Fishing at Akins Lake, Panola County, Texas

• Overview

  The Panola County entry here is Akins Lake, in Texas. The setting is open plain on every side. With some 59 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. On our Panola County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest town is Carthage, 7.3 miles off. It is 38 miles to Shreveport, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Akins Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover bowfin, channel catfish and Alligator gar. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Akins Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 82°F and January reads 45°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. It holds true on Akins Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Clear Lake is 1.4 miles distant. Check the position at Akins Lake before loading the car.