Texas fishing reports
152 reports for Texas — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Blue catfish gorging on Eagle Mountain Lake as June water levels peak
USGS gauge 08211200 is logging 88°F water and 59.7 cfs as of this morning; summer has fully arrived on Texas freshwater. The sharpest current signal comes from North Texas Catfish Guide, who reports Eagle Mountain Lake is nearly full from recent inflows: "Fish are moving, fish are feeding, and when you get on them, it happens fast." Blue and channel catfish are the prime targets right now, with fresh water pushing bait and predators alike into active feeding windows. For bass anglers, Wired 2 Fish and Tactical Bassin (blog) both point to a classic early-summer two-zone pattern: topwater at dawn on shallow flats, then a shift to offshore structure with crankbaits or a swing-head jig as the sun climbs. Lone Star Outdoor News also highlights Rio Grande cichlids as a growing target now that trout season winds down, accessible from wade-fishing river stretches. The waning crescent moon favors low-light bites at dusk and dawn.
Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn bass shifting into early summer patterns
Lake Fork Trophy Bass's May 2026 report, the closest regional intel for East Texas bass right now, describes fish in active post-spawn recovery: the spawn is winding down and largemouth are feeding 'from shallow to deep,' accessible on almost any presentation. That picture should carry over to Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn, where the seasonal calendar runs on a similar track. USGS gauge 08030500 shows the Sabine River, which feeds Toledo Bend, flowing at 2,210 cfs this morning, a moderate rate pointing to stable lake conditions. On technique, Tactical Bassin's June bass coverage calls out the wobble head jig paired with a shaky head worm as a reliable one-two punch for offshore fish, and Wired 2 Fish notes that bass push away from the surface once the sun climbs high. Early morning topwater on the flats is the first-light window; by mid-morning, the bite moves to deeper structure.
June bass push to structure on Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan
The USGS gauge at Austin (08158000) logged 2,400 cfs on June 10, reflecting moderate outflow from the Lake Travis system as mid-June heat settles across the Hill Country. No on-lake temperature reading came through this cycle, but surface temps on Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan are typical of the mid-to-upper 70s°F range by this point in the season. Nearby Canyon Lake — another Hill Country reservoir — is at 886.46 feet, eight feet above last year's level, per My Canyon Lake Fishing, with boat ramps and recreation infrastructure fully operational. For bass, Tactical Bassin highlights wobble-head jig and shaky-head worm combos as the top early-summer technique, suited for fish transitioning to offshore structure after the post-spawn. Lone Star Outdoor News also flags Rio Grande cichlids as a growing target now that trout stocking has wound down for the season.
Red Snapper Season Delivers Quality Fish Offshore as Coastal Whiting Run Strong
The opening weeks of red snapper season have been productive along the upper Texas Gulf Coast. Galveston Daily News — Reel Report notes fish averaging 10 to 20 pounds coming across the cleaning tables, with most in the 12- to 16-pound class — offshore party boats stayed busy through the season's first week following the federal opener. Closer to the beach, Lone Star Outdoor News — Fishing reports whiting are running extremely well right now, making for fast limits and prime table fare at the surf and jetties. Bay conditions have been a mixed bag: Galveston Daily News — Reel Report flagged the recent weekend as tough, with persistent wind and pop-up showers battering Galveston Bay and making mid-bay fishing particularly challenging. The CCA-Texas STAR Tournament, now underway through September 7 per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, has already drawn entries from across the coast, signaling the start of a competitive summer season offshore and inshore alike.
Eagle Mountain blue cats on fire as Texas lakes hit summer stride
USGS gauge 08211200 clocked 91°F water on June 10, and North Texas Catfish Guide reports those warm conditions are already firing up the bite on Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth. June is shaping up as one of the year's best freshwater windows: the lake is running nearly full, with fresh inflows pushing catfish into active feeding mode. The guide's current posts describe fish that are moving fast and eating aggressively, with limits of blue and channel catfish within reach on most trips. Lone Star Outdoor News — Fishing flags Rio Grande cichlids as a fun secondary target now that rainbow trout season is closing out, a solid option for light-tackle anglers across south Texas waters. Bass anglers have a path, too: Tactical Bassin points to swing-head jigs paired with shaky-head worms as the go-to combination for early-summer offshore structure, a setup producing results across Texas impoundments heading into peak summer.
Blue catfish limits piling up on Eagle Mountain as Texas summer heat takes hold
North Texas Catfish Guide reports Eagle Mountain Lake is setting up perfectly for June fishing, with the lake nearly full and fresh inflows pushing blue and channel catfish into an aggressive feed. Regional water temperatures are running hot — USGS gauge 08211200 clocked 87°F as of June 10 — consistent with the active catfish bite captains are reporting. North Texas Catfish Guide has been landing easy limits of big blue catfish, with multiple fish topping 30 pounds on recent trips, while channel catfish are biting like crazy across the lake. White bass are also on the move in the main basin. For bass anglers, Tactical Bassin highlights offshore structure as the key early-summer focus, with wobble-head jigs and shaky head worms drawing bites from post-spawn fish that have pushed off the shallows into deeper transitions.
