Fishing at Criminal Lake, Leon County, Texas

• Overview

  You will find Criminal Lake in Leon County, Texas. Open plain runs right down to the water. It measures about 28 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Start from Elkhart, 11 miles down the road. Palestine is 14 miles away, with Grapeland at 17 miles. Round about: 1.4 miles away is Glaze Lake, Spring Lake 1.9 miles, 2.9 miles away is Indian Lake, McCrakin Lake 3.2 miles and 3.3 miles away is Brushy Lake. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Criminal Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include black bullhead, bluegill, blue catfish, green sunfish and flathead catfish. Presence in the area does not guarantee a fish in this exact water on the day. Fish Criminal Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 83°F on average, January about 46°F. Winter is a mild inconvenience here, nothing more. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. At Criminal Lake the season follows that pattern closely. Barometric swings often matter more than the calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Glaze Lake is 1.4 miles off. What applies at Criminal Lake may have changed since it was mapped.