Douglass Lake in Gillespie County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Gillespie County entry here is Douglass Lake, in Texas. Pine and hardwood runs right down to the water. This is a pocket water of some 13 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Texas listings. The nearest place of any size is Fredericksburg, 5.7 miles away. Harper follows at 21 miles, then Kerrville at 26 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Douglass Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. At Douglass Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes. If you have heard of anything round here it will be Lake Lyndon B Johnson, 33 miles off.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 80°F and January near 46°F on the long-run figures. Summer heat is the limit here, not winter cold. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. That is the shape of the year on Douglass Lake. A rising level after rain switches things on for a day or two.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Mathisen Lake, 6.2 miles away. Confirm access to Douglass Lake locally before you travel.