Sam Rayburn Fishing Report by pro guide, Joe Joslin
Water temps are running in low-to-mid 70s this week with the lake level at 161. 3 with one unit running at the dam 10 hours per day releasing about 4000 cubit ft per second. 164.4 is considered by most to be official full pool so the lake is about 3 ft below full pool but basically about normal for October. Actually, I love the level in the fall to be 3-4 feet below full pool. We have spend several days on the lake the past few weeks and have caught a lot of fish with customers.
There are two basic patterns productive currently with those being a shallow pattern in 2 to 12 feet plus a deeper pattern that is running about 15 to 22 ft. We've been catching some of the larger bass in the deeper ridges but more numbers in the shallows. That is not to say we have been catching only small bass in the shallows because we have been catching good numbers of bass from 2-4 pounds in the mid-to-shallow areas. Some of our best numbers of decent bass have been coming on buzzbaits( Norman Triple Tail)
as well as Stanley's Vibra-Wedge double willow spinnerbaits (3/8 oz) which we have been using over submerged grass both along the shoreline as well as on ridges.
We also are having great success working a TX rig with Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper and Trick Worm with 17 lb Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon and 2/0 and 3/0 Daiichi and XPoint offset worm hooks. Best color for Bottom Hopper has been Shady Watermelon Candy and Green Pumpkin. We are working Tx rigs in 6 to 14 feet extremely slow.
Also, in 10-14 ft we have had good success on Berkley Flicker Shad and DLNs by Norman.
In water 15 to 22 ft we are working 10 inch Power Worms, Carolina Rigged Havoc Rocket Craw plus a 3/4 oz Stanley Bug Eye Football Jig with small Chigger Craw trailer. Also caught nice fish "long Lining' a DD22 with 10 and 12 lb test Berkley Trilene 100% Flo on main points and flats near drops. A drop shot with a Bottom Hopper Jr (4.75 inch) is also catching a bunch of bass in 16 to 24 feet.
AUTHOR INFO: Joe Joslin is a syndicated outdoor columnist, tournament angler and pro guide on Toledo and Sam Rayburn. Contact him at 337-463-3848 or joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com . and WEBSITE www.joejoslinoutdoors.com