Fishing and Boating in Plano/DFW area? (Dallas, Garland: YMCA, camp)

[the4pits]

Can someone please comment on the fishing and boating opportunities in the area?

[TXboomerang]

Tons of places to go. Lake Lewisville(29,000 acres), Lake Ray Hubbard(22,000 acres), and Lake Grapevine (7500 acres) are all very large lakes with great fishing. Just up the road about an hour and a half is Lake Texoma(89,000 acres), which is a massive lake that has excellent fishing and a quieter atmosphere overall. There is also Joe Poole Lake (7500) in Cedar Hill just half an hour south of Dallas. Large lake with a great state park as well. There are several other lakes that are less than a 3 hour drive if you like to venture out a bit, but if not, you won't have to drive far to get to some large, nice lakes.

I just moved back from east Tennessee, and even though there is a ton of lakes there, Dallas is surprisingly competititve with the number of opportunities for those wanting to boat and fish.

BTW, I googled the surface are acreage just out of curiosity, and figured I'd post them while I was at it.

[loves2read]

Lewisville--if you did any search--would prove to be one of the most crowded and hazardous lakes in TX--too many people who lack good sense at times

Lake Fork is predominately a bass fishing lake--lots of stumps--there are areas where you can't ski or swim from boat

Cedar Creek-- more narrow tham broad--is mostly skiing/water sports from what I saw when we visited there twice--not too busy during the week but weekends can be crowded--
three bridges and when the water is high getting a bigger boat all the way down the lake is not that easy--course the lakes are dropping due to lack of rain...
Richland Chambers is fairly broad--numerous necks where fishing is supposed to be good but big surface area so you can ski as well
Possum Kingdom west of FTW is pretty broad--good skiing and I think fairly decent fishing in certain spots

[TXboomerang]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Lewisville--if you did any search--would prove to be one of the most crowded and hazardous lakes in TX--too many people who lack good sense at times

I've always tried to fish early before the drunks, jet ski's and party nuts hit the water. Out by 6:30am, in by 10:00am. I have no boat now so I fish from the banks mostly.

[Lakewooder]

If you are up north, Texoma is great - we've had a place there since 1961. Lots of hills, cliffs, trees and even islands. It's huge but has many great little coves. Gets busy on the weekends but nothing like Lake Dallas aka Lake Lewisville. Texoma is known for its striped bass. HIghport Marina and Tanglewood are good places to start.

Possum Kingdom is another very pretty lake with 'Hell's Gate Cliffs'. Went to YMCA camp there twice per year as a kid. It seemed so wickedly fun to be acceptable to say 'hell' back then and even hear adults saying it..

It's a little far to go though...

[momof2dfw]

There are only 2 lakes around the Dallas Metroplex that I will get on anymore:
1. Lake Tawakoni (an hour east)
2. Lake Ray Hubbard (Garland/Rockwall)

Both of these are relativly quiet compared to Lake Dallas (aka Lewisville Lake). Cedar Creek is a NIGHTMARE as well and gets really crowded w/ a bunch of idiots as well. Grapevine is too small. Lake Lavon is a decent option and close by as well (Wylie, Lavon area). Small lake but decent and supposedly good fishing. I grew up being on Lake Dallas ALL THE TIME as well as Cedar Creek and Texoma. Texoma is good and pretty but not THAT close for a quick day trip.

Tawakoni is known for good fishing and we have a place there and it is close enough for friends to come down for the day and hangout w/ us. Even on holiday weekends there are hardly that many people on the lake. I can count on 1 hand how many SeaDoo's (jetski's) I see during the day and TWO OF THEM ARE OURS!

Lake Ray Hubbard is also a very large lake as well and not near as crowded as Lake Dallas but more than Tawakoni (but less than Cedar Creek). Some great marinas now on the lake and restaurants where you can dock and get out and enjoy a bite to eat on their deck.

[jeffari-al-texani]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Lake Lavon is a decent option and close by as well (Wylie, Lavon area). Small lake but decent and supposedly good fishing.

Are you saying that Lavon is a small lake?

It's not much smaller than Ray Hubbard...

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by jeffari-al-texani

Are you saying that Lavon is a small lake?

It's not much smaller than Ray Hubbard...

While the area it covers in acreage might be a bit smaller a good bit of it is not fit to use by waterskiers or pwc's. It is too shallow and too many stumps and trees. Hubbard is MUCH better in that sense and provides more open room.

[Lakewooder]

Mom reps for "Lake Dallas"!

If you live on the north side, Texoma is fairly close - especially if you can avoid traffic. Similarly, Tawakoni, Cedar Creek and many more to the east are easy if you are on the east side.

I don't know much about newer lakes such as Richland-Chambers (southeast) or Ray Roberts (north) but I know they have been selling developments around them. And Tioga near Roberts has good BBQ~! And the German town Muenster is not much further.

I was kind of shocked to see TV reports that Roberts was overwhelmed by crowds on July 4th.

BTW mom my best friend since kindergarten and his wife recently bought some land at Tawakoni for a future second and ultimately retirement home.

[Spree]

How are the water levels at Tawakoni?