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Jim Chapman Lake

Cooper, Texas — Delta County.

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19,305Surface acres · TPWD
55 ftMax depth
1991Impounded
4Public access sites
1.0 miShoreline trails

Surface area: TPWD (official surface acres); the USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 93443100) measures 17,932 acres; max depth from TPWD.

Location & fast facts

Where Jim Chapman Lake is in Texas

The red circle marks Jim Chapman Lake.

Fast facts

About Jim Chapman Lake

  • Counties: Delta, Hopkins
  • Nearest city: Cooper (about 0.5 mi from the lake)
  • Location (TPWD): On the Middle and South Forks of the Sulphur River, northwest of Sulphur Springs in Delta and Hopkins counties
  • Impounded: 1991 (TPWD)
  • Controlling authority: US Army Corps of Engineers · (903) 945-2108
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 70 mi from Tyler and 75 mi from Dallas, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Texas: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Texas

Official TPWD pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Lake map

Jim Chapman Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Bright Star Camping Area (campground)Deer Haven Camping Area (campground)Eagle Point Screened Shelter Area (campground)Oak Grove Camping Area (campground)Granny’s Neck Screened Shelter Area (campground)Liberty Grove Camping Area (campground)Pecan Ridge Cabin Area (campground)Buggy Whip Equestrian Camp Area (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Lone Pine Boat Ramp (Boat launch)4Cooper Lake State Park Beach (Beach)51 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeachShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Lone Pine Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  5. 5Cooper Lake State Park Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 93443100), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (TPWD publishes ramp names per lake, not coordinates). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

1.0 miTrail within 100 m of shore
Under 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.0 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Jim Chapman Lake shoreline, mostly along the east and south shores.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Boat ramp, 300 ft from a shoreline trail (OpenStreetMap boat ramp data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 8, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Jim Chapman Lake

We found 10 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Jim Chapman Lake, 8 of them within 5 miles. 7 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

4 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Texas

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (33.3126, -95.6686). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Jim Chapman Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Jim Chapman Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Fish you can catch

    White & hybrid striped bassLargemouth bassCatfishCrappieSunshine bass ★Lone Star bass ★Palmetto bass ★

    ★ = stocked recently (see Stocking). Predominant species from the TPWD Lake Finder.

    TPWD Lake Finder: Jim Chapman Lake

    Fishing outlook & regulations

    SpeciesTPWD rating
    Largemouth BassFair
    CatfishExcellent
    CrappieFair
    White & Hybrid Striped BassExcellent

    Regulations (TPWD): All species are currently managed under statewide regulations.

    Aquatic vegetation (TPWD): Aquatic vegetation in the reservoir is typically unstable due to fluctuations in water level. When the reservoir is close to conservation pool elevation, and water is relatively stable, limited amounts of hydrilla and Illinois pondweed can be found in shallow areas. American lotus also occurs when t

    Conservation pool: 440 ft. msl

    Water-level fluctuation: Moderate

    Normal clarity: Stained

    TPWD Lake Finder page · Current fishing report · Lake records · Latest survey report

    Ratings are TPWD's own Poor / Fair / Good / Excellent scale. Statewide rules: TPWD Outdoor Annual, fishing. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Stocking history

    TPWD has 49 stocking records for Jim Chapman Lake from 1991 to 2026. The table shows 2022–2026.

    YearSpeciesFishSize
    2026Bass, Lone Star136,424Fingerling
    2026Bass, Sunshine100,555Fingerling
    2025Bass, Lone Star129,473Fingerling
    2025Bass, Sunshine190,991Fingerling
    2024Bass, Lone Star122,715Fingerling
    2024Bass, Palmetto192,871Fingerling
    2024Bass, Sunshine179,430Fingerling
    2023Bass, Sunshine152,559Fingerling
    2022Bass, Sunshine402,106Fingerling

    TPWD stocking history for Jim Chapman Lake

    Boat launches & access sites

    4 public access sites listed, 4 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.3118, -95.6107
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.2942, -95.6521
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.2900, -95.6762
    Lone Pine Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.3431, -95.6631

    OpenStreetMap boat ramps (TPWD publishes ramp names per lake, not coordinates)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Jim Chapman Lake not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Cooper Lake State Park BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Invasive species

    Reported on or near Jim Chapman Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. In Texas the law requires draining water from boats and onboard receptacles when leaving or approaching public fresh water, and possessing or moving zebra mussels is illegal. TPWD rules.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Texas lakes & ponds · All waters in Cooper