Lake Conroe
Lake Conroe is located approximately one hour north of downtown Houston (via IH-45). Extending 21 miles in length and covering 21,000 surface acres, Lake Conroe is the reserve drinking water supply for the City of Houston and offers clean, clear water for a large variety of recreation (boating, fishing, hunting, golfing, swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, pleasure boating, etc.). Luxurious hotels and condominiums, quality RV Parks, waterfront boat storage with valet launching, luxurious waterfront real estate developments are only a few of the attractions to this exceptional man made Lake only 60 minutes north from Houston via IH-45.
Fishing Report on Conroe
Lake Conroe Bass
Water temps have been running in main lake 70deg. Water is clear. On north end of lake water temp has been 73deg. Water is muddy here except in far back. Bass are still moving up in shallows. Been catching black bass up to 8lbs. Took some guided trips...one boated 21lbs stringer. On another day 18lbs stringer. Bass fishing has been wonderful. Bass have been moving into back of creeks to spawn, such as Lake Paula, Caney Creek, Peach Creek, First Jungle, Weirs Creek, Gum Branch Creek, Little Lake Creek, Lewis Creek and Tucker Lake.
Fish are being caught on wacky, watermelon red and Christmas tree. Also on Texas rig tubes in watermelon red and watermelon candy. Brushhog and Texas rig lizards and black and blue jigs and Carolina rigs on humps and main lake points in 5-16 foot of water. On watermelon red flukes and plum old monster worms and lizards in watermelon red and black neon and junebug rd. Also on 1/2oz nickel spinner bait and white and chartreus with gold and silver willow leaf spinners. Bass fishing has really turned on. If you would like to have great time catching fish call. The bass are really moving in and the bite is on.
Fish are being caught on wacky, watermelon red and Christmas tree. Also on Texas rig tubes in watermelon red and watermelon candy. Brushhog and Texas rig lizards and black and blue jigs and Carolina rigs on humps and main lake points in 5-16 foot of water. On watermelon red flukes and plum old monster worms and lizards in watermelon red and black neon and junebug rd. Also on 1/2oz nickel spinner bait and white and chartreus with gold and silver willow leaf spinners. Bass fishing has really turned on. If you would like to have great time catching fish call. The bass are really moving in and the bite is on.
Lake Conroe Crappie
Took crappie fishing trip. The crappie have been in 2-25foot of water. Catching some deep and some shallow and the backs of creeks. One trip took 40 in, anywhere from 10 1/4 to 15" slabs. Under bridges, Lake Paula, Tucker Lake and all over in sallow and creeks.
If you want lots of good ol' crappie to eat call Phillip's Guide Service.
Lake Conroe Catfish
They are being caught in shallow water 1-6foot on minnows and stink baits. Catfish are still spawning in show lows one to five feet. If you want to catch some catfish give me a call
Fayette County Reservoir Lake
Location: Power plant cooling reservoir located 10 miles east of LaGrange in Fayette County
Surface area: 2,400 acres
Maximum depth: 70 feet
Impounded: 1978
Fishing Report on Fayette County Reservoir
Fayette County Reservoir Bass
Water temps are running in the 70’s and is clear to where you can see 2+ feet down. Spawn is over but still bringing in great numbers and size. Fish are on the hump and on points anywhere from 7 to 12 feet. Still catching fish in shallows 1 to 5 feet on wacky worms, spinner bates, and traps. Worms and lizards, watermelon red, black and blue, block neon, and watermelon black pepper just to name some that has been working for us.
Fishing on Fayette has been great bringing in over 20 fish per day.
Fishing Regulations
There is a 14 to 24-inch slot limit on largemouth bass. Bass 14 inches and less or 24 inches and over may be retained, but only one bass 24 inches or greater may be retained each day. Bass within the 14-24-inch slot limit must be released. All other species are subject to statewide bag and size limits.
