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Best freshwater drum lakes in Texas

26 Texas waters hold freshwater drum, 14 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 hardest-pulling fish nobody brags about. Roams current seams and mussel beds — bites all day.

1. Lake Texoma — 96 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 32 public access sites
2. Toledo Bend Reservoir — 110 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 58 public access sites
3. Amistad Reservoir — 217 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
4. Richland-Chambers Reservoir — 77 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 16 public access sites
5. Cedar Creek Reservoir — 64 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites
6. Lake Livingston — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 25 public access sites
7. Lake Whitney — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 22 public access sites
8. Lake Tawakoni — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 23 public access sites
9. Ray Roberts Lake — 91 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites
10. Possum Kingdom Lake — 108 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 27 public access sites
11. Lewisville Lake — 69 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 21 public access sites
12. Belton Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites
13. Lake Buchanan — 107 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
14. Choke Canyon Reservoir — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
15. Lake Ray Hubbard — 47 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
16. Falcon International Reservoir — 110 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
17. O.H. Ivie Reservoir — 119 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
18. Llano River — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites
19. Bois d'Arc Lake — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
20. Hubbard Creek Reservoir — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Sabine River — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
22. Brazos River (John Graves Reach) — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Striped BassWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
23. Lake Fort Phantom Hill — 66 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, White Bass & HybridsWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Colorado River (Austin) — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
25. San Jacinto River — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 1 more Texas waters holding freshwater drum.

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When to fish freshwater drum in Texas

• Spring 5–20 ft — Big spring runs into current — gravel bars and creek mouths.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Channel edges and mussel beds; drum feed by ear — a dragging bait gets found.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Schools slide toward deep holes; slow bottom presentations.
• Winter 15–45 ft — Deep and slow.

Also in Texas: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best striped bass lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best spotted bass lakes · best red drum (redfish) lakes · best spotted seatrout lakes · best southern flounder lakes

Freshwater Drum elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New York · Indiana · North Dakota · Iowa · Ohio · Nebraska · Missouri · South Dakota · Illinois · Kansas · Kentucky · Tennessee · Louisiana