Hill Country Bass Shift Offshore as Early Summer Sets In
The Colorado River at Austin is running at 1,770 cfs (USGS gauge 08158000), reflecting current system conditions across the Hill Country lake chain — Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan — as the region transitions into full summer mode. Early June marks the post-spawn shift for largemouth bass on these impoundments, with fish moving away from shallow spawning coves and staging on offshore points and humps. Tactical Bassin reports June as a prime window for targeting offshore bass with a wobble head jig paired with a shaky head worm, calling the combination hard for early-summer bass to resist. My Canyon Lake Fishing notes nearby Canyon Lake is sitting roughly eight feet higher than the same date last year, suggesting above-average water storage across Hill Country reservoirs heading into the hot season. No water temperature reading is available from gauge data, but typical early-June surface temps on these lakes run into the mid-80s, which tends to push fish deeper by midday.
Whiting Running Strong as Lower Laguna Madre Turns to Summer Patterns
Texas Fish & Game Magazine's recent Lower Laguna Madre bay profile frames the stretch from Port Mansfield to the Rio Grande as clear-water, grass-flat country that fishes unlike any other Texas bay. Right now, Lone Star Outdoor News reports whiting are "running extremely" well along the South Texas coast, calling this a prime time for easy limits and a fish fry. The 2026 CCA-Texas STAR Tournament is underway, per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, having kicked off May 23 and running through September 7 with entries already being posted. Salt Strong reports that as summer water temperatures rise, redfish, seatrout, and flounder cluster around predictable structure, and that a simple rigging adjustment can significantly lift catch rates. No real-time buoy or gauge data is currently available for the lower lagoon. Check local tide charts and weather before launching, and plan around the early-morning window to beat the day's building heat.
Eagle Mountain catfish firing as Texas lakes hit peak summer
Water temperatures have hit 91°F at USGS gauge 08211200, confirming that Texas freshwater fishing has entered full summer mode. North Texas Catfish Guide reports Eagle Mountain Lake is nearly full with fresh water pushing into the system, a combination that consistently triggers active feeding. Their latest dispatch puts it plainly: 'fish are moving, fish are feeding, and when you get on them it happens fast.' A June 2024 report from the same guide service noted channel catfish limits alongside white bass moving freely through the main lake. Lone Star Outdoor News notes that Rio Grande cichlids are drawing attention from Texas anglers now that rainbow trout season winds down, offering a solid warm-water alternative in the lower river systems. With low flows at 27.6 cfs and midsummer heat pressing fish deeper, the most reliable action will concentrate around fresh inflows, cooler deep structure, and the pre-dawn and post-dusk windows.
Post-spawn bass push offshore on Hill Country lakes as summer heat builds
My Canyon Lake Fishing reports Hill Country reservoirs holding strong water levels — running about eight feet above last year at this point in the season — with on-water conditions described as 'still ideal for boating, fishing, tubing and lakeside recreation.' The Colorado River clocked 270 cfs at the Austin gauge (USGS 08158000) on the morning of June 9, a modest, controlled release consistent with stable summer management of the Highland Lakes chain. Specific on-the-water reports for Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan are limited this week, but Tactical Bassin's June bass coverage points to the playbook: post-spawn largemouth have completed their transition off shallow flats and are staging on offshore ledges and isolated mid-lake structure. A wobble-head jig paired with a shaky-head worm is Tactical Bassin's go-to two-bait combination for these conditions. Early morning windows — sharpened slightly by the waning crescent moon's predawn darkness — are the prime time before midday heat shuts down the shallow bite.
Whiting Running Strong on the Lower Laguna as Summer Conditions Lock In
NOAA buoy 42043 recorded 80°F water temperatures in mid-May, and the Lower Laguna Madre is now firmly in summer fishing mode. Lone Star Outdoor News — Fishing reports whiting are "running extremely" well this season — an ideal fish-fry target and easy action for wade-anglers working the Laguna's shallow nearshore reaches. Texas Fish & Game Magazine's recent Bay Profile of the Lower Laguna Madre calls out the fishery's signature clear water and expansive grass flats, conditions that concentrate speckled trout and redfish in predictable ways as the season heats up. Salt Strong notes that as summer water temps climb, redfish, trout, and flounder often "become more predictable in where they position themselves" around structure — a tactic that translates directly to wading the Laguna's interior flats. The 2026 CCA-Texas STAR Tournament, underway through September 7 per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, had anglers posting entries along the full Texas coast shortly after its May 23 kickoff, a reliable signal that inshore action is running strong from South Padre northward.
Blue Catfish Running Hot on Eagle Mountain as June Heats Up
Water temperatures at 86°F (USGS gauge 08211200) confirm peak summer conditions across Texas freshwater, and the fishing is keeping pace. North Texas Catfish Guide reports Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth is nearly full with fresh inflows spurring a strong active bite, describing conditions this way in their June update: "fish are moving, fish are feeding, and when you get on them, it happens fast." The guide is posting limits of big blue and channel catfish, a pattern that mirrors their June 2024 account when white bass were also running the main lake alongside the cats. For bass anglers, Tactical Bassin notes post-spawn fish have shifted to offshore structure, responding best to wobble-head jigs and shaky-head worm rigs as surface temps stabilize. Lone Star Outdoor News flags Rio Grande cichlids as a productive warm-weather light-tackle option now that spring trout programs are winding down. Full lake levels and stable summer heat should sustain the bite well into the month.