It is a puzzle to me why TP&W stocks a 26000 acre lake (Caddo) with the same amount as a 65000 acre lake (amistad). Don't get me wrong, I fish both but to me this does not make sense.

Have you tried to email them and ask?

Anytime I have a question, you can email them directly on the TP&W site and they typically get back to me that same day, or forward over the email to someone in a more specialized area that can answer it.

They have always been open and forward with any of their information.

Politics.

It has always been hard for me to understand why our southern most lakes do not thrive with Bass like they do in Mexico.

Is it the stocking program that is holding them back?
Is it the fishing pressure?
Is it still not warm enough year round?

Or, is it a combination of all of the above plus anyother thoughts you may have?

Stocking fish is a science and art. Decisions are made on a myriad of circumstances. Unfortunately, it is not X acre lake gets X # of bass. It is a lot more complicated than that. Like most things in life, once you become educated in an area, there are a lot of "it depends" reasons for doing something.

We've had some dramatic water level fluctuations in our southern lakes. Likely has a negative effect on spawning and overall bass vitality.

Lake levels in Mexico go up and down every year more so than our lakes do. The effect is miminal on the Bass.

I want to know what they are doing different down there?

There is a lot of difference between 5 bites per day and 100. Why is that?

wouldn't you attribute most of that difference to dramatically less pressure?

How cold do the water temps get on these lakes in Mexico?

Tilapia, depth and relatively light pressure. Those Mexican lakes that fluctuate wildly have a lot of depth to them. Our lakes here do not, so fluctuations here negatively impact the fishing more, IMO. Plus our lakes are relatively stable compared to Mexico. Therefore, our fish not used to adapting to wild fluctuations like their Mexican cousins.

Fishing pressure!

I also think politics has slot to do with where they stock at.

If by that you mean that the lake is only partly ours and partly Mexico's (Amistad), you're probably correct.

If you call the TP&W's predilection toward stocking Fork over another lake of similar size and forage base "political", you may have a point there also.

More stocked fingerlings can be the result of hundreds of variables which have been alluded to above: forage base, existing fish per acre, other species, availability, etc.

If you really want to better understand why, pull up the recent surveys and see what they found and their (TP&W) plans for the lakes you mentioned.

It seems NO ONE stocks Eagle Mountain Lake....I know it's not directly under the TPWD, or at least it's not listed there but some agency should add stock to this lake.

If that is one of your favorite lakes to fish Lee, it's worth you looking into. The first thing you would want to do is pull the survey and see how many fish are stocked per acre and what their goal is for Eagle Mountain. How deficient is it based on the forage base and habitat? Then get a price on the fish from a fish farm and begin corresponding with your head biologist. Once you get your ducks (fish?) in a row (there are a few hoops to jump through with permits and such), all it takes is GREEN! And unfortunately I mean the paper kind.

It can be done, in fact it has been done. I think you might be surprised to find out how many other local anglers would be interested in improving the fishery.