Author: Guide

The popularity of Richland Chambers is on the rise and will continue to become even more popular. Richland Chambers has some of the best fishing you will find in the state of Texas. If you fish for black bass, white bass, crappie or catfish, RC is where the action is at.

In 1991 my husband and I won a fully rigged Champion Boat, fishing the TABC Classic Championship here on RC. I had located the fish about a month prior to the tournament. The day the fish were located, I had cast a bubble gum/ June bug worm into some timber. The action took place, I had a ~51b bass on and their was at least five other 5 lb.’ers trying to take the worm away from the one I had hooked. Action such as this will get your blood to pumping. I loved it , pulled out of the hole knowing that the quality of fish that lived here would definitely be a win for the boat. We never returned to the hole until tournament morning. First day of the tournament we had a limit within 15 minutes of over 20 lbs. left the hole for the rest of the day. Second day of the tournament had a limit again within 15 minutes , took a little longer to catch our bigger fish, but we done it by ~1:00 and pulled out of the hole with the confidence of winning. That evening we pulled a new rig home.

My opinion of course is RC is the best lake in Texas. It’s normal for a guide to praise the lake they guide on. Other anglers I have spoke with have mutual-feeling as ~I on RC.

Bob Rayel from Whitney a tournament angler, believes RC has better quality and quanity of black bass than any other lake he has fished in 5 years. His experience while fishing was on tank dams. Bob caught fish all over the lake , but the most exciting experience was when a tree would begin to shake, a explosion on his worm while in the tree, out would come a ~51b bass. The shaking of the trees yielded Bob a first place win in a Angler’s Choice tournament in 1992. He has also placed high in other tournaments here.

Ken Knott, TABC President and tournament angler states RC is in the league with Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend as far as quantity of. RC is the best producing lake in the state of Texas. The studies from Texas Parks and Wildlife shows RC has a faster growth rate of fish than any–other lake in Texas. Ken has won and placed high in tournaments here.

I could continue for pages giving different opinions of the fishing , from different anglers. Everyone ~I spoke with agrees 100% RC is one of the best lakes to fish. – Lake Mohave

Over 45 years ago, a man named Holmes Thormond of Shreveport, Louisiana designed what has recognized today as the original bass boat, the Skeeter. Unknown to Thurmond at the time, he was laying the initial groundwork for not only a new company, but also one of the largest booms in the history of the marine industry.

The original Skeeter was a little over thirteen feet long and made entirely from marine plywood, With slanted sides, flat bottom and pointed bow, the original Skeeter was considered a bass fisherman’s dream come true, With the introduction of fiberglass into the marine industry around the same period. the adaptation to the Skeeter came only natural, and did much to assist the boat in gaining quick recognition and acceptance. Idealistic, as the Skeeter was at the time, the people at Skeeter recognized that with the coming of the new man-made reservoirs in the 1950’s, changes were inevitable.

Shortly thereafter, a new and larger version, the “Super Skeeter ” was born, The bass boat, as it was known in those times, offered the fisherman more than he had ever hoped, Capable of handling outboards up to 35 H.P., the Super Skeeter skimmed across the water at unparalleled speeds, better than 30 m.p.h., However, the history of fishing was about to embark on a new trend, which would greatly alter the wants and needs of the fishermen.

With the era of competitive or tournament style fishing taking hold, Skeeter quickly set out designing a boat to meet the competitive anglers’ needs. The demanded boats which would handle even larger motors, take on the rough water the reservoirs handed our, and interior layouts more accommidating to their specialized sport. Skeeter answered these demands with the Skeeter hawk, whose design eliminated the characteristically pointed nose of the original Skeeter, Sponsors at the bow allowed for a less jarring ride, where the raised platform in the front made fishing more comfortable. The demand for the Hawk by both tournament fishermen and guides was phenomenal, vaulting Skeeter to a dominant position in the marketplace. It was a new beginning, a trend of listening
to the customers needs, that has held its theory for over 45 years now.

At this point the bass fishing craze was approaching near epidemic stages. Hundreds upon hundreds of bass clubs sprang up, leading to more and more tournaments, which in turned to new requirements by the fishermen. Faster, larger boats capable of handling the worst of mother nature’s elements were high on the fishemans priority list.

