Hey all,
New to the forum and Wright Patman. Say I put in at Piney Point ramp.

How much of the lake is safe traveling going south Towards Atlanta SP and almost due north from Atlanta SP - Berry Farm?

Basically, is the whole area insanely stump filled? Or is it similar to a lot of lakes built in that time period...main lake is free and clear, but parts of the lake are a jungle?

Cheers,
BDD

With the water level being a little under 224.5 it’s probably not best to run it if you’re not familiar with the lake. There is way to many hidden stumps and the lake is gonna be so shallow just about everywhere you go that’s why I’ll be up above highway 8 on the river. If it was a foot higher I’d say run it and not be scared. Fishing should start getting good here pretty soon though. It’s a great lake to fish

Thank you. Where do you launch?

It’s off of highway 8 in Maud, TX.

Lake Mauldin boat ramp?

Here's my general running hazard map for Patman. This is a general guide, don't take it as absolute. Do not run inside of pockets until you've idled them first to check for stumps (some are ok to run in/out of, but most are not). Patman doesn't usually have a bunch of floaters, but they show up sometimes. It's sketchy to run anywhere west of Atlanta State Park/Berry Farm until you get into the main channel of the river west of the HWY 8 bridge, Mauldin Lake, and Herron Creek area. Locals know paths up there but unless you have someone show you a path don't try to run there from the main lake.

Thanks Outdoordude. That is very helpful.

What ramp would you recommend a first timer use?

FYI
Hard to launch at State Park in a large fiberglass boat at this level until they dig out the ramp.

I'll be launching out a 22ft center console Xpress

Ramp 3 (North Shore Landing), end of Corps Rd 12 is the best on the lake. Protected from most wind, good parking lot, ramp is usable year-round, has a boat dock to tie off to. It's also the closest ramp to Texarkana.

Next best options are Piney Point and Elliot's Bluff ramps. Both have boat docks, nice parking and ramps, but both ramps are exposed and loading can get sketchy with any wind, especially for aluminum boats.

Like Outdoor dude said, Ramp 3 is the best ramp on the lake minus the one at Sportsman Cove that they keep locked up. Ramp 3 will service pretty much the whole main lake. I used to fish Patman a ton when I had my big bass boat. I lived 5 minutes from ramp 3. I would not run to Malden from the main lake. 224 is a good fishing level, but it makes the stumps dangerous even in some of the lake channels. If you want to fish Malden (HWY 8 in Maud) just launch Malden Ramp. It does get slippery from time to time or when the ramp has a lot of action. I will say if your boat is heavy or runs deep, either idle or keep it trimmed up. I could run from Malden ramp to Herron Creek no problem. Stumps still pop up in the middle and there is no definite channel. Herron Creek produces as long as people don't muddy it up.

I see that this lake has a history of being above pool more than being below pool

Hands down the “fullest” lake in Texas

Thanks all. Looks like Ramp 3 it is!

Now to find a storage facility that provides lockable storage for the boat (individualized unit).

BDD

You're gonna have a hard time find storage in town that size for a individual unit that you can easily get in and out of. There are a lot of covered options close to the lake though.

And yeah it stays high, it is a flood control lake. They don't use it for recreation. They will flood that lake to take pressure off of any other lake in that system.