Dad hung him a nice one this past weekend!

I hate to say it though but this lake is becoming more disappointing every time I visit it. It used to be an awesome lake to fish, but now the past 4 times or so that I've gone it just hasn't been what it used to be. My dad caught that one, I caught one that was about 3-4lbs, and then a handful under a pound...

I don't know, maybe I'm just not doing something right. I've lost a lot faith in that water hole even considering that nice fish

Nice one - congrats to Dad!

That's a nice fish. I'm glad to see there are still some nice ones there. It used to be a fun lake to fish in the 80's. John Hope started his tracking experiments on that lake back then. He came to speak once at our Bass Club back in the late 80's and I learned a a lot just from that session. My best friend's parents live on the river just below the dam so I used to fish it quite a bit, however, I haven't fished it in several years. The last time I was there, I lost one that was about 9 or 10lbs. She jumped and gave me the "Thanks but Goodbye Tail Wave". The last couple of times or so, I would catch 1 big fish and nothing else or 1 big fish and some dinks. It sure isn't the lake it used to be but it was fun while it lasted. I have been tempted to go back just to check it out again since I have many fond memories on that lake. .

I fished that lake from 2010 through about 2013 and it was amazing. Once they sprayed the grass I never really went back. Totally different lake now.

Beautiful fish.

I started fishing it in 2016 and it was awesome then! It was around late 2020 that I’ve noticed a decline in it.

Nice fish! I know exactly where you are and I have NEVER caught anything close to that size.

Nice fish and a very good "Lifetime Memory"!

Great fish!

HCL is my 'home' lake. Inlaws have cabin there, so I fish it ~30 days a year (including tomorrow thru Monday). I got my PB near your spot a few years back, down by the drain.

The lake is different since they killed off the hydrilla and every other grass in the lake. I got two six pounders labor day weekend skipping docks and boathouses.

You can thank tp&w for the decline. 2009-2013 it was awesome. 25 -28lbs a day was the norm back then. They used a herbicide pellet and grass carp and destroyed a great fishery.

Doesn't the TPWD have a history of doing this? Houston County? Conroe? Others?

Yes, decades of the same thing over and over and over with too much spraying +/- too many grass carp (White Amur)
Grass carp are not actually carp, but White Amur and are to be killed/not released unless the lake has a Triploid Grass Carp permit.

Off the top of my head

1980s Conroe
1990s Fork, Livingston
2000s Purtis Creek, Lake Austin, Richland Chambers, Cedar Creek
2010s Houston County, Murvaul

“Managing” grass(specifically hydrilla) did not start in the last decade @ HC. I used to fish it heavily in the late 80’s and it was a hydrilla filled clear water lake. Spent many spring spawns sight fishing for bass there. Then one day it was gone and the water was never as clear again and the numbers and size of the bass diminished. Every time the grass starts to get a hold and come back it is “fixed” again. The state will never let hydrilla get a solid hold on most lakes and our trophy bass fishing shows(Austin, Purtice Creek, Houston County, Fork……). “Rant over”!

You are correct they have been killing the grass on Houston County since it ever got going there but it would come back a few years later. This time (2012) the difference was the first introduction of grass carp along with the herbicide pellets. Fishery decimated, but the property owners can get their boats out, for what I don’t know, maybe riding and skiing amongst the stumps! LOL