What came next was probably the biggest gamble in Skeeter’s history. Knowing, there was a fishing and boating market growing by leaps and bounds, Skeeter pushed hard to design a new boat which would not only expand the existing market, but create a new one and dominated it. Once satisfied they had developed the “ultimate” boat, it was time, to lay the cards on the table. The showdown took place on the number one lake in the country, Toledo Bend Reservoir, in an American Angler’s Tournament in 1975. Skeeter took with them a boat which was a radical departure from anything any fisherman had ever seen, They called it the Wrangler. The boat was 16 feet long, over two feet wider an its forerunners (89 inches), had a sponsonless vee design, and carried a horsepower rating of 150 HP. With a resemblance similar to that of a bath tub in the water, only Skeeter’s past history of producing superior boats refrained the pros from laughing the boat off the dock. But as they often do, conditions changed come tournament day. The fishermans biggest foe was present for the Wrangler’s debut. The howling norther was there in full force with winds packing four foot waves. At the blast off, the wrangler left all of the fishermen nearly spellbound, The Wrangler, high on its pad, blasted around the conventional boats at near full throttle, yet yielding its occupants a smooth, dry ride, Total amazement was on the, faces of all that attended and competed, A now dawning had evolved in bass boats -Skeeter’s gamble had paid off. During the next five years, over twenty one different manufacturers copied or imitated the Wrangler, Skeeter Products was moved in the early seventies from its’ plant in Longview, Texas to Kilgore, Texas where Skeeter still resides today.

“Anyone can copy a quality product but not everyone can build quality in.” John Ruskin.
During the later 1970’s the fishing public again turned towards Skeeter for something now, innovative and dynamic in every aspect, The pressure on Skeeter to produce back-to-back winners was immense, yet viewed as a rewarding challenge for being the leader in the bass boat market. In 1979 Skeeter took another giant step towards their dominance of the market their introduction of the Statfire, Akin to something out of the distant future, the Starfire left its rivals in awe, The uniquely different, patented hull design allows maximum stability at any speed and offers comeforting abilities far superior to the products that were available in the marketplace. The Starfire series was expanded over several years bringing innovative deck layouts and more choices to the marine consumer. Skeeter led the pack with innovation. Bigger decks, larger storage compartments to accommodate the modern fishermen, new Fish n’ Ski models were introduced, By the end of the 80’s Skeeter fishermen had completely dominated the Professional Bass fishing tour, taken several world championships, and the status of owning a Skeeter boat had poured into an image only a company like this could hold true.

From that point on Skeeter has led the way to modern performance watercraft. In 1989, the all new 200SX series of boats was introduced as a “top end” to the complete Starfire lineup. This boat was bred for speed and handling the demands of the modern competitive fishermen. After throughout the last three years, many changes have come about as a result of this boat, and as Skeeter has grown both internally at the factory, and extemally in market share, new horizons have been approached.

In the Spring of 1993, Skeeter products introduced at the Houston International Sport Show, its first product designed for Sal*****er, Skeeter has brought 45 years of boat building experience to the designig board to make the BAYPRO series. These are deep “V” designed boats that incorporate a “pad” for the boat to run on combing both soft rides along with speed and top end handling benefits. The Skeeter bayboat family offers center console enthusiasts a platform for perfomance in all three (21’ 19’, 17’foot) models. Modem internal design and materials make this one of the most technologically advanced boat in the complete product line.

To complete the circle of 45 years of boat building, Skeeter has brought forward its newest member. the 200ZX. A pinnacle in the line, this boat will be the highlight of the 1994 boat shows and consumer demand has taken production schedules well into the 94’building season. A boat which was designed using Skeeters biggest asset, its ears. The all new boat incorporates the stylish ZX hull and transom design in a 19 foot 9 inch boat, bringing an all new meaning to “Total Performance”. Skeeter has utilized its leading ‘ledge” technology in boat design to build up a strong dealer base, and widespread customer loyalty, The growth of Skeeter has lent itself to look further into the market and begin a new committment to refining the definition of modern boating.
– Lake Mohave

Pre Spawn: When the water temperature is between 45-54 degrees in early spring, bass begin their movement away from the deep water. This movement will be slow. You will find bass in or near deep water during this period, on drop offs, points, creek banks and creek beds. A few bass will move to shallows on warm sunny afternoons. The bass metabolism is slow and they won’t chase fast moving lures. Slow rolling spinnerbaits and crank baits will work, but you must retrieve them slowly. When the water temperature rises over 55 degrees, the bass move from the deeper water into the shallows.

The warmer water will make the bass more aggressive. The best lures will be spinnerbaits, Texas rigged worms, crankbaits and top water minnows. When the water temperature reaches the 60s, tie on a spinnerbait and work the shallows — the bass will be selecting spawning sites.

Post Spawn: Some bass will remain in shallows for a short period and will strike

spinnerbaits, worms and top water lures. Bass will leave the shallows and head for their summer homes. During this time bass are hard to locate so stay on the move, and work creek banks, points and drop offs.

The warmer water accelerates the bass metabolism; therefore, early in the morning and late in the evening, bass will come from deeper water up in the shallows to feed. Spinnerbaits and buzz baits will produce good bass. As the day progresses and temperatures rise, fish deeper waters: drop offs, the edge of creek banks, tank dams, and sloughs. The Texas rigged worm will produce some good bass.

