Shipman Lake in Erath County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Texas holds Shipman Lake, in Erath County. Height above sea level is 1,178 feet. The water measures roughly 13 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Erath County list. The closest town, Glen Rose, is 9.5 miles away. Hico follows at 15 miles, then Pecan Plantation at 19 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Shipman Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists redbreast sunfish. Records come from public data, not from a stocking programme. On Shipman Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 83°F on average, January about 44°F. The surface stays open the year round. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Anyone fishing Shipman Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. 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. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Stufflbeme Lake, 10 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Shipman Lake.