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Largemouth bass in Texas: where, when & how to catch them
Largemouth bass are the most popular freshwater fish in Texas, and almost every reservoir we cover has them. This guide covers how to tell them apart from other bass, where and when to look in Texas lakes, what to throw, the statewide rules and the gear that fits.
Also called black bass, bigmouth, green trout.
How to identify largemouth bass
- Usually green with dark blotches that form a definite horizontal stripe along each side; the belly is light green to almost white.
- The upper jaw extends well behind the back edge of the eye when the mouth is closed. This is the quickest way to separate a largemouth from spotted, Guadalupe or smallmouth bass, whose jaw doesn't reach past the eye.
- Spotted, Guadalupe and Alabama bass have rows of spots on the lower sides and belly and a more broken side stripe; smallmouth have vertical bars and a brownish-green color.
- Texas has two subspecies: the native largemouth and the Florida largemouth, which TPWD has introduced into many Texas lakes.
Sources: TPWD: Largemouth bass; TPWD: Bass identification.
Where to find largemouth bass in Texas
Largemouth relate to cover: logs and standing timber, rock ledges, vegetation, docks and other man-made structure. Adults are usually solitary ambush predators that feed mostly on other fish and crayfish. In Texas, spawning starts in spring when the water reaches about 60°F, which can be as early as February in South Texas or as late as May farther north. Males build nests in 2 to 8 feet of water.
Source: TPWD: Largemouth bass.
Lakes we cover where TPWD lists largemouth bass
These are lakes on Texas Lake Report where TPWD's lake page lists largemouth bass among the main species, with today's percent full. Each page has the current water level, boat ramps, weather and sun & moon times.
- Lake Alan Henry · 73.5%
- Amistad Reservoir · 46.5%
- Lake Athens · 96.9%
- Belton Lake · 96.9%
- Lake Bob Sandlin · 87.6%
- Bois d'Arc Lake · 87.9%
- Lake Buchanan · 95.8%
- Caddo Lake · 49.1%
- Canyon Lake · 97.0%
- Cedar Creek Reservoir · 73.0%
- Choke Canyon Reservoir · 20.9%
- Coleto Creek Reservoir · 74.7%
- Lake Conroe · 93.1%
- Falcon International Reservoir · 20.4%
- Lake Fork · 80.1%
- Grapevine Lake · 91.7%
- Lake Houston · 97.8%
- Jim Chapman Lake (Cooper Lake) · 65.4%
- Joe Pool Lake · 91.6%
- Lake LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson) · 97.8%
- Lavon Lake · 79.5%
- Lewisville Lake · 82.4%
- Lake Livingston · 92.2%
- Medina Lake · 28.2%
- Lake Meredith · 44.6%
- O.H. Ivie Reservoir · 41.1%
- Lake Palestine · 87.6%
- Possum Kingdom Lake · 90.0%
- Lake Ray Hubbard · 84.1%
- Ray Roberts Lake · 94.0%
- Richland-Chambers Reservoir · 89.9%
- Sam Rayburn Reservoir · 62.1%
- Lake Somerville · 88.8%
- Stillhouse Hollow Lake · 97.0%
- Lake Tawakoni · 89.9%
- Lake Texoma · 95.5%
- Toledo Bend Reservoir · 84.9%
- Lake Travis · 94.2%
- Lake Whitney · 91.2%
- Wright Patman Lake · 100.0%
Largemouth bass month by month
General Texas patterns. Timing shifts by a few weeks from north to south and from year to year, and fronts, rain, wind and water temperature move fish day to day.
