Fishing at Cedar Lake, Van Zandt County, Texas

• Overview

  Texas holds Cedar Lake, in Van Zandt County. The ground round it is oak and grass. It covers about 17 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Grand Saline lies 6.6 miles from the water. After that come Mineola at 7.3 miles and Quitman at 11 miles. Other water nearby: Lewis Lake some 1.4 miles off, Neil Lake 1.4 miles off, Brushy Lake some 2.1 miles off, Twin Lakes 3 miles off and Lake Louise some 3.2 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Cedar Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged nearby in open biodiversity records include largemouth bass, bluegill, Florida largemouth bass and channel catfish. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. Cedar Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 82°F, while January sits near 44°F. The surface stays open the year round. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. On Cedar Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lewis Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Cedar Lake before loading the car.