I live in Johnson County and there are numerous Soil Conservation Reservoirs. How do you find out if they have public access? Most seem to be on private land. Google says contact your local DNR. If you go to DNR, it refers you to TPWD. That refers you to the game warden. If you go to the game warden, it refers you to the Sheriff's Department. I didn't call, but they often are sympathetic to the landowner.

Is there an easier source for public access for water?

Thanks, IslandJim

I have found that 99.99% of them are surrounded by private residences.
I fish a number of them in my county as I have friends who live on them.

I've never known one to be public. I've wet a line in many of the Collin county area soil conservation lakes way back in my high school days. Some of my best memories

like the one juat north of 380 and just west of custer?

Here is a list of the community fishing lakes for this area. Oddly enough, only 2 are in JohnsonCounty. But it's still a big list of lakes but many are probably too small for kayaking. You'd cover the whole thing in a matter of minutes

http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/cfl_r2.phtml?r=2

I read somewhere that the state stopped stocking the SCR's back in the late 70's and since then they are all considered private use only. The adjacent land owners can give permission as they want, or not. I have one right by my house, like 100 yards, that is ripe with bass and the cops ran me and a buddy off once and told us we could be in trouble if we were caught there again. I have at least 4 around me looking on google earth and I wish I could fish them but I'm not taking a chance.

The only one I know of that is public is Prosper Towne Lake.

They are little gold mines. Theres a golf course pond in Mckinney Eldorado country club that they dont mind you fishing so long as your respectful. C&R and keep a low profile.

I caught a 9.5 from Towne Lake years back before all the new housing and fishing pressure.

City of Denton has two you can fish and they actually produce good fish. I've knocked on doors and gotten permission to fish a couple on private property. Worst they can do is say no.

theyre still there