Striped Bass & Hybrid Striper Fishing In Texas

The right lakes, the right baits and the right tactics

By AA-Fishing Staff Writers

The purpose of this page is to share basic information about striped bass and hybrid striper fishing, and identify popular lakes in the state.

Texas offers thrilling opportunities for striped bass fishing, attracting anglers from near and far. The state is renowned for its abundance of both purebred striped bass and hybrid stripers. Striped bass can be found in several major lakes, including Lake Texoma, Possum Kingdom Lake, and Lake Buchanan. These lakes provide the ideal habitat for these powerful fish, with their deep, clear waters and ample forage.

Striper Fishing Video

Learn the basics for catching striped bass.

Lake Texoma, situated on the Texas-Oklahoma border, is particularly famous for its striped bass fishing. It boasts one of the most robust populations of striped bass in the country. Anglers flock to this reservoir to target these hard-fighting fish, with some specimens reaching impressive sizes. Lake Texoma has consistently produced remarkable catches and is often recognized as a premier striped bass destination.

Hybrid stripers, a crossbreed between striped bass and white bass, are another exciting target for anglers in Texas. These hybrids exhibit a combination of the fighting prowess of striped bass and the willingness to bite of white bass. Lakes such as Lake Livingston and Lake Lewisville are known for their thriving hybrid striper populations. These fish provide an exhilarating angling experience, putting up a strong fight and often exceeding the size of their parent species.

Texas boasts impressive state records for striped bass and hybrid stripers. The current state record for striped bass stands at over 50 pounds, caught in Lake Texoma. Similarly, the state record for hybrid striper weighs in at over 27 pounds, caught in Lake Lewisville. These records serve as a testament to the incredible fishing opportunities available in Texas and the potential for landing trophy-sized specimens.

For anglers seeking the thrill of battling powerful fish and the chance to make a mark in the record books, Texas striped bass and hybrid striper fishing present an exciting challenge. With the state's numerous lakes and reservoirs supporting healthy populations of these fish, anglers can experience the thrill of hooking into hard-fighting stripers and hybrids while enjoying the beautiful surroundings that Texas has to offer.

Striped Bass Lakes

Texas anglers are fortunate to have a host of striper fishing lakes across the state. The major lakes in Texas with healthy populations of stripers include Amistad Reservoir, Belton Lake, Braunig Lake, Canyon Lake, Cedar Creek Reservoir, Cooper Lake, Lake Athens, Lake E.V. Spence, Hubbard Creek Reservoir, Lake Bridgeport, Lake Brownwood, Lake Buchanan, Lake Conroe, Lake Granbury, Lake Kemp, Lake Lewisville, Lake Livingston, Lake Lyndon B Johnson, Lake Palestine, Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Somerville, Lake Tawakoni, Lake Texoma, Lake Travis, Lake Walter E. Long, Lake Whitney, Lavon Lake, Medina Lake, Pat Mayse Lake, Possom Kingdom Lake, Proctor Lake, Red Bluff Reservoir, Richland Chambers Reservoir, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Toledo Bend and Wright Patman Lake.

While stripers are native to salt water, they naturally migrate into fresh water streams to spawn. Their eggs must remain in motion in order to hatch so the fresh water rivers and streams become the ideal spawning grounds for stripers. Landlocked stripers then populate the lakes.

Click the images and links above for species details.

The Brazos River yielded the state record striped bass.

Ray Hubbard yielded the state record hybrid striped bass.

Fishing for Stripers in Texas

When fishing for stripers concentrate on the deeper waters in the lake. If you can locate schools of shad, stripers are often close by. When the baitfish are shallow over the deep water, you can catch stripers on crankbaits or by swimming spoons at appropriate depths. Check Texas fishing reports for current striper information. And for the ultimate thrill try large topwater baits if you see any surface feeding action. When the stripers are deep, jigs and jigging spoons work well. Live and cut bait will also take striped bass when they are in medium to deeper water. Fish nearby or in the river channel if it is a defined depth change. Trolling is also an excellent way to fish for stripers. Use flashy lures in bigger sizes.

Striped bass fishing information, by state.