Catfish Lake Fishing in Anderson County, Texas

• Overview

  Set in Anderson County, Texas, this is Catfish Lake. It sits at 374 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 19 acres — small enough to read in one session. Nearest town is Malakoff, 12 miles off. After that come Athens at 15 miles and Kerens at 19 miles. Not far off: Lake Francis at 0.7 miles, Cox Lake the better part of 1.9 miles, Rampy Lake at 3.3 miles, Jonnson Lake the better part of 5.5 miles and Cartwright Lake at 5.6 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Catfish Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Nearby survey and observation records mention spotted bass, spotted gar, bluegill, dusky darter and largemouth bass. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. Catfish Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 83°F on average, January about 46°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Catfish Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Lake Francis at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Catfish Lake is worth confirming on the day.