TexasKayakFisherman.com est. 2000

[fishmechanix]

I'm reaching out to anyone with advice on Lake texana. First is it good for crappie around mid March I'm planning a little camping fishing trip and need help because I've never fished this lake or been to it. I moved to aransas pass tx in 2010 and have been fishing saltwater every since. All my Roots in fishing are from eastern Arkansas freshwater fishing. Also is it a kayak friendly lake? I don't have my heart set on this lake but it's one of the closest to me and kinda looks promising via Google earth. I'm open to suggestions on other spots as well really looking for crappie and maybe a bass or two. Thanks a lot for any info on this lake, areas to target, or other lake suggestions.

[txvike]

It's a few years old, but check this post:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=192214

The people I know that fish Texana are always after catfish. Coleto Creek Park is usually good for both bass and crappie and a little further than you may want to go but also good is Lake Sommerville. Hope it works out well for you.

[fishmechanix]

After looking over that report looks like I most likely will be switching to coleto creek park. Thanks for the info txvike. Any suggestions on areas to target around coleto and kayak launch?

[txvike]

If you're planning on camping there, get your reservation ASAP. The closer it gets to spring break the busier that place gets. There's a boat ramp there but if you get a campsite on the 'outer loop' of the camping area you can just launch from your site.

If you paddle north from the park area that shoreline is coves, pockets, points, submerged timber; miles of it to fish. Have fun.

[justintime]

Texana is good for crappie. I'm not much of a freshwater fisherman but guys I work with that live near Coleto drive to Texana for crappie all the time. I will say it's not much of a kayak friendly place. It gets very windy and is full of alligators. I've fished it only a handful of times though. I've been told that the place to be is put in at the boat ramp off 59 right after the rv park and fish where the navidad river dumps in.

[fishr3]

My son and I camped on Texana several years ago (May 2009). As previously stated, the lake gets very windy, so I typically launch into the Navidad river or Sandy creek and paddle upstream or into the Jungle area (north end of the lake) . I've caught a few crappie, white bass and largemouth bass at the mouth of the Navidad river. I've attached pics from our campout in 2009. I would suggest that Lake Corpus Christi is as good or maybe even a better crappie lake than Texana. Lake Corpus Christi has gators too.

If you kayak on Coleto creek, be sure to wear a PFD. You will be sharing the water with many power boats and PWC. The cove next to the Coleto Creek boat launch can sometimes hold largemouth bass.

Good Luck.

[fishmechanix]

Thanks a ton for all the feedback!

[Yakety_Yak]

Not to put a damper on this but I would not fish Lake Texana. I have camped out there quite a bit with my wife and kids for cub scout functions. This place is fun for camp outs but horrible for fishing. It is over fished and I even have a few pics of gators in this lake. Typically gators are not a problem. They are usually skittish. There are plenty of other great spots to fish that have crappie and bass. Some of the suggestions are posted already. I'd be happy to throw a few more your way. Hit me up via PM and let's chat. Tight lines!!

[Number19]

Hope no one minds me resurrecting this old thread. It's so old a search won't find it.

I'm looking at a Google map. I'm located south of Houston in Brazoria County and any one living on the mid-coast here in Brazoria County or Colorado County, or here abouts, we're in a freshwater desert. You take Hiway 36 north from Freeport to Sealy on I-10,; then west on I-10 clear to Seguin; then south on Hiway 181 all the way to the coast just east of Corpus.
In this huge geographic area, there is only one decent size freshwater lake - Lake Texana. Over by Victoria there is a small lake - Coleto Creek. That's it.

So I'm in the process of outfitting my old Trident 11 with a fish finder, and a few other tweaks, and will make Texana my destination for short one day fishing trips.

[karstopo]

Have you tried Buffalo Camp bayou in Lake Jackson? Definitely several,miles of public water from the Brazos to the Reservoir, eventually it winds into the Prison farm way up there. My buddy once lived on that bayou and caught a lot of crappie there, plus bass, hybrid stripers, catfish, sunfish, etc. Ramp is right there at Hwy 332. Another ramp at Brazos and 2004 where the bayou hits the river, but below the spillway that’s likely going to get you more redfish than crappie. Brazos river tends to muddy up the section of the bayou in Wilderness park below the spillway. Buffalo camp bayou is actually pretty deep above the spillway. We used to water ski in there. .

