Lake Waco Fishing
Boat ramps, survey ratings, records and the live level on 8,465 acres in McLennan County.
- 8,465acres
- 90 ftmax depth
- 9boat ramps
- 13.87 lbrecord bass
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Lake Waco, Texas at a glance
Dating to 1965, Lake Waco takes in 8,465 acres with a maximum depth of 90 feet and lies in McLennan County in the Prairies & Lakes region of Texas. Look for it on the Bosque River just off Texas Highway 6 within the Waco city limits.
Excellent TPWD ratings go to largemouth bass and channel & blue catfish, with flathead catfish, crappie, white bass, palmetto bass and sunfish rated good.
The largemouth record here is 13.87 pounds, set in 2008.
Expect stained to murky most of the year water on a typical day; you will see mostly water willow, although lotus, cattails, pondweed, and buttonbush along the banks and flats; TPWD notes level fluctuation as 2-6 feet.
Controlling authority: US Army Corps of Engineers (254) 756-5359. Lake Waco facts from the TPWD lake page, checked October 2026.
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The TWDB gauge for Lake Waco against its conservation pool.
Texas Water Development Board, Water Data for Texas, reading dated 2026-10-14. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026 10:32 pm ET. 30 day chart on TWDB.
USGS has no current reading for these gauges.
Species ratings for Lake Waco
Each bar is the TPWD rating for that species at Lake Waco.
Excellent is 4 and poor is 1 on this chart.
The predominant fish on the TPWD list are Channel, blue & flathead catfish, Largemouth bass, White bass, Crappie.
Trophy marks for Lake Waco
Certified rod and reel records for Lake Waco, sorted by weight.
| Species | Weight (lb) | Length (in) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue catfish | 84.13 | 52.5 | 2019-12-07 |
| Flathead catfish | 59.5 | 45.5 | 2003-05-12 |
| Hybrid gar | 39.76 | 60.5 | 2023-04-22 |
| Longnose gar | 25.3 | 50 | 2024-04-18 |
| Smallmouth buffalo | 24.35 | 33.5 | 2017-03-20 |
| Striped bass | 19.6 | 35.82 | 1993-05-25 |
| Common carp | 14 | 29.75 | 2005-08-06 |
| Largemouth bass | 13.87 | 25.5 | 2008-03-09 |
| Hybrid striped bass | 13.75 | 27 | 2017-03-05 |
| Channel catfish | 11 | 31 | 2023-03-08 |
| Freshwater drum | 6.5 | 22 | 2019-05-05 |
| Spotted gar | 4.25 | 31 | 2023-03-25 |
Lake Waco records: TPWD water body records, list updated October 8, 2026. Retrieved October 2026.
Getting onto Lake Waco
Of the 10 access points TPWD lists here, 9 have a boat ramp and 1 have a marina.
Airport Beach
Four lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking, courtesy docks, picnic areas. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsAirport Park
Two lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, camping. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsReynolds Creek Park
2 lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking, courtesy docks, picnic areas. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsFlatrock Park
Single lane ramp; no fee; parking. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsLacy Point
Two lane ramp; no fee; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking, courtesy docks. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsSpeegleville Park
Four lane ramp; marina; fee charged; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking, courtesy docks, boat gas. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsTwin Bridges
Four lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking, courtesy docks, picnic areas. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsMidway Park
Two lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking, courtesy docks, camping. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsKoehne Park
Boat ramp; fee charged; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking, courtesy docks, picnic areas. (254) 756-5359
Ramp detailsD: Bosque Park
No fee; restrooms, ADA Accessible, parking.
Ramp detailsTPWD access layer (9 points) and the TPWD Lake Waco ramp list, checked October 2026.
Exceptions that apply on Lake Waco
On this lake alone, the listed species follow these rules instead of statewide ones.
Zebra mussels have been found in this reservoir.
| Species | Rule at Lake Waco |
|---|---|
| Catfish | For blue and channel catfish, no minimum length limit; daily bag and possession limit = 25 blue and channel catfish in any combination. In the 25-fish bag, no more than 5 fish 20 inches or greater in length may be retained, and no more than 1 of those can be 30 inches or longer. For flathead catfish, minimum length = 18 inches and daily bag = 5. |
Limits for Lake Waco from the TPWD Outdoor Annual, 2026-27 (valid Sep. 1, 2026 through Aug. 31, 2027), checked October 2026.
