Fishing at Daugherty Lake, Dallas County, Texas

• Overview

  Daugherty Lake lies in Dallas County, Texas. Elevation runs to 348 feet. Surface area runs to about 14 acres — small enough to read in one session. Some 3 miles away sits Seagoville, the nearest settlement. Crandall is 3.2 miles away, with Combine at 5.2 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank. The near end sees the visitors; the far end rarely does.

• Where to Fish on Daugherty Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover bluegill, green sunfish and Rio Grande longear sunfish. Treat it as evidence of what swims in the area. Fish Daugherty Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 44°F in January up to 84°F in July. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Anyone fishing Daugherty Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Soil Conservation Service Site 11 Reservoir, 1.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Daugherty Lake before loading the car.