TPWD District Fisheries Office

8684 LaVillage Avenue
Waco, Texas 76712
(254) 666-5190
John Tibbs, Biologist

About the Area

Nearby State Parks

 

Cleburne State Park Lake

Quick Links: Fishing Regulations | Angling Opportunities | Cover & Structure | Tips & Tactics


Lake Characteristics

Location: In Cleburne State Park, Johnson County
Surface area: 107 acres
Maximum depth: 29 feet
Impounded: 1934

Water Conditions

Fluctuation: 1-3 feet
Normal Clarity: Moderate

Reservoir Controlling Authority

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
(817) 645-4215

Aquatic Vegetation

Cattail, bulrush, water willow

Predominant Fish Species

Lake Records
Stocking History

Lake Maps

Available at state park office

Fishing Regulations

This state park lake has special regulations on some fishes. See local bag limits, size limits and gear restrictions. For anglers using motorboats, the entire lake is a no-wake zone.

Angling Opportunities
Species Poor Fair Good Excellent
Largemouth Bass     yes  
Catfish     yes  
Crappie   yes    
Sunfish     yes  
Fishing Cover/Structure

This state park lake has a variety of emergent aquatic vegetation, over-hanging trees and brush, and submerged laydowns to provide ample habitat for fish. The flood control structure along the dam also attracts and holds fish throughout much of the year. A new fishing pier, funded by a TPWD State Parks Grant, was installed In 2016, and the Waco Inland Fisheries District worked with Cleburne State Park staff to assemble and deploy commercial fish habitat structures around and under the pier to help attract and hold sportfish for bank anglers. This is the only freshwater reef that has been deployed in Cleburne State Park Lake.

Use the Habitat Structure Viewer for an interactive map of fish habitat structures and downloadable GPS coordinates.

Tips & Tactics

Largemouth bass can be caught using spinner baits, buzz baits, and plastic worms fished through and around vegetation at 1- to 4-foot depths. Shallow-diving crank baits can also be productive. Channel catfish are caught by drift fishing or tight lining with stink bait or shad. Crappie can be caught from shallow brush piles on live minnows or jigs Sunfish are caught on live worms and crickets around shallow brush and riprap.