Legality of Camping on Mid-Lake Islands?

Looking at getting a canoe as soon as I can afford it, and was wondering if it's legal to camp/fish on islands in the middle of lakes. Does anyone know if it's legal/illegal statewide or does it vary by lake?

There’s some rednecks that have been doing this at texoma over July 4 for years

I've seen plenty of others do it, just don't want to be the one to get caught if it's wrong. It makes sense that it's legal, as I doubt anyone would own the land in the middle of the lake.

I could've sworn that one of the Texoma islands is a state park.

kayaker groups camp there

Idon't see why not but some lakes are controlled by differrent rules.Iwould pick 1 or 2 and do a search
before Itook a chance.

Definitely illegal on Roberts, and I'm sure all other COE lakes. They only allow camping in designated sites.

Always gotta be careful of the night island patrol boat

Where did you find that it's illegal at Ray Roberts?

I know on Richland Chambers the trees along the shore are painted purple on the islands and that means stay out or off.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4024986/Re:_Islands_on_Texoma_(camping

I know I've seen people camped on Texoma islands.
I've heard the same about the camping on the Ray Roberts islands.

It's not COE entirely, may just be the different districts. Lake Ouachita allows island camping, different district that the Lakes in Texas. Plus Ouachita is surrounded by NF and the islands may be NF as well.

Spent many of nights on the islands out of Brady Mountain.

just do it
who cares, or is going to say anything?

Act dumb if caught, worst thing is they scold you and kick you off the island. If you don't get caught, just make sure you clean up your mess before you leave.

I can't seem to find anything on any websites, neither TPWD or specific lake sites, so I'm sure as long as there aren't any "no trespassing" signs or anything purple I'll be alright. Always leave it cleaner than when I arrive so that's no issue.

I have camped on the islands at Texoma many times. Never had any problems. I use to camp in a kind of secluded spot. One time this smallish sailboat beaches right in front of our camp and one of the couples on the boat jump off an proceed to stroll down the beach naked. The women in my camp were all giggling.

Way back I was fishing out of 15x42 Alweld and fishing Rayburn often so we decided to camp on an island so we didn’t have to run across lake as much. It was 100 in July and to this day that night was the coldest I’ve ever been. Cool breeze picked up and all we had was a tent and no sleeping bags (thought it was too hot) and I think I chipped a couple of teeth from shivering.

Wolf Island is part of the Jordan State Park, not sure on the camping rules.

Some islands are wildlife preserves and it is not even legal to set foot on them. I have read somewhere there is an island on Lake Fork that is a bird roost and illegal to get on it. Probably would not want to anyway, may get pooped on.

That’s an understatement

The only lake I have any experience with this on is Aquilla, which is a COE lake. I know that they don't "Allow" camping of any king on the lake or the surrounding property....BUT....Having seen people camping on it's one island on multiple occasions, I asked the game warden out there about it once. He said that, while it wasn't actually "allowed", he wasn't going to waste his time bothering folks that weren't bothering anyone or making a mess and for me to take that for what it was worth. Since then, we've camped there several times...just never on the island. We'll beach the boat in a secluded cove and kinda make sure we're outta sight. We don't make huge camp fires and we're quiet and never leave anything behind. Never had an issue.

The way I see it, most of the time, things get "banned" because people start abusing it. If they had a bunch of drunks making bonfires, burning the place up, leaving trash all the over the place, and just being a pain, I'm sure it wouldn't take long for that warden's attitude to change.

I have been run off of the islands on OH Ivie by the game wardens twice. They are only there when the lake is low.
GW told me that the CRMD owned all of the land within the lake elevation and a person was not allowed to set foot on it.
I was looking for a rod and reel I kicked over the side a few months earlier.

I love camping on the Texoma islands. I have never had any issues. I don’t build any fires, though I have seen some bonfires draw attention, not sure that would be a good idea anyway. Never heard of the purple paint means stay off. Learned something new.

Title 36 Chapter 111 Section 327.7(a)

Camping only in designated sites on COE land

That said, I might know people that have done it without issue. There’s a couple good spots

The islands on Ouachita are national forest. Camping is allowed pretty much anywhere on national forest land. According to the regulations you’re supposed to camp within 150 of a road and 100 feet away from a water body

Spent the better part of 30 years, going back to '77 (sound like an old fart now), we and thousands of others have camped out there. In fact, the corp had concrete picnic tables on treasure island, can still find a few, but they stopped maintaining them after a few floods. There is no burn ban, garbage dump ban, or idiot ban, but not much dead, dry wood on the islands anymore, so you have to bring your own. Only restriction is you can't make a permanent residency there with a tent or other structure. There are families of deer on the islands, but no hunting is allowed:)

Interesting! This is what I was looking for. Guess I'll have to find an actual camping site. Hopefully they're not too expensive.

Tent sites are cheap on COE lakes (I like the screened shelters) and you get water, electricity, fire pit, and close access to bathrooms and shower facilities, not to mention a parking space...I have spent the night on some shoreline/islands before...mostly due to equipment failure or weather related issues...never intentionally, just to go camping.

Unfortunately on Roberts, the state runs all the parks and they are getting pricey and the SPP doesn't like to allow people to have fun.

I much prefer camping at COE parks

In addition to Texoma I have camped on the islands on Buchanan twice and never had a problem. I have alos camped on 2 different islands on Caddo Lake. Not sure I would recommend that for most people. One night a pack of coyotes came right in to camp. The yankee I was with thought they were wolves and kept me up half the night.

I have also camped on the Islands on Buchanan without issue. I think LCRA will continue to allow as long as people keep it picked up.

Set up camp one time years ago at Texoma on the island closest to the dam. Within minutes AFTER setting up, the GW arrived and said I would have to leave. I asked him why and he pointed at the Bald Eagle roosting about 30 yards from me. I packed my gear and slept in the boat that night over by the marina. He never mentioned no camping on any of the islands. Just the one I was at and the Bald Eagle roosting.