7 Best Bass Fishing Lakes in Texas

Texas is like heaven for all bass fishing enthusiasts, as there are more than 1100 public lakes. All these lakes have their characteristics, and each one of them is known for something unique. Below given seven best Bass fishing lakes in Texas provide their visitors with a wide range of fish species to target.

If you plan to head out for a Bass fishing adventure in Texas and need some guidance, we have got you covered. In this article, we will discuss what you should be doing before going fishing, what are the best lakes where you can go to, and some useful tips for you.

Without any further delay, let's get straight into it.

Getting Ready For Bass Fishing In Texas

Before we talk about the best spots for you to do the actual fishing, we should first discuss what necessary things you should be doing to get ready for your Texas fishing adventure. We have discussed them below.

Supplies You Will Need

When going for Bass fishing, you must be needing some supplies. Below we have enlisted all the essential supplies there you will need.

Fishing rod

If we say that your fishing’s success depends heavily on the rod, it will not be entirely wrong. It should be sensitive enough to give you an alert about the nibbling of the fish. Try to select a good quality rod. We reviewed and tested some of the best bass rods.

Fishing reel

When it comes to fishing reels, you have a lot of choices. But you should be picking one according to your needs. You should consider the durability and fineness of the band and model while selecting a reel. Check out our review of the 12 best bass fishing reels.

Fishing line

Out of monofilament, fluorocarbon, and braided lines, you can select braided lines for your Bass fishing adventure. These lines have excellent tensile strength and do not stretch.

Hooks and terminals

You will also be needing hooks and tackle terminals for your fishing to create unique presentations. Tackle terminals are required to avoid line twists.

Baits

For luring your target, you can use many types of baits. But the best baits you can use for your fishing are soft plastic bait, spinnerbait, and crankbait. You can use soft plastic baits throughout the year, while spinnerbait and crankbait are also two excellent bait types for Bass fishing in Taxes.

Navigation

Always use a reliable and up-to-date GPS navigation system when using your boat. We recommend Boatlanes. Boat lanes is a GPS waypoint system for your Navigation System. It's designed for a few lakes in Texas and shows all the correct boat lanes and maps to keep you, the crew, and your boat safe and out of harm's way.

Things You Must Keep In Mind For Your Safety

When you go fishing, the following are the points you should always keep in mind to have a wholesome and worry-free fishing experience.

• Before starting to fish, confirm if the area is permitted for fishing or not.
• If you are planning to fish on a boat, take life jackets with you.
• Before going fishing, inspect the waterfronts.
• Do not forget to pack safety items such as water, flashlights, maps, and radio.
• Try to stay warm and dry and wear footwear according to the conditions.
• Take extra care of sharp things around and do all the safety measures.
• Before leaving for fishing, learn how to handle and store fish carefully.
• Be alert and focussed while baiting and removing hooks.
• Use a good navigation system like Boatlanes to keep you and your boat safe.

7 Best Bass Fishing Lakes in Texas

After completing your preparation, you must be wondering what the best options you have to go for Bass fishing in Texas. So, let us talk about them.

Choke Canyon

If you want to go fishing in a peaceful and quiet environment, Choke Canyon will be the best option for you. The reason is that this lake is surrounded by undeveloped state land. The Largemouth Bass can be found here in abundance, while the White Bass is also available here in decent numbers.

Upon your visit to Choke Canyon, you will find gobs of premium habitat such as hydrilla, mesquite, and huisache.

Geography

Choke Canyon has a surface area of 26,000 acres. It is situated about halfway between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. The Frio River mainly feeds the lake. This lake also serves the water supply for Corpus Christi.

Fishing Guide

The timing of the spawn here depends entirely on the severity of the winter. So, it can change from year to year. Texas-rigged plastics, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits can be used as bait to lure your target here on Choke Canyon lake.

Lake Falcon

Lake Falcon is known as one of the best spots in entire Texas for catching Largemouth Bass. It is also the main attraction for many anglers as there are various other species to target. Here you will also find the channels for bank fishing and healthy aquatic vegetation.

You will also find the channel catfish in abundance at this lake. Catfish is very popular for eating. Falcon State Park is another reason to visit this lake.

Geography

This lake is situated deep in the south of Texas. It is about 40 miles east of Laredo. The main tributary of the lake is the Rio Grande River. The surface area of the lake is known to be 84,000 acres.

Fishing Guide

Falcon lake is at the borders of both the United States and Mexico. So, before visiting this lake, brush up on the regulation to avoid getting in some trouble. Try to see this lake in January and February. The bait used here is Spinnerbaits, Texas-rigged 10-inch worms, and Senkos.

Toledo Bend Lake

Toledo Bend Reservoir is an even larger lake than Sam Rayburn and is known for having many different types of Bass. Largemouth Bass has more population here than other types. The largest Bass that was caught in here was 15.32 pounds. The number of buoy markers at Toledo Bend is much greater.

Geography

Toledo Bend is a Texas-Louisiana border impoundment. The lake has covered some excellent 185,000 acres of surface area and is 65 miles long. The lake has more than 1200 miles of shoreline. The Sabine River feeds the lake.

