Tyler — SLOW. Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.15 feet above pool. Fishing should be good for the next few weeks as fish begin to spawn. Catfish are very slow off the barge in 16 feet of water using liver. Crappie are fair to good scattered in 4-10 feet of water in the creek beds with minnows and jigs. Bluegill are very slow with a few catches on red worms. Bass are slow using crankbaits, and black trick worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits starting in 6 feet of water moving deeper. Report by Paul Taylor, The Boulders at Lake Tyler.

Palestine — GOOD. Water normal stain; 58 degrees; 0.30 feet above pool. The back of coves and pockets heat up faster and are more active. Crappie are now spawning with most fish 1-12 feet. Males are pushed up and females right behind them. Bite is good on jigs and minnows. Largemouth bass are in 2-10 feet of water spawning still. Traditional plastics in crawfish and creature baits work best. Sand bass are still pushing up the river and creeks to spawn as well. Bite is good on small bladed jigs. Report by Sam Parker, Freshwater Fishing Adventures. The warming trend this week should change the temperature by 5-8 degrees by the weekend, improving the bite and bringing the spawners shallower. Blue catfish were still the winner for bait fishing in the lake and channels in the Neches River and other creeks. Live minnows and cut perch were best for rod and reelers in the lake, shrimp was better in the still-muddy water creeks. For white bass and channel catfish do not forget the free fishing area where Texas State Highway 31 crosses the Neches River, the Chandler River Park, there is about a mile of river bank that can be walked and fished legally.. The Lake Palestine special catfish rules apply in the park. Report by Jim Beggerly, Jim’s Fishing.

Fork — GOOD. Water Stained; 58 degrees; 0.21 feet below pool. Bass are hitting the shallows pretty good biting chatterbaits and spinnerbaits. Strike King Ochos are good weightless in shallow water. Best overall depth has been 1-3 feet. Texas rigs with creature baits and Mini Viper XP jigs good around grass and wood in 3-5 feet of water. Water temps range from 56-60 .Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Be weather-aware! A warming trend predicted for this week will send black bass heading to the shallow waters. Streamers are working in 1-8 feet depending on the water temperature. Clousers should produce good results around structure. Crappie will be moving towards the banks, small patterns like wooly buggers are a good bet. Bream will also move to warmer water, a wooly bugger would be a good choice. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. The crappie on Lake Fork are spread out all over the different depths on the lake right now. You can still catch some fish out deep in 50 plus feet of water, you can catch fish up in 2 feet of water and all the depth in between. Not seeing huge numbers of fish concentrated in any specific depth yet as these fish are moving towards spawning areas. We have been seeing bigger fish this past week being caught like we normally do in the springtime. The bite should get hotter and hotter in less than 20 feet deep areas as water temperature rise over the next few weeks. With tons of rain the last few weeks the water is stained in most areas and muddy way up north close to the runoff and feeder creek areas. Chartreuse hand ties are working well for fish deeper than 25 feet right now and black and chartreuse soft plastics are working well on shallower fish where the water is more stained. Minnows will still work as well. The catfish bite is really good around roosting trees on the north ends of the lake. Timber in 13-18 feet is best and look for the birds in that timber at first light. Bait around the trees with cattle cubes or sour grain to really concentrate those channel cats well. Then any prepared catfish bait will load the boat. The bite has been light and most fish just swim away with the bait. We are watching lines very closely to see when fish have the bait. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

Lake O’ the Pines — GOOD. Water stained; 58 degrees; 1.37 feet above pool. Crappie are good in 15-20 feet of water with some fish pushing shallow biting minnows or jigs. Catfish are good in 20 feet of water on baited holes with cheese bait. Sand bass are good, in the creeks and main river channel with slabs of spinnerbaits. Report by Marty Thomas, Lake O’ the Pines Crappie Fishing. Bass are good in shallow water with some starting to set up on beds biting lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Texas rigged lizards and chatterbaits. Most bass are in 10 feet or less. Expect fish to be spawning in the full moon this weekend. Report by Mike Stroman, R & R Marine. Crappie are good in 18-25 feet on creek channel swings and standing timber on jigs and minnows. Bass are good in 20-25 feet on jigs, Carolina rigs, Alabama rigs and Texas rigs. Report by Kacey Tilley, Fish Perfect Guides & Outfitters.

Caddo — FAIR. Water stained; 61 degrees; 1.59 feet above pool. We have had a warmer February than normal and some female bass have moved up and around trees. Target these fish in 3 feet of water with a wacky worm, fluke or chatterbait. Should still be a huge wave waiting in the pad stems and around the grass waiting for the full moon in March to move up, so use search baits like rattletraps, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits or even swim jigs. Just cover water and you should find bass. Get ready because this is an amazing time to come and experience a lake that God spoke into existence and catch a fish of a lifetime. Report provided by Vince Richards, Caddo Lake Fishing & Fellowship.

Athens — FAIR. Water slightly stained; 50-55 degrees; 0.49 feet above pool. The water is clear in the main lake and slightly stained in the creeks. Bass are good using red rattletraps around grass flats 6-12 feet, jerk baits on windy points, and shaky-head worms on deep grass are all catching quality fish. Expect the fishing to continue to improve with the longer days and warmer weather. Crappie are slow. They continue to be finicky. They are starting to make moves to the shallows and are difficult to pattern. Brush piles are still kicking out a few limits with a lot of work. Report by Jim Brack, Athens Guide Service.

Hawkins — SLOW. Water slightly stained. 50 degrees. Chain pickerel are shallow in the lily pads and around brush and grass. Black bass will feed in shallow water on warm banks and creeks. Try small baitfish imitations with barbless hooks. Fish calm sunny banks. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service.

Jacksonville — SLOW. Water slightly stained; 55 degrees; 0.18 feet above pool. Lake is clearing up some, water Temps are 54-56 degrees. Fish are biting on crankbaits and vibrating jigs shallow, some on dock with soft plastics

— Hicks can be reached at phicks@tylerpaper.com