Fishing on Lake Conroe has been fair to good for the past week. The water in the main lake is clear but stay alert for some floating debris. The level is 200.54 feet above mean sea level. The temperature of the water at the dam is running around 87 degrees at daylight. The Lake Release is 0 CFS, City of Houston Diversion(COH) is 0 CFS and the Ground Reduction Plan (GRP) is 36.48 CFS according to the San Jacinto River Authority.
Black bass fishing is fair to good. Because of the heat, early and late are the best times to go after them. They can be found at those times on riprap and shallow around vegetation. Soft plastics, spinner bait and square bill crankbaits are working well. Some bass may be found on brush, docks and other structure at 10 to 12 feet later in the day. Wacky rigged soft plastics in Pumpkin Seed with red or black flakes are good starters. Crankbaits, like Rat-L-Traps, are also a good starting lure but your lure choice will depend on how deep you are fishing.
Crappie are slow according to Fishing Guide Carl Bostic. He said those being caught are on brush in 10 to 18 feet of water. Some anglers have said they are catching a few around the west side FM 1097 Bridge pylons. Bostic told me we still don’t have the numbers for good catches. Both minnows and jigs are working the best.
Catfish are spawning and Bostic said he has had good results fishing in as little as 2 feet early in the morning on bulkheads. Catfish are also on baited holes in the main lake. Bostic said some are also on baited holes 12 to 18 feet deep. He said bait up an area on main lake points and ridges and you will catch keepers in the 1 to 3 pound range. Drifting cut bream or small shad will bring you blue cats from 1 to 6 pounds.
Hybrids are being caught while folks are fishing for catfish with chicken liver. Bostic said he caught 10 hybrids on one trip trolling in water from 14 to 30 feet deep with bronze colored spoon behind deep running divers about 15 feet down. Bronze worked better than silver. Thumping can also bring bites in the right conditions. It is important that the juvenile hybrids not be mistaken for white bass, so if you catch one under 18 inches and aren’t sure, throw them back.
Bream are spawning and around riprap and also on beds in the shallows. Some can be found on structure like brush with the crappie. Large hand size bream are abundant. Bostic commented that large bream can be caught under corks using meal worm, night crawlers and Power Bait soft plastic till around 9:30 in the morning,
The information for this fishing report has been made available by fishing guide Carl Bostic, working out of Seven Coves. For information about his services go to his website at www.wethook.com or call 936-718-7983.
