Lake Dunlap Depth Map & Fishing Spots (TX)

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Lake depth chart

Lake Dunlap, TX

Max 40 ft

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Where to start

Fall shad migration window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Fall shad migrationActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Dec 15 · upper ends and stained creeks turn on first, the main lake follows; Deep-South creeks hold bait into December

adultall day, best mid-afternoon as the sun warms the bait — the rare pattern where you can sleep in — follow the bait, not the structure: gulls, herons and egrets diving or stacked in a creek mean the shad (and the bass) are there — run and gun until you find flickering bait or surface activity

Concentrates hard but unevenly — whole stretches go empty while one creek loads up. The birds are the map.

Creek-arm run-and-gun: lipless crankbait and squarebill through the flats and ditches, walking topwater over surface schools, a 3/8 oz spinnerbait around isolated cover along the creek channel. Downsize to match the young-of-year shad; jerkbaits are the sleeper.

The event happens over backs of creek arms, pockets and ditches, secondary points on the way in, and main-lake flats where the bait balls roam

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

Shad spawn · baitfishMar 15 – Jun 15 · in ~6 months

Bluegill spawn (bream-bed bass) · forageMay 1 – Jul 31 · in ~8 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 Lake Dunlap

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 Lake Dunlap on the board.

Fishing Lake Dunlap: what the data says

410-acre reservoir near New Braunfels. First of the Guadalupe Valley lakes above New Braunfels. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.

Drawn out, this is 323 acres of water rimmed by 17.2 miles of bank, with 3 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 6.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 89% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 3.9 mi end to end and 1.7 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Guadalupe County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Placid, 8 mi south of here.

Largemouth Bass fishing at Lake Dunlap

Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (18 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (10 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Break off the point (18 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Spotted Bass fishing at Lake Dunlap

Come spring, look for spotted bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 40 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (10 ft)	Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head
Summer	15 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (18 ft)	Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers)
Fall	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (10 ft)	Walking topwater, Underspin
Winter	12 to 40 ft	midday	Break off the point (18 ft)	Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Lake Dunlap

In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 12 to 40 ft for winter. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (10 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (18 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (10 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	12 to 40 ft	midday	Break off the point (18 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Crappie fishing at Lake Dunlap

In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 34 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	10 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (18 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (18 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Deep basin (34 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Lake Dunlap

Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Creek inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	Creek inflow (4 ft)
Summer	8 to 25 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (18 ft)
Fall	10 to 30 ft	dusk	Break off the point (18 ft)
Winter	20 to 40 ft	midday	Deep basin (34 ft)

Blue Catfish fishing at Lake Dunlap

When the water first warms, blue catfish slide up into 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 34 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 25 ft	dusk	Creek inflow (4 ft)
Summer	10 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Deep basin (34 ft)
Fall	12 to 40 ft	dusk	Deep basin (34 ft)
Winter	12 to 40 ft	midday	Deep basin (34 ft)

Lake Dunlap also holds flathead catfish (8 to 30 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 34 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 34 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 18 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 10 ft
Secondary point: point, around 10 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 4 ft
Guadalupe River inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 4 ft

Lake Dunlap stocking report

Date	Species	Count	Size
2026*	Lone Star Bass (fingerling)	85,145	—
2025*	Lone Star Bass (fingerling)	41,100	—
2024*	Channel Catfish (fingerling)	41,205	—
2024*	Bluegill Sunfish (fingerling)	54,222	—
2024*	Largemouth Bass (adult)	266	—
2024*	Lone Star Bass (fingerling)	41,697	—

* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: TPWD stocking history, retrieved 2026-08-18.

Lake Dunlap 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 Lake Dunlap specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Texas fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Lake Dunlap?

Lake Dunlap is about 40 ft (12 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 Lake Dunlap?

Anglers target largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, bluegill on Lake Dunlap.

Where is the best fishing spot on Lake Dunlap?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Lake Dunlap?

For largemouth 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.

Is Lake Dunlap stocked with fish?

Yes — per TPWD stocking history records, Lake Dunlap was most recently stocked 2026 with 85,145 lone star bass (fingerling). The full stocking history is listed above.

What are the fishing regulations for Lake Dunlap?

Fishing on Lake Dunlap 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 Placid 8 mi · Guadalupe River (Canyon Tailwater) 11 mi · Canyon Lake 19 mi · San Marcos River 22 mi · Calaveras Lake 30 mi · Victor Braunig Lake 35 mi · Lady Bird Lake 45 mi · Lake Austin 48 mi · Colorado River (Austin) 48 mi · Walter E. Long Lake 51 mi · Medina Lake 54 mi · Lake Travis 55 mi

See how Lake Dunlap stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Texas · best smallmouth bass lakes in Texas · best crappie lakes in Texas · best bluegill 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.