| Month | What fish are typically doing |
|---|---|
| January | Coldest water. Many fish hold deeper on channel swings, bluff banks, brush and bridge pilings. Slow down: jigs, jigging spoons, suspending jerkbaits. Sunny afternoons often fish best. |
| February | Pre-spawn starts as water warms toward 60°F, earliest in South Texas. Fish stage on points and creek channels near spawning flats; big females are a real possibility. |
| March | Spawn on many lakes. Bass move shallow to bed in protected pockets and flats. Cold fronts can push fish back out for a few days. |
| April | Spawn in northern lakes, post-spawn farther south. Shad spawns at first light on riprap and grass lines can be strong. |
| May | Post-spawn transition toward summer spots on points, humps and ledges; early shad-spawn and topwater bites. |
| June | Offshore structure matters more on big lakes: ledges, humps, brush piles and creek-channel bends. Low light and nights produce. |
| July | Peak heat. Fish early, late or at night; deep structure, shade under docks and thick vegetation. |
| August | Like July. Falling water levels can move fish and change which ramps and coves are usable; check our level pages. |
| September | Water starts to cool late in the month; schooling activity and creek movement begin. |
| October (now) | Fall transition: shad move into creeks and coves and bass follow. Cover water with moving baits. Turnover can make deeper lakes inconsistent for a while. |
| November | Fish keep feeding in creeks and on secondary points as water cools; fronts concentrate them. |
| December | Early winter. Bass slow down and slide deeper; jigs, spoons and suspending jerkbaits. |
Proven baits and techniques
- Texas-rigged soft plastics: Worms, creature baits and craws around cover and on ledges. A big worm is a classic for Florida-strain fish.
- Jigs: Flipping and football jigs for wood, docks, rock and deep structure, year-round.
- Spinnerbaits and bladed jigs: Cover water around grass, wood and stained water, especially in spring and fall.
- Crankbaits: Squarebills shallow around wood and rock; deep divers on summer ledges; lipless baits over grass in spring and fall.
- Topwaters: Walking baits, poppers, buzzbaits and frogs in low light, during shad spawns and over grass.
- Jerkbaits: Suspending jerkbaits in cold, clear water from late fall through pre-spawn.
Texas largemouth bass limits (statewide)
| Daily bag | 5 in any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, Alabama, Guadalupe and spotted bass |
|---|---|
| Minimum length | 14 inches (largemouth and smallmouth) |
Many Texas lakes have their own bass rules (slot limits or different minimum lengths), and they override the statewide rule. TPWD is the authority, and limits can change. See our License & regulations guide for licenses, tags and how to check a specific lake.
Sources: TPWD: Freshwater bag and length limits; TPWD: Lake-specific exceptions.
Big bass: Toyota ShareLunker
TPWD's Toyota ShareLunker program recognizes any largemouth of at least 8 pounds or 24 inches entered during its January–December season, and asks anglers with bass of 13 pounds or more to consider donating them for spawning. For Texas state records, search TPWD's official fish records.
Sources: Toyota ShareLunker (TPWD); TPWD: Fish records.
Gear for largemouth bass
A 7'–7'1" medium-heavy, fast-action casting rod with a baitcaster in the 7:1 range handles Texas rigs, jigs, spinnerbaits and bladed jigs, which covers most Texas bass fishing. Add a moderate-action rod for crankbaits when you can.
Examples from our comparisons (specs and dated manufacturer prices are on the comparison pages):
- Shimano SLX A · Check current price on Amazon for the Shimano SLX A
- Daiwa Tatula SV TW 150 · Check current price on Amazon for the Daiwa Tatula SV TW 150
- Daiwa Tatula XT (casting) · Check current price on Amazon for the Daiwa Tatula XT (casting)
- St. Croix Bass X (casting) · Check current price on Amazon for the St. Croix Bass X (casting)
Some links are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See our affiliate disclosure.
Largemouth bass FAQ
What is the bass limit in Texas?
Statewide, the daily bag is 5 black bass in any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, Alabama, Guadalupe and spotted bass, and largemouth and smallmouth must be at least 14 inches. Many lakes have special bass limits that override the statewide rule, so check TPWD's lake-specific exceptions.
When do largemouth bass spawn in Texas?
TPWD says spawning starts in spring when the water reaches about 60°F, which can be as early as February or as late as May depending on where you are in the state.
How do I tell a largemouth from a spotted bass?
Close the fish's mouth: a largemouth's upper jaw extends well behind the back edge of the eye, and it has a definite side stripe. A spotted bass's jaw doesn't reach past the eye, and it has rows of spots on its lower sides.
More species: Crappie · Catfish (blue, channel & flathead) · White bass · Striped bass · Red drum (redfish) · Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) · Southern flounder · Black drum