Fishing Guide

If you want to go there on a boat, you will need to brush up your boat lanes and marker systems. On your visit to the lake, you will have to keep yourself to the designated channels. The common used there to lure Bass are crankbaits, spinnerbaits, square-billed, wacky worms.

The best time of the year to go fishing on Toledo Bend is from late January to the start of May.

Sam Rayburn Lake

This beautiful lake is situated in east texas. Sam Rayburn is one of Texas’s best Bass fishing lakes because it has a massive Largemouth Bass and White Bass population. The largest Largemouth Bass that has been caught from here was 16.8 pounds and 28.75 inches.

One of the reasons this lake is more popular is the convenience of public access areas.

Geography

The lake of Sam Rayburn covers some 114,000 of the surface area. The lake is situated in East Texas, near Jasper. Two rivers: Angelina and Attovac, feed the Sam Rayburn. The lake has a vast water body with 560 miles of shoreline.

Fishing Guide

The best months to go fishing at Sam Rayburn are March and April. The baits which are very useful at this lake are crankbait of red color crawfish, spinnerbait, and chatter bait. This lake also has a healthy population of crappie and catfish to target year-round.

Lake Alan Henry

Lake Alan is a small lake, but it is an excellent spot for fishing. It is among the state’s record for catching Bass in 2019. Largemouth Bass is more common here. You can also catch Spotted bass and Smallmouth Bass, which are available here in minimal numbers.

Geography

Lake Alan Henry has a relatively small surface area of about 29,000 acres. The lake is situated 45 miles south of Lubbock. Many secondary creeks feed the lake of Alan Henry.

Fishing Guide

The best time for spawning activities at Alan Henry is during April. Although, some anglers also do fishing in May. Crankbaits, jigs, and spinnerbaits can help you lure the Bass in large sizes. If the water is clear, you can also use large craw worms and lizards.

Lake Fork

While talking about the best lakes for Bass fishing in Taxes, and how someone can forget about the beautiful Lake Fork to keep the lake from becoming overfished, authorities have taken plenty of protection measures. At this lake, you can also catch the tasty Yellow Bass. The fish which lives here in huge numbers is the White Bass.

Geography

Lake Fork is about 90 miles east of Dallas. The main tributary of this lake is the River Sabine. The lake is covering some 27,000 acres of surface area. Many other creeks also feed it.

Fishing Guide

The best time for fishing at Lake Fork is in March and April. In these months, Bass tends to move shallow to spawn. That is why it becomes more accessible for anglers to catch them in these months. You can read our more in-depth Lake Fork guide.

The recommended GPS boat navigation for navigating the lake is boatlanes.

Amistad Lake

Amistad Lake is one of the most well-known lakes in the Eastern part of Texas. It has a variety of Bass to offer to the anglers coming here for fishing. The types of Bass available here are Largemouth, Smallmouth, Striped, and White Bass. The largest Smallmouth caught here was 45 pounds.

If you visit Amistad lake for fishing, you will also get the chance to see the beautiful rock art there.

Geography

Amistad Lake sits right at the US-Mexico border. Three rivers feed it, named the Rio Grande, Pecos, and Devils rivers. The Amistad Lake stretches on some 65,000 acres of surface area.

Fishing Guide

The best time of the season for fishing at Amistad Lake is during March and April. To lure the Bass in underwater points and humps, you can use plastics, swimbaits, drop-shots, football jigs. On flats, you can easily use Texas-rigged Senkos and lizards, and they will work fine.

Useful Tips You Should Know For Bass Fishing In Texas

Here are some tips which can prove to be very useful while you're fishing in Texas.

Your Positioning

You should be well aware of the spot where Bass is holding, and you should position yourself accordingly. For example, the ideal positions for a Bass are along with the transitions of drop-off and the docks’ shady areas. So, you position yourself near these spots. In these spots, you will have better chances of getting more fish.

Best Conditions To Fish For Bass

It is also essential to learn about the optimal conditions in which you can have much more target to attack. This will help you to capture the maximum number of Bass.

Temperature

The first thing you should know about is the temperature at which the Bass thrive. That temperature is from 65 to 75 degrees. In this temperature range, the Bass becomes more lethargic. Above and below this temperature, we do not recommend fishing.

Light Condition

Another condition you should know is the lightning condition in which Bass tends to be more active. The fact is that low light is best for your fishing. The reason is that in low light, the Bass is more functional to our lures, and its location is more predictable.

The best practice is to do bass fishing in the spring season, in the early morning or late evening.

Final Thoughts

Fishing is an exciting sport for many, and the best place to do it is in Texas, a state known for its richness in fishing activities due to its large number of beautiful lakes.

Always remember to use a quality map navigation system, to remain safe and protect your boat from damage.

Out of these seven best Bass fishing lakes in Texas, you can select anyone and must keep its best fishing period in mind. Otherwise, you will have to return empty-handed. You should do all your preparations according to the guidelines we have given in this article, and you are all good to have a fantastic Bass fishing experience.