Does a deep lake or a shallow lake warm up sooner this time of year? I'm in the DFW area and, for example, Possum Kingdom and Lake Worth are 2 opposite ends of the spectrum as far as depth.
I would guess that a shallow lake (Lake Worth) would warm up quicker since the heat doesn't have to penetrate as far. Then again, maybe Possum Kingdom has a larger gradient....still cold way down deep but warmer in shallow areas.

Thoughts?

Make this simple. Don't over thank it for the spawning fish. Weather has more to do with it than anything. A number of warm days and nights in a row will put them right up in the shallows on any lake. Deep water lakes; the spawn will take place over a longer period of time than a shallow water lake. Deep water lakes; the spawn is more sporadic than the shallow lakes. This means that the fish are scattered along the shoreline and there never seems to be that one week of catching excellent fish where they are suppose to be. Those warm days and nights are the key if you have done your mapping work and know where to look for the spawning fish in those lakes and are able to make those 3 or 4 warm days in a row you will do really well. Shallow water lakes seem to be much easier to figure out; but that weather still dictates how many fish are going to be on the beds in the shallows. Many shallow water lakes are silted in so you are dealing with soft bottom. Bass just do not seem to be in abundance on such lakes in the Spring. Find those few rocky spots and you will be in business.

What are the factors that determine a lake to be a shallow lake versus a deep water lake? Obviously, I know PK is deeper than Lewisville but Lewisville is still largely 40 feet deep main lake. What's considered shallow and what's considered deep?

Shallow to me is about how much shallow water the lake has in it. It can still have lots of shallow water like Ray Roberts has up all the miles of creek channels; but for our area it is a deep water lake as compared to most of our other DFW lakes. Therefore the majority of the spawn will take place in April; just depending on the mildness of the winter we have had. That is one reason I turn my attention toward the weather and the night time temperature rise to bring the lake into full spawn. All this also depends on how many Florida Bass the lake has in it. They are not going to make a move until the water temp. reaches that magic 68 degrees and consistently stays there for a long enough period of time for you to find the fish. The Northern Strain of Bass will be there first.

I cannot put a depth number to a lake and call it a deep water lake. The term comes form the other lakes in the area. If you were to compare RR to Amistad (150 ft.) then RR is a shallow water lake. Each lake has it's own signature as I call it when it comes to the spawn. You will find fish spawning in Ray Roberts into the month of May; but you will not find that happening on Lake Amistad. Amistad has a different signature and has massive areas of shallow water that is protected and warms very fast because of all the rock. It is also extremely clear so Big Bass spawn deep out of sight on the main lake. I will take a shallow water lake at 50 ft. main lake depth any time over a lake such as Amistad to find spawning fish.

That makes sense. Thx!