Big Lake Fishing near Premont, Texas

• Overview

  Big Lake is a Jim Wells County water, Texas side. The sea is 19 miles distant. Surface area runs to about 24 acres — small enough to read in one session. For a base, Premont sits 3.2 miles out. Falfurrias is 9.4 miles away, with Ricardo at 15 miles. Others within reach: Canelo Lake 7.1 miles away, Paisano Lake 7.1 miles, Burro Lake 8.5 miles away, Zaino Lake 8.5 miles and Mesquite Lake 9.2 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Big Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On Big Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one. About 26 inches falls across the year, peaking in September and easing by March.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 85°F on average, January about 55°F. Fish feed through every month here. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That is the shape of the year on Big Lake. Spring warms the shallows first, so start there.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records show it does not hold water year-round. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Canelo Lake, 7.1 miles away. Confirm access to Big Lake locally before you travel.