Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Sam Rayburn report from right here in Deep East Texas.

We’re sitting in a classic Rayburn winter pattern: cool mornings, mild afternoons, light north breeze and high, bright skies. Dress for mid‑40s at daylight warming into the upper 50s to low 60s by mid‑day with a steady barometer and just enough chop to put a little life in the water. Sunrise is right around 7:20 a.m. with sunset close to 5:40 p.m., so you’ve got a tight window for that prime low‑light bite.

Tides don’t matter on Big Sam, but the moon does. FishingReminder’s solunar tables show major periods around first light and again late afternoon into dusk, with a decent minor window early afternoon. Plan to start on reaction baits at dawn, slow down mid‑day, then fire the moving stuff back up in the evening.

Major League Fishing’s Toyota Series stop on Rayburn this week proved the lake’s still got shoulders. Anglers were weighing big winter sacks with several fish in the 6–9 pound class. Most of those better bags came offshore in 20–35 feet, targeting brush, drains and hard spots with “minnow” style soft plastics on jigheads, umbrella rigs, and a mix of deep crankbaits and jigs. Lipless cranks and jerkbaits played in the shallower grass and timber.

Largemouth are in that in‑between mood: not everywhere, but when you find ‘em you can load the boat. Expect a grind with flurries – 8–15 keepers is realistic if you stay on bait. Crappie have been fair to good on deeper brush and bridge pylons; catfish slow but steady on cut bait and stinkbait on the river channel edges.

Best producers right now, based on that Toyota Series recap and what locals are throwing:
- **Offshore bass:** 5‑inch fluke‑style minnows like Z‑Man Jerk ShadZ or Deps Sakamata Shad on 3/16–3/8 oz heads, umbrella rigs dressed with 3–3.8" swimbaits, and 3/4 oz football jigs dragged through brush and along channel swings.
- **Mid‑depth/transition:** Strike King 6XD‑style deep crankbaits in shad or chartreuse patterns on hard spots and drains.
- **Shallow/grass edge:** Red or craw‑colored 3/4 oz lipless cranks and suspending jerkbaits in natural shad for those roaming fish in 6–10 feet.

If you’re after numbers, live shiners around timbered points and creek mouths will still get bit. For crappie, small tube jigs or minnows over 18–25 foot brush piles are your ticket.

Couple of Rayburn hot spots to consider:
- **Five Fingers:** Classic winter area with a mix of drains, scattered grass and timber. Start on the outside edges with a lipless and jerkbait at first light, then back off to the deeper breaks with a football jig or minnow‑style bait once the sun gets up.
- **Buck Bay:** Good winter staging water with brush and channel swings. Slow roll an umbrella rig over the tops or drag a jig through the isolated cover. When the wind hits just right, that bank can spit out a giant.

If you’re more into sneaking away from the crowd, look at the creek arms around Beef Creek or up around Ayish Bayou – same program, just less boat traffic.

That’s your Sam Rayburn rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss tomorrow’s report.

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Winter Bass and Crappie on Big Sam Rayburn