Reservoir Number 1 Fishing Guide, Liberty County, Texas

• Overview

  Set in Liberty County, Texas, this is Reservoir Number 1. The shore lies 25 miles out. Some 7 miles away sits Ames, the nearest settlement. Beaumont is the closest city, 35 miles away. Within a short drive: Sand Lake (6 miles), Lake Liberty some 6.1 miles off, Lake Forest (6.2 miles), Hardin Lake some 6.3 miles off and Josie Lake (6.6 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Reservoir Number 1

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records collected within a few miles name bantam sunfish, black crappie and flathead grey mullet. It is a record of sightings and surveys, so use it as a guide. Anyone new to this water should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 51°F in January and 83°F in July. The water stays warm and open throughout. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. That is the shape of the year on this water. A steady wind fishes better than a still, bright day.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Sand Lake is 6 miles distant. None of that is settled for this water in what we hold.