Lake Dunlap, TX

Lake Dunlap is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River near the town of New Braunfels in Guadalupe County, Texas, USA. The reservoir was formed in 1931 by the construction of a dam to provide hydroelectric power to the area. Management of the dam and lake was assumed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority on May 1, 1963. Lake Dunlap also serves as a venue for outdoor recreation, including fishing and boating.

The only free public access to the lake is a boat ramp located at the overpass of Interstate Highway 35 in New Braunfels. Lake Dunlap proudly offers mostly calm water due to its narrow size (in parts) and being protected of wind by shoreline trees. Wakeboarders, skiers and other recreational enthusiasts use Lake Dunlap daily due to its family friendly calmness, temperature and status of near-private lake. Boaters should use extreme caution as the lake has numerous unmarked stumps. There are many personal watercraft on the lake, and lots of people enjoy the cool, clear water for waterskiing and wakeboarding. Make it out early, and you might even catch a barefoot skier sometime.

Game species include largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, striped bass, crappie and catfish. Largemouths in excess of 7 pounds are taken year round around boat-dock and bridge pilings. Spawning period is late February to mid-April. Popular winter and spring bait is a black jig 'n' pig. A submerged stump field in the dam area usually holds fish. In the summer and fall, fish early and late with topwater crankbaits and buzzbaits around grass and lily pads. Four-inch plastic worms in purple-yellow, purple-white and black-chartreuse combinations will take largemouths. Try the flipping technique around piers and pilings. Throw skimming lures on lily pads for summer surface action. Guadalupe bass follow some pattern but prefer rockier areas. Bass anglers catch most of the stripers taken. Heavy boat traffic can put stripers in upper end of lake where some are caught at night and overcast mornings. Take crappie year-round near boat docks and submerged cover. Minnows and small jigs are popular. Trotlines and rod and reel anglers take channel and yellow catfish from spring through late fall.