Shafter Lake in Andrews County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Shafter Lake lies in Andrews County, Texas. Height above sea level is 3,097 feet. At 1,359 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. It ranks among the bigger water on our Texas list. Andrews lies 8.4 miles from the water. Seminole is 22 miles away, with Eunice at 29 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Shafter Lake

  This is salt or soda water, not a conventional fishery: do not expect the usual freshwater species here. Expect a pan of salt and mud most years; water arrives rarely and leaves fast. Anglers passing through do better on the neighbouring fresh waters listed on this page. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. At Shafter Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 81°F, with January the cold end at about 43°F. Long warm spells define the calendar more than any cold. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. At Shafter Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Whalen Lake is 10 miles off. Ask locally about Shafter Lake if anything is unclear.