Bois d'Arc Lake

Quick Links: Fishing Regulations | Angling Opportunities | Cover & Structure | Tips & Tactics

Public Access Facilities

Lake Characteristics

Location: On Bois d’Arc Creek in Fannin County
Surface area: 16,641 acres
Maximum depth: 70 feet
Impounded: 2021

Water Conditions

Current Lake Level
Conservation Pool Elevation: 534 ft. msl
Fluctuation: Unknown
Normal Clarity: Stained

Reservoir Controlling Authority

North Texas Municipal Water District
4989 FM 897
Dodd City, Texas 75438
469-626-4760

Aquatic Vegetation

American Pondweed and Coontail colonies in shallow areas.

Predominant Fish Species

Stocking History

Fishing Regulations

This reservoir is currently managed with a 16-inch maximum length limit for Largemouth Bass. All other species are managed with statewide regulations.

Angling Opportunities

Bois d'Arc has largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, white bass, and sunfish.

Species	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
Largemouth Bass
Catfish
Crappie
White Bass
Sunfish

Fishing Cover/Structure

Standing timber is present west of the 897 bridge. Approximately 50 large brush and concrete debris piles were placed in the eastern half of the reservoir.

Use the Habitat Structure Viewer for an interactive map of fish habitat structures and downloadable GPS coordinates.

Tips & Tactics

Largemouth Bass
In the spring, focus on shallow cover, protected coves, and gravel beds. Soft plastics, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, skirted jigs, shallow-running crankbaits, and jerk baits can be used to target pre-spawn and spawning bass. Use weedless frogs and topwater lures among shallow cover. In summer, use Texas rigged soft plastics, Carolina rigs, soft jerkbaits, and swimbaits in 5 to 15 feet of water in visible or submerged cover. Roadbeds, fence lines, pond dams, creek channels, and brush piles can be places where bass congregate. Topwater baits in the early morning and late evening can be productive. Night fishing can be a good way to avoid the heat and boat traffic during the summer. Know the lake before you go and bring plenty of flashlights and bug spray! Black spinnerbaits or bladed jigs provide a good silhouette and vibration for nighttime strikes. Topwater baits including propped baits or buzzbaits can be good especially during a full moon. In fall, focus on shad-imitating baits including Alabama rigs, spoons, rattletraps, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits. Colors and shapes that imitate crayfish can be good as well. In winter, utilize the extensive network of submerged brush piles throughout the reservoir. Since the thermocline should be dissipated in winter, deeper piles can have large concentrations of fish. Use Carolina rigs, deep-diving crankbaits, heavy Texas rigged baits, skirted jigs, or weighted swimbaits to probe deep structure. Utilize forward-facing sonar to target suspended bass with Alabama rigs, flutter spoons, or swimbaits. Do not hesitate to downsize baits and line if fish seem finicky!

Crappie
In spring, target feeder creeks and shallow cover. Bridge pilings and vertical structure are good places to find crappie. Jigs and minnows are both good options. Live minnows can garner attention from catfish, gar, drum, bass, and sunfish as well, so be ready! In summer, target deeper cover and brush piles in 10 to 20 feet. Take plenty of jigs and hooks because you might lose a few in the dense cover. The shaded bridge pilings under the Highway 897 bridge are a good way to get out of the sun! These tactics should continue into the fall. Do not be afraid to experiment with jig color and size if fish do not cooperate. When winter rolls around, you can fish deeper brush piles and submerged trees. Those with forward-facing sonar can find suspended schools of crappie or schools relating to the lake bottom.

Catfish
Catfish are typically caught on a variety of baits including stink bait, cut bait, and live bait (shad, sunfish, minnows, worms). However, anglers at Bois d’Arc Reservoir have reported catching Channel Catfish on artificial baits while fishing for bass and crappie including spinnerbaits, soft plastics, and crappie jigs. In spring, good places to target catfish are incoming creeks after heavy rains. In summer, catfish can be caught in a variety of depths. They can be found in the shade of the bridge, creek channels, stump fields, and rip rap. Catfish can be found under trees with an abundance of cormorants roosting in them. Approach cautiously to avoid spooking all the birds at once and potentially spooking the catfish. In winter, deeper water can be fished anchored or slowly drifting.