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Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Browndell, Texas — San Augustine County.

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111,758Surface acres
80 ftMax depth
1965Impounded
7Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 117224967); max depth from TPWD; TPWD lists 114,500 surface acres.

Location & fast facts

Where Sam Rayburn Reservoir is in Texas

The red circle marks Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

Fast facts

About Sam Rayburn Reservoir

  • Counties: San Augustine, Angelina, Nacogdoches, Jasper, Sabine
  • Nearest city: Browndell (about 0.7 mi from the lake)
  • Location (TPWD): On the Angelina River; dam is located in Jasper County approximately 15 miles north of Jasper.
  • Impounded: 1965 (TPWD)
  • Controlling authority: US Army Corps of Engineers · (409) 384-5716
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 93 mi from Tyler and 119 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

Sam Rayburn Reservoir shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Ebenezer Park (campground)Hanks Creek Campground (campground)Mill Creek (texas) Campground (campground)Rayburn Campground (campground)San Augustine Campground (campground)Twin Dikes Campground (campground)Caney Creek Recreation Area (campground)Townsend Campground (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)4Boat ramp (Boat launch)5Boat ramp (Boat launch)6Marion's Ferry Boat Ramp (Boat launch)71 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch Campground
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  5. 5Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  6. 6Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  7. 7Marion's Ferry Boat Ramp
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 117224967), 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 Sam Rayburn Reservoir

We found 17 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Sam Rayburn Reservoir, 10 of them within 5 miles. 8 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

11 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: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · 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 (31.2642, -94.3800). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Sam Rayburn 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 Sam Rayburn 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 bass ★CrappieCatfishWhite bassLone Star bass ★

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

    TPWD Lake Finder: Sam Rayburn Reservoir

    Fishing outlook & regulations

    SpeciesTPWD rating
    Largemouth BassExcellent
    CatfishExcellent
    CrappieExcellent
    White BassFair
    SunfishGood

    Regulations (TPWD): This reservoir has special regulations on some fishes. See bag and size limits for this lake.

    Aquatic vegetation (TPWD): Primarily hydrilla, American lotus and pondweed. A variety of other aquatic plants is also established.

    Conservation pool: 164.4 ft. msl

    Water-level fluctuation: Average 7 feet annually

    Normal clarity: Ranges from relatively clear in the lower lake to off-color in upper lake

    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 104 stocking records for Sam Rayburn Reservoir from 1965 to 2026. The table shows 2022–2026.

    YearSpeciesFishSize
    2026Bass, Lone Star872,159Fingerling
    2025Bass, Lone Star846,269Fingerling
    2025Bass, ShareLunker largemouth13,854Fingerling
    2024Bass, Lone Star572,447Fingerling
    2024Bass, Lone Star81,235Fry
    2024Bass, ShareLunker largemouth20,797Fingerling
    2023Bass, Lone Star531,033Fingerling
    2023Bass, Lone Star57,160Fry
    2022Bass, Lone Star532,946Fingerling
    2022Bass, ShareLunker largemouth17,971Fingerling

    TPWD stocking history for Sam Rayburn Reservoir

    Boat launches & access sites

    7 public access sites listed, 7 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating31.1496, -94.0078
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating31.2703, -94.3228
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating31.3721, -94.4813
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating31.2031, -94.0804
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating31.0676, -94.0639
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating31.2153, -94.3465
    Marion's Ferry Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—No feeBoating31.3971, -94.5267

    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 Sam Rayburn 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 Browndell