Shamburger Lake in Smith County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Shamburger Lake lies in Smith County, Texas. Everything around it is oak and grass. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by Smith County standards. Tyler lies 6.8 miles from the water. Lindale is 9.3 miles away, with Hawkins at 11 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Shamburger Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, flathead catfish and Rio Grande longear sunfish. Reporting is uneven, so absence from the list means little. At Shamburger Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 83°F, the coldest about 45°F. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. It sets the rhythm of the year at Shamburger Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Brewer Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Shamburger Lake before loading the car.