I don't hear much about smallies here, and I can't say I've targeted them in Texas. But Someone mentioned that Lake Texoma has a fair amount of small mouth fishing? Thought it might be worth the trip if I ever get more than one day off work

Texoma, Bridgeport, Wheeler branch and PK or Whitney are your best options nearest the metroplex.

Texoma is your best shot. Fish the boulders along the shoreline of the state park with a craw pattern crank or a jig. Also, don't forget Grapevine. They've been stocking them there pretty heavily for the last couple years and its starting to show. Same patterns on the dam and the rocky bluffs next to it.

Someone mentioned Eisenhower State Park as good place to try, like you Gutcheck they mentioned the shoreline there. I have fished GV several times and never caught one, but I have not tried near the damn. Thanks guys. I'm such a nube to bass, learning as I go.

Eisenhower State Park is the place to start on Texoma.

I've caught 3 smallies at GV, all on top water near small rocks, best one so far was 16". Good luck!

Whitney is off that list. Fished this lake religiously before the golden algae trashed it. 3lbs was common then. PB 6 lbs. haven't seem a smallie in years there.
Although the river still has some. Weird.

Not weird at all. Im pretty sure I read somewhere that TPWD policy is to stock smallmouths below the dam only now.

They collect the brood stock for their breeding program from Lake Belton, so that's a good option depending on where you're coming from. Also several of us caught them at Ivie at that tourney.

To add to my post. Years ago Lake Whitney was stocked with fingerlings from the infamous Lake Dale Hollow, Tenn. Known for monster smallies and the present world record of 11lbs. Just a fun fact.

PK is the same! No smallies since the GA

What is it about golden algae that makes a lake inhabitable for smallmouth?

Not just small mouth but all fish get wiped out.

Yeah I think it produces toxins that cause their gills to stop working and they get no oxygen... All fish are killed when exposed to high concentrations, but some seem to either be able to survive lower exposure or live in areas of the lake that tend not to have as high a concentration when a bloom occurs. Smallmouth seem to be the most susceptible to it even in lower amounts for whatever reason.

here is a write up on it from the Arizona fish dept

http://www.azgfd.gov/temp/golden_alga_faqs.shtml#1

Thanks guys. I'm not familiar with it cause I have not lived in places where it has made an impact. These invasive species of critters like whirling disease, Golden Algae and zebra muscles really change things for the negative in our ecologies. The key is to learn how to stop the spread. But it looks like with golden algae they don't even know how it spreads nor do they have a cure.