One interesting fact that many people don't realize about Texas is that there are relatively few natural lakes in the entire state. However there are hundreds of lakes in the state that have been artificially dammed. The one major lake in Texas that is a natural lake is Lake Caddo in east Texas. According to Caddo Indian legend the lake was formed during a giant flood that caused a log jamb on the Red River and backed water up into the Cypress Bayou watershed, forming the lake. Caddo Lake was artificially dammed in the early 1900's for flood control when oil was found in the area.
Most of the other large lakes in Texas were formed by dams built by the Corps of Engineers on major rivers to provide hydroelectricity, store water and provide flood control. Many of these Corps of Engineers lakes, with the help of Texas Parks and Wildlife have become excellent lakes for fishing and recreation.
Power plant lakes can provide some very good fishing, even at the most difficult times of the year. At the spillways where the water is being returned to the lake the splashing of the returning water adds oxygen to the water and can attract a large number of baitfish which in turn brings in many species of other fish.
Sometimes during the long hot dog days of summer when bass fishing can be extremely slow, I have had some productive days fishing the power plant on Lake Lavon. The spillway is marked and boats are not allowed in the area beyond the markers. However you can cast toward the spillway and the fast running water. The closer the cast to the splashing water of the spillway, the better your chances of catching a fish. Many times I have rigged a plastic worm and cast as far into the fast moving water as possible and let the bait flow with the current, bouncing along the bottom until it is picked up by a fish. Other times I have used a Zara Spook, Rattle Trap, or Beetle Spin to catch fish. The oxygen rich water draws a large number of fish into a small area of water, making them easier to catch. They seem to be less particular to which lure they strike and some days one lure will work while on another day something else will work. When water is flowing from the spillway and the power plant is running full blast, the fish generally become more active. Sometimes large numbers of schooling sand bass move into the area boiling up the surface of the water in a feeding frenzy. They can be caught one after another on white Road Runners or nearly any lure that has a flashy surface.
A second Texas power plant lake that I have spent some time on is Lake Monticello. Monticello is about 10 miles southwest of Mount Pleasant Texas and even in the winter has a warm water temperature of 72 degrees due to the power plant's use of water for cooling the electric generators.
One winter day in January I launch my boat onto Lake Monticello and the water temperature was so much warmer than the air temperature that a thick layer of steam rose from the waters surface. More like fog than steam but never burning off as the sun came up, but lingering throughout the day. As I moved towards the power plant I notice several schools of Largemouth Bass breaking the surface of the water chasing baitfish. I caught several on a blue chrome Rattle Trap. It may seem unusual to see this type of action during the winter months on other lakes, but not on the warm waters of Monticello. Moving closer to the power plant spillway I caught fish on white Road Runners, plastic worms and crank baits. The fish were active more springtime rather than winter time.
On warm water reservoirs like Monticello the spawning season will start sometimes one or two months earlier than on other lakes and can offer some good fishing throughout the winter months. Power Plant lakes like Lake Lavon that adds rich oxygen levels to the water will give an angles new possibilities to explore during the hot days of summer. Once you have discovered the advantages of fishing power plant lakes you will be hooked. Why not add to your fishing fun and try a Texas power plant lake next time you go fishing..
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