Post by Whiskers on Aug 10, 2006 22:07:50 GMT -6
Lake Characteristics
Location: In Van Zandt, Rains, and Hunt counties, 15 miles southeast of Greenville on Caddo Creek and the South Fork and Cowleech Fork of the Sabine River
Surface area: 37,879 acres
Maximum depth: 70 feet
Impounded: 1960
Angling Opportunities
Striped bass, hybrid striped bass and white bass are vital to the local economy, providing excellent fisheries especially in the lake's open water areas. Striped and hybrid bass are stocked annually by TPWD to maintain the fisheries. Channel catfish are abundant, and there are also some blue and flathead catfish in the population. Largemouth bass is also a popular sportfish in this reservoir. Crappie fishing is only fair, due to limited habitat.
Species
Largemouth Bass: Good
Catfish:Excellent
Crappie:Fair
White Bass :Excellent
Hybrid & Striped Bass:Excellent
Fishing Cover/Structure
Flooded timber, although not abundant, is found in scattered areas throughout Lake Tawakoni. Aquatic vegetation is sparse and tends to increase following lake draw-downs. As water levels increase, emergent aquatic plants such as smartweed establish dense areas of cover. Main lake humps tend to attract schools of striped bass, hybrid striped bass, and white bass. The habitat on Lake Tawakoni is limited, so any available cover tends to attract and hold largemouth bass.
Tips & Tactics
Catfishing is one of Lake Tawakoni's sure bets. Anglers use a range of baits including cut bait, shrimp, liver, stink baits and earthworms. Techniques include drift fishing, bank fishing, and trotlining. Largemouth bass anglers should concentrate their efforts around available cover such as piers, boat houses, vegetation and trees along the shoreline. Peak times for fishing include spring for spawning fish and fall for schooling fish. Spawning fish are frequently caught using spinnerbaits, plastic worms, and jigs. Schooling fish can be caught using crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures.
In spring and summer, surfacing schools of striped bass, hybrid stripers and white bass can be caught using slabs, spoons, shad-bodied grubs, and topwater baits. Seagulls are attracted when schooling fish chase bait fish to the surface. Early morning, dusk, and overcast days are good times to find these schooling fish. When there is no surface activity, anglers should try vertical jigging slabs or spoons off the bottom or trolling major points using lipless crankbaits, sassy shads and roadrunners. In addition, live shad are used by many anglers to catch hybrids and stripers. Crappie fishing is often concentrated near bridge pilings, submerged trees and brush piles in late spring and fall.
Location: In Van Zandt, Rains, and Hunt counties, 15 miles southeast of Greenville on Caddo Creek and the South Fork and Cowleech Fork of the Sabine River
Surface area: 37,879 acres
Maximum depth: 70 feet
Impounded: 1960
Angling Opportunities
Striped bass, hybrid striped bass and white bass are vital to the local economy, providing excellent fisheries especially in the lake's open water areas. Striped and hybrid bass are stocked annually by TPWD to maintain the fisheries. Channel catfish are abundant, and there are also some blue and flathead catfish in the population. Largemouth bass is also a popular sportfish in this reservoir. Crappie fishing is only fair, due to limited habitat.
Species
Largemouth Bass: Good
Catfish:Excellent
Crappie:Fair
White Bass :Excellent
Hybrid & Striped Bass:Excellent
Fishing Cover/Structure
Flooded timber, although not abundant, is found in scattered areas throughout Lake Tawakoni. Aquatic vegetation is sparse and tends to increase following lake draw-downs. As water levels increase, emergent aquatic plants such as smartweed establish dense areas of cover. Main lake humps tend to attract schools of striped bass, hybrid striped bass, and white bass. The habitat on Lake Tawakoni is limited, so any available cover tends to attract and hold largemouth bass.
Tips & Tactics
Catfishing is one of Lake Tawakoni's sure bets. Anglers use a range of baits including cut bait, shrimp, liver, stink baits and earthworms. Techniques include drift fishing, bank fishing, and trotlining. Largemouth bass anglers should concentrate their efforts around available cover such as piers, boat houses, vegetation and trees along the shoreline. Peak times for fishing include spring for spawning fish and fall for schooling fish. Spawning fish are frequently caught using spinnerbaits, plastic worms, and jigs. Schooling fish can be caught using crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures.
In spring and summer, surfacing schools of striped bass, hybrid stripers and white bass can be caught using slabs, spoons, shad-bodied grubs, and topwater baits. Seagulls are attracted when schooling fish chase bait fish to the surface. Early morning, dusk, and overcast days are good times to find these schooling fish. When there is no surface activity, anglers should try vertical jigging slabs or spoons off the bottom or trolling major points using lipless crankbaits, sassy shads and roadrunners. In addition, live shad are used by many anglers to catch hybrids and stripers. Crappie fishing is often concentrated near bridge pilings, submerged trees and brush piles in late spring and fall.