Spinnerbait Fishing on Lake Ray Roberts
Lake Ray Roberts · Texas · South Central
Lake Ray Roberts sits in Denton County roughly 15 miles north of Denton on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, impounded in 1987 and covering just over 29,350 acres at conservation pool. The lake mixes shallow, vegetation-studded flats with submerged creek channel edges dropping to 30–40 feet, giving largemouth bass a full range of seasonal options. Water clarity tends toward lightly stained — 1 to 3 feet of visibility in the back of creek arms, improving toward the main lake — and that stain keeps bass relatively shallow and aggressive across most of the year.
A wire-arm lure with one or two rotating blades and a skirted jig head. The blades produce flash and vibration that triggers reaction strikes from bass that may not be actively feeding. Exceptional in low-visibility water, around grass edges, over submerged structure, and during cloudy or windy conditions.
Spinnerbait Setup for Lake Ray Roberts
| Rod | 7'–7'3" medium-heavy casting rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 6.4:1–7.1:1 baitcaster |
| Line | 15–17 lb fluorocarbon or 30 lb braid |
| Weight | 3/8–3/4 oz (lighter in shallow, heavier for deeper retrieves) |
Seasonal Tactics on Lake Ray Roberts
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth stack on north-facing flats and submerged creek channel edges in 6–12 feet as water climbs from 55 to 65 degrees, then push into shallow brush and dock shadows to spawn; a Texas-rigged Zoom Trick Worm or Strike King Redeye Shad in the 8–12 ft transition zone produces heavily through March and April.
Spinnerbait: Best season for spinnerbaits. Slow-roll a 1/2 oz through shallow grass and over submerged timber in pre-spawn.
Lake: Resident bass pull tight to the deepest available cover — submerged timber, channel swing bends, and dock pilings — once surface temps clear 85 degrees; a 3/8 to 1/2 oz football jig dragged slowly in 18–28 feet over hard-bottom channel edges keeps fish in the boat when the topwater bite shuts down mid-morning.
Spinnerbait: Slow-roll deep along grass edges and main lake points at first light. Night fishing with black spinnerbait is excellent.
Lake: Shad migration into the upper creek arms triggers some of the lake's most reliable schooling action from late September through November; a Heddon Super Spook Jr. or a 3/8 oz War Eagle spinnerbait matched to the forage size covers water quickly and connects with bass chasing bait pods in 4–10 feet.
Spinnerbait: Match shad patterns — white/chartreuse with willow blades. Cover water fast along shoreline transitions.
Lake: Cold-water largemouth consolidate on main-lake points and deeper channel edges in 20–35 feet; a drop shot rigged with a 4-inch Roboworm Straight Tail worm in oxblood or morning dawn on 10 lb fluorocarbon and a 3/16 oz weight fishes slowly through suspended fish and bottom-hugging bass alike.
Spinnerbait: Slow-roll a heavy (3/4 oz) spinnerbait along steep banks and points at the slowest possible retrieve.
Best Conditions
Stained to muddy water, wind, overcast skies, grass edges, spring pre-spawn, post-cold-front recovery, shallow flats
Trailer hook is not optional in open water — bass swipe at spinnerbaits and miss the main hook constantly. Add a #4 trailer hook always.
More Techniques for Lake Ray Roberts
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