# Trinity river at Liberty report



## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

I went and fished the trinity river at Liberty today, I did not get there till 1pm. I went up stream about 8 miles I fished alot of spots on the way back to the bridge. I took 2 dz very large minnows, I think I hung a striper at one spot but it got off before I saw it. I did not see any shad till I got back to the bridge, small blue cats were chasing them, I caught 2, one was legal size and one was not. I hung a 3ft alligator gar it got off at the boat, I was glad I did not have to try and get my hook back. The shiners I was using were to large for the small blue cats, I got alot of bites but they could not get them in the mouths very well, or I would have caught more. It was getting late so I only went 1/2 mile below the bridge, the shad were every where, I found a deep hole and fished shiners on the bottom. I caught a nice orange flathead, I only put him in the ice chest so I could get my phone and get a picture, has anybody seen one that was orange, I let the flathead go and gave the blue to some fisherman at the bridge. I should have spent the day down stream of the bridge, it was still a nice day on the water, but it was really windy.


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## taff (Apr 17, 2008)

nice flathead! how is the boat launch there on hwy 90? I've been wondering about going down there, but I wasn't sure if it was even still usable.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Awesome job on releasing that baby flathead. I was going to hold my tongue if you kept it cause it ain't my business but the bigger the better on flatheads. Great job. I fish that area above the bridge from my kayak.I fished there about 2 weeks ago. I marked a bunch of fish around the metal pileons on the left hand side after the first bend. I slow rolled some jigs looking for crappie and caught a 2lb blue cat on the bottom. I gave that fish to some bank fishers and called it a day. I need to get back if the shad are now in full spawn.


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

taff said:


> nice flathead! how is the boat launch there on hwy 90? I've been wondering about going down there, but I wasn't sure if it was even still usable.


The boat launch is in good shape you can see in the picture, You have to back on to the sand but it is packed down pretty good. I had no problem pulling my boat out, If you go North of the bridge, you better go slow and try and find the deep water, the water is low. My jetdrive had no problem going thu the shallow water, I went thru water that white egrets were standing knee deep in and did not scape bottom.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

That little cat is diffidently orange. Glad you released it. It will be a lot more fun when it is twice that length.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

The river has to be super low. I live above the hwy90 bridge. My backyard is the city levee. The slough behind the levee is dried up. Kayak may be all that will get through some places.


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## RiverRat1962 (Mar 23, 2009)

The more you fish the river and the more experience you chalk up the better your fishing will be. It took me a few years before I got the hang of it. I use the Carolina rig and weedless hooks to prevent snags. I fish the timber on the bluff banks between the logs and the river channel. If you use the current and chum with the heads & guts of gizzard shad the blues will bite good on the bottom. The yellows and stripers go after the live bait. (large minnows and fresh threadfin shad)


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## tatchley (Feb 3, 2011)

I haven't fished that part of the Trinity in years. As for that flathead, I have NEVER seen an orange catfish....lol. Thanks for posting that pic!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

About a 3 weeks back a young man fishing with us caught one about 10lbs that was orange just like that one in your picture. I had never seen an orange one like until you posted this pic. Weird color!


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## jhen (Mar 25, 2011)

*Kinda weird looking cool tho glad you turned him loose*


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

FISHROADIE, did you fish the upper river a while back? I thought I saw a jet drive boat there at the hwy 19 ramp.


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

Those orange flat heads came from University of Texas fisheries and where placed in the river.


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## fishingman c (Jan 9, 2011)

nice fish, its about time a find a report on the lower trinity in liberty. you could've got a large bowfin or grinnel on those minnows


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I always feel like the lower Trinity is an untapped gold mine, it's just a little too far for me to go, but there must be some big stripers down there.
They should be making a move up towards the dam if we can get some rain!


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

great white fisherman said:


> Those orange flat heads came from University of Texas fisheries and where placed in the river.


They ate all of the maroon & white ones.


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

shadslinger said:


> FISHROADIE, did you fish the upper river a while back? I thought I saw a jet drive boat there at the hwy 19 ramp.


No SS I just got home 2 weeks ago and have been nursing a bad back. I saw a jet drive for sale on craiglist last week it sold fast. The lower Trinity can be like the lockndam hot as hell or cold as ice. I sure did see alot of gar, I cant understand why TPW would make the limit one a day they are every where on the river


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

The one a day are only for gator gar. Lots of longnose in the river too.


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