Does anyone know if this place is still open, Haven't fished there in almost 10 years, Also can you still fish overnight? Any info would be greatly appreciated😀 I've had some very exciting nights on that pier😀

It's been closed now for a couple of years now, maybe more. Someone said they closed it because someone stole all the pipe off the pier when the water was way down with the pier out of the water, and they never reopened it.
It's too easy to just lock up the gate, and not have to patrol that area I guess.
I doubt the county has any plans to reopen it, but you might check. Maybe Corp of Engineers might know something. They have an office up by the dam.
Maybe someone will chime in that knows!
Welcome to the forum!

It has been open for a year or so. Not sure if they close for winter. It is a Corps of Engineer park.

I drove out there in October and the gate was closed so I assumed and we all know what that means.
I stand corrected! Thanks

Cranes mill park appears to be open. I saw some trailers in it two weeks ago. But the fishing dock is definitely closed and has been quite some time as Jimbo said. Call the Corp to verify. (830) 964-3341

Very very sad, Thank you for the info....

the area is closed to vehicle traffic. you can park at the road and walk down there.
the dock is technically closed, but I see people on it.
I have been told that the dock is closed simply because of the low water level.
The back corner of the dock is resting on the rock ledge and the entry ramp is
at a steep incline... if the lake level comes up about 10 feet, then it should be open.

Maybe it's budget cuts, and lack of manpower, but I believe in the past when the lake dropped they would (corps of engineers) would adjust the cables lengthening them and allow the pier to be pushed out away from the shore.
When the lake rose it was just a matter of pulling the cables in and shorten them adjusting for the higher lake level.
Don't know who is responsible for the upkeep, but the guy that used to take care of that pier must have retired and the guy that took over decided it wasn't in his job description, so therein lies the problem in my opinion.

I thought about writing a book called "Crappie tales from the dock side" about
My experiences on this dock. A friend of mine and I stumbled onto this dock back in
The late 80's and I fell in love! I've seen just about every specie of fish that is in the lake
Caught on this dock. There has to be a small mountain of Coleman lanterns
On the bottom not to mention rod and reels(I've lost 2)😀. Hope they reopen it soon. Lots of
memories on that dock-~Jim~

Funny you mentioned coleman lanterns because I set the hook on what I thought was a huge cat because when I jerked the rod back the line felt super heavy and started moving away from the pier very slowly with a bit of a side to side action. As I frantically reeled it got easier and to my surprise it ended up being an old, old Coleman lantern! I was going to restore it, but it was toast. Found a few zebco rod and reels the same way and a couple I still have that work.
One thing about it, the die hard fishermen usually always caught a lot of fish off that pier when others gave up early.

Caught a 13 lb flathead on this dock on a live minnow using a zebco
202, Everyone got a real big kick out of seeing struggle with the drag
Drag system on that reel but I managed to get him up. My hats off to
The old bait shop owner who would get up at any hour
Of the night to get his customers live minnows, Thank
you Sir you are not forgotten

What year was it and what bait shop do you refer. Can't remember what you might be talking about, but then my memory is not what it was.

I'm guessing 88' or 89' the bait shop was on Cranes mill rd, The owner
lived in the house trailer directly behind the bait shop. He was a elderly
Fellow he or his wife would get up and get minnows at any hour
of the night. Bought quite a few Coleman lanterns from him. This
was the old dock the one that had 2 openings not 1. I think the first
flood wiped it out. I miss those days

I also remember this one fellow who would pull the battery
from his truck to run his crappie light, He'd simply park his truck
at the top of the parking lot and put his truck in neutral and jump
start it going down the hill! That's in to win it!

It seems strange the way everything was so laid back, back then and the park was open as well as the boat launch. No fees being charged and there were plenty of places to camp back then. Of course that was when Craines Mill park still had a bunch of trees before the big flood wiped it all out killing about 3/4 of the trees.
Glad I had a chance to enjoy it. It's sad that it's no longer that way for the kids nowdays. You have to pay now, and you get way less or nothing at all. Even the water levels are constantly low and they close everything down and only open at a certain time of the year. It's actually sickening thinking about it!