Brazos River (John Graves Reach) Fishing Map & Spots (TX)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Brazos River (John Graves Reach)

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Brazos River (John Graves Reach) on the board.

Fishing Brazos River (John Graves Reach): what the data says

The stretch that inspired Goodbye to a River. The river tops out around 9 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.

Drawn out, this is 3,833 acres of water rimmed by 182.9 miles of bank. The 21.1 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Tip to tip the water measures near 30.3 mi with a 10-mi widest point. You'll find it in Palo Pinto County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Palo Pinto, 9 mi southwest of here.

Striped Bass fishing at Brazos River (John Graves Reach)

Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 2 to 9 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 9 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace: a dam tailrace around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn)
Summer	3 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled)
Fall	3 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Topwater walker, Jerkbait
Winter	3 to 9 ft	midday	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon

White Bass fishing at Brazos River (John Graves Reach)

Spring white bass on Brazos River (John Graves Reach) hold shallow, usually 2 to 9 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 9 ft in summer, 3 to 9 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace — dam tailrace, 8 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish).

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank
Summer	3 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish)
Fall	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Jigging spoon, Blade bait
Winter	3 to 9 ft	midday	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait

Largemouth Bass fishing at Brazos River (John Graves Reach)

The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 9 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 9 ft through summer, 3 to 9 ft in winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2), a creek channel in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	3 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.0) (5 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	2 to 9 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	3 to 9 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Brazos River (John Graves Reach)

The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 2 to 9 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 9 ft through summer, 3 to 9 ft in winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2), a creek channel in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 9 ft	dusk	Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft)
Summer	3 to 9 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)
Fall	3 to 9 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)
Winter	3 to 9 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)

Blue Catfish fishing at Brazos River (John Graves Reach)

Early season blue catfish use the shallows, holding in 2 to 9 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 9 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 9 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 7 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 9 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)
Summer	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)
Fall	3 to 9 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (7 ft)
Winter	3 to 9 ft	midday	Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace (8 ft)

Flathead Catfish fishing at Brazos River (John Graves Reach)

Spring puts flathead catfish in skinny water — 2 to 9 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 9 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 9 ft. Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) is the standout, an eddy pocket at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring flathead catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 9 ft	night & dusk	Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft)
Summer	2 to 9 ft	night & dusk	Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft)
Fall	3 to 9 ft	night & dusk	Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft)
Winter	3 to 9 ft	midday	Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft)

Brazos River (John Graves Reach) also holds freshwater drum (2 to 9 ft in summer), common carp (2 to 9 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 9 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

37 pieces of structure are mapped here — Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace, around 8 ft, is the deepest of them.

Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 8.1): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 11.8): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 14.0): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 21.5): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 29.9): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 32.3): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 34.5): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 37.6): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 42.6): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 47.0): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 52.9): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 57.8): creek channel, around 7 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Brazos River — ramp
Brazos River — ramp
Brazos River — ramp
Brazos River — ramp

Access data: Texas Parks & Wildlife — Public Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Brazos River (John Graves Reach) fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Texas waters are set by the Texas Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Brazos River (John Graves Reach) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Texas fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Brazos River (John Graves Reach)?

Brazos River (John Graves Reach) is about 9 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Brazos River (John Graves Reach)?

Anglers target striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar on Brazos River (John Graves Reach).

Where is the best fishing spot on Brazos River (John Graves Reach)?

Morris Sheppard Dam tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Brazos River (John Graves Reach)?

For striped bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Brazos River (John Graves Reach)?

Fishing on Brazos River (John Graves Reach) is regulated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Texas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Lake Palo Pinto 9 mi · Lake Mineral Wells 12 mi · Possum Kingdom Lake 21 mi · Lake Weatherford 30 mi · Lake Bryson 33 mi · Lake Granbury 33 mi · Lost Creek Reservoir 35 mi · Lake Bridgeport 38 mi · Lake Graham 38 mi · Lake Daniel 39 mi · Comanche Creek Reservoir 39 mi · Lake Leon 40 mi

See how Brazos River (John Graves Reach) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Texas · best white bass lakes in Texas · best channel catfish lakes in Texas · best striped bass lakes in Texas

Browse all Texas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.