Fishing at Buzzard Slough, Cherokee County, Texas

• Overview

  Buzzard Slough is one of the Cherokee County waters in Texas. Around the bank it is pine and hardwood. At about 41 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The nearest town is Jacksonville, 11 miles away. Tyler sits 34 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Buzzard Slough

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists slough darter, bluntnose darter, warmouth, black crappie and bluegill. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. At Buzzard Slough the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 83°F, with January the cold end at about 45°F. It fishes twelve months of the year. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. On Buzzard Slough that shapes the whole year. Barometer swings matter more than a degree or two.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Dead Water Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Buzzard Slough.