In the early fall, bass will go on longer feeding sprees. Larger lures will work — spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and buzz baits. Your retrieves should be from moderate to fast. When the water temperatures reach about 55 degrees, the bass will begin to move to their winter homes. You can locate them on creek banks and points as in early spring.

During the winter, bass stay deep near drop offs, creek channels and submerged timber. Fish your lure slow. Jigging spoons, jigs and worms will produce some large fish. During winter months, I always use a dark colored worm, preferably black/blue.

If you need guide service, or I may be of any assistance to you give me a call. Happy Holidays!!!
– Lake Mohave

Asking ten anglers to define finesse fishing would likely result in ten different perspectives. To many, finesse fishing is equated with light, ultralight, or microlight tackle and vague concepts such as splitshotting, slipshotting, doodling, shaking, stiching, and other mysterious techniques. Consequently, finesse fishing is frequently dismissed as too slow, too complicated, or necessitating fragile tackle. The common denominator in the various finesse techniques is an unobstrusive, natural presentation. Bass subjected to intense fishing pressure become inured to frequently encountered lures. Under less than ideal conditions they may respond only to specialized techniques, Quiet presentations, and lures that they haven’t grown weary of seeing daily. One of the least utilized finesse techniques for bass is fly fishing. How many Lake Conroe bass have ever seen a Silver Darter or Gray Ghost or Mickey Finn – all very effective streamer flies?

Fly fishing has surged in popularity the past several years, but its positive aspects have been largely overlooked by bass anglers. Generally regarded as a fun way to catch small bass and panfish, fly tackle can produce quality bass, and do so when all other techniques fail. Fly casting facilitates a more delicate presentation than any other system emloying artificial lures. Shallow, spooky bass are extremely wary of intrusions within their environment; a feather is much less imposing than a chunk of wood, metal, or plastic. The long, soft rods utilized are capable of exerting substantial leverage on a fish. And today’s bass boats provide an excellent fly casting platform. The application of fly tackle to bass fishing is limited only by one’s imagination.

Mastering the fly rod is not as difficult as it may appear. I’ve never been accused of being particularly dexterous, and I taught myself to cast unassisted in one afternoon when I was twelve years old. The following year I caught my first tarpon – on a fly rod. Learning the fly rod requires balanced tackle. The line, rather than the lure, provides the weight for the cast. It must be matched to the rod to properly load it. Although really long casts are seldom necessary, balanced tackle will facilitate powerful, accurate casting in the wind. An 8 ½’ or 9’ rod matched to a 6,7, or 8 – weight floating line will provide a good balance of power and manageability, A basic single – action reel will suffice. The reel’s primary function is line storage, although some anglers prefer to play larger fish off of the reel. Tapered leaders enhance accuracy and soft entry by helping the fly “turn over” properly at the end of the cast. They may be purchased or made up from lengths of progressively lighter monofilament.
– Lake Mohave

With the Sunday Morning Tournament held out of ~StowAway Marina reaching five fish limit weights of over twenty five pounds it is obvious that the bass fishing in Conroe is improving. Various attempts seem to be paying off for an improvement in Lake Conroe’s black bass fishing.
The improvement has been a gradual comeback which I have noticed throughout this Spring, especially back during the spawn. During the spawn my clients and ~I enjoyed very quality black bass fishing. Many of the spawning females that we boated were from four to five pounds. So many of the fish were in the same size range it seemed that they were all twins. The majority of these fish, if not all of them, were Florida strain black bass released by the Lake Conroe Restocking Program. Through the prespawn and spawning stages of the bass, we caught numerous males and females in shallow, a positive sign for a successful spawn. A good spawn combined with the efforts of the Lake Conroe Restocking Program can be the most influential improvement to Lake Conroe’s bass fishing.

Another factor to be figured into the comeback of Conroe’s black bass is the sixteen inch limit. With more of the fish shy of the sixteen inch limit remaining in the lake since September 1, 1993 there were more of those fish able to spawn this year.

All throughout the Spring there were good reports of big bass coming to the scales. Most of the bass fishermen fishing spinnerbaits and worms along the bulkheads and shallow timber were rewarded with good catches. Several fish over eleven pounds were weighed this Spring and even a couple over twelve. This is proof in itself that the fish quality is improving.

“Catch and Release,” is becoming standard among bass fishermen. Catch and release is a way we can all work together as bass fishermen to keep up the bass population. Catch and release fishing is like a restocking program in itself. This method of fishing is simple and rewarding. Always have a camera on hand, when the fish is caught quickly take a picture and get the fish back into the water. Revive the fish by holding its mouth open and moving the fish back and forth in the water. This rejuvenates the oxygen level in the fish’ gills. Always work fast when the fish are out of the water and try to handle the fish as little as possible. The more that a fish is handied the higher the possibility of a fungus eventually growing on the fish. To catch, photo, and release a keeper or even a trophy black bass shows true sportsmanship. You will find this very rewarding and habit forming and if a young angler is present you will have just done the future of bass fishing a favor.

