Formed by the junction of Barnhardt, Scober, and Shawnee Creeks in Rusk County, the Angelina River flows about 119 miles through Cherokee, Nacogdoches, Angelina, San Augustine, and Jasper Counties, joining the Neches River 12 miles west of Jasper. The Angelina is a meandering stream flowing through forested bottomlands. The water is of high quality and comparatively deep. Since there is usually adequate water, recreational use is feasible on the lower section almost any time of the year. Two reservoirs are located on the Angelina River - Sam Rayburn Reservoir and B. A. Steinhagen Lake. Both impoundments offer public camping and picnic facilities.

The 12,300 acre lake is operated by the Corps of Engineers which maintains 11 parks with boat ramps, picnicking, camping, and bank access for fishing. Belton Lake is located adjacent to the Fort Hood Army Base, which has several points of interest for the military buff. The nature area includes a hiking trail along the Leon River, a restored historic bridge, and several wildlife-viewing points. The mural painted on the spillway wall of Belton Dam depicts the history of the Bell County area.

Choke Canyon reservoir has varied types of habitat including steep rocky banks, flooded timber, shallow brushy flats, and creek channels. Water in the lower portion of the reservoir remains fairly clear throughout the year, while the upper portion of the Frio River channel is typically stained. Small coves and protected creek channels stay fairly clear throughout the year. In addition to the cover submerged timber and brush provide for gamefish species, stands of native aquatic vegetation and hydrilla provide excellent habitat in most areas of the reservoir. Structure in the lower portion of the reservoir consists of numerous islands, submerged humps and roadbeds, and long sloping points extending into deeper water. During periods of high water, flooded terrestrial vegetation provides excellent habitat for all game fish species.

The Falcon Reservoir located on the Rio Grande River in Zapata and Starr counites was built in the early 1950’s to provide irrigation for the fertile fields of the Rio Grande valley but also provided an opportunity for some great fishing. In the 1990’s Falcon Lake was voted Texas’ #1 bass fishing lake by many bass fishing clubs. However, in the past 15 years west and south Texas have been in the grisps of a severe drought, which brought Falcon Lake to its lowest levels since construction. The land once sparkling with the reflections of the water was now being overgrown with brush.

The heavy rains of the past year has revived the lake into the beautiful and productive lake of the past. The 10 years of re-growth is now providing great cover and bedding areas for the many species of fish in the lake.

Fayette County Reservoir is first and foremost a largemouth bass lake. Statewide annual tournament surveys consistently rank this lake at or near the top using quality indicators like average weight and bass caught per hour. Large numbers of two- to five-pound fish are available and relatively easy to catch at most times of the year. Channel, blue, and flathead catfish have been stocked. The lake record flathead catfish weighed 79.25 pounds and was 50 inches long. Redear sunfish also provide a fishery, with many fish exceeding 8 inches. This lake is not known for crappie fishing, and few anglers target this species.

Just a 160 mile drive from San Antonio, straddling the Mexican and American border, lies a true gem in the desert, Lake Amistad. With over 850 miles of shoreline and 68,000 acres of sparkling water, it's one of the largest and most popular lakes in Texas. For houseboaters, Amistad may very well be one of the friendliest. In fact, the name Amistad means friendship in Spanish.

Lake Austin contains an excellent population of largemouth bass bass with the potential for a trophy. Many bass weighing 8-10 pounds are caught each year. The reservoir also has some good quality bluegill, redbreast, and redear fishing, and has low-density populations of flathead and blue catfish. Fishing during the summer months is best done at night due to heavy recreational boating activity in the daytime. Anglers should use caution when fishing at night.

Lake Bastrop is a high-quality bass lake. It has been heavily stocked with Florida largemouth bass. However, it is not noted for producing trophy-size bass; most of those caught range from 2 to 5 pounds. Channel, blue, and flathead catfish have also been stocked. Channel catfish are abundant, with best angling in the spring and early summer before the vegetation interferes with bottom fishing. A low-density crappie population is present.

Lake Buchanan is the second largest of the Highland Lakes in Central Texas with a length of 30 miles and a width at the widest point of just under 5 miles and a shoreline of 124 miles. The lake is very popular with boaters, fishermen, campers and swimmers. In 1995 over 1 1/2 million Striper Bass were stocked in Lake Buchanan.

Lake Fork is one of the hottest bass fishing lake in Texas. Lake Fork also ranks high on the top 50 list of largemouth bass caught in Texas. Lake Fork is a great fishing lake for any angler, with the lake's under-water structure and great vegetation which make Lake Fork the perfect fish habitat, not only for bass but crappie, catfish and bluegill. Lake Fork Reservoir has been enjoyed by thousands of bass fishing enthusiasts. Fishing has been particularly good due to fishery management efforts of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department who began stocking Lake Fork with Florida largemouth bass in 1978. Lake Fork was opened for fishing in the fall of 1980. A new state record largemouth bass weighing 18.18 pounds was caught from Lake Fork in January 1992. The lake has since gained the reputation of the hottest bass fishing lake in Texas.

Habitat in Sam Rayburn Reservoir consists of submerged aquatic vegetation, standing timber, and flooded terrestrial vegetation. Hydrilla is the predominant plant species, although many native plants such as coontail and pondweed are also present. In the lower part of the reservoir the water is relatively clear; game fish are typically found around vegetation edges, flats, humps, and creek channels. In the upper third of the reservoir, the abundance of vegetation typically declines. Timber, brush, laydowns, and creek channels provide upper-lake gamefish habitat. Due to water level fluctuations, habitat conditions change seasonally and yearly. Drastic water level changes can decrease the amount of vegetation. At high water levels, inundated trees and bushes provide excellent habitat.

Lake Travis is noted for producing good numbers of largemouth bass, although they tend to run small. Very few trophy largemouth bass have been caught. White bass runs occur in the spring (February-May) in the major creek arms, the Pedernales River and the upper end of the Colorado River arm. A low-density striped bass fishery is available in the extreme lower end of the reservoir. Blue, channel, and flathead catfish occur throughout the reservoir.

Stillhouse Hollow located just a little south-west of Belton, Texas is not a large lake, but has some great fishing. Stillhouse covers 6,430 surface acres and offers all 4 types of structure that you can find in Texas. Stillhouse Hollow offers some of the best Smallmouth bass fishing in Central Texas.