Soil Conservation Service Site 42 Reservoir Fishing in Collin County, Texas

• Overview

  Set in Collin County, Texas, this is Soil Conservation Service Site 42 Reservoir. It sits in pine and hardwood. Surface area runs to about 18 acres — small enough to read in one session. Some 2.5 miles away sits Van Alstyne, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Anna at 3.5 miles and Melissa at 7 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Soil Conservation Service Site 42 Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include channel catfish. Records come from public data, not from a stocking programme. At this water the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 83°F and January about 42°F. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. At this water the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The nearest car park we can see is 0.9 miles out, so expect a walk with your gear. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Soil Conservation Service Site 39 Reservoir at 3.4 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on this water is worth confirming on the day.