Use of trotlines is prohibited in Fayette County Reservoir. In addition, the LCRA prohibits bow fishing at this lake.
Angling Opportunities
Fayette County Reservoir is first and foremost a largemouth bass lake. Statewide annual tournament surveys consistently rank this lake at or near the top using quality indicators like average weight and bass caught per hour. Large numbers of two- to five-pound fish are available and relatively easy to catch at most times of the year. Channel, blue, and flathead catfish have been stocked. The lake record flathead catfish weighed 79.25 pounds and was 50 inches long. Redear sunfish also provide a fishery, with many fish exceeding 8 inches. This lake is not known for crappie fishing, and few anglers target this species.
Largemouth bass are the most sought after species in Lake Conroe, though they are not the most abundant. While bass fishing catch rates are marginal, the opportunity to catch a trophy bass is very good at Lake Conroe. In 1998, the biggest largemouth bass ever collected by TPWD in an electrofishing survey was taken from beneath a boat dock and weighed in at 14.1 pounds. The standing lake record caught in 1997 by Willis angler Bill Boyett weighed 14.91 pounds.
The more abundant channel catfish and bluegill are also highly sought after by anglers. Channel catfish are by far the most abundant sportfish in the lake, offering most any angler a good opportunity for good catches. Bluegill on Lake Conroe grow to enormous sizes. We have interviewed anglers with 12-inch bluegills in their creels. and black crappie are also very popular and offer good opportunity for anglers seeking table fare. White crappie have made a comeback in the lake with the efforts of the Lake Conroe Restocking Association's spring stockings of advance juvenile crappie. Crappie over two pounds are fairly common occurrences now. The introduction of hybrid striped bass in 1995 has added another dimension to the sport fishery at Lake Conroe, offering open-water opportunities for anglers who enjoy trolling or vertical jigging spoons for these hefty fighters.
FISHING COVER/STRUCTURE
Lake Conroe is dominated by open water in the lower two-thirds of the reservoir, with some standing timber still present along the river channel in the upper reaches. Most of the standing timber is slightly submerged when the lake is at conservation pool, making navigation hazardous in these areas. The shoreline is predominantly composed of bulkheads with boat docks in the lower reservoir; the upper reservoir (the portion lying within the Sam Houston National Forest) is primarily featureless shoreline. Substrates range from sandy to silty. A few aquatic plants dot shoreline areas, primarily in areas being planted with native aquatic plants by TPWD and the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of an ongoing Aquatic Habitat Enhancement Initiative. The lake has had past heavy infestations of hydrilla, but no vegetation is currently present in quantities that would be considered a nuisance. The only fish-attracting structures in the reservoir are rip rap along bridge approaches and the dam, as well as submersed Christmas tree reefs.
FISHING TIPS AND TACTICS
Largemouth bass anglers can expect to take bass in shallow water, particularly around marinas and boat docks, during the early spring and mid-to-late fall. During most of the remaining seasons, bass are taken around deeper cover. Anglers are most successful with a variety of shad imitation lures as well as soft plastic baits. Hybrid striped bass are growing in popularity among Lake Conroe bass fishing anglers and can be taken most any time of year. Most fish are taken by anglers trolling in open water areas or vertically jigging spoons or live shad. They can occasionally be found running up the river channel during the early spring spawning run or foraging beneath schools of white bass in summer.
Channel catfish are caught year-round in good numbers on Lake Conroe. Most successful anglers use smelly baits or cut shad. Rod-and-reel anglers do just about as well as trotline anglers on the reservoir. Bluegills of gigantic proportions can be had by the angler who wants to be patient and target them. They can be caught along rip rap fishing deep near the toe of the slope (sometimes 8 feet or more). Baits must be gotten near the bottom quickly to avoid the small bait-stealers that inhabit the shallower water. Live worms or crickets are the best producers. Some good fly rod action can also be had using sinking, insect imitation flies and sinking fly line.
