B.A. Steinhagen Lake is located on the Neches River, 14 miles west of Jasper, on US 190. The lake is 10,687 surface acres, with a maximum depth of 35 feet. The water body’s aquatic vegetation consists primarily of water hyacinth, hydrilla. In this shallow lake, the abundance of aquatic vegetation is relatively high. Predominant types are water hyacinth, hydrilla, and American lotus. Flooded timber and cypress trees provide additional cover for game fish and other wildlife.
Due to the shallow nature of the reservoir, the most popular game fish at B.A. Steinhagen is the catfish. Channel, blue, and flathead catfish are all present in good numbers. An average population of largemouth bass is present and fishing is fair. Good numbers of spotted bass are present in the Angelina River. A good crappie fishery exists, especially in the spring. Low numbers of white bass are present and the fishery is limited to the early spring during the spawning run above the reservoir. Bluegill and redear sunfish are present in high numbers and provide good fishing, especially for youth or inexperienced anglers.
Anglers catch catfish throughout the reservoir, although the best catfishing is found in the Neches River above the reservoir. Trotliners and jugliners catch blues and channels on cut bait, while live bait catches flathead catfish. A 50 pound flathead catfish catch is not uncommon in the Neches River. Anglers are most successful at catching largemouth bass during the fall, winter, and spring months when the water is cooler and fish are active for longer periods of the day. When fish are active, crankbaits and spinnerbaits worked around vegetation will catch bass. They bite slow and fish activity is usually concentrated during early morning and late evening, during the summer months. Poppers, propeller baits, and flukes are excellent topwater choices during low light conditions. As the sun rises, bass concentrate in or around vegetation edges, lily pads, cypress knees, and creek channels, but a plastic worm can coax them out. Spotted bass provide a year-round fishery in the Angelina River. Small spinners and topwaters worked around brush are good choices to snag a spotted bass. Most crappie are caught in shallow water during the spring spawn on jigs, worms, and minnows. Sunfish, especially bluegill and redear sunfish, can be caught year-round but fishing peaks in late spring or summer when fish are on their spawning beds. Small jigs, spinners, worms and crickets all catch sunfish.