Your Texoma questions, answered

Lake Texoma is a federal reservoir, and the US Army Corps of Engineers owns and manages most of the shoreline around it. That means the ground between the water and the private lots is not yours to clear, build on, or change without permission, even on a lot you own.

Under the Corps' Shoreline Management Plan, private docks, floating facilities, and any modification of vegetation on Corps-managed shoreline require a Shoreline Management Use Permit. The shoreline is divided into zones with different rules: limited development areas where private facilities are allowed subject to permits, protected shoreline areas kept largely natural, public recreation areas where private changes are not allowed, and prohibited access areas near the dam, spillways, and water intakes.

If you are buying waterfront property, ask whether the lot comes with an existing shoreline permit and what it allows. That permit is a big part of what makes a lake lot usable. The Corps' Tulsa District office publishes the full plan and permit guidance online at its shoreline management pages .

Yes. Both Texas and Oklahoma require a fishing license, and Lake Texoma sits right on the state line, so which one you need depends on which side of the lake you are fishing.

A Texas license covers the Texas side, and an Oklahoma license covers the Oklahoma side. If you fish both shores regularly, Texas and Oklahoma offer a special Lake Texoma license that covers the whole lake with one purchase, which saves regulars a lot of hassle.

You can buy licenses online through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department or the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation , and most marinas and bait shops sell them too. Rules and prices change, so check the current details before you go.

There is no closed season for striped bass on Lake Texoma, one of the reasons the lake earned its nickname as the Striper Capital of the World. You can catch stripers year-round, but the fishing follows the seasons.

Spring is the classic prime time. Stripers move up the Red and Washita river arms to spawn, usually peaking from late March through May, and the fishing can be spectacular. Fall is the other great window, especially October, when the fish feed heavily before winter. Summer means early mornings and deeper water near the dam; winter is slower but still possible with the right technique.

Texas and Oklahoma set daily bag limits for stripers, so check the current regulations before you keep fish. Texas Parks and Wildlife publishes the Lake Texoma fishing rules online.

The lake is ringed with good places to put in. Highport Marina on the Texas shore near Pottsboro is the biggest and most full-service, with hundreds of slips, fuel, a wide paved ramp, and dockside dining. Cedar Mills Marina and Resort near Gordonville is a well-loved full-service marina on the quieter west end, with cabins, a ship's store, and its own launch ramp.

Beyond those, marinas like Grandpappy Point, Cedar Bayou, Catfish Bay on the Oklahoma side, and Rock Creek each have their own character and loyal regulars. For public ramps, the big ones include the Dam Site ramp near Denison Dam, the ramp at Eisenhower State Park, and the Buncombe Creek and Alberta Creek ramps near Kingston on the Oklahoma side.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department publishes a complete list of public access points , and the Corps lists its ramps and day-use areas too. On a busy summer weekend, go early: the popular ramps fill up fast.

The US Army Corps of Engineers publishes the current lake level in real time on its Tulsa District page for Denison Dam , and that is the number locals check before they launch.

The Corps manages the lake inside a normal conservation pool, roughly 615 to 619 feet above sea level depending on the season, with the flood pool above that. The level matters more than most visitors expect. When the lake is low, ramps get shallow, floating docks rest on the mud, and hazards that usually stay underwater come closer to your prop. When it is high, shoreline access shrinks and low-lying lots can see water where they usually have grass.

If you are buying waterfront property, pull the lake level history for the lot. It tells you a lot about what your shoreline will look like in a dry year, and Carol is happy to walk you through it.