It’s a fishing day

Sam Rayburn Reservoir fishing conditions · Texas

Now until 7 pmLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 82.

Log a trip here
Right now: 82 for largemouth bass, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 823 pm
  2. 82
  3. 82
  4. 826 pm
  5. 68
  6. 58
  7. 589 pm
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 58Sun
  11. 58
  12. 58
  13. 583 am
  14. 58
  15. 68
  16. 686 am
  17. 68
  18. 68
  19. 689 am
  20. 68
  21. 68
  22. 6812 pm
  23. 68
  24. 68
  25. 683 pm
  26. 68
  27. 68
  28. 586 pm
  29. 58
  30. 58
  31. 589 pm
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 58Mon
  35. 58
  36. 58
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
5 mph

From the northeast

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:23 pm

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
75°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Texas regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

82Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14" minimum, 5/day in any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, Alabama, Guadalupe and spotted bass. Some lakes have special limits: Lake Fork protects largemouth from 16 to 24", Conroe is 16", O.H. Ivie has no minimum but only 2 under 18".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

82Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 10" minimum, 25/day (white and black crappie in any combination). Lake Fork drops the minimum Dec 1–end of Feb, when every crappie caught must be kept; Lake Texoma is 10" and 37 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Nov–Apr, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

82Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

50 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum; 50 blue and channel catfish a day combined, no more than 5 of them 30" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Sam Rayburn

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

82Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Blue catfish bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–60 ft down.

Keep

50 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum; 50 blue and channel catfish a day combined, no more than 5 of them 30" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Sam Rayburn

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on blue catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

82Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Texas sets no statewide bag or length limit for fish not on its list, common carp included. Grass carp are a regulated exotic with special harvest requirements.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Texas

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.08 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:23 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:37 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:50 pm–4:50 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Texas Parks & Wildlife publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

Texas's largest reservoir entirely within the state — 114,000 acres in the East Texas pineywoods and a perennial top-tier tournament bass lake. Hydrilla and timber flats hold largemouth; crappie and catfish are outstanding.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Toledo Bend Reservoir23 mi · LouisianaBest now until 7 pm
82Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Sam Rayburn Reservoir?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Sam Rayburn Reservoir you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Sam Rayburn Reservoir?

Sam Rayburn Reservoir is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Sam Rayburn Reservoir?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Sam Rayburn Reservoir against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Sam Rayburn Reservoir have?

Sam Rayburn Reservoir has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Sam Rayburn Reservoir?

state agency regulations apply at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Sam Rayburn Reservoir tidal water?

No. Sam Rayburn Reservoir is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.