Lake Texhoma State Park, Denison Texas

After Newton we headed south. Crossing most of Oklahoma, we spent a night in Ardmore, Oklahoma before crossing into Texas where we turned east intending to spend a few nights in Eisenhower State Park. Arriving at the State park we lucked out and got one of the last two campsites available.

The next morning, we decided to check out the two fishing docks and see if we could find the fossil described in the park brochure. At the lighted dock we waked out and didn’t see any baitfish. Not a good sign if you are trying to catch stripers.

As we head back to the truck we paused on the ramp and I immediately spotted a fossil ammonite. These fossils are usually hard to find, but not here! We walked along the shoreline and pointed out the large fossils.

It is illegal to collect rocks in Texas State parks and so we had to settle for images. Driving to the second fishing pier we walked down the eighty steps and found more fossils. These were bivalves, pelecypods, which oysters area modern example.

On the way back up the steps Renita was greeted by our first Texas snake. It quickly moved into thick brush and we decided to leave well enough alone. I had hoped to get a picture of a copperhead, as they are plentiful here, but we never did see one.

When I fished at Lake Havasau, the bite was at four am, and so the next morning I headed to the lighted dock. Renita opted to sleep in, smart girl. The dock was lit up but there wasn’t anyone fishing, usually a bad sign in a populated area. I walked down to the dock and didn’t see any schools of shad. They are the stripers main forage and so no shad means no stripers.

Later that morning I returned to the dock just as a fisherman was landing a small white bass. He had four on the stringer and he quickly added a fifth fish. He was using live minnows and after talking a bit I headed back to our campsite. Later we found a bait shop and purchased a bag of frozen gizzard shad.

Renita and I fished for three hours without a bite. There were several families catching small sunfish, but the only excitement was when two flocks of ducks landed. They quickly paddled over and looked at us, as if saying, where’s the bread? We don’t feed wildlife.

We never did catch anything, but it was an enjoyable day on the lake, just what we needed! The next day was too windy to fish but it was a good day to take a nice walk. There are several different trails and we covered many of them, before we drove back to our fifth wheel.

It had been a good stop at a pretty state park, and it reminded us that we spend way too much time at private campgrounds. Unfortunately, some of our favorite state parks are closed from flooding and hurricane damage, but we still hope to spend time at Galveston Island.  Clear skies