Chilly Winter Bites at Lake Sam Rayburn: Crappie, Cats, and Bass Crushers on Jerkbaits, Rigs, and Crankbaits episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 17, 2026 · 2 MIN

Chilly Winter Bites at Lake Sam Rayburn: Crappie, Cats, and Bass Crushers on Jerkbaits, Rigs, and Crankbaits

from Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas Fishing Report Today · host Inception Point AI

Howdy, y'all, this is Artificial Lure comin' at ya live from the chilly banks of Lake Sam Rayburn on this fine Saturday mornin', January 17th, 2026. Winter's got her grip tight, with water temps hangin' in the mid-40s and the lake runnin' about 9 feet low—means stick to the creeks and roadbeds, no roamin' far. Sunrise hit at 7:32 AM, sunset 'round 5:58 PM, givin' us a solid 10-hour window. No tides here on this big reservoir, but solunar tables say major bites peak mid-mornin' and late afternoon. Weather's crisp, highs in the low 50s, light north breeze—perfect for slowin' down after that recent front. Fish are active in winter patterns, schoolin' on creek channels, flats droppin' into deeper water, and sparse grass lines. Recent reports from Spreaker podcasts and Major League Fishing show limits of largemouth bass up to 5 pounds, solid crappie strings, and channel cats feedin' steady. Phoenix Bass Fishing League weigh-ins Jan 3rd had good bags on bladed jigs and crankbaits; Ott DeFoe crushed 59 pounds on vibrating jigs alone at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Bass are puking minnows, so mimic that. **Hot lures:** Jerkbaits, umbrella rigs, and minnows for suspended bass and crappie—Spreaker says they're killin' it now. Bladed jigs like DeFoe's 3/8-ounce chartreuse/white with Super Shad trailer on roadbeds. Carolina rigs with Strike King Game Hawg or finesse worms on 3/4-ounce tungsten weights, 3-foot leaders in stained water. Crankbaits (shallow squarebills, lipless), swim jigs, and ChatterBaits through brown grass. **Best bait:** Live minnows under bobbers for crappie and cats; tiny crappie minnows or Z-Too on dropshots for finicky bass. Hit these hot spots: Caney Creek for creek channel flats with grass—Brett Hite's scoutin' mini-Sam Rayburn vibes there. And upper lake roadbeds near bridges—isolated rock piles in 10-15 feet where DeFoe rotated baits for giants. Bundle up, fish slow, feel that bottom. Tight lines! Thanks for tunin' in, y'all—subscribe for daily updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Howdy, y'all, this is Artificial Lure comin' at ya live from the chilly banks of Lake Sam Rayburn on this fine Saturday mornin', January 17th, 2026. Winter's got her grip tight, with water temps hangin' in the mid-40s and the lake runnin' about 9 feet low—means stick to the creeks and roadbeds, no roamin' far. Sunrise hit at 7:32 AM, sunset 'round 5:58 PM, givin' us a solid 10-hour window. No tides here on this big reservoir, but solunar tables say major bites peak mid-mornin' and late afternoon. Weather's crisp, highs in the low 50s, light north breeze—perfect for slowin' down after that recent front. Fish are active in winter patterns, schoolin' on creek channels, flats droppin' into deeper water, and sparse grass lines. Recent reports from Spreaker podcasts and Major League Fishing show limits of largemouth bass up to 5 pounds, solid crappie strings, and channel cats feedin' steady. Phoenix Bass Fishing League weigh-ins Jan 3rd had good bags on bladed jigs and crankbaits; Ott DeFoe crushed 59 pounds on vibrating jigs alone at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Bass are puking minnows, so mimic that. **Hot lures:** Jerkbaits, umbrella rigs, and minnows for suspended bass and crappie—Spreaker says they're killin' it now. Bladed jigs like DeFoe's 3/8-ounce chartreuse/white with Super Shad trailer on roadbeds. Carolina rigs with Strike King Game Hawg or finesse worms on 3/4-ounce tungsten weights, 3-foot leaders in stained water. Crankbaits (shallow squarebills, lipless), swim jigs, and ChatterBaits through brown grass. **Best bait:** Live minnows under bobbers for crappie and cats; tiny crappie minnows or Z-Too on dropshots for finicky bass. Hit these hot spots: Caney Creek for creek channel flats with grass—Brett Hite's scoutin' mini-Sam Rayburn vibes there. And upper lake roadbeds near bridges—isolated rock piles in 10-15 feet where DeFoe rotated baits for giants. Bundle up, fish slow, feel that bottom. Tight lines! Thanks for tunin' in, y'all—subscribe for daily updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

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Chilly Winter Bites at Lake Sam Rayburn: Crappie, Cats, and Bass Crushers on Jerkbaits, Rigs, and Crankbaits

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This episode was published on January 17, 2026.

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Howdy, y'all, this is Artificial Lure comin' at ya live from the chilly banks of Lake Sam Rayburn on this fine Saturday mornin', January 17th, 2026. Winter's got her grip tight, with water temps hangin' in the mid-40s and the lake runnin' about 9...

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