What TPWD has stocked in Lake Waco
| Year | Species | Number | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunshine bass | 127,227 | Fingerling |
| 2026 | Lone star bass | 61,064 | Fingerling |
| 2025 | Sunshine bass | 140,644 | Fingerling |
| 2025 | Lone star bass | 62,473 | Fingerling |
| 2024 | Palmetto bass | 128,410 | Fingerling |
Lake Waco stocking: TPWD stocking by water body, retrieved October 2026.
Events on Lake Waco
| Date | Event | Organizer | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-18 | 2026 TBN North Central T.B.O.T.T. – Lake Waco | Texas B.A.S.S. Nation | completed |
Tournament dates for Lake Waco from each organizer, retrieved October 2026.
Help on the water at Lake Waco
- Ron's Marina One LteWaco, 2 miles northwest of the lake, (254) 754-1642
- Academy Sports + Outdoors WacoWaco, 4 miles southeast of the lake, (254) 399-2410
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Lacy LakeviewLacy Lakeview, 5 miles east of the lake, (254) 591-8010
- Pullin Family Marina, 6 miles east of the lake
- Bass Pro Shops WacoWaco, 6 miles southeast of the lake, (254) 870-4300
- (3) Fly-Tying, 6 miles northeast of the lake
- Big catch bait and tackleMoody, 19 miles south of the lake, (254) 717-3525
- Uncle Gus Marina – Boat Repair ShopClifton, 23 miles northwest of the lake, (254) 622-3333
Shop and guide sources for Lake Waco: OpenStreetMap, store locators and guide websites (October 2026).
Other water close to Lake Waco
Lake Brazos
6 miles east, 523 acres
Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir
13 miles east, 2,010 acres
Aquilla Lake
22 miles north, 3,020 acres
Lake Whitney
22 miles northwest, 23,500 acres
- WacoMcLennan County, 2 miles south
- HewittMcLennan County, 9 miles south
- CliftonBosque County, 26 miles northwest
- WhitneyHill County, 27 miles north
- McLennan CountyFishing access across the county
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Lake Waco questions answered
How deep and wide is Lake Waco?
Lake Waco covers 8,465 surface acres and is 90 feet deep at its deepest point, according to TPWD.
When was Lake Waco created?
The dam closed and the lake began filling in 1965 on Bosque River.
What does the Lake Waco bass record weigh?
A 13.87 pound largemouth and measured 25.5 inches, caught 2008-03-09 holds the record, according to TPWD.
Which non bass records stand at Lake Waco?
Blue catfish 84.13 lb; Flathead catfish 59.5 lb; Hybrid gar 39.76 lb.
What fish are best at Lake Waco?
TPWD surveys give largemouth bass excellent; channel & blue catfish excellent; flathead catfish good; crappie good; white bass good; palmetto bass good; sunfish good.
How many boat ramps are on Lake Waco?
TPWD shows 9 boat ramps on Lake Waco, and 2 of them charge no fee.
Is there a marina on Lake Waco?
Count 1 marina at Lake Waco, among them Speegleville Park.
How full is Lake Waco today?
TWDB data on this page shows how far Lake Waco is from full pool, hour by hour.
Does Lake Waco have special fishing regulations?
Lake specific TPWD rules cover Catfish; see the 2026-27 limits table on this page.
What is the stocking history of Lake Waco?
TPWD released 127,227 fingerling sunshine bass in 2026, and 5 stocking events are on record since 2024.
Does Lake Waco host bass tournaments?
Most recent: 2026 TBN North Central T.B.O.T.T. – Lake Waco on 2026-04-18, run by Texas B.A.S.S. Nation.
What town is closest to Lake Waco?
Waco, roughly 2 miles south of the lake center, in McLennan County.
Planning a day on Lake Waco
Look over the nearby lakes in case the wind or the water level changes your plans.