lakes... Since squaw is shut down and Welsh takes 3 hours from my house what are the best cold water lakes..

Thanks...

Ray Hubbard has been good to me in the winter fishing marina’s and up in the river. Athens is always good too with the grass

Water temps are still in the 60’s but they’ll be going down soon.

Arlington when they are generating power.

Lewisville and Ray Roberts get cold

When the water temperature gets into the low 40s none of them are "good". There's a reason why power plant lakes are crowded in the winter. A few people may catch some good fish in really cold water. Most will practice their casting and struggle.

Here in East Texas I feel like most area lakes will produce fewer bites, but better bites as the water temps drop. Hell, I can't wait till mid December. The cold keeps the traffic down as well.
I never seek out the power plant lakes.....hate those crowds.
Give Palestine a try.

December and January are so much fun. Many of my most memorable days were in the winter. If you can adjust your fishing style, you can still catch plenty of fish and some big ones too. I haven't fished a powerplant lake in many years.

I spend most of the winter on a smaller grassy lake, and I've had plenty of 40+ fish days with several over 5lbs.

Lake Ray Hubbard also fishes very well in the winter. The marinas and the rip rap hold big fish all winter.

Stillhouse Hollow Lake

I think there is a little misconception about the winter bite on power plant lakes. At least at Fayette which is the lake I fish the most and happens to be the closest lake in general to me. The bite does for most part move offshore. Water temps this time of the year can and does drop in the 60's. In August the water temp is in the high, high 90's. So there is a 30 to almost 40 degree temperature drop those fish have to adapt to. The bite usually slows down as well definitely in late November and December. Also 40 degree ambient air temperature is just as cold for the fisherman there as it would be say on Sam Rayburn. Just my opinion.

Texoma

Have had some really good days in cold weather/ water on Lake Worth

So what type of lures do you throw in the winter? Reaction type baits?

The A-rig has changed everything. I would rather fish in high 30's to 50 degree water temp more than any other time of the year now. 2 rods on the deck, an a-rig and a jerkbait. To me it's the easiest, best fishing of the year.

Around grass, traps and chatterbait. If the water clarity is really good, jerkbaits and swimjigs. I let the baits get hung up and rip them out from time to time. If I catch a bunch in one area, I'll go back through with a wacky rig and a t-rigged fluke with a weight big enough to pull it down through the holes in the grass.

In rocky areas: shakey head, cranks, and jerkbaits. A slow rolled spinnerbait works very well in the winter too. Roll it just fast enough to turn the blades and have it bouncing off the rocks as it goes down the rip rap.