Greenbelt Reservoir

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

This area is experiencing a drought which may affect fishing and boat ramp access. Before you go, check the current lake level or contact the controlling authority for current conditions.

Public Access Facilities

Lake Characteristics

Location: 60 miles east of Amarillo and 4 miles north of Clarendon on the Salt Fork of the Red River
Surface area: 1,990 acres possible, currently about 1,500 acres
Maximum depth: 84 ft., mean depth 30 ft.
Impounded: 1967

Water Conditions

Current Lake Level
Conservation Pool Elevation: 2,663 ft. msl
Fluctuation: Moderate, 2-4 ft. per year
Normal Clarity: 4-6 ft. visibility

Reservoir Controlling Authority

Greenbelt Municipal and Industrial Water Authority
PO Box 665
Clarendon, Texas 79226
(806) 874-3650

Aquatic Vegetation

Vegetation in Greenbelt includes potamogeton, coontail, milfoil, and cattails. Vegetation can be dense around shoreline areas and coves. In Kelly Creek and the Salt Fork, there are stands of flooded timber.

Predominant Fish Species

Lake Records
Current Fishing Report
Stocking History
Latest Survey Report

Lake Maps

A general information map is available from the Lakeside Marina (information above). Sporting goods and tackle stores sell maps of lakes, especially those lakes in the local area.

Fishing Regulations

All species are currently managed under statewide regulations.

Angling Opportunities

Largemouth bass are the most popular species in the reservoir. Crappie are abundant, and the reservoir has a good population of walleye with April through June being the best season for fishing. White bass are frequently caught during summer and fall months as they chase small shad in open water.

Species	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Crappie
White Bass
Sunfish
Walleye

Fishing Cover/Structure

Primary fish habitat in the reservoir is rock, sand, aquatic vegetation and flooded terrestrial vegetation. The reservoir can develop extensive stands of aquatic vegetation, especially in the Salt Fork arm. The water is clear and develops good plankton blooms. Visibility is usually four to six feet.

Tips & Tactics

Largemouth bass can be caught on a wide variety of baits depending on season and water conditions. The best season for bass fishing is spring when water temperatures reach about 60 degrees. Common lures include plastic worms, spinner baits and crank baits. Anglers should target areas with some type of structure such as trees, vegetation, drop-offs or ledges. Good catches of crappie frequently are found around flooded timber in the arms of the reservoir in the spring and fall and along the rip-rap of the dam when the fish move to deeper water. Crappie are best caught with jigs or minnows vertically fished around structure. Walleye are most often caught along the dam and around rock or sand points and drop-offs. The key to catching walleye is to use light line (6-pound test or less) and live bait or small jigs or lures. Fish very slow in water 10-20 feet deep. Good baits for white bass are crank baits that imitate shad or live shad or minnows. Schools of white bass can often be found in the large open-water areas of either arm of the reservoir or the main reservoir near the bubbler on the dam.