Great fishing opportunities are available on Brazos River Authority reservoirs, whether at Possum Kingdom Lake, Lake Granbury or Lake Limestone, for those who would like to reel in a record-setting catch. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which oversees hunting and fishing activities in Texas, keeps records for each of these reservoirs, offering fishermen of all ages the opportunity for a little healthy competition

Possum Kingdom

Possum Kingdom, featuring a surface area of 15,588 acres and a maximum depth of 145 feet, has an abundance of largemouth bass, crappie, striped and white bass, and channel and blue catfish.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife notes that: “Striped bass are stocked in most years and provide a fair fishery with good growth potential and strong fighting characteristics.” The largest caught at Possum Kingdom Lake weighed 34.19 pounds. White bass are also commonly found at the reservoir.

The largemouth bass at PK “provide trophy potential” according to TPWD. Other frequently found species include crappie and channel, blue, and flathead catfish, with “especially large blue cats.”

Here are a few of the record catches at PK for the most prolific breeds of fish:

• The record largemouth bass brought in by rod and reel was a specimen weighing 16.02 pounds, caught by Scott Tongate in October 1989.
• The largest striped bass caught at PK was 41 inches long and weighed 34.19 pounds, caught by Lisa Taylor in June 2000.
• The top white bass was 17 inches long and weighed 2.72 pounds, caught by Randy Wood in February 2008.
• The top channel catfish was 31 inches long and weighed 14.23 pounds, caught by Melvin Lee Clay Jr. in May 2016.
• The largest blue catfish was 46.44 inches long and weighed 55.60 pounds, caught by Cotton Tanner in February 2011.

Lake Granbury

With a surface area of 8,310 acres and a maximum depth of 75 feet, Lake Granbury is known for its largemouth bass, striped and white bass, channel and flathead catfish, white crappie and sunfish.

The TPWD’s outlook on fishing at the lake: “Striped bass fishing can be very good on this long, sinuous reservoir.” The TPWD recommends downrigging jigs and crankbaits and drifting live shad when fishing, and suggested “the mid-lower lake seems to be best” for striped bass.

When it comes to largemouth bass, TPWD says “fishing can be excellent around any of the 1,000-plus boat docks and piers,” and suggests crankbaits, jigs, and worms.  “TPWD adds that catfishing is good throughout the reservoir, adding that wooded acres create conditions for “excellent trotlining.”

For crappie, TPWD suggests live minnows and fishing near docks, submerged brush, and bridge pilings. 

White bass are most prolific during the spring, and TPWD says “small jigs and spinners work best.”

For catching sunfish, live worms or crickets are recommended are docks are the top spot to land them.

Here are a few of the record catches at Granbury for the most common breeds of fish:

• The record largemouth bass was 27 inches long and weighed 11.89 pounds, caught by Royce Carnley in June 2009.
• The top hybrid striped bass was 32.5 inches long and weighed 16.36 pounds, caught by Alvin Lowrance in March 1994.
• The record striped bass was 37.5 inches long and weighed 20.03 pounds, caught by Clay Yadon in February 1995.
• The top white bass was 19.5 inches long and weighed 3.55 pounds, caught by Richard in 1996.
• The largest channel catfish was 36 inches long and weighed 23.5 pounds, caught by Tony Culpepper in 1976.
• The record flathead catfish was 43 inches long and weighed 42.8 pounds, caught by Jason Shaw in 2005.
• The top white crappie was 15.75 inches long and weighed 2.27 pounds, caught by Joseph in January 2017.
• The top green sunfish length was unavailable but weighed .56 pounds and was caught by Karen Osborn in April 2016.

Lake Limestone

With a surface area of 12,553 acres and a maximum depth of 43 feet, Lake Limestone is renowned for its largemouth bass, white bass, crappie and channel, blue and flathead catfish.

“Lake Limestone offers some of the best fishing of any central Texas lake,” notes the TPWD website.  Because it is located off the beaten path, anglers will find they have little competition, particularly during the week. Solitude and good fishing for many species combine to make Lake Limestone a winner.

TPWD says spring is prime time to catch largemouth bass, but adds that these fish are present throughout the year.

Catfish species in the lake include blue, channel, and flathead. Crappie and white bass fishing are best in the spring during spawning time, according to TPWD.

Here are some of the record catches for the most common breeds of fish:

• The top largemouth bass was 25.5 inches long and weighed 11.75 pounds, caught by Daryl LeBoeuf in December 2004.
• The largest white bass was 18 inches long and weighed 2.9 pounds, caught by David J. Barbre in April 2013.
• The top white crappie was 16 inches long and weighed 2.81 pounds, caught by Callen C. Ray in May 2013.
• The biggest channel catfish was 24.4 inches long and weighed 7.2 pounds, caught by Gary Morris in November 2009.
• The top blue catfish was 47 inches long and weighed 61.13 pounds, caught by Alvin W. Jones in March 2015.
• The record flathead catfish was 38.5 inches long and weighed 27.61 pounds, caught by Ginger Day in September 2013.

For more fishing records, visit here for Possum Kingdom Lake, here for Lake Granbury and here for Lake Limestone.

If you would like a complimentary map of one of more of these reservoirs to be mailed to you, please send an email to information@brazos.org listing your name and address, and which map or maps you would like to receive.