kid holding fish — (Image courtesy of Crosscreek Guide Service (Lake Texoma) & Fishing Booker)

The Lone Star State has many great opportunities for freshwater striped bass and hybrid striped bass fishing. With abundant reservoirs and artificial stocks of striped bass, catches may be smaller than in other areas where stripers have natural populations and better conditions, but Texas is still a great spot for angling striped bass.

10 Best Striped Bass Fishing Spots in Texas

Lake Texoma
Possum Kingdom Lake
Lake Livingston
Lake Amistad
Toledo Bend Lake
Brazos River
Canyon Lake
Lake Granbury
Lake Tawakoni
Lake E.V. Spence

Schools of baitfish and vegetation that help stripers to thrive and get to good calibers are found throughout Texas’s lakes, and there are certain spots where you can land striped bass with sizes comparative to their natural habitats. This article will cover when and where to look for stripers, with helpful tips and recommended spots for each area.

Are There Saltwater Striped Bass in Texas?

While there are great locations to fish striped bass in Texas, stripers are not native to the Lone Star State. They are typically stocked throughout numerous reservoirs around the state to function as a predator to shad and other populations. Because strong flowing water is a necessity for their hatching cycle, Texas is not a sustainable place for the species.

Since there are very few areas where stripers naturally migrate into the state, and considering the conditions of the Gulf of Mexico, there are no saltwater locations where you could reliably expect to hook a striper in the state.

That said, the plentiful freshwater-stocked population make striped bass a well-sought fish for Texas anglers. This article will cover 10 of the best freshwater striped bass fishing spots found throughout the state.

Learn about the best times for fishing in Texas from this essential guide. Check out this helpful guide to the best times to catch sharks in Texas. You may also be interested in this article on the fishing for mackerel in the best times.

10 Best Freshwater Striped Bass Fishing Locations

1. Lake Texoma

Overview: Lake Texoma, situated along the Red River in northeastern Texas, is one of the only areas where you could find a semi-natural population of striped bass in the state. While stripers were initially introduced to the lake in 1965, natural reproduction has been noted as far back as 1974. Lake Texoma is arguably the first destination for any angler after striped bass in Texas, and there are several notable reasons why.

First, striper populations tend to be much larger in number and size in Lake Texoma than in the rest of the state. There’s a number of prey fish in the lake which make striper populations more aggressive and ready to hook as they tend to hover around the plentiful schools of baitfish. Having 93,000 acres of freshwater, Lake Texoma also has plenty of space for anglers both from the shore and on a vessel.

Caliber: 2-38 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: If you’re fishing from the bank, note that there’s limited floor vegetation but plentiful other kinds of cover like rock beds, timber, and channels. It’s best to fish in areas where you can find a current as stripers will be more apt to go for bait. There are numerous boat ramps to launch from, so kayaks, canoes, and smaller vessels have easy access from any point along the lake.

Tips and recommended bait: Silver spoon lures and cut bait like anchovies, sardines, and shad tend to be best here. Live shad bait is also a great way to land a catch. As Lake Texoma is a big recreation area, it’s best to fish in the early morning hours most times of year to avoid crowding in the lake.

Recommended Lake Texoma Guide for Striped Bass

2. Possum Kingdom Lake

Overview: Located northwest of Fort Worth and Southwest of Graham, Possum Kingdom Lake is a 17,500-acre waterbody which is well known for its striper population that bleeds out into the Brazos River. Because of its layout, there is plentiful opportunity for anglers to fish from its shores which cover over 300 miles. Striped bass is stocked in the lake most years, with its population lately being at a comparative high to previous years.

Possum Kingdom has many access points for launching, with most being open all year and requiring no fee. In the Summer and Fall months, there’s typically good aquatic vegetation coverage as well, which helps to make this spot a great place to land easy catches. There are also plentiful baitfish schools to be found around the lake for which striper are a natural predator.

Caliber: 2-34 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: For shore fishing, the northern section of the lake has the most flats with easy access. There’s plentiful cover for fish here, including vegetation partially during the year, as well as boulders and timber. The southern section of the lake near Brazos River’s distributary point is a great place for fishing from a vessel, as there’s a stronger current as well as more cliffs and overhangs that make it less accessible for shore fishing.

Tips: Look for flocks of birds feeding on the baitfish which striper are after. Note the tips section for Lake Texoma to see best bait to use.

Recommended Possum Kingdom Lake Guide for Striped Bass

Final Cast Guide Service

3. Lake Livingston

Overview: Situated in the southeast part of the state near Sam Houston National Forest, Lake Livingston is a 90,000 acre lake renowned for its sheer variety of fish. Striped bass is stocked in abundance here, and the relatively turbulent waters make it much easier to find a good current to hook an ambushing striper. Because of the competition of other primary predatory fish in the lake, striped bass do tend to average on the smaller side in Lake Livingston. However, their number rivals most of the good spots in the state.

