Choke Canyon Reservoir near Three Rivers offers anglers an ideal fishing location, featuring steep rocky banks, flooded timber, brushy flats, submerged roadbeds, and points and humps with hydrilla plants and native aquatic vegetation.
Largemouth bass fishing is best during spring and fall. Use topwater baits like buzz baits and rattletraps early or late in the day or on cloudy days near weed beds for optimal success.
Largemouth Bass
Choke Canyon State Park is a trendy tourist destination and a top choice among residents and tourists. Not only does the park host an array of fish and wildlife, but it also provides numerous outdoor recreational activities like boating, fishing, camping, and swimming – something not many parks in Utah offer! Though relatively newer in popularity, it has quickly become one of the must-visit spots for anglers and nature enthusiasts.
Largemouth bass fishing on the reservoir has been fair to good this week. There are scattered schools of fish offshore that anglers using forward-facing sonar can target with small, weightless, soft plastic jerk baits fished fast across the surface; small spinnerbaits or hula skirts with lots of action on their tail are another effective strategy in shallow waters for larger fish.
As summer heat slows fishing down, bass can still be caught if you are patient enough to wait for a bite. Topwater baits like buzz baits, Zara Spooks, and Pop-Rs presented early or late in the day near weed beds or on cloudy days have proven highly successful for targeting thick covers such as dead huisache and mesquite brush that fray lighter lines quickly. On deeper sides of lakes where deep waters exist or close to dropoffs, crankbaits, Texas-rigged worms, or Carolina-rigged plastics may work for targeting thick cover as well.
Scattered reports of crappie being caught, though their bite is slow. Targeting brush tops and cover in deeper water should produce results for those able to weather the heat. Breams are fair when using minnows or jigs around piers and structures, while flathead, sand, blue catfish, alligator gar, and flathead catfish have all been caught using cheese baits in 5-10 feet of water.
Red Drum
Red Drum fishing has started heating up, with anglers anticipating abundant catches throughout summer. Red Drum is often found near inlets or challenging bottom areas on both shorelines. Carolina rigs baited with fresh cut bait or live mud minnows are most successful; artificial lures such as Berkley Gulp three or four-inch Shrimp in colors Sugar Spice Glow or Sangria attached to 1/8oz or 1/4oz jig heads can also prove successful.
Fishing for schooling fish during low light periods of the day is optimal, although caution must be exercised as these species tire out quickly and require many lines. Therefore, using a medium/heavy rod paired with a reel that offers a twenty or thirty-pound test line should provide the best results.
Choke Canyon Reservoir features various habitat types, such as steep rocky banks, flooded timber areas, shallow brushy flats, and creek channels. Choke Canyon Reservoir also boasts abundant aquatic vegetation, including submerged humps and roadbeds containing native grasses, cattails, and hydrilla providing gamefish cover throughout its 26,000 acres of water.
Anglers frequently pursue channel, blue, and flathead catfish at Choke Canyon Reservoir. The reservoir’s flooded terrestrial vegetation is an ideal catfish habitat; experienced flathead anglers focus on creek channels or the main Frio River channel for flathead fishing. Trot and juglines have proven remarkably successful at reeling fish for anglers here.
Bass fishing at Choke Canyon can be difficult during the sweltering summer months, yet many anglers find success by targeting rocky shorelines, submerged roadbeds, flooded brush in deeper portions of the reservoir, spinnerbaits/buzzbaits/rattletraps along riprap banks near weedbeds or using spinnerbaits/buzzbaits along riprap banks; during fall/winter/spring when temperatures cool off more anglers often prefer Carolina-rigged plastic worms over traditional tactics/jigs/Carolina-rigged plastic worms for success.
The reservoir’s most prized trophy fish include hybrid striped bass and catfish. An abundance of both species allows anglers of all skill levels to experience the thrill and challenge of hunting these prized gamefish.
Catfish
The Choke Canyon Reservoir provides Corpus Christi with drinking water and recreational fishing opportunities for bass, crappie, catfish, and alligator gar. Situated near Calliham in Corpus Christi’s western sector, the reservoir was created at the confluence of three rivers (Frio, Atascosa, and Nueces). Furthermore, its shoreline boasts wildlife, including birds and overnight camping spots.
Choke Canyon offers excellent opportunities for largemouth bass fishing in spring, fall, and winter. Popular baits include spinnerbaits, buzz baits, rattletraps, and unweighted soft plastic worms presented around weed beds or shallow brush cover. In summer, however, bass tends to become finicky and require much more strenuous effort to catch them; topwater lures such as Zara Spooks Pop-R and buzz baits cast early morning or late afternoon near weed beds will produce results; flipping jigs or unweighted soft plastic grubs will also have good numbers of bass.
Striper action has been reported from the mouth of the reservoir to California Bay in the mornings, from Ratl Traps or Pointer 128/158 minnow plugs when grebes are hovering near schools of shad. Crappies are being caught using drop shot and crankbait off points in deeper waters; for catfish action, use standard baits such as worms, shrimp, cut mackerel, or prepared stink baits in night bay fishing sessions.
Choke Canyon State Park allows visitors to observe the sun rise over South Texas flatlands while listening to the wind blow through trees as wildlife wanders nearby. Outdoor recreational activities available here include hiking, bird watching, and geocaching – plus, you’ll find scenic overlooks and nature center facilities, as well as trails leading directly to 75 Acre Lake that offer stunning vistas!
Crappie
Choke Canyon provides year-round crappie fishing opportunities, with peak catches in spring, fall, and winter. The reservoir boasts plenty of structures, such as rocky shorelines, submerged roadbeds, brush piles, and flooded creek channels, to offer anglers some options when searching for their prey. Many gamefish species such as bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish gar, and freshwater drum lie in its deeps and shallows.
Anglers pursuing spring fishing trips usually focus on targeting spawning areas of flood control reservoirs from late March through early May; however, this season can vary according to water temperatures and conditions. On these reservoirs, look for beds made up of gravel or wood covering that are protected from wind and waves as spawning beds – they usually make for an ideal habitat when coupled with small jigs and minnows fished under bobbers work well in these conditions when water temperatures surpass 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
As water temperatures drop in fall, crappie move shallower depths to feed and prepare for winter. Fishing bridges and ledges along the main river channel are one effective method for targeting these fish; Sinclair particularly likes targeting points that slope into the river channel as “S-turns.” These ledges usually feature vegetation covering them, making it easy for crappie to find and attack bait in this environment.
Even during colder weather conditions, anglers can still catch crappie by searching deeper water for shad or other baitfish species such as shrimp. Jigs, spinners, and crankbaits will be practical tools in making this catch.
Choke Canyon Reservoir‘s diverse habitat and abundant fish population make it a favorite fishing spot among anglers of all ages and abilities. Home to largemouth bass spotted bass, crappie, catfish, trout, and bream as well as other panfish and gamefish species such as other panfishes and gamefishes as well as other panfish and gamefish species; accessible via several public access sites as well as private marinas and campgrounds with 130 miles of shoreline providing ample fishing opportunities for all kinds of fishermen types alike!
