Best Texas lake

What’s the best lake in Texas to go catch smallmouth? I made a trip up to Lake Murray and couldn’t find any size.

My one and only small mouth came from Texoma so I’ll say Texoma.

Texoma or Belton

Belton for sure, but let me inform you on it before you take off and go..

Last summer, I went to Belton STRICTLY for smallmouth. Never have caught one, and to this day still haven't had one in my hands.. (I missed one at Belton.. about 7:30-8 at night, crawfish rattle Trap. Got him about 5ft from the boat and he got off. Pissed off is an understatement.)

The mistake I made was going in the summer. Smallmouth like cool water.. I was up there and the water got in the upper 80s low 90s in the middle of the day. The only time I even got what I believe was a smallmouth bite (much more aggressive than a largemouth supposedly) was at night time on deep Rocky banks.

Caught plenty of largemouth, and 2 limits of white bass.. but not a single smallie. I'll be going back come next Winter

You can go catch them in numbers at Lake Murray right now but I didn’t find anything very big.

I’ve never had luck targeting them specifically on Texas lakes. My wife caught a pretty good one on Belton a few years ago, in grass, on a frog. Grapevine has some good ones too, but again I don’t go looking for them, just get lucky from time to time

I usually caught a 4 lber on trips to Texoma in the Spring and Fall.

Pk used to turn out 4-5 pounders before the alga kill, now TPWD want stock them, saying they die easier. It's politics, squeaking wheel gets greased.

The only Smallies I have ever caught came out of the Sabine River.

Caught a couple at Amistad...

Fairly east to catch on Texoma. We usually pick up several just fishing for largemouth.

i have caught my only small mouth's on Amistad, have fished Belton many more times.

Oh how times have changed, remember when Meredith and Whitney were the premier smallmouth lakes of Tx. Green belt up here in the panhandle had some nice ones as well. We have been catching a few smallmouth up here at Meredith but haven't seen one over 2 lbs. I have caught nice smallmouth at O.H. Ivie up around the dam in the clearer water.

Caught several at Ivie last time there but that was before the rise.

What he said,

Canyon Lake has some good smallies. I will say i havent caught any this year but in the past have caught some good ones.

Not a lake but I have caught a ton out of the Devils River. Some good ones too.

Caught a 21"er there fishing with Shane Davies. Place is magical

Lake Meredith always has some smallmouth. If you like walleye you can catch some tasty walleye there too!

Alan Henry is on the way up or back down the pan handle and is a good place to try and catch largemouth if you have time for a 2nd stop. Neighbor pulled an 8lb and a couple of 3-4lb largemouth out last month. Or so he told me.

We went the weekend after him and only caught a few largemouth in the 14-16” range and a single smallmouth around 10-12” or so. Got swarmed by “killer bees” too. That was fun.

Never fished specifically for smallmouth but I wish you luck and have lots of fun wherever you go!

I've caught one over 6lbs on Bridgeport. Several in 5lb range a a lot in the 4lb range over the years.

Texoma

No smalllies at Henry, way too many spots and some giant LM.... If you want to target smallmouth go to Amistad (up the devils river, or main lake points by dam, also can catch em on a drop shot on the fingers that come out near the channel by the dam), Texoma crank some rocky/pea gravel points... At OH Ivie it’s all random and you can’t really target them, I did catch one at LBJ at Camps a few weeks back.

How is muddy fishing?