Lake Texoma


  • Image of Lake Texoma
  • Image of Lake Texoma
  • Image of Lake Texoma
  • Image of Lake Texoma
  • Image of Lake Texoma
  • Image of Lake Texoma
  • Image of Lake Texoma

Lake Texoma is located at the confluence of the Red River and Washita Rivers and is one of the largest reservoir lakes in the United States. Lake Texoma is formed by Denison Dam on the Red River in Bryan County, Oklahoma, and Grayson County, Texas and attracts approximately 6 million visitors a year. In 2004, a blue catfish weighing 121.5 pounds was caught at Lake Texoma, setting a world record for a rod-and-reel catch.

Location: A Red River impoundment on the Texas-Oklahoma border northwest of Sherman-Denison, west of US 75 Surface area: 89,000 acres Maximum depth: 100 feet Impounded: 1944
Not abundant, but there are some stands of water willow, American lotus, floating heart, and bushy pondweed. Blue-green algae blooms occasionally occur in this reservoir.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers a downloadable map media download(PDF 204.3 KB) of the shoreline and Texas/Oklahoma state line. Detailed fishing maps are available from local chambers of commerce, the Lake Texoma Association, and most North Texas fishing tackle stores

Two-thirds of this lake lies in Oklahoma. Anglers with Texas licenses may fish in the Texas portions of the reservoir, or purchase a Lake Texoma license ($12) to fish the entire lake. Special bag and size limits are in effect for several fish species on this lake. Anglers should also be aware of rules in effect here to prevent the spread of exotic invasive species. Boats, livewells, and bait buckets must be drained of all water before leaving the area. In the Red River downstream, from the Texoma dam to the Arkansas state line, it is unlawful to transport live, nongame fishes from this stretch of river to any other water body. Nongame fishes may be collected and used for bait within these waters. For more details, see Possession and Transport of Exotic Aquatic Species.
Free-flowing current in the Red River makes Texoma one of the few lakes in Texas with a self-sustaining population of striped bass, and one of only eight inland freshwater reservoirs worldwide where this species has spawned. A cousin of the white bass, striped bass were first stocked in Lake Texoma by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1965. They began spawning in 1974.
Species Poor Fair Good Excellent
Largemouth & Spotted Bass yes
Smallmouth Bass yes
Blue Catfish yes
Channel Catfish yes
Flathead Catfish yes
Crappie yes
Striped Bass yes
White Bass yes

Fishing Report

To read the most current report, click or touch the link below:

Lake Texoma