Tyler — SLOW. Water stained; 51 degrees; 2.77 feet below pool. The fish must be on holiday as we reel in the new year. A few bass catches on crankbaits and trick worms. Bluegill are slow on red worms in deep water. Catfish are slow with few reports of catches. Crappie are slow in 25 feet of water on brush piles using minnows. Report by Paul Taylor, The Boulders at Lake Tyler.

Palestine — GOOD. Water normal stain; 55-58 degrees; 2.08 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are holding steady. Crappie fishing is excellent on minnows and jigs in standing timber and on the State Highway 155 bridge pillars in 20-35 feet of water. Largemouth bass are fair in 3-8 feet of water early morning on moving swimbaits. Then later in the day on points or structure in 8-15 feet of water. Sand bass and hybrids are great along the river channel in 25-35 feet of water drifting crankbaits, flukes or shad. Catfish are good in 15-25 feet of water with stink bait or cut bait. Baiting areas helps. Report by Sam Parker, Freshwater Fishing Adventures.

Caddo — GOOD. Water stained; 51 degrees; 0.32 feet above pool. Bass, white bass, yellow bass and crappie are more active after the rain paired with water temperatures in the low 50s. You will see balls of bait all up and down the river system, so target bass in cuts, turns and boat lanes entering into the river. Bass will set up outside the current to ambush the bait. Go with shad pattern baits like crankbaits, rattletraps, spoons or Alabama rigs and you should get a bite. As always it is a joy even if the bite is slow or great to come and visit this majestic lake that God spoke into existence. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.

Fork — GOOD. Water Stained; 50 degrees; 1.76 feet below pool. Recent rains have brought the lake up 6 inches but still close to 2 feet low. The shallow bite has moved out to 5-8 feet on 2.5 squarebill crankbaits and rattletraps close to change of depth spots. Carolina rigs working with smaller baits in 12-15 feet on humps and points. Alabama rigs are good on long points closer to the end in 15-18 feet of water. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Winter has arrived and the fish are in their cold weather patterns. Black bass are moving to flooded tree tops in 30 plus feet of water. Cast clousers, ned rigs, and large worm patterns with sinking lines. Some bass are in the shallow brush late in the day on sunny banks, try streamers in 18 inches of water. Crappie are moving out to the open water in 30 plus feet of water casting small jig patterns with full sinking lines. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing is in full winter mode this week. Find timber and shad in water deeper than 30 feet and the crappie will be thick. Tons of black crappie grouped up on the taller trees above the shad. Seems like the bigger white crappie have been solo fish a little deeper on timber. Follow main lake creek channels and ledges. Anything you put in front of them will work this time of year as they are feeding heavily. Hand tied jigs, minnows and soft plastics are all getting the job done. Catfishing is just as hot as it always seems to be. Huge numbers of eater sized catfish will stack up right now in 20-30 feet when you bait a hole. We choose areas that have baitfish and drop some sour grain or cattle cubes to bring in and hold fish. Then just use any preferred catfish bait to load the boat and in a hurry this time of year. We commonly see 25 fish per hour or more with two people fishing. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

Lake O’ the Pines — GOOD. Water stained; 50 degrees; 1.04 feet above pool. Crappie are good using livescope north of Watt’s Island, or drifting the mouth of Hurricane Creek with minnows or jigs. Catfish are good jug lines with cut bait in 20-35 feet of water. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O’ the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are good in 18-22 feet of water on points using dropshots, jigging spoons, Alabama rigs, or red rattletraps. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine. Reeling the new year with consistent fishing patterns. Crappie are good throughout the lake in 16-22 feet of water vertically jigging jigs or minnows. Bass are fair in 8-19 feet of water dropshots, jigs and Texas jigs. Report by Kacey Tilley, Fish Perfect Guides & Outfitters.

Athens — GOOD. Water normal stain; 50-54 degrees; 1.05 feet below pool. Reeling in the new year with beautiful fishing weather this weekend. Bass continue to school in deep water biting Alabama rigs. A few can be caught shallow or scattered on tree tops in 20 feet of water with worms and jigs. Crappie are good in the brush piles in 20-30 feet of water with jigs and minnows. Report by Jim Brack, Athens Guide Service.

Hawkins — SLOW. Water slightly stained. 50 degrees. Reeling in the new year with consistent fishing patterns. Chain pickerel will be feeding around brush and grass. Black bass will feed shallowly during warm periods. Try small baitfish imitations with barbless hooks along calm sunny banks. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Jacksonville — GOOD. Water slightly stained; 56 degrees; 1.64 feet below pool. Bass are good fishing with dropshots, crankbaits, and swimbaits in 8-12 feet of water on brush.