Cantrell Lake Fishing Guide, Van Zandt County, Texas

• Overview

  Look for Cantrell Lake in Van Zandt County, Texas. Around the bank it is open plain. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Supplies mean a trip to Van, 4.5 miles off. Hideaway follows at 10 miles, then Brownsboro at 11 miles. More in the same country: Young Lake out at 0.9 miles, Starr Lake 3 miles, Butler Lake out at 4.4 miles, Rhine Lake 4.5 miles and Marsh Lake out at 4.8 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Cantrell Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Nearby survey and observation records mention black crappie and bluegill. Records show what people reported, not what is stocked. At Cantrell Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 83°F; the cold one sits at 45°F. Winter is a mild inconvenience here, nothing more. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That is the shape of the year on Cantrell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Mapping flags this water as intermittent: it can be dry for part of the year, so check before travelling. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Young Lake, 0.9 miles away. Rules at Cantrell Lake are worth checking on the day.