texas. Stick around for the next 10 lakes as well, because there are way too many great fishing holes in this state to contain within anything close to a Top 10 list.

Best crappie lakes in texas

While almost all Texas anglers are interested in bass, there are quite a few that are interested in crappie as well. Outside of those two stipulations, you can target crappie all year long, assuming you understand their seasonal behavior patterns. February and April are the best months to specifically go after crappie in Texas. While crappie will never eclipse bass as one of the most exciting and appetizing fish to catch , the fact that you can catch so many makes for a huge supper and then some. Naming the nine best fishing lakes in Texas is akin to choosing the nine shiniest diamonds in a bag full of very shiny diamonds. There are a lot of lakes in Texas, and although some are better for certain types of fishing than others, the best ones offer a wide range of fishing opportunities, especially for crappie. This lake is also known for producing some monster fish.

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A map of their locations is available here. Crappie can be caught on lures such as small crankbaits, spoons, and spinnerbaits, but small jigs or small minnows with light line and long limber rods usually have a higher success rate. It fishes more like a river where cuts and bays still play a role during the summer months. He is an expert with fishing electronics and technologies and an accomplished angler, photographer, writer and editor. Check conditions before heading to the lake. Clear Lake hosts a tremendous black crappie population and has world record potential as the state record black crappie was just broke back in February The best bank and boat access is at Coleto Creek Park , which includes a four-lane boat ramp and foot lighted fishing pier. Photo: Tim Huffman. Although most lakes in Texas are good crappie holes that could be on the list, this deep lake has exceptional crappie fishing. There are places to pull jigs, too. Therefore, rains quickly change the levels and conditions. Good population of white crappie and good size make this a favorite among our panel of experts. This map of their location is a great resource for anglers. Your link clicks help us fund the work we do for the fishing community.

The Important Season to Note.

Lake Limestone near Waco. It generally has pretty stable water conditions, characterized by sloughs and swamps full of cypress trees, knees, stick-ups, old piers, and more to fish. Sure nuff, the water temp was 89 degrees and the temp was He has taught a lot of people to find fish with their electronics and has been instrumental in teaching these technologies to the masses. Sam Rayburn Reservoir, also among of the best bass fishing lakes in Texas , is about an hour and a half north of Beaumont and a bit over two hours heading northeast from Houston. Look for feeder creeks that offer 10 to 15 foot depths. At one point Toledo Bend was one of the best crappie destinations in the country. Often the biggest crappies will school together a bit deeper than the little guys. Not just one area so you can literally go anywhere on the lake and be close to good crappie fishing somewhere nearby. Johns is a no-can-miss when it comes to catching big slab black crappie. The town of Grenada includes plenty of hotels and places to eat. Bass Lure Reviews. The creeks in the upper end of the reservoir are loaded with fallen and standing timber, and willows along the shoreline are usually flooded during times of high water. And locals have spent a lot of time adding cover to the fishery. Sam Rayburn Reservoir near Jasper.