Autumn Bass Bonanza on Sam Rayburn - A Quiet Please Fishing Report

Artificial Lure here with your Lake Sam Rayburn fishing report for Monday, November 3, 2025. Folks, we’re kicking off November with crisp autumn mornings, eager bass, and not a deer hunter in sight on the water. We had a clear sunrise this morning at 6:38 AM, and you can expect the sun to sink tonight around 5:28 PM. The high for today hovers near 72°F, with light winds pushing in from the north, perfect for working topwater baits early. No big fronts blowing through, so conditions ought to stay steady—always a plus for consistent fish activity. For those wondering about tides, Sam Rayburn’s a reservoir, but solunar tables from SolunarForecast predict peak fish movement mid-morning and again just before sunset. Let’s talk about what’s biting. The past weekend saw a solid turnout of both locals and a few tournament pros slipping in to scout. Largemouth bass remain the headliner, with several quality fish reported in the 3–5 pound range, especially in the creek channels and outside grass lines. Big congrats to Chris Miller, who earlier this year pulled off a win at the St. Croix Open right here, weighing in some tanks and proving once again that Sam Rayburn’s still king for chunky largemouth. On the panfish side, the crappie bite is just starting to heat up in the brush piles and under the bridges, with slabs in the 1 to 1.5-pound range coming in over the rails. Catfish chasers have done well on cut shad and chicken liver, pulling in blues up to 20 pounds around river channel drops and main lake humps. White bass and the odd hybrid have shown up out deep—watch for schooling action near the mouth of the Angelina River. For lures, November here is all about covering water and matching the fall forage. According to tips from top anglers and recent video reports, the go-to presentations right now: - Squarebill crankbaits in shad patterns fished over submerged grass and creek mouths. - Chatterbaits and lipless crankbaits ripped through dying vegetation. - Big bladed spinnerbaits slow-rolled along windblown points. - If you’re finesse fishing, a shaky head with a green pumpkin worm or a Texas-rigged trick stick is catching those pressured bites. - Early morning and low-light hours, don’t sleep on topwater walking baits like the River2Sea Whopper Plopper, especially where shad are popping. Live minnows and jigs in chartreuse or monkey milk are taking crappie around deeper timber and bridge pilings. Channel catfish are still hitting best early or late on prepared dough baits and punch baits. As for hot spots, here’s where you want to spend your time: - The mouth of Buck Bay: Grass lines there are holding numbers of largemouth and the occasional kicker fish. - Veach Basin: Shad are thick, and schooling activity for both white bass and black bass has been consistent. - Black Forest and Alligator Creek: Great for crappie and catfish, especially around submerged structure. If you’ve got forward-facing sonar on your rig, now’s the time to use it to sta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.