How to Reel In Big Bass in Texas

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We've been receiving a lot of questions asking me about fishing for bass in Texas, and it's no wonder why the state is so popular for fishing with its over 6000 reservoirs and almost 5000 square miles of inland water. Before you head off for a Texas fishing adventure, first we need to cover a few things, such as pests you'll find. Black widow and brown recluse spiders are known to frequent Texas, along with scorpions, centipedes, fire ants, and a plethora of flying, stinging insects. Additionally, copperheads, rattlesnakes and the Texas Coral Snake may all be living close to where you visit, so be prepared by arming yourself with knowledge on what to treat and how to treat it. A first aid kit combined with some special items just for the area you are traveling to is never a bad thing to bring along, especially if you will be taking children along with you.

Now don't let some friendly cautionary advice turn your head away from Texas, as dangerous and painful pests can and do reside all over the place elsewhere, too. The best thing about Texas fishing is the selection, and here are some great places to start looking:

Caddo Lake used to be a natural lake that received quite a bit of expansion upon the building of a dam on Cypress Creek. Caddo Lake is a great beginner's area to catch loads of bass all day and year long, but only if size doesn't matter so much to you. Over 6 pounds per is pushing expectations here, but the scenery is beautiful and the bounty is plentiful. Check the Cyprus trees at Caddo Lake to find some great hiding spots.

Lake Fork is an excellent place to find a record catch. Beautiful, spacious, and plenty of hiding spots, this lake is definitely where its at, but the fish here are wise and require a great deal of trickery to be caught. My advice here is to sneak out at night without motor and catch them when their guard is down.

Lake Sam Rayburn, with its treasure cove full of hiding spots and structure, has long been a winning area in Texas, and doesn't show any signs of losing in the near future. A vast, scenic area close enough to civilization to mix up a family fishing trip with some city life, this lake has what its got to get great amounts of great-looking and great-tasting bass almost year round, although I suggest during the week when things are slow.

Toledo Bend is just about as good as it gets for cover, even rivaling Lake Sam Rayburn in size and structure. Another beautiful area, this reservoir is partially in Louisiana and is fed by a large number of creeks as well as the Sabine River. The best place in the spring is just on the other side of where the Sabine River empties out into the reservoir, particularly any large muddy areas off to the side of the river, but be careful of the current.

The Rio Grande River empties out into Amistad, which can be a great place for the experienced bass fisher, but beginners need to either steer clear of the area or only go with a seasoned guide. Not only is this fertile topwater area only a potent spot if you know what to look for, but it can also be dangerous with the winds that frequent the area for a good part of the year. Even an experienced boater in a small enough boat can get tipped here! And that's just a drop on the bucket of what Texas has to offer.

Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best bass fishing information possible. Get more information on Texas bass fishing here: http://www.askbassfishing.com/

What Are Crappies?

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What are Crappie? Besides being one of the best tasting and fun to fish for they are a member of the sunfish family. The sunfish family includes bass, bluegill and redear sunfish. They can be found throughout North America and due to the fight they give on light tackle have become increasingly popular.

There are two species of Crappie the Black Crappie and the White Crappie. They are most easily identified by the number of spiny dorsal fin rays. The black crappie has 7 or 8 spiny dorsal fin rays, while the white crappie only has 5 or 6. The black crappie is distinguished by irregularly spaced black blotches or spots. On the White Crappie these spots tend to form vertical bars.

Black Crappie like clear water and can usually be found in ponds, reservoirs and slow moving rivers. White Crappie are more tolerant of the water conditions and can be found in muddier waters. Both crappie like structure and will congregate around areas with abundant aquatic vegetation, brush piles or other types of cover.

The world record Black Crappie is 6 lbs – 0 oz. The world record White Crappie is 5 lbs – 3 oz. You are much more likely to catch them in the ¼ to 1 lb size but because they are a school fish once you have found one there are many more where that one came from.

The spring spawning period is when a lot of anglers like to focus on crappie but in truth they can be caught all year long. The spawning period for both is when the water temperature is between 58-68 degrees. Black crappie nests are frequently found in gravel or in soft, muddy river or lake bottoms. White crappie nests are often located near structures such as brush piles, stumps or rock outcrops.

Homemade Bait for Catfish Fishermen

People have used homemade bait for catfish fishing for centuries. Why? Because catfish, particularly channel catfish, will eat just about anything. Soap, lard and WD-40 have all been proven to work. Not necessarily what I would recommend but others swear by them. With the knowledge in mind that catfish will eat anything. The idea that you can make your own baits is much easier to comprehend.

The easiest type of homemade bait for catfish, in my opinion, is dough bait. To make a dough bait you can either use flour or cereal to create a base that holds together. I generally use cereal, any corn flakes will do, but I like to use Wheaties. Add a little water and crush it up until it has good sticky consistency and it works very well by itself.

Here is homemade bait for catfish that uses something everyone that has fished for catfish has used at one time or another. Some never go near the water without it, chicken liver. But I am going to give you a way to may it into dough balls that will stay on your hook and provide sent for much longer than just baiting your hook with it.

Take a large bowl and pour in about half a box a Wheaties. Crush it up good. Take a pint of chicken livers that you bought at the store and pour them into your blender. Use fresh livers if possible, not frozen. Blend until liquid. No take another bowl and pour the liver from the blender into it. Add Wheaties from the first bowl, constantly kneading, until a paste forms that you can easily separate and mold. Put the mixture into plastic bags and store in your fridge. It won’t matter if you don’t use it right away. Catfish like smelly food.
 

With a little trial and error you will find the best catfish bait for your waters. Good luck on your next outing. Visit Catfish Bait Recipes to get more great baits. For catfish fishing tips visit CatfishAngling.com.