Caliber: 2-30 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: Harmon Creek in the northwestern portion of the lake is one of the best spots to catch a striper from the shore. With many winding channels, deep coves, and the added turbulence of the tributary Trinity River, Harmon Creek is a local favorite spot as it’s quieter than the main lake body and many of the larger stripers find relative ease to hunt here. There are many launch ramps for boats throughout the lake with plentiful open water for high-speed trolling.

Tips: Stripers are opportunistic hunters, so it’s best to try a variety of bait in this area until you find what works. Local floor vegetation tends to grow toward the later summer, which makes fall the best time of year to fish for striper here.

Recommended Lake Livingston Guide for Striped Bass

Lake Livingston Texas Guide Services

4. Lake Amistad

Overview: Amistad Reservoir is located at the Coahuila, Mexico border in west Texas, around 3 hours west of San Antonio. Though relatively out of the way there are great angling opportunities, especially for striped bass. Some of the largest stripers have been caught at Lake Amistad, and there tend to be less people on the water than in other larger bodies.

Boasting around 65,000 acres, with plentiful flat shores and coves, Amistad is a great place to fish both from the shore and by boat. Boat rentals and lodging are also available, which may be best here considering the long drive back to larger cities.

Caliber: 2-45 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: Limited vegetation will have you relying mostly on the abundant large rocks and timber around the lake. Accessible shoreline is somewhat limited given the steep rocky cliffs around the lake, and the shorter roadways make it harder to find a good spot to cast off from. Black Brush Point and Diablo are both notable for their extensive parking and available boat ramps, but you’re going to have to hike if you want a good spot to cast from the shore.

5. Toledo Bend Lake

Overview: Located in east Texas along the Louisiana border, Toledo Bend Lake boasts over 185,000 acres of water and 1,200 miles of shoreline. Toledo Bend hosts a wide variety of fish, and is renowned for its massive striper population. Though somewhat smaller in caliber due to competing species and local conditions which don’t allow for any natural spawn, you’d be down on your luck to not land a striper here.

Caliber: 2-30 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: Striped bass are primarily found around the main points of the lake, including the flats around the Sabine River channels. Though there’s not great coverage around the lake, shore fishing typically is best near the docks and boat ramps, as well as near the more timbered areas central to the lake.

6. Brazos River

Overview: The section of the Brazos River which runs from Possum Kingdom Lake near Graham all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico is a well-known striped bass fishing hotspot in Texas. Because of the well-stocked striper population in Possum Kingdom which this section of the river is a distributary of, many larger stripers find their way into the river where they can be picked up by an apt angler. The 53 lb. state record striped bass was caught in this section of the river, in areas closely downstream from Possum Kingdom Lake and Lake Whitney.

Caliber: 2-50lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: Crossings like Katy Bridge near Lake Whitney and at Highway 16’s bridge crossing both have easy access points for boats. These are also good spots for parking which allow easy access to the flats near the river for casting off. Because Brazos River tends to be narrower and shallower, kayaking and canoeing are both great ways to gain access to quieter points in the river.

7. Canyon Lake

Overview: Canyon Lake is just northeast of San Antonio and has easy access at all points around the lake. With around 8,300 acres of water, it’s a smaller lake but shouldn’t be tacked off the list as it hosts excellent opportunities for catching large stripers. One of the largest striped bass, around 50 lbs., was caught here, and many continue to report large catches at all times of the year. Though the summer and fall months tend to see more traffic and recreation in the lake, it’s also when you’ll find the largest schools of striper.

Caliber: 2-50 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: Though the lake is smaller in size, it’s spread out with many great flats along its winding coves. Point Campground has many good spots to cast off from with easy parking and all available amenities. For vessels, trolling up the lake between the narrower cliffy section near the Guadalupe River offers better seclusion and much better chances at hooking a good-sized striper.

8. Lake Granbury

Overview: Located along the Brazos River just south of Forth Worth, Lake Granbury is another great spot to catch striped bass. Lake Granbury is a long, serpentine lake with around 8,300 acres of space. Because of its conditions, however, there are no natural spawn in this lake, and its point along the Brazos River has much smaller stripers overall. However, the lake has over 1,000 docks and plenty of coverage, making it a very accessible and easy to fish lake overall.

