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PREDOMINANT FISH SPECIES

Largemouth bass
White bass
White crappie
Blue catfish
Channel catfish
Flathead catfish
Bluegill
Redear Sunfish
Alligator Gar


TIPS & TACTICS

Largemouth bass anglers are most successful on Choke Canyon during the spring, fall, and winter months. Popular spring baits include spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, rattletraps, crankbaits, and unweighted soft plastic worms or jerkbaits. Summer bass fishing on Choke Canyon can be frustrating for even the most experienced angler. Topwater baits such as buzzbaits, Zara Spooks, or Pop-R's, presented very early or very late in the day near weedbeds, are popular and can be productive throughout the day if cloud cover is present. Flipping jigs, plastic worms, or tube baits in heavy shaded cover are often productive when nothing else seems to work. Remenber to spool up with a minimum of 20 lb. line or heavier when fishing thick cover: dead huisache and mesquite brush fray lighter line quickly. As summer temperatures rise, some anglers concentrate on shaded areas in submerged vegetation while many experienced anglers go deep. Deep water bass fishing is best using crankbaits , Texas-rigged worms, Carolina-rigged plastics, or jigging spoons. Brushy main-lake points, rocky shorelines, submerged roadbeds, and flooded brush near deep water or a dropoff are highly recommended targets for bass when temperatures reach 90°F or higher.

White bass congregate in the Frio River channel from December through February to gradually head upstream to spawn. Although live minnows are popular baits during this annual "run," many anglers catch their limit using small rattletraps, shad raps, small spinnerbaits, small grubs, and other minnow imitating artificial baits. As the weather warms, white bass will school in deeper water located near the northern shoreline of the main reservoir. Jigging spoons or small rattletraps trolled deep near main lake points and humps often put fish in the cooler when white bass are hard to find.

Catfish anglers can find channel, blue, and flathead catfish throughout the reservoir. Although many catfish anglers prefer deeper water, catfish are often found in relatively shallow areas (8 feet or less) of flooded terrestrial vegetation. Cheesebait and cutbait produce impressive stringers of blue catfish, while the larger flathead and blue catfish seem to prefer live bluegill and shad. Experienced flathead anglers concentrate on creek channels and the main Frio River channel. Trotlines and juglines account for many of the larger catfish caught every year at Choke Canyon. Alligator gar, although not present in large numbers, still provide great sport for the bow-fishing enthusiast.


FISHING COVER / STRUCTURE

Choke Canyon reservoir has varied types of habitat including steep rocky banks, flooded timber, shallow brushy flats, and creek channels. Water in the lower portion of the reservoir remains fairly clear throughout the year, while the upper portion of the Frio River channel is typically stained. Small coves and protected creek channels stay fairly clear throughout the year. In addition to the cover submerged timber and brush provide for gamefish species, stands of native aquatic vegetation and hydrilla provide excellent habitat in most areas of the reservoir. Structure in the lower portion of the reservoir consists of numerous islands, submerged humps and roadbeds, and long sloping points extending into deeper water. During periods of high water, flooded terrestrial vegetation provides excellent habitat for all game fish species.


AQUATIC VEGETATION

Isolated beds of water stargrass, American pondweed, coontail, cattail, rushes, moderate densities of hydrilla.


FISHING REGULATIONS

All species are currently managed under statewide regulations:
Texas Parks and Wildlife Freshwater Bag and Length Limits

LAKE RECORDS

CURRENT FISHING REPORT

STOCKING HISTORY

LATEST LAKE SURVEY REPORT

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