Fishing in Bell County, Texas
Where to fish in Bell County, with maps, lakes and shops.
- 26access points
- 2lakes
- 36.4sq mi of water
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Bell County fishing overview
The Census puts Bell County at 1,054 square miles of land plus 36.4 square miles of water, in the Prairies & Lakes region.
TPWD surveys these county lakes: Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir.
TPWD maps 26 public access points in the county: 24 on lakes and 2 on rivers or creeks.
Most of the moving water access is on Leon River and Lampasas River. Local town guides: Belton, Harker Heights, Killeen and Temple.
Bell County area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer; access points from the TPWD layer edited 2021-08-27.
Public water access across Bell County
Where Bell County anglers can reach the water, from the TPWD access layer.
- Belton Lake19 access points in Bell County
- Stillhouse Hollow Lake5 access points in Bell County
- Leon River1 access point in Bell County
- Lampasas River1 access point in Bell County
Bell County access list: TPWD public water access layer, checked October 2026.
Tackle shops and marinas in Bell County
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Killeensporting goods, Killeen, (254) 501-6800
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Templesporting goods, Temple, (254) 742-7350
- Central Texas Wholesale Baitbait tackle, Killeen, (254) 634-3934
- Frank's Marinamarina, Belton, (254) 939-7443
- Pier 36 Marinamarina, Temple, (254) 986-2466
- Stillhouse Hollow Marinamarina, Belton, (254) 939-5741
Bell County shops: OpenStreetMap contributors, company store lists and TPWD lake pages, retrieved October 2026.
What surrounds Bell County for anglers
County business runs out of Belton, home to 23,054 people at the 2020 Census.
Anglers in Belton are 4 miles from Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir, heading southwest.
TPWD has survey data for 7 lakes inside a 50 mile radius of the county center.
The species TPWD rates highest around Bell County are largemouth bass (4 lakes), catfish (4 lakes) and sunfish (4 lakes).
For flow data, USGS has 4 stream gauges within 22 miles, measuring Lampasas River, Leon River and Little River.
State parks on nearby lakes: Fort Parker, Inks Lake State Park, Lake Whitney State Park and Longhorn Cavern State Park.
Count of nearby lakes (50 miles) with a good or excellent TPWD rating, by species, for Bell County.
Record catches near Bell County
| Species | Weight | Lake | From county | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish, Blue | 84.13 lb | Lake Waco | 41 miles | 2019 |
| Carp, Grass | 70.12 lb | Lake Waco | 41 miles | 2010 |
| Catfish, Flathead | 62.1 lb | Belton Lake | 5 miles | 2016 |
| Buffalo, Smallmouth | 51.8 lb | Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir | 3 miles | 2013 |
| Gar, Hybrid | 39.76 lb | Lake Waco | 41 miles | 2023 |
| Buffalo, Bigmouth | 39 lb | Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir | 46 miles | 1995 |
| Carp, Common | 36.25 lb | Belton Lake | 5 miles | 2017 |
| Gar, Longnose | 32.4 lb | Belton Lake | 5 miles | 2020 |
| Drum, Red | 29.5 lb | Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir | 46 miles | 1991 |
| Bass, Striped | 19.6 lb | Lake Waco | 41 miles | 1993 |
All-ages rod and reel lake records from TPWD for lakes within 50 miles of Bell County.
Live river readings for Bell County
Live discharge from USGS within 22 miles of Bell County.
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lampasas Rv Nr Belton, Tx | 10 cfs, 1.61 ft gage height | Nov 11 12:25 am |
| Leon Rv Nr Belton, Tx | 23 cfs, 3.68 ft gage height | Nov 11 12:00 am |
| Little Rv Nr Little River, Tx | 104 cfs, 1.66 ft gage height | Nov 11 12:15 am |
| Lampasas Rv At Ding Dong, Tx | 87 cfs, 7.53 ft gage height | Nov 10 11:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 12:32 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Where TPWD puts trout in Bell County
| Location | Trout stocked | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Carl Levin City Park Pond | 1,500 | 12/11/2025, 1/25/2026 |
| Nolan Creek | 2,750 | 12/20/2025, 12/31/2025, 2/22/2026 |
| Temple Lion's Park Lake | 900 | 12/21/2025 |
Bell County: TPWD winter trout schedule (2025-2026 season) and Neighborhood Fishin site list.
Alongside Bell County
Granger Lake
25 miles to the south
Lake Georgetown
30 miles to the southwest
Lake Waco
41 miles to the northeast
Lake Brazos
42 miles to the northeast
- Williamson County28 miles south
- Coryell County30 miles northwest
- Milam County34 miles southeast
- Falls County35 miles northeast
Your questions on fishing Bell County
How many TPWD access sites are in Bell County?
TPWD counts 26 public water access points in Bell County.
Are there lakes inside Bell County?
You can fish Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir without leaving the county.
Which Bell County lake covers the most acres?
Belton Lake, about 12,385 acres of surface water.
Which streams in Bell County have public access?
TPWD access points on moving water here: Leon River (1) and Lampasas River (1).
What lake just outside Bell County is closest?
Try Granger Lake, some 25 miles south of the county center.
What bait shops serve Bell County?
The list here holds 6 listings, among them Academy Sports + Outdoors Killeen in Killeen.
Can I catch stocked trout in Bell County?
Rainbow trout were released at Carl Levin City Park Pond, Nolan Creek and Temple Lion's Park Lake for the 2025-2026 season.
Where is the seat of Bell County?
Belton, with a 2020 population of 23,054.
How near is a lake to Belton?
Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir is about 4 miles southwest of Belton.
What should I fish for near Bell County?
Lakes within 50 miles are rated good or excellent most often for largemouth bass, catfish, sunfish and white bass.
Which lake near Bell County holds the biggest record?
Among nearby lake records, Lake Waco holds a 19.6 pound bass, striped from 1993.
How high are rivers near Bell County right now?
See the flow table here for 4 USGS gauges, led by Lampasas Rv nr Belton, TX.
Where to go after Bell County
Compare Bell County with its neighbors, or jump to a lake.