Caliber: 2-20 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: The lake is quite shallow in many spots, making it a much better place to kayak or canoe to find good schools. However, there are several launching points for trolling, and there are flats in abundance to cast from. Docks along the southern end of Lake Granbury near the Brazos channel are a great place for shore fishing.

girl holding a striped bass — (Image courtesy of Keepin It Reel Guide Service (Lake Texoma) & Fishing Booker)

9. Lake Tawakoni

Overview: Around one and a half hours from central Dallas, Lake Tawakoni is a 38,000 acre lake with great shallows where predators and baitfish are easy to spot in the spring and fall months. Tawakoni is known as an excellent angling spot for striped bass, as there is a large amount of floor vegetation that attracts its prey. Though smaller in size, striped bass are great in number here as the lake is annually stocked.

Caliber: 2-20 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: Because of the high amount of exposure in this area, it’s best to fish nearer to the coast where many of the species group in the spring and fall as they move to shallower waters. The main points of the lake tend to be flatter and all have developed access points. There are plenty of launch points for boats as well, with the southern section of the lake being wider and more secluded, which is better for the summer months.

10. Lake E.V. Spence

Overview: Located in central Texas north of San Angelo, E.V. Spence is a reservoir with some notable opportunities for catching striper. Mostly, this location is included to offer a central Texas location for catching striped bass, but its overall abundance is limited compared to other areas.

With around 11,600 acres of water and 70 miles of shoreline, E.V. Spence is most notable for its abundant vegetation and cover throughout the lake, which makes it a good hunting ground for stripers. While larger striped bass have been caught in E.V. Spence, it’s less stocked which makes it more of a challenge for anglers to land a good catch. Additionally, there’s very limited boat access and no nearby locations to pick up bait and tackle.

Caliber: 2-35 lbs.

Recommended fishing spots: Wildcat Creek on the northeastern side of the lake has better flats and more coverage than most other spots, which makes it a great place to cast from. Access points are also good from Spillway Road near the Colorado River.

Best Seasons for Texas Striped Bass Fishing

While Texas does have great opportunities to catch striper, it’s good to be particular about what time of year you set off to go angling. Texas is extremely exposed for the most part, with most areas having limited cover and harsh conditions.

Overcast days, in particular, are best in any season, with the late summer and early fall typically offering the best opportunities to catch big striper. Because almost all of the local spawn are artificial, there are many regulations surrounding when you can catch striped bass. You’ll have to look up individually by lake what the regulations are regarding when you can fish for striper.

Best Time of Day to Fish for TX Stripers (By Season)

Spring: Early morning and dusk are the best times to fish for striped bass. Stripers tend to move from deeper water during the spring months toward the shallower and more covered shorelines.

Summer: Dawn and dusk are the only times to reliably go fishing in the summer months, this is especially the case in southern Texas. Striper tend to follow prey out to the deeper portions of lakes where they go after schools of prey.

Fall: Early morning and dusk are both good times to fish in the fall. Conditions for fishing are similar as in the spring months.

Winter: Afternoon, roughly 12:00PM – 4:00PM In most places is the ideal time of day to fish in the winter. With more unpredictable weather patterns in Texas winters, it’s best to fish in overcast and rainier days when prey fish will surface for insects.

Bank Fishing Vs. Boat fishing for Stripers

Texas is unique in that most of its striper locations have many flats and easy boat ramp access. This is great for fishermen who wish to cast from the shore, kayak or canoe, or angle from a motored vessel. As covered previously, fishing from a bank tends to be best in areas near bridges, marinas, boat ramps, or areas with plentiful cover.

This will vary depending on the location you’re at, but around Texas there’s usually plenty of covered coves, timber, rocks, and oftentimes there’s also ground vegetation. Near river channels or areas with more turbulent water tends to be best, as stripers ambush their prey in currents.

Fishing from kayak or canoe is best in shallower areas like those found along the Brazos River or near bridges where there’s plenty of cover and turbulence, but limited access to boats. Angling is going to involve similar conditions for fishing from kayak or canoe as it is for shore fishing.

Fishing from a boat is oftentimes your best bet, as most of the primary fishing spots are large with plenty of boat ramps and rentals. High-speed trolling is widely regarded as the best technique for catching stripers. Vertically jigging spoons is also another great technique for catching striper in Texas.

Hybrid Striped Bass Fishing

Hybrid striped bass (wipers) are abundant throughout Texas. In many of the same places where you can catch stripers, you’ll also find their derivative species. Hybrid striped bass tend to be stocked in the southeastern lakes and reservoirs, as they can thrive better than striped bass in these climates.

Lake Lyndon B Johnson, Hubbard Creek Reservoir, Cedar Creek Reservoir, and Cooper Lake are all great places to fish for wipers. Conditions for catching wipers are very similar to their parent fish, stripers.

Typically they will be most active during the late summer and fall months and are best sought near schools of shad and other prey fish. Live shad, artificial silver spoon, and other lures, and most cut baits are all good options when seeking hybrid striped bass.

Best Fishing Spots in Texas for Big Striped Bass