Best bluegill lakes in Texas
28 Texas waters hold bluegill, 15 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.
- Lake Texoma — 96 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie
- Sam Rayburn Reservoir — 74 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Toledo Bend Reservoir — 110 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Amistad Reservoir — 217 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie
- Lake Travis — 177 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Cedar Creek Reservoir — 64 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Lake Fork — 73 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Lake Palestine — 53 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Ray Roberts Lake — 91 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Lewisville Lake — 69 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Lake Conroe — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Choke Canyon Reservoir — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Lake LBJ — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Falcon International Reservoir — 110 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Canyon Lake — 147 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie
- O.H. Ivie Reservoir — 119 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Stillhouse Hollow Lake — 117 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie
- Lake Alan Henry — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Caddo Lake — 27 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Llano River — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- San Marcos River — 6 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp
- Lake Athens — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Colorado River (Austin) — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Nueces River — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Frio River — 6 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp
…plus 3 more Texas waters holding bluegill.
When to fish bluegill in Texas
- Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
- Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
- Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
- Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.
Also in Texas: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best white bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best striped bass lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best red drum (redfish) lakes · best spotted seatrout lakes · best southern flounder lakes
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