If it's autumn on Texoma, it's topwater time. With good weather conditions, pros fishing this final Central Open of the season could enjoy one of the best events of the year. Fifty bass a day, all on surface lures? It's definitely possible.
This 89,000-acre impoundment along the Texas-Oklahoma border has another reputation that might cripple the topwater bite, however: wind and rough water. There's a lot of wide open water here, and the lake will get rough.
Because there is little shoreline cover, most anglers concentrate in different tributaries, including Little Glasses, Caney, Soldier and Rock creeks. All are characterized by rocky shorelines, points and brush. Another popular area sure to be visited by the pros is the Woodville Flats, located between Preston and Washita points, where the water quickly rises from 80 to 15 feet.
There is good smallmouth fishing in Texoma, and some will undoubtedly be brought to the scales. Bowman Point in the Washita River is one of the best known spots for smallmouth, but they're found throughout the lake.
In addition to topwaters, this can be a good time for crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Fishing shaky head worms off some of the rocky points is popular, as is swimming jigs underneath the protective tire barriers around marinas.
For more information on the area, visit the Denison Area Chamber of Commerce Web site: www.texasoutside.com/northtexas/denison.