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2,212-acre reservoir near Nacogdoches. The lake tops out around 46 ft. The depth chart comes from Texas Water Development Board bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 2,095 acres of water rimmed by 20 miles of bank, with a single island in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 36% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 4.8 mi, about 2.3 mi across. You'll find it in Nacogdoches County. The nearest mapped water is Lake Kurth, 14 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (17 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (26 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (20 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (20 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (20 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (20 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Old creek channel (20 ft) |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (17 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (17 ft) | Tiny spoon |
10 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 45 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | Lone Star Bass (fingerling) | 25,779 | — |
| 2025* | Lone Star Bass (fingerling) | 33,100 | — |
| 2024* | Lone Star Bass (fingerling) | 26,504 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: TPWD stocking history, retrieved 2026-08-18.
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 Nacogdoches specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Texas fishing regulations →
Lake Nacogdoches is about 46 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Texas Water Development Board bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill on Lake Nacogdoches.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Yes — per TPWD stocking history records, Lake Nacogdoches was most recently stocked 2026 with 25,779 lone star bass (fingerling). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Lake Nacogdoches 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.
Lake Kurth 14 mi · Lake Naconiche 17 mi · Lake Striker 26 mi · Pinkston Reservoir 28 mi · Lake Jacksonville 35 mi · Lake Murvaul 36 mi · Sam Rayburn Reservoir 41 mi · Martin Creek Lake 45 mi · Houston County Lake 47 mi · Lake Tyler East 47 mi · Lake Tyler 48 mi · Lake Palestine 55 mi
See how Lake Nacogdoches stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Texas · best crappie lakes in Texas · best bluegill lakes in Texas · best channel catfish lakes in Texas
Browse all Texas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.