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Pinkston Reservoir

Center, Texas — Shelby County.

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523Surface acres · TPWD
45 ftMax depth
1976Impounded

Surface area: TPWD (official surface acres); the USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 117204931) measures 444 acres; max depth from TPWD.

Location & fast facts

Where Pinkston Reservoir is in Texas

The red circle marks Pinkston Reservoir.

Fast facts

About Pinkston Reservoir

  • County: Shelby
  • Nearest city: Center (about 8.8 mi from the lake)
  • Location (TPWD): On Sandy Creek 10 miles west of Center on State Highway 7
  • Impounded: 1976 (TPWD)
  • Controlling authority: City of Center · (936) 598-2941
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 71 mi from Tyler and 148 mi from Houston, 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

Pinkston Reservoir shoreline

½ mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (TPWD publishes ramp names per lake, not coordinates) data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 117204931), 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 Pinkston Reservoir

We found 1 campground and RV park within 15 miles of Pinkston Reservoir. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

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 (31.7105, -94.3557). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Pinkston Reservoir. 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 Pinkston Reservoir

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 bassCrappieSunfishLone Star bass ★

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

    TPWD Lake Finder: Lake Pinkston

    Fishing outlook & regulations

    SpeciesTPWD rating
    Largemouth BassExcellent
    CatfishPoor
    CrappieGood
    SunfishGood

    Regulations (TPWD): Special bass limits and gear restrictions are in effect.

    Aquatic vegetation (TPWD): Primarily non-native submersed (hydrilla and milfoil), but a variety of native aquatic plants are also established

    Conservation pool: 300 ft. msl

    Water-level fluctuation: 1-5 feet

    Normal clarity: Clear

    TPWD Lake Finder page · 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 9 stocking records for Pinkston Reservoir from 1976 to 2023. The table shows 2019–2023.

    YearSpeciesFishSize
    2023Bass, Lone Star50,444Fry

    TPWD stocking history for Lake Pinkston

    Invasive species

    Reported on or near Pinkston Reservoir

    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 Center