After the spawn the black bass started to scatter and were not as easy to pattern. This is when I started concentrating my guide parties on catching crappie. The crappie population on Conroe this year as been incredible and long stringers of them common. Many of my clients that I take out are first time fisherpeople (men,women, and kids). To witness those people catching these crappie fast and furiously brings me great pleasure and job satisfaction. Catching fish brings the best out of people young and old. The crappie fishing has a great impact on the youngsters. There is no time for them to lose interest and they quickly become “experts” telling everyone in the boat how to catch ’em. Catching one, two and sometimes even three limits of keeper crappie consists of catching four ti~mes that many fish. The short crappie to keeper crappie ratio is about four to one. Days of catching over a hundred crappie have been pretty common.

All in all, the Spring and early Summer have Proved Lake Conroe to be one of the best fishing holes around. But don’t take my word for it, come on out and rediscover Lake Conroe. Good luck fishing.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

After fishing seven tournaments last Fall from here to the Canadian border in New York I feel confident in saying that a bass is a bass no matter where you are. I fished tournaments in New York, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Missouri, and Texas. Once I was near the bass the catching them was relatively easy. I had to learn to look past the unfamiliar scenery and terrain in order to fall back on my previous knowledge. Fish positioning around shallow cover was the same everywhere. Stumps, rocks, laydowns, various vegetation, or anything else along the shallows proved to hold fish the same way they hold fish here in Texas.

I lived on the road for three and a half months last Fall from mid July through October, the tournaments were simply too far from home to travel back in between competition. So I would pre-practice days on ends for the next tournament. I got a first hand look at how some the other Top 100 pros would approach tournaments and who pre-practices and who doesn’t.

Surprisingly some of the pros high in the standings don’t pre-practice. They show up to the tournaments and fish them cold turkey. Most of them have several tournaments under their belts on those waters, however it is still impressive that some of their tournament performances are very successful with three days of practice. Their practice time is limited because of various speaking engagements and also public appearances. Some of them are busy shooting their fishing shows in between tournaments like Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin, and Larry Nixon.

Fishing the Top 100 has been a real incredible experience. Everyone in the Top 100 is there for a reason and the competition is tough. Weighing in a limit everyday of competition has always been my goal but I am learning more and more that weighing in a heavy limit everyday of competition is what it takes to be successful in the Top 100.

The best way for me to describe fishing the Top 100 is to compare it to golf. Fishing the BassMaster Top 100 has been like getting my tour card and playing on the PGA Tour. No golf tournament competition is as solid as that of the PGA Tour and the same can be said for the Top 100.

I have four more B.A.S.S. Top 100 tournaments and four more B.A.S.S. Invitationals for the second half of the season this Spring. The upcoming tournaments are in Mississppi, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and even one here in Texas at Lake Texoma. It has been a nice break to be home through the holidays but I already have tournament fever and I am ready to hit the trail.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass are spawning this month in the shallows. Spinnerbaits, Texas rigged lizards, and wacky worms are the best baits for the big females. On the warmer days they will occasionally come up to get a surface bait like a pop r, zara spook, or boy howdy. Buzzbaits and tiny torpedoes can do wonders on bedding fish as well.

White bass are in full swing making their annual run up the creeks. Harmon, White Rock, Bedias, and Nelson are all loaded with whites. Rattle traps and small jigs are the ticket. Twenty five fish a piece with a minimum length of twelve inches are the laws for white bass. Harmon Creek Marina has excellent facilities and is located right near one of the best areas of Harmon Creek.

Crappie are shallow and spawning along the shorelines. Fish the creeks with live minnows and crappie jigs and you should do well. Around the bridge piling in some of the creeks I have seen people catching them regularly.

Catfish are hitting an assortment of baits. Prepared dough baits, nightcrawlers, shad, and chicken liver all will work for catching catfish. The catfish are in the shallow water already but will really move in next month as they usually spawn just a few weeks behind the first waves of the other spawning fish species.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

BLACK BASS
Many of the bass here have spawned. The last two weeks of March were real hot for spawning bass. Creek backs and rocky shorelines held spawners. Those fish have not left those areas at all in fact many of the fish were in those exact areas to begin with. Livingston is definately one unique lake when it comes to black bass migrations. The bigger bass over four pounds have a more distinct migration than the smaller bass. Livingston is without a doubt a lake that you can number os bass shallow under any condition in any season.

The Carolina Rig is being fished a little more every year on Livingston. Fishing for black bass after their spawn can be tricky. Initially the female bass are sore and not ready to feed, they are in a lull state. Using their side fins as “kickstands” they prop themselves up on the bottom and just sit there for a few days and heal up from the spawn. The Carolina Rig set up with one of Top Brass new Finesse Carolina Kits and a weenie worm or french fry will entice the moody females to bite. Since the bass spawn is intermittant through February, March, and April their is always fish in the “lull” state that I am talking referring to.

