Texas Fishing Overview

Some states have trout. Others have salmon. Texas is the land of the bass. It is also a land of lakes in general, with such a plethora that they can be overwhelming, even on a map. Texas also has hundreds of miles of coastline, so the deep sea, or shallow sea, fishermen will have plenty to occupy themselves as well. The only thing Texas comparatively lacks is much in the way of river fishing, since much of the river banks are privately owned.

Destinations to consider are grouped below by region. For detailed information, follow the links to any biking destination that interests you.

Fishing in Big Bend Country - Texas

Big Bend Country is not, unsurprisingly, blessed with myriad lakes, but it is home to one very significant one, Lake Amistad, just northwest of Del Rio. The other two major lakes are far shallower and smaller. Like much of Texas, Big Bend is a prime spot for bass, particularly that popular largemouth bass. Catfish are here in significant numbers as well.

Fishing in Panhandle Plains - Texas

It may be a little bit astonishing that the Panhandle Plains have so very, very many lakes, but they do indeed, and the fishing is fine. Largemouth bass is the species du jour, found in great numbers and at great size, but white crappie is also very popular, very common, and often large. Other common and popular species in the Panhandle are the catfish (channel and blue), the white/hybrid bass, and the sunfish. Take note that lakes seems to crowd especially around Abilene and San Angelo.

Fishing in Hill Country - Texas

Austin is the lake center for the Hill Country, which is perhaps more about rivers than reservoirs; and river fishing in Texas is just a little bit tricky, although Junction is a good place for it. Much like the Panhandle Plains, largemouth bass is the most common species and the most sought after, but do keep a line out for the white bass, the Guadalupe bass, the striped bass, the crappie, the catfish, and the sunfish. Yellow carp sometimes make an appearance in the rivers.

Fishing in Prairies and Lakes - Texas

They don't call it a "prairies and lakes" region for nothing. These are many, many lakes packed into a small area, especially around Dallas and Fort Worth. These lakes are heavily vegetated and fish thrive under the surface. As, again, in much of Texas, the largemouth bass is particularly prominent, but the sunfish, catfish, and crappie often have equal prominence. River fishing is only, again, permitted in state parks, but there are some especially nice access points, such as in McKinney Falls.

Fishing in Piney Woods - Texas

The Piney Woods is lake-rich and fish-rich, if there isn't much species-wise to distinguish it from the Prairies and the Plains. Again, largemouth bass is the fish to catch and the other species are similar, but do watch out for the spotted bass.

Fishing in Gulf Coast - Texas

The coast is not known for its fishing lakes and there's, again, little to distinguish these lakes from those in previous regions of Texas. But the coast has something that no other region has; a coast. The common species, and the species that the rest of Texas does not share, are too many to list, but include the flounder, the drum, the pompano, the tarpon, and the sheepshead. Fishing docks and boat ramps are scattered liberally over the coast, whether you're fishing from the Central Coast, South Padre Island, or Corpus Christi.

Fishing in South Plains - Texas

Lakes are simply not very common in these borderlands and other than the occasional red drum, the species fall into the range of bass, catfish, crappie, and sunfish. However, the sports fishing focus is actually on the catfish, rather than its more glamorous cousin, which is itself worth notice. Laredo is one of those excellent catfish fishing spots.