The 6 Best Fishing Lakes in Texas

Fishing is one of the most popular hobbies in the Lone Star State. With its thousands of lakes, streams, and rivers, there are plenty of fishing spots to choose from. While the Gulf of Mexico offers some of the best fishing in the state, there are over 1,100 lakes perfect for spending the afternoon casting your line. The largemouth bass is the most common and popular fish to catch in Texas. But you can find spots with many other types, such as catfish, other basses, crappie, carp, gar, trout, walleye, and many more. Discover the six best fishing lakes in Texas, including the most popular spots and the particular fish they are known for.  

1. Lake Buchanan

Formed by the construction of the Buchanan Dam on the Colorado River, Lake Buchanan is a favorite for bass anglers near Austin. Lake Buchanan is one of the best fishing lakes in Texas for striped bass and white bass. But there is also largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, white crappie, and catfish (blue, flathead, and channel). For the best bass fishing, try out the area between Beaver Creek and the Colorado River from February to May. Most of the east side of the lake is rocky, while the west side is flatter. Beware of the invasive zebra mussels in this reservoir. If you take a boat, be sure to clean, drain, and dry it before putting it in another body of water. 

2. Lake Fork

Lake Fork is another Texas Reservoir. It is located on the Sabine River east of Dallas and directly south of Sulphur Springs. Apart from many recreational activities to enjoy, Lake Fork is a premier trophy bass lake. Largemouth bass is the most popular fish to catch, and more than half of the largest bass caught in the state come from this lake. Lake Fork offers many other types of fish perfect for Sunday dinner, such as crappie, channel catfish, white bass, yellow bass, and sunfish. Anglers are most successful for largemouth bass during spring, fall, and winter. And fishing from the shoreline peaks from mid-February to April.

3. Toledo Bend Reservoir

Also located on the Sabine River is the Toledo Bend Reservoir. This reservoir is one of the largest in the state and resides in both Texas and Louisiana. This body of water is excellent for largemouth bass and sunfish. But it is also a good spot for catfish, crappie, and striped bass. The largemouth bass fishing is great year-round, but you will have the most luck during spring, fall, and winter. Look for fish in shallow water around vegetation, especially in the early morning.

4. Lake Conroe

Lake Conroe features 157 miles of shoreline and 22,000 acres of water outside of Conroe, Texas, north of Houston. This laidback recreational lake is a popular spot for fishing, boating, and jet-skiing. The chance of catching a trophy bass is very high at Lake Conroe, and the most popular is largemouth. One of the largest ever caught in the lake was 14 pounds. But the most abundant fish you will find is the channel catfish. There are also bluegill, crappie, and hybrid striped bass. From early spring to late fall, you have a very good chance of catching some large fish around the marinas and boat docks. 

5. O.H. Ivie Lake

The O.H. Ivie Lake is a reservoir in Central Texas along the Concho and Colorado Rivers. This lake is a great spot for big largemouth bass, producing several record-breaking double-digit fish just within the last few years. But the catfish, crappie, and white bass are also good in O.H. Ivie. And you may occasionally reel in smallmouth bass and sunfish. Lots of standing timber and aquatic vegetation lie in this lake, which is where the fish like to hide. But you are likely to find trophy-winning bass in the deeper areas near drop-offs. And crappie fishing is best at night.

6. Lake O’ the Pines

Located in East Texas on the Big Cypress Bayou, Lake O’ the Pines is a reservoir and fishing lake surrounded by pine trees. This body of water features many abundant fish species, with the most notable being the largemouth bass, channel catfish, and crappie. But the blue catfish, flathead catfish, white bass, and sunfish are also in great abundance. There are both natural and artificial fish habitats in this lake, so look for vegetation and manmade structures to find the most fish. 

Best Fishing Lakes in Texas: A Recap of the Top 6