McCowan Lake, Texas: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Shackelford County, Texas, sits McCowan Lake. Height above sea level is 1,201 feet. Surface area runs to about 21 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Shackelford County standards. Albany sits 14 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Abilene is the closest city, 45 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on McCowan Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists channel catfish, gizzard shad, longnose gar and orangespotted sunfish. The records cover the area rather than this water alone. On McCowan Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 84°F and January near 43°F. Fish stay active all year, but they move with the heat. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. On McCowan Lake that shapes the whole year. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Nail Lake Number 1 at 9.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at McCowan Lake for certain.