Lake Tawakoni

Flooded timber, although not abundant, is found in scattered areas throughout Lake Tawakoni. Aquatic vegetation is sparse and tends to decrease following lake draw-downs. As water levels increase, emergent aquatic plants such as smartweed establish dense areas of cover. Main lake humps tend to attract schools of striped bass, hybrid striped bass, and white bass. The habitat on Lake Tawakoni is limited, so any available cover tends to attract and hold largemouth bass.

Catfishing is one of Lake Tawakoni's sure bets. Anglers use a range of baits including cut bait, shrimp, liver, stink baits and earthworms. Techniques include drift fishing, bank fishing, and trotlining. Catches of trophy blue catfish, especially during winter months are fairly common. Largemouth bass anglers should concentrate their efforts around available cover such as piers, boat houses, vegetation and trees along the shoreline. Peak times for fishing include spring for spawning fish and fall for schooling fish. Spawning fish are frequently caught using spinnerbaits, plastic worms, and jigs. Schooling fish can be caught using crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures.

In spring and summer, surfacing schools of striped bass, hybrid stripers and white bass can be caught using slabs, spoons, shad-bodied grubs, and topwater baits. Seagulls are attracted when schooling fish chase bait fish to the surface. Early morning, dusk, and overcast days are good times to find these schooling fish. When there is no surface activity, anglers should try vertical jigging slabs or spoons off the bottom or trolling major points using lipless crankbaits, sassy shads and roadrunners. In addition, live shad are used by many anglers to catch hybrids and stripers. Crappie fishing is often concentrated near bridge pilings, submerged trees and brush piles in late spring and fall.

Catfishing is one of Lake Tawakoni's sure bets. Anglers use a range of baits including cut bait, shrimp, liver, stink baits and earthworms. Techniques include drift fishing, bank fishing, and trotlining. Catches of trophy blue catfish, especially during winter months are fairly common. Largemouth bass anglers should concentrate their efforts around available cover such as piers, boat houses, vegetation and trees along the shoreline. Peak times for fishing include spring for spawning fish and fall for schooling fish. Spawning fish are frequently caught using spinnerbaits, plastic worms, and jigs. Schooling fish can be caught using crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures.

In spring and summer, surfacing schools of striped bass, hybrid stripers and white bass can be caught using slabs, spoons, shad-bodied grubs, and topwater baits. Seagulls are attracted when schooling fish chase bait fish to the surface. Early morning, dusk, and overcast days are good times to find these schooling fish. When there is no surface activity, anglers should try vertical jigging slabs or spoons off the bottom or trolling major points using lipless crankbaits, sassy shads and roadrunners. In addition, live shad are used by many anglers to catch hybrids and stripers. Crappie fishing is often concentrated near bridge pilings, submerged trees and brush piles in late spring and fall.

Striped bass, hybrid striped bass and white bass are vital to the local economy, providing excellent fisheries especially in the lake's open water areas. Striped and hybrid bass are stocked annually by TPWD to maintain the fisheries. Channel and blue catfish are abundant, along with limited numbers of flathead catfish. Largemouth bass is also a popular sportfish in this reservoir. Crappie fishing can be good around standing timber, bridge pilings, and artificial fish attractors.

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