Lake Conroe Water Activities
Lake Conroe is one of the prime summertime hot spots for avid boaters and anglers in the Houston and College Station areas of Texas.
This picture-perfect lake is 21 miles long, 22,000 acres large, and boasts 157 miles of shoreline to explore and enjoy.
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Fishing in Lake Conroe
Lake Conroe offers warm waters ideal for bluegill, largemouth bass, white bass, striped bass, hybrids, channel catfish, crappie, and more. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, Lake Conroe has “excellent” largemouth, catfish, hybrid striped bass, and bluegill fishing. It also has “good” crappie fishing opportunities.
Most of the lake is open water. The southern two-thirds of the lake is wide, deep, and fully exposed to the sunshine. The northern third of the lake is more shallow, shaded, and has more coves, overhanging trees, brush piles, and even artificial “reefs” in the water that are intended to cover the fish and encourage population growth. There are a few aquatic plants in the shallower water, but not many. The US Army Corps of Engineers introduced them and the TPWD to prevent erosion and enhance aquatic habitats.
Largemouth Bass Fishing
If you’re interested in largemouth bass, your best option is to go to the shallower water at the lake’s northern end during the spring and fall.
You’ll be primarily in the Sam Houston National Forest. Look for fallen trees in the water, marinas, boat docks, and vegetation mats. Use soft plastic bait or shad imitation lures.
The spring and fall yield better results, though you can fish year-round with some degree of success. For summer and winter fishing, check out the deeper areas of the lake (the southern side, especially near the dam). Open water fishing usually results in more hybrid striped bass than largemouth bass, but many anglers are beginning to enjoy the species. Use live shad or vertical jigging spoons.
Channel Catfish Fishing
For channel catfish, head to deeper water, and get out your cut shad or smelly baits, dough bait, or even cut tilapia. As their name suggests, they will be hanging out in the river channel, looking for smaller fish that come through their paths. They prefer areas with sand, gravel, river rocks, or rubble bottoms. If at all possible, they will avoid muddy areas.
Look for big pieces of debris or interesting topography in the lake. They like to hang out near large boulders, underwater logs, sunken boats, and deep underwater pools.
Can You Waterski on Lake Conroe
You can waterski, jetski, sail, windsurf, windsail, wakeboard, and more on Lake Conroe.
The southern side of the lake is much more open (and deep) than the north end, meaning that you’ll have ample space for whatever fun activity you have in mind, and the wind will be stronger here.
Always read up on the rules and regulations of the area before visiting. You can find the complete book of Lake Conroe Reservoir Rules and Regulations here. Some of the key pieces of information to know are the following:
- The General Manager is authorized to designate areas of the reservoir for swimming, fishing, water skiing, personal watercraft, or a combination of these activities. You must respect and follow these designated areas.
- Those born on or after September 1st of, 1993 must complete a boater education course to operate a PWC (or a boat with a horsepower rating that exceeds 15HP).
- A person’s driver’s license can be suspended for boating while intoxicated.
- The responsibility of each boat operated in a boating accident is to notify TPWD within 30 days if the accident injures a person requiring medical treatment or causes damage to a vessel or other property in excess of $2,000. If the accident results in the death of a person, they must notify TPWD within 48 hours. You can reach TPWD at (512) 389-4848.
- People being towed by a PWC must wear a life jacket.
- It is illegal to operate PWCs between sunset and sunrise.
- It is also illegal to operate a PWC and jump the wake of another vessel unnecessarily close or dangerously. Do not operate your PWC within fifty feet of any other PWC, motorboat, vessel, platform, person, object, shore, or item unless you are at headway speed. Headway speed is a slow idle speed, just enough to maintain steerage.
- Children under the age of thirteen cannot operate a PWC unless accompanied on board by a person who is at least eighteen and can lawfully operate the personal watercraft.
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Can You Swim in Lake Conroe
Lake Conroe is an excellent swimming hole to escape that hot Texas heat.
You can swim anywhere you please in the lake from a boat or use one of their two public access, specially-designated swim zones. Speedier boaters tend to take up the bottom two-thirds of the lake, while slower boaters, paddlers, and anglers usually go north, where it is quieter, more shallow, and offers more coves.
Scott’s Ridge Swim Area and Boat Launch
Located on the northwest side of Lake Conroe, Scott’s Swim Area is inside the Sam Houston National Forest, just two miles north of the mile-long FM 1097 Bridge. It is open from April through September.
One of the perks of this park is that it allows you to see the iconic Lake Conroe Lighthouse off in the distance and the natural Sam Houston National Forest that encompasses the lake’s shores.
At this swimming area, you’ll see three pavilions, numerous picnic tables, restrooms, good parking, fishing areas, grassy areas, and shade trees to enjoy. There is also a convenient boat ramp on site that is open year-round.
Lake Conroe Park
Lake Conroe Park is a thirteen-acre park on the south end of Lake Conroe near Highway 105, close to the Lake Conroe Dam. This clean park features barbecue pits, two pavilions, a volleyball court, a multi-purpose field (usually used for softball), restrooms, parking, fishing piers, picnic tables, and a designated swimming area.
You can find Lake Conroe Park at 14968 Highway 105 West Montgomery, Texas 77316.
Lake Conroe is a fantastic place to swim, fish, waterski, and enjoy the day. Check out the Lake Conroe boats available for rent here.
Still in the research phase? Check out some of our other articles on Lake Conroe:
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