WHITE BASS
The white bass made their usual run up the creeks at the beginning of March and then turned right around after a few days and headed back to the river. They got up into the backs of the creeks ready to spawn but the water was low with no current. Since we had no rain the creeks had no running water, a necessity for a white bass spawn. At the time of this writing their have not been any white bass being consistently caught day after day anywhere which is usually the norm this time of year. I cleaned twenty four on March 24 th and females were still full of eggs, but the eggs were not that pretty gold/yellow color that they are at the beginning of the run. These eggs were not held together by the clear membrane that surrounds them and there were no red veins surrounding the egg sacks. They appeared to me that the eggs were overdue and soon to be discharged freely. So we may not get a white bass spawn at all this year. I am not a fisheries biologist by any means but I see enough fish and clean enough of them that I can put two and two together and give a pretty logical assumption. Mother Nature has her ways some of which we do not understand but maybe she knows what she is doing by not giving us our normal average rainfall this year. We’ll see.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: Some bass are still spawning at the time of this writing but the majority of them have spawned out. The bass that have recovered from the spawn will be aggressive and ready to feed. Sluggos and jerkbaits as well as topwaters and crankbaits are some of the baits these bass will eat. The number one bait this month is usually a buzzbait. Fish can be caught on a buzzbait here all day on overcast days and sometimes all day on sunny days. Pop r’s and Zara puppies fished around shallow cover are also effective this month. Carolina, Harmon, Bethy, Caney, White Rock, Newton, and Sandy are all good creeks on the north end of the lake.

Crappie: Live minnows and crappie jigs fished in brushpiles 10-15 feet deep should be one of the top patterns for crappie this month. Also standing timber in the creeks hold good numbers of crappie.

Catfish: This month catfish will be spawning so they will be shallow, especially on the bulkheads. Night crawlers, shad, chicken liver, and prepared dough baits are just a few of the baits these spawing cats will eat.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass will be recovering from the spawn this month and will be extra aggressive at times. Sluggos, jerkbaits, pop r’s, zara puppies, and buzz baits are some of the “junk baits” that you will be able to draw strikes on. Most of the female bass have healed from the spawn and have come out of their lull ready to feed. However, not all bass spawn at the same time so remember there will be a few fish still on the bed and also many bass will still be in the lull mode.

Probably the most prodominate patterns will be the buzzbait fished around shallow timber, rocks, and other shoreline cover. Chartreuse, black, or white skirted buzzbaits are top choices. If the cover is not too thick try adding a trailer hook or even a trailer treble hook. When the bass really get on the buzzbait the single hook of the buzzbait is enough. But the bite can change from day to day and the trailers will help you land the short strikers(especially on sunny days).

On overcast days the topwater baits can be effective for a few weeks this month. You can catch bass on a variety of topwaters on your most productive areas that you never dreamed held topwater fish. When conditions are just right they will hit topwaters all through the year, but this year the conditions stay right longer for days at a time.

Carolina, Bethy, Newton, White Rock, Caney, and Sandy are a few of the creeks up on the North end of the lake that I frequently fish. All of the creeks have excellent shoreline cover. Bethy has plenty of rocky shorelines, Carolina has reeds as well as White Rock and Caney, and Newton has log jams. Whatever cover you like can be found in the Northern creeks even coontail moss if you look hard enough. The lake is a little high right now so you have to look around for clear water if you are fishing up north. There are always clear water pockets up north no matter what the conditions are.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass: The summer bite is on and in full swing. Quick bites early in the morning on buzzbaits will be a prominent bite all summer. Once the topwater action slows a firetiger crankbait, chartreuse/ white spinnerbait, and a Texas rigged Power Worm make the rest of the day real simple. Shoreline structures like laydowns, stumps, rocks, boat docks, and reeds are the prime targets. Harmon, Bethy, Carolina, White Rock, and Caney are my favorites up North. Run the shorelines fishing the baits mentioned should put fish in your boat.

White Bass: The whites will start stacking up on the mainlake this month and schooling. The 190 roadbed and flats, mainlake points, Pine Island, and many other mainlake humps will be productive all summer. Birds usually are dead givaways when they are working shad over white bass so watch for them. Cobra jigging spoons in white or chartreuse are the key bait for the deeper fish while Rattle Traps and topwaters will work on the schooling fish.

Crappie: Standing timber in fifteen to twenty foot of water along with brushpiles in the same depth will produce crappie all summer. Minnows and black/chartreuse jigs being the prime baits for the white perch.

