First time poster here! I apologize if this is in the wrong spot.

I graduated from SHSU four years ago and kind of just stayed in Huntsville, love the city. I usually fish Raven or go to Riverside/Livingston for great bank spots. However, I was wondering if anyone knew any decent small lakes or streams to go to around the Huntville area. It can be further out, I don't mind driving 30 minutes to a good location.

I've fished a lot of Conroe, but the normal spots I bank fish have been crowded with people driving jet skis or just making a lot of loud noise, so... kind of ruined my best spots.

Also, does anyone know of a good resource to tell if a lake/stream on a map is private or public? I've been using Hook and Bullet, but I think it just lists everything around here as public.

Thanks!

Hey there, I went to SHSU and graduated in 2015. Have you gone to Elkins lake? It is just between Lake Raven and Huntsville!! It has Elkins lake, Azalea lake, Camelia lake, and Club lake in the community area.

They say that you had to be or know someone in the community to fish out there, but we never had anyone come and ask us if we lived there. And I hear now that there are even fewer people in that community so it could still be good fishing.

Good crappie and largemouth bass fishing this time of year there also.

And we would go to google map and find bodys of water and go try them out, if there is a fence then dont cross it, but no fence then you should be good. If someone asks you what your doing just tell them the truth, and if its private property then they will let you know and tell you to leave, but we never had a problem.

And the map shows that Lake Raven and Camelia Lake are connected by a creek, but I am sure that is only right after a good heavy rain.

If you want to try a creek for crappie and bass this might be a good one this time a year also. Put this address into google maps and go just up the road to see a parking area right by East Carolina Creek, this creek is a feeder to the north side of lake Livingston and the Trinity river.
13600 FM 980, Huntsville, TX 77320

The more you work downstream away from the lake, the more the creek should clear up, and the closer you are to the lake the more it will be murky and slow down. If I was still in that area that is where I would like to try and see what it would produce. Crappie are spawning right now and should be up in the creeks.
Also Livingston is known for White bass also, and they also go up the creeks to spawn this time of year, but they normally spawn from February-April. So it might be a little late for them to be up the creeks, but they like flowing water, so if you find a soft current you might find some white bass.

Awesome info, thank you! I might of seen you around campus if you graduated in 2015, that's only a couple of years before me.

I've been out to Elkins, but I've never fished it. Never knew if it was like a super bad thing to try and get caught because I don't live there or not. I see a lot of people coming in and out of there with fishing gear that don't stay, haha.

I'll hit it up this Sunday and see what's up. Thanks!

What did you graduate with, what was your major?

Let me know how you do there, Elkins has a fishing pier by the community swimming pool, that would be a good place to start, and there is a small outdoor workout area next to club lake I think, and that has a bunch of bank area to fish. Just stay out of peoples back yard. If you have a canoe or kayak then that would be ideal for that small lake.
Let me know how you do.

Graduated with a degree in Business Management and Economics. I actually just left my current job because, even though I was making awesome money, I was working 70 hours a week and I was exhausted and never able to get out on the lake anymore or get outdoors. Definitely not a good thing for me, haha. I'd take less money all day everyday if I can fish!

I graduated in '04, so my advice may be a little dated...

There are some nice ponds around Crabbs Prairie, along 1696. Asking owners for permission really opens up some doors.

Yea just make sure the land owners do not have any purple marks or no trespassing signs up, we use to do this and some say yes and some say no... then some you hope they don't pull a gun on you hahaha

Some people around there get paranoid about an convict escaping and knocking on their door...