Lake Livingston in Feb

[SP]

I have some time off coming, and the Wife and I decided to go camping for Valentines Day and spend some quality time together instead of buying each other more ****.

We are going to be staying in a screen shelter on (lower) Lake Livingston at the State Park. We will be right on the water and plan to bring our Kayaks and do some bank fishing at camp.http://www.2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/images/icons/texasflag4.gif

What can we expect to catch (catfish is a given)?

Will there be any white bass or stripers in the lower part of the lake?

Are there good opportunities to catch Carp & Buffalo (ultralight gear for the fight)?

Suggestions for good bait, Lure colors, patterns for mid-February? (any fish)


Thanks...Any and all help is greatly appreciated!http://www.2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/images/icons/cheers.gif

SP

[StevePage]

if you have a map of the lake and a GPS you can find the river channels and tear up the striped bass and possibly crappie. The lake is full of catfish as everyone knows. You should have no problem having a good fishing trip there, don't fish too shallow or you will catch more turtles than you can replace hooks.

[fishy]

i would look in the creeks by the state park and fish for crappie.

[SP]

Thanks. I plan to put out a throw line and set out some lines for carp & Catfish at night(for something to do). Also will be kayaking for some bass & crappie, and if I am lucky some white bass & stripers. Any extra help between now and Feb 15 would be great!

[StevePage]

oh, and watch for gators in the creeks and mouths of the rivers if your in your Yak

[shadslinger]

I fish Livingston all of the time, and fish for cats, whites, and stripes. I launch at the state park and fish the lower end of the lake, from Pine Island south to the dam.
lately I've been catching blue catfish up to 20" on rod and reel fishing with crushed minnows ( shad are hard to find right now ) in about 35 to 40' of water, on the slope of the river channel.
Last Sunday I had my best day in a quite a while catching 15 nice blues from noon to 4:30, and missing a couple of big ones that bent out the light crappie hooks I have been using.
I use them so I can bend them out and get my rig back after hanging on a log. I fish 4 rods with 3/8 once sinkers and a double drop leader on each rod. Tie the leaders about 10 to 15" apart and have the sinker on the end. I use light wire 4/0 crappie gold hooks that big blues often bend into a tight circle when crushing down on the bait.
Big blues sometimes "freight train" the bait, like they back up 30 yards and then swim full steam and hit the bait.
They are usualy hooked on impact and will put a bow in your rod and fight like champs all the way to the boat. when big ones , 15lbs and more, get to the boat they swim under it and roll up on your line. Then they filp over fast and try to cut you off with their ventral fins or dorsal fin. keep the pressure on at that time and bring them to the top, or they will dog you for sure.
I don't usualy catch many whites this time of year, most have moved up river and staged at the creeks and are ready to spawn soon. Some are already at the first shoals of the creek waiting for the next big rise to take them futher up stream. I hear that some folks catch stripers this time of year, I don't usualy fish for them on the south end untill April.
If you want to catch catfish from a yak, launch at the state park and paddle out just South of the jetty about 75 yards. you should be in 35' water. I like to cast out back toward the bulkhead as far as I can.
I don't why but I catch more when I cast as far from the boat and peel out line untill it hits bottom, than I do fishing strait down. Post a report and tell us how you did.

[SP]

Thanks for all the help! I'm leaving this weekend. Any additional advice would be great:)