Camilla Lake in Menard County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Menard County end of Texas holds Camilla Lake. The country round it is open plain from end to end. At roughly 2 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Menard County list. Menard lies 22 miles from the water. The big place round here is Abilene, 114 miles distant. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Camilla Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Nearby survey and observation records mention greenthroat darter, bluegill, channel catfish and Guadalupe bass. It reflects what has been logged, which depends on who was looking. Camilla Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 81°F in July and bottoms out near 45°F in January. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. That shapes the year on Camilla Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Crescent Lake at 2.7 miles is the nearest alternative. For Camilla Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.