It’s July again here on Big Sam, and that means it’s HOT for the fishermen but keep in mine that those Big Sam bass like the heat!! Texas Parks and Wildlife started stocking Florida bass into Rayburn years before putting them into Toledo Bend, these lakes are so close together but they fish so different.

July is going to be another shallow month for fishing, the grass comes and goes from Rayburn and this is another one of the years that it’s gone again. With that being said it’s time to pick up your PG-104 with braided 40lb with a Strike King Rage Shad and start covering all the pepper grass you can. It’s best to start off in the morning in area’s with the biggest patches of pepper grass. That means one day that you need to drive around the lake and find the best areas. The Veach Basin area has lots of the good pepper grass that you will be looking for. Also good to have your PG-144 with a light weigh TX rig worm ready to cast back if you get one of those bass that misses your frog.  Also with your PG-144 or PG-143 have a Pop-R, Chug-bug or buzz bait to work down the edge of the pepper grass. Most of the pepper grass is running from 2 to 6 feet of water. Don’t be afraid to fish the shallow water with your frog all day long, some of my biggest bass will come in the middle of the day in 2 to 3 feet of water. Even if it’s 100 degree, these are all Florida bass and they like it shallow. 

The other way to catch them is to pick up your PGC-70 with a Strike King XD Series 6, in shad or perch color and start fish on the main lake points from 12 to 20 feet of water. With no grass being out there these fish are going to stay on the move following the shad, so keep your eye on you Humminbird unit to look for the shad. Your PT04.5 with Carolina rigged big worm or brush hog will work good also in these same areas.

With the lake only down two feet at the beginning of the month, it’s setting up for great summer fishing!

Have a great time fishing Big Sam this month.

Stephen Johnston

Stephen Johnston

234 Beechwood Loop

Hemphill, Texas 75948

(409)579-4213; home

(409)670-5856; mobile

www.JohnstonFishing.com