Friday, March 29, 2024

Another lake down 377: Lake Proctor

Posted

HOOD OUTDOORS

As a licensed professional fishing guide, Michael Acosta shows you how to find them. A Granbury resident of more than 35 years, he has been fishing all of his life, and has been a licensed guide since 1998.

About 50 miles to our southwest is Lake Proctor, near the town of Proctor, which a few miles southwest of Dublin right off Highway 67/377.  This 4,600-acre lake is a great place to visit, fish and camp and is relatively close.

Lake Proctor is an Army Corps of Engineers lake that was impounded in 1963.  It was built to protect downstream agriculture from floods as well as to provide a water supply for local communities. There are four parks on the lake — Sowell Creek, Copperas Creek, High Point and Promontory Point.  All of four of those parks have restrooms, courtesy docks, picnic areas and camping.

Proctor’s lake level is prone to vary depending on rainfall, as are all of our area lakes.  Proctor is currently low, but access is available.  Call before you head out.  Proctor is a shallow lake even when it’s full.  Maximum depth is published at 34 feet. However you will be hard-pressed to find water deeper than 26 feet with the lake full. 

Lake Proctor is surrounded by dairy and farming communities and is remote from the local bigger communities (Dublin and Comanche).  It is a great place to get away from the hectic flows of traffic that are typical in the metroplex.

Another great reason to visit Lake Proctor (the reason I bring this up) is the fishing — for hybrid striper, sand bass and crappie.  The fishing on this lake is great right now for these species.  They are abundant and can be located on most days.  This lake is also popular for its catfish and black bass populations, which many take advantage of.

Lake Proctor is a nutrient-rich lake that always has an abundance of bait fish and allows this lake to contain large numbers of predators for its relatively small size.  The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) stocks this lake heavily with hybrid striped bass.  The lake record for this species stands at more than 16 pounds.

The white bass or sand bass as we call them are abundant in this lake.  These sand bass are easily caught on slabs and spinners, or many folks like to troll for them with rattletraps or other crankbaits. 

There is usually not a lot of pressure on Lake Proctor.  It is a small reservoir that offers an abundance of fun.  I believe there are more crappie anglers there this time of the year.

Hybrid stripers are typically near the Sowell Creek park bank across from the island.  Many times they are around the island as well.  Sand bass are typically in these same areas.  The crappies are typically caught near the bridge on the east end of the lake this time of the year. 

Don’t confuse the smaller hybrids with sand bass; they are very similar in appearance.  The minimum length for a hybrid striper is 18 inches.  The minimum size limit for a sand bass is 10 inches. 

The easiest way to tell the difference is that the hybrid will typically have three lines going all the way to the tail fin and the sand bass will only have one.  The sand bass also only has one toothpatch on its tongue while the hybrid has two.  Consult the TPWD handbook for specifics.  You don’t want to be caught by the game warden with an undersized hybrid.

BASS TOURNAMENT

Granbury Rotary Club is hosting its first Lake Granbury Team Bass Tournament at Rough Creek Park, May 22.  Tickets for entry can be purchased online at granburyrotarybasstournament.com.  The payout for first place is $5,000.  The tournament is limited to 150 boats, with each boat having two anglers.  See you there.

 HOOD COUNTY

FISHING REPORT

Granbury lake temperatures are close to 70 degrees and the lake is stained.  The abundance of rain has muddied the lake.  The muddy water will improve the catfish angling as usual.  Largemouth bass are best in the back of sloughs and creeks near bedding areas.  Spinner baits, crank baits and soft plastics are best and look for creeks where the water is clearing some if possible.  Striped bass are good on live shad from Indian Harbor to the dam.  Look for clearer water for these sight feeders.  Sand bass are good on shallow flats on slabs from DeCordova to Blue Water Shores.    

OTHER AREAS

Lake Whitney striped bass to 15 pounds continue to be excellent with limits of fish coming early.  Possum Kingdom Lake striped bass are also good near clearer water.  Lake Proctor hybrids and sand bass are reported as good to excellent.