Catfish: Early morning action is good this month along bulkheads and shallow timber. Trotlines along the river and creek channels have been producing well in the last few weeks and will probably get better with the warm temperatures of summer. Night crawlers, shad, shrimp, chicken liver, and prepared dough baits just about always work for catfish.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The summer heat has arrived and the summer bite is kicking in. Quick bites early in the morning on buzzbaits will be a prominent bite all summer. Once the topwater action slows a firetiger crankbait, chartreuse/ white spinnerbait, and a Texas rigged Power Worm make the rest of the day real simple. Shoreline structures like laydowns, stumps, rocks, boat docks, and reeds are the prime targets. Harmon, Bethy, Carolina, White Rock, and Caney are my favorites up North. Run the shorelines fishing the baits mentioned should put fish in your boat.

White bass: The whites will start stacking up on the mainlake this month and schooling. The 190 roadbed and flats, mainlake points, Pine Island, and many other mainlake humps will be productive all summer. Birds usually are dead givaways when they are working shad over white bass so watch for them. Cobra jigging spoons in white or chartreuse are the key bait for the deeper fish while Rattle Traps and topwaters will work on the schooling fish.

Crappie: Standing timber in fifteen to twenty foot of water along with brushpiles in the same depth will produce crappie all summer. Minnows and black/chartreuse jigs being the prime baits for the white perch.

Catfish: Early morning action is good this month along bulkheads and shallow timber. Trotlines along the river and creek channels have been producing well in the last few weeks and will probably get better with the warm temperatures of summer. Night crawlers, shad, shrimp, chicken liver, and prepared dough baits just about always work for catfish.

The lake level is around normal pool and right now. Mainlake water color up north is a little off color due to the rains but the creeks are holding clearer water. Fishing will continue to be good on Livingston through the summer so plan a trip here and enjoy it.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass:
The lake is just over two feet low and the water temperature has been in the mid to upper eighties for the last few weeks. All through June the bass were aggressive except during the week that the lake level fell over a foot. Buzzbaits, crankbaits, and crawworms have all been exceptionally productive on shallow bass. Most of the bass on Livingston are in one to five foot of water. Believe it or not on some of the hottest days you will pull solid keepers in less than two feet of water. Concentrating on shallow cover is the key; stumps, laydowns, rocks, and reeds(toolies).

White Bass:
Good limits of white bass have been coming off of the 190 roadbed, 190 flats, mainlake points, and Pine Island. Jigging 3/4 oz Cobra Jigging Spoons has been one of the hottest producers all summer. Stripers have also been mixed in with the whites quite often and will also hit the Cobras. The birds will give away the schooling activity most of the time but if they are not schooling graph the humps and ridges and find schools of whites close to the bottom on the top of the structures in 14-25 feet of water.

Catfish:
Plenty of catfish have been caught early in the mornings around the bulkheads especially after a good rain. Night crawlers, shad, chicken liver, shrimp, or prepared dough baits will usually do the trick. Later in the day head to a creek channel or the main river channel and fish deeper through the hot hours.

Crappie:
Crappie have been pretty good around marina boat docks and standing timber in 10-20 feet of water. Minnows and crappie jigs have been responsible for most of these fish. Crappie jigs in black/chart., black/blue, and pink/white have been working. Remember through the hot months that the crappie will suspend so figure out how many turns off of the bottom that they are.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The bass have positioned themselves from about half way back in the creeks to the mouth of the creeks near the main lake. The bigger fish have been concentrated near the creek mouths and have been hitting an assortment of lures. Most of these fish are relating to shoreline structure in one to ten feet of water. Flipping Texas rigged worms and craworms around shoreline cover has been one of the most productive presentations. Black/chartreuse, black/blue, red shad, and tequila sunrise plastics have been the most effective baits. Shallow to medium diving plugs in fire-tiger cranked around shoreline cover has also produced strikes. Early and late the buzzbait will draw them to the surface.

White bass: Large schools of whites have been common on the main lake. Plenty of schooling fish have been easy to spot most of the summer, just look for the birds working or fish boiling on the surface. Main lake points, Penwaugh slough, the tram, the 190 roadbed, the 190 flats, the Banana ridge, and Pine Island have been prime areas for the action. When the fish are not schooling, use your graph to scan these areas and look for the whites and schools of shad. Once you locate a school spoon with a 3/4 oz Cobra jigging spoon, white with silver sides. Stripers have been abundant this year so don’t be surprised if you hook up on a fish that rips line off of your real and gives you a real war.

Crappie: Many of the marinas are set up to accomodate crappie fishermen. They brushed the areas for years and have strong concentrations of crappie right under their boat docks and piers. These marinas provide some of the best crappie fishing on the lake. Minnows around standing timber in White Rock, Kickapoo, Caney, and Indian creek will also get you hooked up with soc-a-lait.

Catfish: As always catfishing is excellent. Baiting areas with soured maze will have you catching catfish in large numbers. Shad, chicken live, and dough bait will all work well for whisker fish. Lake Livingston is one of the finest catfish lakes in the country and constantly produces monster catfish.

