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Best striped bass lakes in Texas

16 Texas waters hold striped bass, 11 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. Open-water nomad that follows shad and herring schools; loves current, points and cool depths.

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. Amistad Reservoir — 217 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
3. Lake Livingston — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 25 public access sites
4. Lake Whitney — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 22 public access sites
5. Lake Tawakoni — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 23 public access sites
6. Possum Kingdom Lake — 108 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 27 public access sites
7. Lake Buchanan — 107 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
8. Lake Granbury — 64 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
9. Lake Kemp — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
10. Canyon Lake — 147 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites
11. E.V. Spence Reservoir — 105 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Striped BassWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Sabine River — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
13. Brazos River (John Graves Reach) — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Striped BassWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
14. San Jacinto River — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. Buffalo Springs Lake — 52 ft max · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
16. San Bernard River — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

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When to fish striped bass in Texas

• Spring 5–20 ft — Fish push up creeks and rivers; chase the bait to moving water.
• Summer 25–60 ft — Stripers hold in the cool deep layer — live bait or trolling over the thermocline.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fall blitz season — follow the birds and breaking fish.
• Winter 20–50 ft — Big schools stack on channel bends with bait; slow presentations.

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 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 spotted bass lakes · best red drum (redfish) lakes · best spotted seatrout lakes · best southern flounder lakes

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