Guess Ive been talked into entering a big bass tourney up there this weekend. Cant do any scouting so am wondering what the best ramp is. My skeeter does not like to load very easy on steep ramps. Also how full is the lake? Thanks

All of the ramps are open and easy to load on. I think Copeland. Creek still has big sand bar on it I wouldn't go there.

Lake is about half foot high

I know Dishmans at the 155 Bridge is pretty steep.
Thankfully the water is in much better shape than last year.

The sandbar is definitely still there and getting bigger every day that the COE does absolutely nothing to improve that specific facility. The ramp and parking lot should be an embarrassment to the COE. You could probably cut 2 cords of firewood out of all of the downed trees and tree limbs on the way in and in the parking lot, but I bet you would have to apply for a $5 firewood permit.

Are there a lot of stumps on this lake, or any major hazards I should know about?

Yes, there is timber everywhere...especially from Alley Creek to the north/west. There is actually a lot of timber on the lower end of the lake from Alley Creek to the dam, but on the main lake most of it is on the south half and you can see it.

Going into Alley you have to thread the needle between the hump in the middle of the creek mouth and the rocks to the right (east).

The marked boat lane starts a mile or so west of Alley Creek. From that point westward I wouldn't run anywhere other than the boat lane if you don't know the lake extremely well.

Thank You Razorback

You cannot see the majority of the stumps from Watts Island and the upper end of the lake.

Basically half the lake up from watts island and johnsons. You can run the north half excapt what you see mostly. The south half is stumpy!

Maun lake (down from johnsons) is clear until you get in the back of hurricane. Johsons is clear for the most part as well. Until you go way past the bridge. Look for the cove on the right, then slow down. Alley and Hurricane you should idle past the bridge. Like said .. thread the needle going into alley though.

The lake is now 1.17 low. The Corp has been on a draw down for the past two weeks. Many of the stumps you could run over wide open earlier in the spring are now just barely under the water. Be careful. I spent every weekend on Pines the past few months and it will be dangerous with all of the boats out there. if you're fishing the south end I would launch out of Hurricane. If up north I would launch at Lake O Pines Marina ( the old Dishman's place). The Pine Hill ramp should be ok too. Good luck..

Wow ... I was there last weekend and it looked great. Dropping it that much I bet the grass thats submerged at the banks will be under soon.

Not sure where your info is coming from but the COE shows otherwise.

http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/reports/fly/html/JFNT2.html

LOP is a variable-level lake and so are ~4 other Texas lakes:
Conservation pool elevation
seasonal: May 1 to October 1 starting 1990-05-01 230.0 ft above NGVD29
seasonal: October 1 to May 1 starting 1990-05-01 228.5 ft above NGVD29

Full-pool in April is 228.5ft
Full-pool in May is 230.0ft
Though on seasonal change-overs COE may adjust in 0.1ft per day until that season level is reached.

Say the lake is at 229.0ft msl:
April, LOP is +0.5ft high
May , LOP is -1.0ft low

Hope I got this right. . .

Add/subtract this every time I'm a'running across that boat lane sandbar or I just look for the cranes standing toe deep on top of it.

http://www.waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/lake-o-the-pines

As of this morning water is 1.11 ft low.

I think that site has the pool level incorrectly (or correctly pending on your view) set at 230.

The core has it set at 228.5. The level is currently 228.9 (per the COE's site).