LARGEMOUTH BASS
-
Bass fishing is productive year
round at Sam Rayburn. In fact, there isn't really a bad time to fish the lake.
Certain patterns, however, are more productive at different times of the year.
SPRING
- February through
April provide perhaps the best chance of catching a lunker bass. The spawn is
on and the bass move into the flooded bushes and onto shallow flats. Some
effective patterns are pitching jigs and plastics to the bushes, slow
rolling a heavy spinnerbait on the flats and dragging Carolina rigs
by the inside grass line.
SUMMER
- June through September can
also offer some excellent fishing on Rayburn. This is the time of year when
bass will move to the main lake points and to deep grass beds. Effective
patterns are fishing deep diving crankbaits on the edge of the points and
vertically fishing heavy jigs and big worms in the grass beds.
FALL
- October and November
offers quite a mix of possibilities. The summer patterns will still work and
some fish will move to the backs of the creeks to feed before winter. As the
water starts cooling spinnerbaits are productive in the backs of the creeks
and over main lake points.
WINTER
- Surprisingly enough, December and January means
it is time to turn your attention back to shallow water cover for a lot of
fisherman as the water temperature doesn't get cold enough to push all fish
into deep water. This is the time of year that the "Rayburn Red"
rattletrap became famous. Spinnerbaits and small crankbaits can also fill
your creel limits.
BREAM - Bream are plentiful and
fat on Sam Rayburn. They spawn during May and June which is the best time to
catch them. Fish are caught by fishing crickets and worms in shallow water
and tight lining the same baits in deep water.
CRAPPIE
- Crappie action kicks in the first of March with action in the back of the
coves in 2 - 3 foot of water while spawning. April and
May also offer excellent crappie action. The fish will be caught on the edge
of the hydrilla lines on Stanley Wedgetail minnows and Blakemore Roadrunners.
The middle of May the crappie move to the brush "hotels" set out by Mike to attract the fish.
This action will last through the middle of September.
