CONROE CATS
TEXAS BOATING by Lenny Rudow
March 3, 2021
BARE BONES HUNTING by Lou Marullo
March 3, 2021
Lake Conroe: Famous for Bass, Legendary for Catfish
LAKE CONROE IS synonymous with catfish.
Yes, hosting events like the Bassmaster Classic and Toyota Texas Bass Classic have put the spotlight on its super-sized, lunker largemouths.
The lake is great for hybrid stripers and crappie, but local anglers know that if they want a mess of catfish to eat or to catch a rod-bending trophy cat, Lake Conroe is the place to go.
Catfish Species & Records
Lake Conroe has viable populations of all three of the main catfish species of Texas and the rod and reel records as recorded by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) are impressive.
The lake record channel catfish weighed a whopping 18.5 pounds and was caught by Jody Baughman in 2011. The record blue came in 2019 on gizzard shad and weighed 67 pounds. The lucky angler was Morris Taymon.
Flatheads roam the lake as well and way back in 1990, Jimmie Lee Johnson bagged an absolutely monstrous 86-pounder.
But there’s more.
Smiling faces and fishing fun is what targeting catfish on Lake Conroe is all about.
(Photo: Public Domain)
Looking into the all-tackle record which would include trotlines, you see the blue catfish all-time record is an amazing 99 pounds caught by angler Joe Lynch.
Channel catfish are the main target at Lake Conroe and according to TPWD officials, they are caught year-round in good numbers.
“Most successful anglers use stink baits or cut shad,” officials said. “Rod-and-reel anglers do just about as well as those using trotlines in this reservoir.”
Anglers fishing this San Jacinto River Authority lake for the first time need to understand it’s not a typical East Texas lake in terms of grass and timber cover.”
“The catfish, the almighty catfish is one of the most exciting fish there is,” said guide Richard Tatsch of The FishDude’s Guide Service. “I say this because of the numbers of them you catch and because in the cooler months from October through April you can catch larger fish and a lot of them.
“In the warmer months, the catfish tend to be a little smaller but are there in numbers. Catfish in the cooler months generally run two to eight pounds and warmer months two to four pounds.”
A Little More About the Lake
Lake Conroe is dominated by open water in the lower two-thirds of the reservoir, with some standing timber still present along the river channel in the upper reaches. TPWD officials said most of the standing timber is slightly submerged when the lake is at conservation pool, making navigation hazardous in these areas.
“Bulkheads with boat docks dominate the shore in the lower reservoir; the upper reservoir (the portion lying within the Sam Houston National Forest) is primarily featureless shoreline.”
TPWD officials said substrates range from sandy to silty, both of which work just fine for the local cats.
This is Lake Conroe’s bread and butter: eating sized channel catfish.
(Photo: USFWS)
“Man-made structures have been used to create four fish-attractor “reefs” in this reservoir. The attractors were placed by TPWD in cooperation with the San Jacinto River Authority, local Friends of Reservoirs groups, and other partners. Anglers may use GPS in conjunction with a fish finder to locate these reefs.”
A Family-Friendly Place
Lake Conroe has plenty of easy access points and anglers can score on catfish without having to be super-skilled anglers.
Veteran guide Texas Bonin said he fishes with lots of young people and loves doing it.
“We spend a few hours on the lake in the comfort of my fully equipped pontoon boat. There is plenty of room to walk around and be comfortable for an entire family. We are blessed with a lake that is just full of wonderful fish to eat as well as our sport fishing,” he said.
“I can teach you to fish if you have never been fishing, or I can help you improve your existing fishing skills. I love being on the water and you can bet you will too.”
Fishing has become a place of solitude in the era of COVID-19. But before “social-distancing” was in our vocabulary, anglers were getting away from it all just a few miles from Houston, and they were catching bunches of catfish on beautiful Lake Conroe.
Spring is here. The catfish are biting. Don’t you think it’s time to give catfish on Lake Conroe a try?
For more information, go to VisitConroe.com, email info@visitconroe.com, or call 1-877-426-6763.
LAKE CONROE
Getting on the Water
Photo Courtesy April Plaza Marina
THE NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE provides two paved public boat ramps and a small boat launch at the Stubblefield Lake picnic area and campground. The service charges a fee for use of the paved ramps. Regular visitors can purchase an annual pass.
Visit the Forest Service website for fees and other information. Privately owned marinas also offer boat launch facilities for a fee. For details, choose a point on the map or a name in the chart below.
Stubblefield Lake
• Located in the Sam Houston National Forest. From the Lake Conroe bridge on FM 1375 travel west approximately for miles, turn right on Stubblefield Lake Road, and go about five miles to the boat ramp.
• Dirt ramp for small boats only
• No fee for boat launch; day use fee for campground and picnic area
• Open all year
• Operated by the National Forest Service (936) 344-6205
Cagle Recreation Area
• Located in the Sam Houston National Forest. From the Lake Conroe bridge on FM 1375 travel east approximately one mile and turn right at the boat ramp sign.
• Two-lane concrete ramp, accommodates all boat types
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Operated by the National Forest Service (936) 344-6205
Stow-a-way Marina
• From Willis, go north on IH 45 approximately two miles. Exit Calvary Road, turn west and travel approximately five miles to marina on right.
• Three-lane concrete ramp accommodates all boat types.
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (936) 856-4531
Scott’s Ridge
• From the FM 1097 bridge, go west approximately 1.5 miles and turn right at the boat ramp sign.
• Two-lane concrete ramp accommodates all boat types
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Operated by the National Forest Service (936) 344-6205
FM 830 Ramp
• From Conroe, take IH 45 North and exit FM 830. Go west five miles to the cul de sac at the end of the road.
• Two concrete ramps accommodate all boat types.
• No fee required
• Open all year
• Maintained by Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.
April Plaza Marina
• From Conroe, travel west 10.5 miles on Texas 105 to marina on the right.
• Three-lane concrete ramp accommodates all boat types.
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (936) 588-1144
Pier 105
• Located on Texas 105, 8.5 miles west of IH 45
• Three-lane concrete ramp accommodates all boat types.
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated
Lakeview Marina
• From IH 45, travel 7.5 miles west on Texas 105. Turn right on Beachwalk Blvd.
• Two, two-lane concrete ramps accommodate all boat types.
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (936) 588-3190
—story by TFG STAFF
