Lake Conroe Fishing: What’s Biting on Lake Conroe in Spring?

Grand Central Park anglers love spending the day engaged in some catch-and-release fishing within the community, but for more of a challenge, there’s Lake Conroe fishing.

The 22,000-acre lake is considered to be one of the best fishing spots in Texas, and it’s only about a 25 minute drive from all the excitement of Grand Central Park’s amenities and new homes in North Houston.

Check out which fish species are biting this spring!

Fish Species You’ll Find in Lake Conroe

• Catfish
• Crappie
• Black Bass
• Hybrid Striped Bass
• Bream

Is it Safe to Eat Fish From Lake Conroe?

Yes, it is generally safe to eat fish from Lake Conroe. Anglers have reported consuming fish from the lake without issues and have found them to taste great. However, as with all fishing, you should stay on top of fishing regulations and advisories to ensure your safety. 

You can check for current bans and advisories on Texas Parks & Wildlife or the TDSHS Seafood and Aquatic Life group.

Fish in Lake Conroe

Let’s take a look at what and where to fish on Lake Conroe. The best places to fish in Conroe depend on what you’re trying to catch, but you can use fishing map resources like Fishermap’s Lake Conroe Nautical Chart or Fishing Status’s GPS Fishing Spots.

Catfish

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Fishing Report, anglers are easily hooking catfish and reeling in some impressive catches. Local fishing guides recommend using circle hooks for a more effective hookset. When it comes to bait selection, catfish have a keen sense of smell and taste, so baits such as peeled shrimp or cut bait are highly effective in attracting catfish. These baits emit strong scents that can draw them from a distance. It's also common for anglers to use stink baits or baits that have been allowed to 'ripen' to further entice these bottom-dwellers.

Where to find catfish in Lake Conroe: You can find catfish all over Lake Conroe. Drop your line in places 10 to 25 feet deep along creek channel edges and drop-offs. Catfish are often found in shaded areas, especially during the warmer parts of the day. These areas can include the undersides of boat docks, overhanging trees, or submerged structures that provide relief from the sun's rays.

Crappie

Lake Conroe fishing wouldn't be the same without trying to land crappies, and during the spring, crappie season is just getting underway. The fish are good to eat and fun to catch, and they’re known for their mild, sweet, and no-fishy flavor. The meat is soft, almost melting in the mouth, with a taste that is often described as similar to sea bass and walleye. Part of the sunfish family, they are also known as speckled bass, calico bass, papermouth, sauc-au-lait, and strawberry bass. To increase your odds of catching them, bait your hook with their favorites: mealworms and nightcrawlers. 

Where to find crappie in Lake Conroe: There are many good places to find crappie, including submerged brush piles, bridge pilings, and the San Jacinto River channel. Look for them on brush along the edges in 12 to 15 feet of water and along the FM 1097 Bridge.

Black Bass

Warm weather is bringing black bass to the shallows to spawn. You can catch some pretty big ones during spring, but waiting a few weeks might net you some that are even bigger when the water temperature reaches about 60°F. In the summer, these fish will move into deeper waters. This fish species has lean, white flesh with a moderately firm texture, small flakes, and a delicate taste. Anglers have been having success using plastic lures in green and orange colors.

Where to find black bass in Lake Conroe:  In early ppring,  you can find black bass in shallow water around the marinas and docks. You can also try spots closer to the shore by weed beds and cover. By summer, you’ll need a boat to head to deeper waters to catch them.

Hybrid Striped Bass

Hybrids are a cross between a striped bass and a white bass. Spring is a favorable time to target them when they are schooling in 17 to 27 feet of water. Artificial lures such as silver spoons tend to attract them. Young white bass can be mistaken for hybrids, so if you catch one under 18 inches and aren’t sure which it is, throw it back. You can see more fishing size regulations for Lake Conroe on the Texas Parks & Wildlife site.

Where to find hybrid striped bass in Lake Conroe:  You can find hybrids around main lake points that have shallow, sandy bottoms.

Bream

Bream, also known as sunfish or bluegill, are commonly found swimming alongside crappie in freshwater bodies like lakes and ponds, and there’s a good chance where you find one, you will find the other. Their meat is known for its sweet and mild flavor, making them a popular choice among anglers and seafood enthusiasts alike. They can get pretty large and love to chomp on live bait. Entice them with worms, crickets, and nightcrawlers, but choose a bait that will reach the near bottom quickly to avoid smaller bait-stealers.

Where to find bream in Lake Conroe:  You can find them throughout the lake, but look for them in spots with 10 to 20 feet of water. Texas Parks & Wildlife say that they can be caught “along rip rap, fishing deep near the toe of the slope, sometimes 8 feet or more.”

Find Amazing Fishing in North Houston in Grand Central Park

Lake Conroe fishing is amazing, but it’s not the only place to enjoy the outdoors in Conroe. In fact, imagine stepping out of the front door of a new construction home and casting your line mere steps away.

Within the community, fishing enthusiasts can practice their craft in the tranquil waters of Deer Lake, Paddle Lake, and the expansive 88-acre Grand Lake. These serene settings offer catch-and-release fishing, ensuring that everyone can savor the experience. Surrounded by picturesque trails, native wildlife, and scenic lakeshores, fishing in Grand Central Park is nothing short of extraordinary.

Set amidst beautiful scenery, Grand Central Park in Conroe, TX seamlessly combines natural surroundings with peaceful living. Featuring distinct homes, one-of-a-kind amenities, and plenty of outdoor adventures to enjoy, it’s the perfect place for even the avid angler to call home. 

Learn more about this new home community here.