Angling Opportunities

Largemouth bass are the most popular species in the reservoir. Most of the bass in the reservoir will be around 2-4 pounds with an occasional larger fish. Crappie are abundant in Mackenzie Reservoir.

Species

Poor

Fair

Good

Excellent

Largemouth Bass

 

 

X

 

Blue Catfish

 

 

X

 

Flathead Catfish

 

X

 

 

Crappie

 

 

 

X

White Bass

 

X

 

 

Hybrid Striped Bass

 

 

 

X

Sunfish

 

X

 

 

Fishing Cover/Structure

The reservoir was constructed in a steep canyon off the Caprock and therefore has very steep rocky sides. Most of the cover is rock and boulder with some areas of flooded timber in the coves. The steep sides of the canyon provide lots of protection, so the lake is a great place to fish on windy days.

Tips & Tactics

This reservoir typically has very low fishing pressure, so if you like fishing without the crowds, this may be your place. Fish the open lake and around the islands for hybrid striped bass with either live bait or baits that imitate shad. Four-inch white plastic worms can also be successful baits if fished on a leader 2-4 feet past the weight. Largemouth bass can be caught on a wide variety of baits depending on season and water conditions. The best season for bass fishing is spring when water temperatures reach about 55-60 degrees. Common lures for largemouth bass are plastic worms, spinner baits and crank baits. Bass anglers can target the areas of flooded timber and shallower arms of the reservoir for good catches. The steep sides of the main reservoir can make bass fishing a challenge. Try fishing along the sides of rock faces or allow your bait to sink vertically down the rock face. Good catches of crappie are frequently found around rock structure in the main reservoir and the flooded timber in the arms during the spring and fall. Crappie are best caught with jigs or minnows vertically fished around structure.

Our bait recommendations

Here's the baits that our Pros love for this lake.