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Quick answer: Winter fishing in Texas is slow fishing for fish that are grouped up. At Lake Leon in Eastland County, that means crappie on deep brush, catfish on the bottom and bass on a jig worked slowly along channel edges from December through February. Fish the warmest part of the day, and watch for white bass staging late in the season.
We are an RV park on the Leon River, about 10 minutes from Lake Leon, so this is the winter plan we give our own guests. It is part of our fishing and kayak RV park on the Leon River guide.
Winter fishing is fishing in water below about 55 degrees, when fish slow down, gather in fewer spots and eat less often, so the angler has to find the group and fish slowly. Most of the work is finding the right depth. Once you find one fish, there are usually more nearby.
Cool days, cold nights and the odd hard freeze. National Weather Service normals for Abilene, about 50 minutes west of us, show the pattern below. Eastland is not a warm winter spot. It is a mild-for-north-Texas one, with sunny afternoons that are worth planning around.
| Date | Normal high (Abilene) | Normal low (Abilene) | What to fish for | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1 | 63 | 38 | Bass, crappie | Lipless crankbait yo-yo, then jig on timber |
| Dec 31 | 58 | 33 | Crappie, catfish | Minnows or small jigs on deep brush; cut bait |
| Jan 1 | 58 | 33 | Crappie, bass | Slow jig, Ned rig on channel edges |
| Jan 15 | 59 | 34 | Crappie, catfish | Vertical jig, fish the afternoon |
| Jan 31 | 61 | 35 | Bass, early white bass | Lipless crankbait off points; watch the river after rain |
Sources: daily normals from the NWS San Angelo office for December and January. Abilene's average first freeze comes around November 11, according to the NWS freeze data. The species notes are our own fishing advice, not a forecast.
Deep brush and standing timber. TPWD's Lake Leon page lists standing timber, creek channels, brush and docks as the main cover. In winter, crappie leave the shallows and hang over that wood in deeper water.
Live minnows under a slip bobber, set just above the brush.
Small tube or hair jigs, one-sixteenth to one-eighth ounce, dropped straight down beside the timber.
Go slow. Hold the bait still longer than feels right. Winter bites are light.
TPWD's 2022 survey found keeper-size crappie of 10 inches or more nearly doubled compared with the two surveys before it. That is a good reason to give crappie your winter mornings.
Slow down and fish deeper. Bass in cold water still eat, but they will not chase far. A jig crawled along a creek channel edge or a Ned rig dragged across a point is the classic winter plan.
Jig: bluegill or green pumpkin colors, worked slowly on timber and rock.
Ned rig: for cold fronts and bright, calm days.
Lipless crankbait: yo-yo it off points on the first warm afternoon after a cold spell.
Timing: the warmest two or three hours of the day, usually after lunch.
For the full lure list by season, read our guide to the best Lake Leon lures and baits.
Yes. TPWD calls channel catfish one of Lake Leon's strong populations. Cut shad and punch bait on the bottom keep working in cold water. Fish creek mouths and deeper holes, and give each spot a little more time than you would in summer.
Late winter into spring, if it rains. TPWD says white bass run up the Leon River in wet springs and hold on the sandy flats of the lower lake in dry ones. Watch the river after a good rain in late January and February. Small jigs, inline spinners and little swimbaits cast upstream and swung through the current are the standard plan.
Check the lake level before you go. On October 10, 2026, Water Data for Texas showed Lake Leon at 75.6 percent full. Our guide to the Lake Leon water level explains what the number means at the ramps, and our Lake Leon overview covers the lake itself.
TPWD stocks rainbow trout in many Texas waters each winter, usually December through early March, because most Texas water is too warm for them the rest of the year. The fish run 9 to 12 inches. Lake Leon is not on any list we can confirm, so check the TPWD trout stocking page for current sites before you plan a trout day.
A Texas fishing license if you are 17 or older. Licenses run September 1 to August 31. Buy one on the TPWD license page.
Layers and a dry bag. Mornings start in the 30s on normal days and colder after a front.
A life jacket for any boat or kayak. Cold water is the real danger in winter.
A plan for the rig. Keep a heated hose or drain the hose on hard freeze nights. Our winter RV living guide covers the basics.
Respect for duck hunters. The North Zone duck season second split runs from December 5, 2026 to January 31, 2027 on TPWD's season dates. Expect hunters at dawn on the river and lake, and give them room.
Because winter rewards short, well-timed trips. From our park it is about 10 minutes to Lake Leon, so you can wait out a cold morning, fish the warm afternoon, and be back at camp before dark. The Leon River runs through the park, with a private launch for the kayak or canoe you bring.
RV sites start at $40 a night, with pull-throughs up to 100 feet for trucks towing boats. You will find a rebuilt shower house, laundry and park Wi-Fi. Pets are welcome, leashed, up to two per site.
Thinking about a whole winter on the water? Our monthly RV sites are $500 for a back-in or $650 for a pull-through, plus your own electric metered at 17 cents per kWh, with a $200 refundable deposit, month to month. That is the honest total: site rent plus your metered power.
Yes, for the right species. Crappie group up on deep brush and timber, catfish keep biting on the bottom, and largemouth bass will take a slow jig. TPWD also stocks rainbow trout in many Texas waters each winter, from December through early March. The fish are slower, so you fish slower.
Crappie on deep brush and standing timber, channel catfish on cut bait, and bass on slow jigs and Ned rigs along channel edges. White bass start to stage in late winter and run up the Leon River after rain in a wet spring, according to TPWD's Lake Leon page.
Yes. Anyone 17 or older needs a Texas fishing license, in every season. Texas licenses run from September 1 to August 31, so a license bought in the fall covers the whole winter. Check TPWD for current rules and limits.
Cold enough to plan for. National Weather Service normals for nearby Abilene are a high of 58 and a low of 33 on December 31 and January 1. The average first freeze in Abilene comes around November 11. Eastland sees hard freezes and the odd ice event.
It can be, with care. Cold water is the main risk. Wear a life jacket, dress for the water temperature, not the air, paddle with a partner and tell someone your plan. Skip it on windy or icy days. Guests at Inez Spring launch their own kayak from the private access in the park.
Inez Spring Riverfront RV Park is about 10 minutes from Lake Leon at Exit 343 on I-20. RV sites start at $40 a night. For a full winter, monthly sites are $500 back-in or $650 pull-through plus electric metered at 17 cents per kWh.
Winter fishing in Texas pays the angler who is close by and patient. Find the brush, fish slow, and pick your days. When the afternoon warms up, you will be on the water while others are still driving.
Book an RV site online, see our RV sites, or call (254) 629-1197 to ask about winter dates.