The Colorado river between wharton and Bay city is a wilderness of great fishing, but it’s a long float between public access points. There’s a ramp just below wharton on the east bank tucked away in a subdivision and one access point on the west bank in a park above Bay City a good bit. About 13 miles between ramps. In low water the river there is ultra clear and gravel bottomed with a good current. Oyster Creek in Lake Jackson is technically saltwater below 2004, but I’ve caught freshwater fish there in very limited fishing. Buddy lived on that and they caught a mix of fish. You can launch at Dunbar park if you can carry/drag your kayak a bit.

[Number19]

I'm familiar with both Buffalo Camp and Oyster Creek. Occasionally when I cross over them on the highway I'll give them a thought, but I never knew or met anyone who had fished them. I've never seen, from the highway, anyone fishing them. But Buffalo Camp really sounds interesting and I'll definitely be giving it a paddle. Thanks.

[Yak Dog]

Don’t forget about lake Houston , lake Conroe and lake Livingston. All hold crappie and catfish a depth finder with side scan would help finding brush piles and structures. There is also the Sabine River and trinity , I have fished and camped the spot mentioned above on the Colorado river between lane city and bay city . We did a three day trip out of it and caught plenty of catfish . It’s a nice trek wouldn’t mind doing that one again .

[karstopo]

I’ve wondered about the San Bernard River and what might be accessible freshwater fish wise at the launch up off hwy 35 west of West Columbia.

I’ve fished Austin Bayou above 2004 and that’s gar and an occasional redfish territory, but maybe I could envision crappie in the right season. Never fished up above 2004 on Bastrop bayou, looks interesting in the area of the Dow woods over by the 2004 Bucees.
I’ve fished the Brazos above 2004 and that’s either catfish/gar or saltwater species depending on river flows. Haven’t tried for Crappie though.

The lake, locally known as Brazoria lake, where Cornerstone church is, the old Riverside CC, was the best local Crappie lake by a longshot. As kids, we’d fish at night off the golf course bridges and it was nothing to get 75 crappie or more, this 40 plus years ago.

Most if not all of the many natural oxbow lakes parallel to oyster creek and the Brazos are private water, this is not necessarily a fact, but more of an assumption.

But, this part of the state, naturally since we are next to the Gulf and lack the relief necessary for large impoundments, is a challenge to the freshwater fisherman. We do have an abundance of public saltwater areas to explore, but the brine isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

[Number19]

Don’t forget about lake Houston , lake Conroe and lake Livingston. All hold crappie and catfish a depth finder with side scan would help finding brush piles and structures. There is also the Sabine River and trinity , I have fished and camped the spot mentioned above on the Colorado river between lane city and bay city . We did a three day trip out of it and caught plenty of catfish . It’s a nice trek wouldn’t mind doing that one again .

Sorry to be so tardy in replying. Had a catastrophic computer failure and just now have begun the process of getting everything up and running. Had my C: wiped completely clean. Anyways, Lakes Houston, Conroe and Livingston are all on the wrong side of Houston. Don't go there if I can help it. Somerville would be my choice for a longer overnighter. My problems are that I'm on a C-Pap and my vision limits my night driving. I'm on the wrong side of 70.

[Number19]

I’ve wondered about the San Bernard River and what might be accessible freshwater fish wise at the launch up off hwy 35 west of West Columbia.

I’ve fished Austin Bayou above 2004 and that’s gar and an occasional redfish territory, but maybe I could envision crappie in the right season. Never fished up above 2004 on Bastrop bayou, looks interesting in the area of the Dow woods over by the 2004 Bucees.
I’ve fished the Brazos above 2004 and that’s either catfish/gar or saltwater species depending on river flows. Haven’t tried for Crappie though.

The lake, locally known as Brazoria lake, where Cornerstone church is, the old Riverside CC, was the best local Crappie lake by a longshot. As kids, we’d fish at night off the golf course bridges and it was nothing to get 75 crappie or more, this 40 plus years ago.

Most if not all of the many natural oxbow lakes parallel to oyster creek and the Brazos are private water, this is not necessarily a fact, but more of an assumption.

But, this part of the state, naturally since we are next to the Gulf and lack the relief necessary for large impoundments, is a challenge to the freshwater fisherman. We do have an abundance of public saltwater areas to explore, but the brine isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Good suggestions to look into. The San Bernard especially. I seem to recall that there may be some launch points there at a park. The San Bernard and Buffalo Camp Bayou are looking promising.