I would have to say Falcon Lake for me. There’s been some darned good ones that were at its peak, but I missed fishing some of them. I’ve only lived here since 2000. The ones that come to mind that I have missed are Choke Canyon and OH Ivie. Lake Fork comes in at a close 2nd, but Falcon beats it for me from 2006 up until 2013. Seven years of phenomenal fishing and big fish fishing. During Lake Fork’s heyday, I spent 6 years enjoying a wonderful fishery from 1989-1995. Ever since the bass virus in ‘95 or so, that lake hasn’t been the same. Kinda like the Dallas Cowboys, 😂. Other great fisheries that I was able to take advantage when it was on was Lake Alan Henry, Monticello, and Lake Lewisville. Lake Lewisville…….haha. Yes, at one point I thought that lake was as good as any in the state. Same with GV Lake. GV was real good to me for 10 years. Lewisville was good for maybe two years. I believe added fishing pressure has adversely affected these two DFW area lakes.

Thank you, Texas, for providing a great number of lakes that are or were great fisheries. It’s been darned fun. For the future, I hope lakes continue to cycle at their maximum potential for the next generation, that the younger folks get to enjoy what we got to enjoy for so many years.

Never fished it, but I imagine Amistad was magical when full of water and vegetation.

No doubt.
Toledo Bend.
GP had lake front property after the lake filled.

Probably Fork in the fall, Cypress Springs, and Holbrook.

E.V. Spence when it was a lake in early 1990’s. Big water. Caught Stripers every trip. Always caught 16 to 28 pounders.

Ivie In January 2021. Very few boats and the lake was on fire.

Choke Canyon hands down... from the moment you launch it just feels different, has a unique smell to it, the landscape, birds and then there is the abundance of gators...makes your senses come alive...then the icing on the cake is beautifully marked bass, and there are some bigun's in there...

I started fishing Amistad in the 90's and yes, it was some fun times. Hydrilla and grass was everywhere and throwing a frog on it was the best of times.

got my introduction to Texas gators when I woke up on a picnic table at the calliham unit, got in late and I opted for the table vs. a non reclining truck seat.

woke up with 2-3 gators not too far away.


choke was amazing back then, 79-81, caught a lot of 5+ back then.
fork is tied with choke imo, always a challenge and spring/fall are my favorite times.

Lake o Pines in the Fall. Been a fun few times out there and really caught them good.

Amistad about 12 years ago was pretty good.

Not texoma.......

Monticello and its not close for a public lake. I wasn't bass fishing during the glory days of Fork, Cypress Springs, etc and I only fished Falcon 2 days during it's glory days of about 10 years ago. I have lost count of the number of magical days I have had on Monti and have only been fishing it since about 2009 when I bought a house on Cypress. The great thing is those days range from 1' of water to 20' water and frogs to c-rigs and big worms. Countless 50+ fish days and hundreds of fish over 5#. I even recall a day we had 3 of us in the boat and had 6 different 25#+ best five fish "limits". One day I will also never forget was me and Clint Wright back before I had a boat in 2010 fishing the back of Smith Creek. We caught ~35 fish in about 4 hours with something like 25 of them being 5# or bigger all in 1' of water and all on white ribbit frogs. Watching a 9# fish wake from 6' away to destroy my frog was something I will never forget. Sure miss her and hope to fish her again some day soon.

Fork, Rayburn, Falcon and Toledo Bend obviously make my list but I am gonna go with some off the wall/less popular places that I have had more than one phenomenal day of bass fishing on.

Tawakoni
Bridgeport
Angelina River
Sabine River
Red River
Lost Creek
Winnsboro

Falcon prime.

Baccarrac and Sugar have been great throughout the years but nothing compares to that 2010-2012 Falcon run

Hopefully we get one more shot.