Aside from the Gulf of Mexico, the Toledo Bend Reservoir is the biggest body of water Texans have easy local access to. The largest lake or reservoir with waters on Texas grounds, the Toledo Bend runs north south along the Texas-Louisiana border. While the Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the largest lake with borders shores explicitly inside the state’s borders, the Toledo Bend is an even larger lake still in Southeast Texans’ close proximity. The massive manmade reservoir covers an impressive 185,000 acres with water as far as the eye can see, making it not only the Texas’ biggest lake but the largest in the entire South and 5th in the United States in terms of surface acreage. In total, the lake hold an estimated volume of almost 4.5 million acre-ft, with a maximum depth of 110 feet (60 feet on average). The lake’s expansive boundaries hold plenty of room for all sorts of recreation, from full-fledged family fun to quiet camping retreats. The area his home to a wide selection of public and private facilities dedicated to swimming, boating, dining, hunting and attractions, however none are more celebrated than the lake’s freshwater fishing opportunities. Read the rest of this entry »
For the states southernmost dwellers, Sheldon Reservoir offers a nice fishing reprieve if they can bear the sweltering heat. Dating back to 1943, the reservoir was originally created to provide freshwater for shipping on the Houston Ship Channel during World War II. It’s proximity to Houston is now one of the lake’s biggest assets, lying just 16 miles east of the city’s downtown district. Sheldon Reservoir does not approach the size of some of the gargantuan pools that lie to its northeast, covering a mere 1,230 acres, with a deepest point of just 10 feet. Surprisingly, the shallow depths of Sheldon served as Houston’s main water supply for an entire decade, until the much larger Lake Houston was created in 1953. Sheldon Lake was then purchased by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, after which its primary function has been to serve as a fishing locale and waterfowl sanctuary. The area’s wildlife is still its trademark feature to this date. In 1984, the lake and surrounding land was christened the Sheldon State Wildlife Management Area. Read the rest of this entry »
Sam Rayburn Reservoir is quite simply a monstrous body of water, covering an estimated 114,500 square acres with a water volume of nearly 4 million acre-ft . Constructed over the latter part of the 1950s and early 1960s, the reservoir has since served as a hydroelectric power generator and water conservation side, in addition to aiding flood control efforts for Southeast Texas. Sam Rayburn is the largest lake to be located exclusively in the state of Texas. Not only known for its size, Sam Rayburn reservoir is well documented as fertile fishing grounds, where some of the country’s best anglers cast out a line and set up shop. The largemouth bass is the lake’s most sought after inhabitant. The species’ abundant numbers beneath the Sam Rayburn surface combined with its expansive area has made it a well traveled destination for bass fishing tournaments. The site plays host to over 300 tournaments annually, including some of the most prestigious bass fishing competitions in the country with big time sponsors, namely the ESPN/BASSMasters Classic, BASS Champs, WalMart BFL, FLW Outdoors, Anglers’ Quest, Bass-n-Bucks and McDonald’s Big Bass Splash. Read the rest of this entry »
Located on the main stem of the Brazos River, Lake Whitney is a popular destination for vacationers from both directions. Situated conveniently between the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area (80 miles south) and Waco (30 miles north), the lake is subject relatively high traffic water on weekends throughout the year, though skiers, jet skiers and fisherman alike manage to operate simultaneously without getting in each other’s way. With an area of just over 37 square miles, the comparatively small lake is a relatively large tourist draw for its size, home to several scenic parks and marinas. Regarded as one of the most aesthetically-blessed lake spectacles in the state, Lake Whitney is also noted for its diversity below the water level, proving to be a truly remarkable experience for fisherman of all skill levels. Lake Whitney’s waters provides Texas with some of the best smallmouth bass, catfish, white bass and striped bass fishing in the state. The lake also offers substantial largemouth bass, crappie and sunfish populations, though it is better known for the other species. Read the rest of this entry »
For a great fishing weekend without having to travel too far out of town, a lot of Dallas residents head up to Grapevine Lake for a quick getaway. Only about 20 miles northwest of the city, and just north of the town of Grapevine, the lake offers a brief reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life, just far enough removed to be a true escape but still close enough by to be convenient. Grapevine is actually a man-made lake, created by Army engineers back in 1952 by damming Denton Creek, which still feeds into it. Though the lake was created primarily as a water reservoir and solution to flood control, today Grapevine Lake offers some of the best fishing and family fun in North Texas. Actually, Grapevine is the only freshwater lake in the North Texas area. Read the rest of this entry »