Army Corps reservoir

Lake Texoma

Bryan, Marshall, Love & Johnston Counties, Oklahoma

A big Red River reservoir behind Denison Dam on the Oklahoma-Texas line, run by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is best known for its self-sustaining striped bass fishery, plus trophy blue catfish and strong white bass.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area88,000 acres

Max depth142 ft

Shoreline593 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Striped Bass●●●●●

Follow shad schools and diving gulls in open water. Slabs, swimbaits and live shad all work.

Blue Catfish●●●●○

Big fish are common. Drift or anchor with cut shad along channel edges and flats.

White Bass●●●●○

Spring runs up the Red and Washita river arms, then schooling with stripers in summer.

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Rocky points and bluffs. Tubes and small swimbaits.

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Creek arms with brush and grass in spring. Florida-strain bass are stocked.

Crappie●●●○○

Brush piles, docks and bridge pilings. Minnows and small jigs.

When they bite

Month-by-month activity for each target species.

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Striped Bass
Blue Catfish
White Bass
Smallmouth Bass

SlowFairGoodHot

Boat launches

7 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Burns Run WestFee
USACE ramp near Cartwright. Day-use pass required if not campingDirections ↗
Burns Run EastFee
USACE ramp near Cartwright. Day-use pass requiredDirections ↗
Johnson CreekFee
USACE ramp and campground off US 70 near Mead. Day-use pass requiredDirections ↗
Buncombe CreekFee
USACE ramp. Day-use pass requiredDirections ↗
Caney CreekFee
USACE ramp. Day-use pass requiredDirections ↗
Platter FlatsFee
USACE ramp. Day-use pass requiredDirections ↗
Lake Texoma State Park / Catfish Bay MarinaMarina
State park near Kingston with boat ramps; private marina with fuel dockDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Striped Bass & Hybrids Combined; only 2 may be over 20 in (Oklahoma waters)	See Oklahoma rules book ↗	10 / day
Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass Combined (Oklahoma waters)	14 in	5 / day
White Bass Oklahoma waters	See Oklahoma rules book ↗	25 / day
Crappie Oklahoma waters	10 in	37 / day
Alligator Gar Report harvest within 24 hours through E-Check	See Oklahoma rules book ↗	Closed May 1-31

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Texoma TackleNearby
1875 US 70, Kingston(580) 564-7344 Directions ↗
Lighthouse Bait & TackleNearby
10 S Main St, Kingston(580) 564-2633 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Lake Texoma ↗

Local tips

Oklahoma and Texas rules differ on parts of this lake, so know which side you are fishing.
Watch for gulls diving on shad. They often mark feeding stripers.
Fast-rising water can close ramps and campgrounds. Check with the Lake Texoma Project Office at (903) 465-4990 before you go.

Angler reports

Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Lake Texoma.

Loading reports...