Fishing at Metzger Lake, Van Zandt County, Texas

• Overview

  Set in Van Zandt County, Texas, this is Metzger Lake. This is pine and hardwood country. Around 73 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. It ranks high for size among our Van Zandt County listings. The nearest town is Canton, 6.5 miles away. Further out sit Van (7.1 miles) and Grand Saline (8.2 miles). No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Metzger Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists largemouth bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, black crappie and bluegill. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Metzger Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 44°F in January up to 83°F in July. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Anyone fishing Metzger Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Club Twenty Lake is 1.8 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Metzger Lake.