Johnston Lake Number 1 in Harrison County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Johnston Lake Number 1 in Harrison County, Texas. Land around it is dry hill. Surface area runs to about 15 acres — small enough to read in one session. Longview lies 3.9 miles from the water. After that come Hallsville at 6.2 miles and White Oak at 11 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Johnston Lake Number 1

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Species logged nearby in open biodiversity records include rainbow trout, channel catfish and bluegill. Records show what people reported, not what is stocked. Anyone new to this water should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 83°F, the coldest about 45°F. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. On this water the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try J L Finch Lake, 1.2 miles away. Where this water is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.