Artificial Lure reporting from the lunker capital—Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas—this Friday, August 15th. Sunrise slapped the water at 6:41 AM, sunset will be about 8:07 PM, so you got plenty of daylight to wet a line. The weather’s sticky and typical for August: temps running in the low 90s by midday, humidity high, but the mornings have been cool enough to make those first casts a little more comfortable. No meaningful tides here, but the water level is 6.57 feet below pool—stumps are showing, shorelines have grown, and water is stained from all that freshwater pumping in after recent rains. Be careful navigating those shallows; rocks and logs are everywhere according to Captain Lynn Atkinson at Reel Um N Guide Service.

Bass fishing has been a slow grind with Sam Rayburn’s water releases moving fish back to deeper structure. Early hours show some topwater action, but most of the bite is shifting to points, humps, and offshore drops. Carolina rigs and big baits are king when you target fish holding deep—especially along creek channel swings and around offshore brush piles. Texas rigged worms and deep-diving crankbaits in plum or watermelon red are catching a few heavy ones, some exceeding eight pounds this week if you’re persistent and don’t mind working for it. On calm mornings, shad have been pressing up to the surface, giving brief windows for fast action with spoons, small topwaters like the Pop-R, and shallow crankbaits. Get out early; bite shuts down fast once the sun clears those pines.

Bluegill are thick on brush piles, with kids reeling in hand-sized fish throughout the morning. Crappie bite is fair at best, but the keepers are hiding in brush piles on secondary points—try white and chartreuse crappie jigs for the best returns. The bigger slabs are sticking to the standing timber, but with activity tough, patience is required.

Catfish reports are good, especially in creek channels and just off points. Live shiners are best for rod-and-reel folks, but drifting cut bait after sundown has put plenty of channel cats in the cooler. Most are eater size with an occasional chunky blue.

Recent catches show bass numbers are down but quality is up. Local guides are telling me “when you catch ‘em, they’re good ones,” with a scattered few in the 8-pound class over the last week. Crappie are scattered, not loading the boat, but bluegill are hot for action and catfish are biting steady.

If you’re after locations, start at the *Black Forest area*. Several guides report consistent deep bites here around the submerged timber. Buck Bay is another top spot—early topwater along the grass lines out front, then move deeper as the sun climbs. If you’re chasing crappie or bluegill, try the brush piles just northwest of Caney Creek. Big bass hunters are making runs to Harvey Creek, working the channel swings with Carolina rigs and big worms.

Best lures this week are:
- Deep-diving crankbaits (medium plum, watermelon red)
- Texas-rigged worms of all colors, especially when worked slow on points and humps
- Carolina rigs paired with big creature baits
- Pop-R, Yellow Magic, Spooks for that early topwater window
- White and chartreuse jigs for crappie

Live shiners and cut bait rule for catfish—no need to overthink it.

With water low and stumps high, boaters, please go slow, watch those unmarked hazards, and keep safety front and center. Where fishing’s been tough, the locals say—“work deep and good things’ll come.”

Thanks for tuning in to this fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe and stay sharp for next week’s conditions and hot spots.

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