Bream: Panfish have been easy to catch around rocks, piers, shallow timber, bulkheading, and reeds. Night crawlers and meal worms are two sure bets for catching plenty of bream. All of the marina have access for bankfishing and there are plenty of bream to be caught in these areas.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The bigger fish have been concentrated near the creek mouths and have been hitting an assortment of lures. But be careful getting to these areas especially up north some of the creek mouths are blocked off by sandbars because of the low water level. Most of these fish are relating to shoreline structure in one to ten feet of water. Flipping Texas rigged worms and craw worms around shoreline cover has been one of the most productive presentations. Black/chartreuse, black/blue, red shad, and tequila sunrise plastics have been the most effective baits. Shallow to medium diving plugs in fire-tiger cranked around shoreline cover has also produced strikes. Early and late the buzzbait will draw them to the surface.

White bass: Large schools of whites have been common on the main lake. Main lake points, Penwaugh slough, the tram, the 190 roadbed, the 190 flats, the Banana ridge, and Pine Island have been prime areas for the action. Once you locate a school spoon with a 3/4 oz Cobra jigging spoon, white with silver sides. Stripers have been abundant this year so don’t be surprised if you hook up on a fish that rips line off of your real and gives you a real war.

Crappie: Many of the marinas are set up to accomodate crappie fishermen. They brushed the areas for years and have strong concentrations of crappie right under their boat docks and piers. These marinas provide some of the best crappie fishing on the lake. Minnows around standing timber in White Rock, Kickapoo, Caney, and Indian creek will also get you hooked up with soc-a-lait.

Catfish: As always catfishing is excellent. Baiting areas with soured maze will have you catching catfish in large numbers. Shad, chicken live, and dough bait will all work well for whisker fish. Lake Livingston is one of the finest catfish lakes in the country and constantly produces monster catfish.

Bream: Panfish have been easy to catch around rocks, piers, shallow timber, bulkheading, and reeds. Night crawlers and meal worms are two sure bets for catching plenty of bream. All of the marinas have access for bankfishing and there are plenty of bream to be caught in these areas.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

The month of September is the beginng of some excellent bass fishing on Lake Livingston. The heat waves of summer are almost over and we will start getting mild cool spells from time to time which in turn get the fish out of their lull and biting.

Black Bass: Spinnerbaiting bass on Lake Livingston each Fall has become well known among the local bass fishermen. Running the shoreline and slow rolling spinnerbaits around laydowns, standing timber, rocks, reeds, and other shoreline structure is the ticket from now until December. This pattern works well all year long but is especially effective during the Fall. Also fishing buzzbaits, pop r’s, and zara puppies will draw aggressive strikes from black bass as the water begins to cool. Cooler water temperatures will create bigger strike zones for bass and make them easier to catch.

White Bass: The first few months of Fall sends the white bass in many directions. They tend to scatter and gradually push into some of the major feeder creeks and up the river. By October there is usualling some good schooling activity around Bethy and Harmon Creeks. However, there is always some whites on the main lake humps where we have caught them all summer.

Crappie: The old timers on this lake catch more crappie than anyone realizes. They usually fish standing timber and fish minnows and jigs. They are very secretive of how and where they catch them probably because they fish visible structure and know that without secrecy their spots will get pounded. Maybe one of these days someone will follow them and find out where they catch them.

Catfish: Trotliners are continuously catching numbers of catfish. There are regulars that fish out of Ed’s Marina that bring in fifty and sixty pounders everyday. For rod and reel action fish the main river channel on the north end or any of the bulkheading of the south end. Also most of the marinas have fishing areas and catfish can be caught there. Various prepared doughbaits, chicken liver, or fresh shad will get you hooked up with catfish day in day out.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

The month of September is the beginng of some excellent bass fishing on Lake Livingston. The heat waves of summer are almost over and with the rains we are getting the lake level is sure to be on the rise.

Black Bass: Spinnerbaiting bass on Lake Livingston each Fall has become well known among the local bass fishermen. Running the shoreline and slow rolling spinnerbaits around laydowns, standing timber, rocks, reeds, and other shoreline structure is the ticket from now until December. This pattern works well all year long but is especially effective during the Fall. Also fishing buzzbaits, pop r’s, and zara puppies will draw aggressive strikes from black bass as the water begins to cool. Cooler water temperatures will create bigger strike zones for bass and make them easier to catch.

White Bass: The first few months of Fall sends the white bass in many directions. They tend to scatter and gradually push into some of the major feeder creeks and up the river. By October there is usualling some good schooling activity around Bethy and Harmon Creeks. However, there is always some whites on the main lake humps where we have caught them all summer.

Crappie: Standing timber and brushpiles in 10-15 feet of water have been producing crappie. Minnows and jigs have been the best baits.

