Lake Belton is a 12,385 acre reservoir with a maximum depth of 124 foot Located 5 miles northwest of the city of Belton on FM 317 or 17 miles west of Temple on Hwy 36.
Belton was impounded in 1954 by the corps of engineers as a flood control lake. Access to the lake is provided by 11 Corp of Engineers ramps and facilities located around the lake. Most of which are pay for use.
Although the Lake sits in a Lowland area of the state it looks and fishes like a Highland reservoir with Steep banks, Bluffs and lot’s of deep water. Structure is mostly Creek channels, Rocky humps and rock bluffs. However in the back of most creeks offer sandy shallow bays. Cover on the lake is fairly sparse but there is some standing timber and numerous brush piles. There is also some small areas of button brush and cattails.
Water color Very’s, but it can be expected to be stained most of the year in the Leon river arm above Cedar ridge park and Clear from Cedar ridge to the main lake and into the Cowhouse creek arm of the lake.
Although Belton has a healthy population of Largemouth that can be found throughout the lake, it also has one of the states only healthy fishable populations of smallmouth which are best targeted south of cedar ridge.
Patterns are typical Highland patterns, Bluffs and steep points during much of the year and moving into the flats in the back of creeks during the Spring and fall.
Prevailing forage is threadfin Shad, Sunfish and craws. But in the deeper parts of the lake Smallmouth and largemouth can be found feeding on log perch on deep humps and points.
Get out and try lake Belton, You will be glad you did!
See you on the water!
Shawn Grant
