Sam Rayburn Fishing Report: Muddy North, Clear South, Prespawn Bite Heats Up

Howdy folks, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Sam Rayburn fishing report for November 11th, 2025—straight from the Big Sam, with the real scoop from the water. The lake's seen a wild swing lately. That persistent rain’s raised water levels, and the result is the north end is just about chocolate milk—blown-out mud and near unfishable for most. Word is, according to Major League Fishing, "There’s more dirty water than I have ever seen in my life," said Cody Ross, and most pros agree—if you want a fighting chance today, head south or stay mid-lake where you’ll find clearer water and more predictable action. The bottom end and main-lake grass are producing. The hydrilla’s now 10-12 feet deep, which is new for the lake and drawing a fresh mix of fish onto it. Fish are moving shallow, following rising water—a classic Sam Rayburn pattern after big rains. The weather this morning is a balmy, damp one, with soft clouds sticking around and light south winds making for comfortable casting but stirring up just enough chop mid-lake to make those fish a little less wary. Water temps are right around 60 degrees and climbing, which has kicked up the prespawn bite big-time. Expect a high today in the upper 60s with sparse sun poking through. Sunrise hit at 6:45 AM, and sunset will land about 5:25 PM. No meaningful tide action here, just lake level, which is on the rise and pushing fish shallow into grassy flats and wind-protected pockets. Recent catches have been solid, especially out of protected southern coves and mid-lake grasslines. The Toyota Series opener saw massive weights: Brody Campbell brought home 70 pounds, 5 ounces over three days, including a near-28-pound limit the first two days. While big offshore timber produced for Brody during calmer weather, once things got rough he did best tucking into windbreak pockets loaded with shad, finding quantity and quality in random, protected corners. Talking numbers, expect plenty of 3- to 5-pound largemouth, with the always-possible kicker in those southern hydrilla patches. Anglers have also managed strong limits on rattletraps, ChatterBaits, and jerkbaits fished briskly around grass edges. Most pros agree that LiveScope can find plenty of fish deep or suspended, but the real quality is hugging the grass or tight to the bank. For best results, stick with: - **Lipless crankbaits** in red or chrome for covering main-lake grasslines. - **ChatterBaits** and spinnerbaits in shad or white when the wind is up. - **Soft jerkbaits** (like the Deps Sakamata Shad on a jighead) fished in deeper grass or around timber if you’re hunting that one big bite. - **Jigs and Texas rigs** in black/blue or green pumpkin for slower presentations along wood and isolated brush—especially in the clearer pockets. Minnows and live shad are catching a few, but the big bass are coming on reaction baits for the most part. The winning pattern this week is shallow grass and windblown bays south of the 147 bridge, and inside mi This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.