Nichols Lake in Henderson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Henderson County, Texas. The setting is dry hill on every side. Roughly 34 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 1.2 miles in total. For a base, Malakoff sits 8.1 miles out. Athens lies 8.7 miles off, Kerens another 19 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Nichols Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include bluegill, redspotted sunfish and white crappie. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. Nichols Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 83°F, while January sits near 46°F. Winter is a mild inconvenience here, nothing more. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. It holds true on Nichols Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Perryman Lake sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Nichols Lake if anything is unclear.