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Lake Fort Phantom Hill

Abilene, Texas — Jones County.

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4,213Surface acres · TPWD
66 ftMax depth
1938Impounded
3Public access sites

Surface area: TPWD (official surface acres); the USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 100986998) measures 2,491 acres; max depth from TPWD.

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Fort Phantom Hill is in Texas

The red circle marks Lake Fort Phantom Hill.

Fast facts

About Lake Fort Phantom Hill

  • County: Jones
  • City or town on the shore: Abilene
  • Location (TPWD): On Elm Creek in Jones County, north side of Abilene
  • Impounded: 1938 (TPWD)
  • Controlling authority: City of Abilene · (325) 676-6038
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 9 mi from Abilene and 88 mi from San Angelo, 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

Lake Fort Phantom Hill shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)31 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Abilene
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Abilene
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Abilene

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 100986998), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (TPWD publishes ramp names per lake, not coordinates). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Lake Fort Phantom Hill

We found 14 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Fort Phantom Hill, 4 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

8 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 (32.5761, -99.6908). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Fort Phantom Hill. 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 Lake Fort Phantom Hill

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

    Largemouth bass ★White & hybrid striped bassBlue & flathead catfishWhite crappieFreshwater drumSunshine bass ★Lone Star bass ★Palmetto bass ★

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

    TPWD Lake Finder: Fort Phantom Hill Lake

    Fishing outlook & regulations

    SpeciesTPWD rating
    Largemouth BassGood
    CatfishExcellent
    CrappieExcellent
    White Bass/Striped/Hybrid BassExcellent
    SunfishFair

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

    Aquatic vegetation (TPWD): Stargrass, bulrush, pondweed, smartweed at full water levels

    Conservation pool: 1,635.9 ft. msl

    Water-level fluctuation: Moderate to severe, sometimes prone to long periods with dropping water levels

    Normal clarity: Stained to muddy and red-colored in upper end

    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 76 stocking records for Lake Fort Phantom Hill from 1973 to 2026. The table shows 2022–2026.

    YearSpeciesFishSize
    2026Bass, Lone Star35,339Fingerling
    2026Bass, ShareLunker largemouth20,129Fingerling
    2026Bass, Sunshine80,295Fingerling
    2025Bass, Lone Star35,203Fingerling
    2025Bass, Sunshine64,167Fingerling
    2025Bass, Sunshine210,500Fry
    2024Bass, ShareLunker largemouth20,615Fingerling
    2024Bass, Sunshine62,645Fingerling
    2023Bass, Palmetto306,548Fry
    2023Bass, Sunshine42,828Fingerling
    2022Bass, Sunshine97,002Fingerling
    2022Bass, Sunshine299,590Fry

    TPWD stocking history for Fort Phantom Hill Lake

    Boat launches & access sites

    3 public access sites listed, 3 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat rampAbilene—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating32.5575, -99.6904
    Boat rampAbilene—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating32.6099, -99.6850
    Boat rampAbilene—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—No feeBoating32.5428, -99.7082

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

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

    Invasive species

    Reported on or near Lake Fort Phantom Hill

    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 Abilene