Best Time to Catch Striped Bass on Lake Texoma

Updated November 3, 2026

Best time to catch striped bass on Lake Texoma: Spring and fall offer a mix of live-bait and lure opportunities, but stripers can be caught throughout the year. The right time for your trip depends on current conditions, the fishing method you enjoy and your comfort with the weather.

Use the seasons below to plan a trip, not as a fixed fishing calendar. Water temperature, wind, changing weather and the location of shad can change where fish are feeding and how to approach them.

Spring: Shallow-Water Opportunities and Live Bait

As the lake warms, watch rocky shorelines and nearby shallows for shad. Bucktail jigs and underspin jigheads are options when fish are feeding in those areas. Follow the bait rather than assuming every shoreline or a particular depth will produce.

Live bait is another spring option. If you want to cast artificial lures rather than fish bait, discuss that preference before choosing a date. The most productive approach can change during the season.

Summer: Early Starts and Deeper Presentations

Early and late outings can offer relief from summer heat. When fish move deeper, use electronics to locate bait and fish around humps, ledges and other structure rather than spending the day casting empty shallow water.

Live bait and vertically fished slab spoons are useful options. With a slab spoon, lower it to the depth of the fish and work it with controlled lifts and falls. A fish may strike during either part of the presentation, so maintain enough contact to notice a bite. See the slab spoon fishing guide for technique details.

Keep binoculars handy to spot distant surface-feeding fish. When smaller fish are schooling on top, check the sonar for larger fish holding below them before choosing the depth for a slab spoon or swimbait.

Fall: Watch for Shad, Birds and Surface Feeding

Cooling conditions can bring opportunities to find feeding fish around shorelines, points and schools of shad. Feeding birds can help locate activity, but confirm that fish are present before settling into an area.

When stripers are feeding near the surface, topwater lures offer a casting option. Avoid setting the hook at the first splash; wait until you feel the fish load the rod. If the surface action ends, follow the fish and bait rather than expecting the same presentation to work all day.

Winter: Slow Down and Prepare for the Weather

Winter trips call for warm layers and protection from wind and rain. Use electronics to locate deeper schools and adjust the presentation to the fish rather than fishing a spot only because it produced in warmer weather.

Deadsticking is one winter option: hold a soft-plastic bait on a jighead nearly still at the depth of the fish instead of constantly retrieving it. Pay attention to subtle bites. The striper lure guide covers lure selection and presentations.

Working gulls can help locate feeding activity in cooler weather, but use sonar to confirm the fish and their depth. Drifting live shad is another option when the conditions and the fish favor it; adjust your presentation rather than relying on a fixed depth from an old fishing report.

What Time of Day Should You Fish?

Early morning and evening can be useful starting points, especially during hot weather. Cloud cover, wind and feeding activity can extend a bite beyond those windows. There is no fixed clock time that works every day; let the conditions and the location of bait guide the decision.

Choose a Date That Fits Your Group

• Preferred method: Say whether you want to cast lures, try topwater, fish live bait or learn a particular technique.
• Experience: Consider how comfortable everyone is casting and handling lures, particularly in wind or a shared boat.
• Weather comfort: A cold winter outing and a hot summer trip require different preparation. Choose conditions your group will enjoy.

For current trip options, contact Steve Buckley at (972) 345-8516. Check the current guide prices and fishing regulations before your trip.