Catfish: Trotliners are continuously catching numbers of catfish. For rod and reel action fish the main river channel on the north end or any of the bulkheading of the south end. Also most of the marinas have fishing areas and catfish can be caught there. Various prepared doughbaits, chicken liver, or fresh shad will get you hooked up with catfish day in day out.

Remember the lake is low and be careful running the timber and also the creeks. The creek mouths up north can be difficult to enter because of the sandbars that build there. Some of these sandbars are exposed and some just below the surface. The lakes are easily navigable if you pay attention to water color(looking for shallow sandbars) and watch your flasher.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass: Bass have been very aggressive and this will continue through the Fall. Spinnerbaits fished around laydowns and standing timber has been a hot ticket. Also firetiger crankbaits fished around rocks, timber, and reeds has been effective. Early and late a buzzbait is very effective-chartreuse and white skirt and fish it just fast enough to keep the bait on the surface. Zara puppies and pop r’s will also work. Also look for bass schooling in the backs of the creeks.

White Bass: Whites are sporadically schooling with black bass up on the north end creeks. September 25 we got into schooling whites in Harmon and Carolina Creeks. There were also some black bass in there with them. The fish were schooled up on shad that have been in the creeks spawning and hit anything chartreuse. The whites are not real predictable this time of year so when you get into them you better stroke em’ because more than likely they’ll be off to some other creek the next day

Catfish: Trotliners are bringing in good catches with some really big catfish showing up in the river. Also rod and reel fishermen have been catching them early in the morning feeding around bulkheads. The best baits have been shad, chicken liver, prepared dough baits, and live earthworms.

Crappie: Many of the marinas who have their docks baited with brushpiles are preparing for Fall crappie fishing. A cold spell or two will cool the water and get the fish active and biting. Minnows and jigs fished around the brushpiles is a sure bet for catching crappie this month.

Fall is Lake Livingston’s highlighted season for fishing. Overall fishing is excellent and the temperatures are mild so make sure to plan a fishing trip and enjoy the lake.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass: The cool front we had that last weekend of September gave a jump start on the Fall bass fishing. Bass have been very aggressive and this will continue through the Fall. Spinnerbaits fished around laydowns and standing timber has been a hot ticket. Also firetiger crankbaits fished around rocks, timber, and reeds has been effective. Early and late a buzzbait is very effective-chartreuse and white skirt and fish it just fast enough to keep the bait on the surface. Zara puppies and pop r’s will also work. Also look for bass schooling in the backs of the creeks.

White Bass: Whites are sporadically schooling with black bass up on the north end creeks. September 25 we got into schooling whites in Harmon and Carolina Creeks. There were also some black bass in there with them. The fish were schooled up on shad that have been in the creeks spawning and hit anything chartreuse.

Catfish: Trotliners are bringing in good catches with some really big catfish showing up in the river. Also rod and reel fishermen have been catching them early in the morning feeding around bulkheads. The best baits have been shad, chicken liver, prepared dough baits, and live earthworms.

Crappie: Many of the marinas who have their docks baited with brushpiles are preparing for Fall crappie fishing. A cold spell or two will cool the water and get the fish active and biting. Minnows and jigs fished around the brushpiles is a sure bet for catching crappie this month.

Fall is Lake Livingston’s highlighted season for fishing. Overall fishing is excellent and the temperatures are mild so make sure to plan a fishing trip and enjoy the lake.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The bass have positioned themselves from about half way back in the bigger creeks to the backs of the creeks. The bigger fish have been concentrated near the creek backs and have been hitting an assortment of lures. Most of these fish are relating to shoreline structure in one to five feet of water. A 3/8oz Stanley spinnerbait(white with a silver Colorado blade) is one of the best baits this month. Flipping Texas rigged worms and craworms around shoreline cover has also been a productive presentation. Black/chartreuse, black/blue, red shad, and tequila sunrise plastics have been the most productive baits. Shallow to medium diving plugs in fire-tiger cranked around shoreline cover has also produced strikes. Buzzbait have been effective all day especially on overcast days.

White bass: White bass will be scattered among the upper end of the lake feeding on shad and preparing for the winter and their run next Spring. Look for sporadic schooling in the bigger Northern creeks and in the river.

Crappie: Many of the marinas are set up to accomodate crappie fishermen. They brushed the areas for years and have strong concentrations of crappie right under their boat docks and piers. These marinas provide some of the best crappie fishing on the lake. Minnows around standing timber in White Rock, Kickapoo, Caney, and Indian creek will also get you hooked up with soc-a-lait.

Catfish: As always catfishing is excellent. Baiting areas with soured maze will have you catching catfish in large numbers. Shad, chicken live, and dough bait will all work well for whisker fish. Lake Livingston is one of the finest catfish lakes in the country and constantly produces monster catfish.

The lake is still low so be careful when entering creeks. Be watching for sandbars and timber when running unfamiliar areas.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave