Fishing Moore Lake in Panola County, Texas

• Overview

  Panola County in Texas is where Moore Lake sits. It stands 266 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 23 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Carthage sits 2.1 miles from here and is the nearest stop. It is 43 miles to Shreveport, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Moore Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists bluegill, redfin pickerel, warmouth, black crappie and orangespotted sunfish. Check the state or provincial list before planning around one species. On Moore Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 82°F and January about 45°F. Cold never closes this one. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It holds true on Moore Lake more years than not. Wind direction changes which bank is worth fishing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Prior Lake Number 1 at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Moore Lake in what we hold.