The fishing has been red hot here on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which is not surprising – year after year it remains one of the best bass lakes in the country, if not the absolute best. It’s why I chose to live here.
It’s also why so many people choose the East Texas lakes for their “trip of a lifetime,” a chance to catch not only a lot of fish but also some true giants. While the lake cycles like any other fishery, the down periods tend to be really short. The lake is full of fish, it’s big (the largest lake entirely within Texas), it’s beautiful and every day there’s a chance at a double-digit fish.
Another thing that makes Rayburn so exciting to fish is its dynamic nature. Whether the water’s up in the pine trees or down like it is now, you can catch lots of fish. Depending on the year, you might find varying levels of hydrilla, milfoil or lily pads.
I know a lot of you will be making the pilgrimage between February and July this year. I also know the lake can be intimidating, but you can simplify your approach by making sure you have the five lures described below. I never leave the dock without them.
The first is a Carolina rig. The old ball and chain accounts for more big fish and tournament wins early in the season than just about anything else. It’ll work every month of the year too. My favorite offering is a green pumpkin Strike King Game Hawg creature bait. That’s about as simple as it gets, but it tempts lots of big fish. You can use it throughout the entire depth range. I focus on main lake points and inside grass lines.
My second choice is a swim jig, usually a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce Strike King Tour Grade model with a Caffeine Shad on the back. It’ll work in any sort of shoreline cover from hay grass to buck brush to hydrilla. I rely on it heavily from the prespawn through the spawn and the shad spawn too.
Next up is a squarebill crankbait. In my case that means a Tennessee Shad KVD 1.5. In the prespawn I’ll fish it in drains with stumps or hydrilla and then during the shad spawn I turn to main lake points and ridges with 5 or 6 feet of water on top. It allows me to cover water and produces lots of fish.
Number four is the Strike King 6XD. I’ve won a lot of money on that single bait on tour over the years, and I’m always surprised people don’t know how versatile it is. Even during the spawn, there are good groups of bass out in 13 to 18 feet of water. Tons of prespawn tournaments are won deep cranking, so if you think it’s limited to the summertime, you’re missing out.
Finally, don’t leave home without a vibrating jig. My favorite is a green pumpkin (or sometimes white) Strike King Tungsten Thunder Cricket. It’s another lure that works 12 months out of the year, and I particularly like to fish it around hydrilla and milfoil.
If you come with those tied on, and maybe a few of your personal favorites, you’ll have a head start on the fish of a lifetime. Don’t overcomplicate things.
One thing you should watch out for on Rayburn is boating safety. There are lots of hidden stumps and broken-off timber. Take your time, rely on your mapping and be careful. If you have any doubts about your ability to do so, hire a guide.
I’m getting back to my guiding roots more and more during breaks in the Elite Series schedule. I take particular pride not only in teaching clients to become better anglers, but also in helping them understand how great this lake can be.
Check out my website at www.keithcombsoutdoors.com and shoot me a message if you have questions or if you’d like to set up a trip.
