DFW Fishin' - no boat

[Rhino]

Where should I be headed within an hour's drive of Oak Cliff to try and catch something that's not a catfish?

 

[seeker_two]

You don't have to have a boat to fish any lake in Texas.....but it's a lot easier, and drier, if you do....

 

[Sasquatch]

You've got Mountain Creek Lake and Joe Pool almost in your back yard. Fish the shore at Cedar Hill State Park and you don't even need a fishing license. I know Joe Pool has good bass in it, plus IIRC stripers and hybrids (white / striper mix), crappies, sunfish (perch) and of course catfish.

Winter is honestly quickly becoming my favorite season to fish for bass, because its the time of year I get more big fish than any other. We're 3 weeks exactly into 2024, and already I've caught over half a dozen fish over 4lbs.

The keys for winter bass fishing are going to the extremes, and not fishing like you would the other 9 months out of the year. They either want very SLOW or very FAST presentations. And I either go very BIG or very SMALL for presentations. I'm not throwing "average" baits in the winter. I'm either going sub 3 inches, or at least 5 inches for a swimbait bait or 10 inches for a worm - be it soft plastics or hard baits.

Went fishing today for a couple hours, despite it being 40ish degrees, and caught four fish, all of which came on a micro sized soft swimbait slow crawled on the bottom. I missed three others, one of which because my hook bent straight when the fish took off on me.

On the big end of things I'm throwing mostly 7+ inch glide baits, or 5+ inch soft swimbaits. These require beefier stuff - if you have a catfish rod, that's what you'd want to throw such a big bait on because a typical bass stick doesn't handle that kind of weight well.

Some examples of stuff I'm throwing this time of year:

Small

And big

The smaller end of those glide baits is 5 inches, most are 7, one is an 8 incher. I'll be getting some 9 inch baits in soon.

That soft plastic bait in the lower picture is 10 inches, I've got 3 of these trout, plus a 10 inch shad profile bait. They can be rigged with the hooks on the top or bottom, they're "line thru" baits, which means when you hook a fish, the hook pops out and the lure slides up and down your line freely while you play the fish. Makes it harder for the fish to use the weight of the lure to throw the hook.

 

[Rhino]

It's too bad that Mountain Home Lake is considered pretty toxic...

Fish Consumption Bans and Advisories — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

tpwd.texas.gov

 

[Tnhawk]

If you're ever invited on a fishing trip in southern Louisiana, it's best to verify you aren't the bait!

 

[Sasquatch]

It's too bad that Mountain Home Lake is considered pretty toxic...

Fish Consumption Bans and Advisories — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

tpwd.texas.gov

You didn't say you wanted to EAT the fish

 

[popper]

I usually try small ponds around parks and schools. Usually lots of brim/gill, some cats too. Might run across a bass or 2. Google earth is a friend.

 

[deemus]

Where should I be headed within an hour's drive of Oak Cliff to try and catch something that's not a catfish?

It’s a little more than hour, but striper fishing on Lake Whitney is a blast. Guy named Clay. $400 for 3 people last I went.

He provides gear and then filets and bags them for the trip home. Take a small cooler for drinks and a cooler for the fish afterwards.

 

[jimbo]

It’s a little more than hour, but striper fishing on Lake Whitney is a blast. Guy named Clay. $400 for 3 people last I went.

He provide gear and bags them for the trip home. Take a small cooler for drinks and a cooler for the fish afterwards.

I used this guide service. Great time and caught a lot of stripers.

I just found Texas Fins Central TX Fishing Guide on FishingBooker

What do you guys think?

fishingbooker.com