Fort Parker State Park Lake

Fort Parker Lake is not known as a great fishing hole, but there are some good opportunities. Management and stocking efforts to improve the fishery have met with limited success for some species. Years of flooding from the muddy Navasota River have taken a toll on this otherwise scenic lake, which has become severely silted in since impoundment in 1935. The upper 2/3 of the reservoir is not navigable by boat most of the time.

The lower third of the reservoir is ringed with shoreline vegetation but little other cover is present. The upper 2/3 often has lotus or other emergent vegetation in dense stands, but shallow water limits its usefulness to fish. In 2016, TPWD worked with a local volunteer group to install crappie condos to provide cover for fish.

Fishing for blue and channel catfish is quite good, and occasionally large blue catfish can be caught from shore in the vicinity of the campground. The crappie population is also very good, although they can sometimes be hard to find, traveling between the main lake and the Navasota River. The largemouth bass population is relatively low in numbers, but there are some quality fish to be found in the lower end of the lake. White bass can be caught from shore just downstream of the dam during the spring run if water conditions are good. Contact the park for current conditions.

Being located within a state park, Fort Parker State Park Lake is regulated as a Community Fishing Lake.