Lake Texoma Boating Guide: Texas Ramps, Marinas and Rules
Lake Texoma boating guide for the Texas side: 28 ramps in the TPWD inventory, level of 615.0 ft on Oct. 17, 2026, Texas-Oklahoma license rules and safety tips.
Lake Texoma is a very large Red River reservoir on the Texas-Oklahoma border, and Texas boaters can reach it from 28 ramps and launches in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) inventory. On October 17, 2026 the lake stood at 615.0 feet, 94.1% full against a full pool of 617 feet (Marinalo data, October 2026, from Texas Water Development Board readings).
This guide covers the Texas side: how big the lake is, where the ramps are, what the current level means for launching, which marinas Marinalo lists in the nearby towns, the Texas-Oklahoma fishing license rules and the safety habits that matter on open water.
Lake Texoma at a glance
| Item | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Location | A Red River impoundment on the Texas-Oklahoma border, northwest of Sherman-Denison, west of US 75 (TPWD) |
| Surface area | 74,686 acres (TPWD) |
| Maximum depth | 100 feet (TPWD) |
| Shoreline | About 580 miles (TPWD) |
| Impounded | 1944 (TPWD); the dam is Denison Dam on the Red River |
| Conservation pool | 615 to 619 feet above sea level; typical fluctuation 5 to 8 feet a year (TPWD) |
| Controlling authority | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Denison, Texas (903-465-4990) |
| Texas share of the lake | Two-thirds of the lake lies in Oklahoma (TPWD) |
| Public ramps, Texas inventory | 28, via Marinalo |
Two things stand out in those numbers. The lake is huge, with hundreds of miles of irregular, branching shoreline, so a trip across it is not like a trip across a small city lake. And most of it is in Oklahoma, so Texas ramps give you access to a lake whose rules and boundaries are shared between two states.
Access and ramps on the Texas side
Marinalo's page for the lake lists 28 open ramps and launches on Lake Texoma, all from the TPWD public boat ramp inventory. One of them is flagged as a paid ramp. Many entries are listed simply as "Lake Texoma Boat Ramp," so use the map on the Marinalo page to place them.
The named entries give a feel for what is out there:
- Marina and resort ramps: Cedar Bayou Marina at Lake Texoma, Cedar Mills Marina and Resort, Flowing Wells Resort and Marina, Highport Marina and Walnut Creek Resort.
- Public use and recreation areas: Mill Creek Public Use Area, Preston Bend Recreation Area, Island View Park, Juniper Point West and Paradise Cove.
- Camping areas and others: Big Mineral and Bois D'Arc Ridge Camping Area.
- Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge: three ramp entries.
Ramps at marinas and resorts can have their own hours, fees or rules, and some serve guests first. Call before you tow a trailer across the county. Ramps on federal land follow the rules of the agency that runs them, which for most of the lake is the Corps of Engineers.
A practical way to choose: pick the ramp closest to the water you want to fish or cruise, not the one closest to your hotel. On a lake this size, a ramp that saves you a long run across open water can be worth a longer drive on the road.
Current level and what low water means
Marinalo's lake page showed Lake Texoma at 615.0 feet on October 17, 2026, which is 94.1% full against 617 feet (Marinalo data, October 2026). TPWD describes the conservation pool as 615 to 619 feet and says the lake normally moves 5 to 8 feet in a year. So 615.0 is at the low end of the normal operating band rather than in a drought low.
| Question | Where to look |
|---|---|
| What is the level today? | The Marinalo lake page (Texas Water Development Board data) or the Corps of Engineers Tulsa District lake page |
| Is my ramp open? | TPWD keeps a boat ramp closures page; also call the marina or the Corps office at 903-465-4990 |
| Is there an algae advisory? | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tulsa District; TPWD notes that blue-green algae blooms occasionally occur on the lake |
What changes when the lake drops? Sources I could verify do not publish a minimum usable level for each Texoma ramp, so treat the general rules as the guide: a concrete ramp that ends above the waterline is unusable no matter how long your trailer is, and shallow flats and submerged structure come closer to the surface as the level falls. If the level falls below the normal band, call the ramp operator before you launch, and keep a lower-speed, eyes-on-the-water approach in unfamiliar coves.
Marinas and fuel
Marinalo lists marinas in three nearby towns. These are city pages, not lake pages, and a listing in a town does not by itself prove a marina is on Texoma. Where the TPWD ramp inventory for the lake names the same business, the table says so.
| City page | Marinas listed | Slip rate on official sheet (40 ft) | Also named in the Texoma ramp inventory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pottsboro | 7 | Little Mineral Marina and Resort $660 a month; Mill Creek Resort and Marina $675 a month; others on request | Highport Marina |
| Denison | 1 | Grandpappy Point Resort and Marina $660 a month | None by name |
| Gordonville | 2 | Rates on request | Cedar Bayou Marina at Lake Texoma |
Slip prices are as of October 2026 from official rate sheets only, for a 40-foot boat, and Marinalo advises calling to confirm. Marinalo lists no fuel docks in these three cities, but the ramp inventory shows marina and resort businesses around the lake, so ask any marina you plan to visit whether it sells fuel and what its hours are. For fuel docks elsewhere in the state, see the Texas fuel docks page.
Rules: Texas, Oklahoma and the invasive mussel law
Fishing licenses on a two-state lake
TPWD says an angler may fish Texas or Oklahoma waters of Lake Texoma only with the appropriate license from Texas or Oklahoma, unless the person holds a Lake Texoma license. The Lake Texoma license costs $12, is valid until December 31 following the date of issue, is sold to Texas residents and non-residents, and is valid only on Lake Texoma. TPWD also says a Texas resident 65 or older does not need it to fish the Oklahoma portion, and an Oklahoma resident 65 or older is exempt from Texas fishing license requirements, including on Texoma.
One boundary rule trips people up near the dam. A valid Texas license is required to fish from the Texas bank between Denison Dam and Shawnee Creek, but an Oklahoma license is required to wade-fish or fish from a boat in those waters. TPWD gives GPS coordinates for the border markers on its border waters page.
Boat equipment and operator rules
- Life jackets: on recreational vessels under 26 feet, every child under 13 must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while underway, including drifting. Adults must have a properly fitting one easily accessible (TPWD). See our guide to Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
- Boater education: TPWD requires it for anyone born on or after September 1, 1993 who operates certain vessels on Texas public waters. Check TPWD for the exact scope.
- Oklahoma side: if you cross the state line, check the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for its boating rules before you go.
Zebra mussels
TPWD lists zebra mussels as present in Lake Texoma. Texas law requires you to drain all water from your boat and trailer before leaving the vicinity of a freshwater lake, including livewells, bilges and motors, and possessing or transporting zebra mussels is illegal. Clean, drain and dry before you move to another water body. TPWD also notes that boats, livewells and bait buckets must be drained before leaving the area.
Wind, waves and safety
I could not find an official wind statistic for Lake Texoma, so this section sticks to principles. The lake's size matters: a long fetch of open water lets a steady wind build waves that a small boat will feel, and irregular shoreline means conditions can differ from one cove to the next. Small boats, johnboats and kayaks should stay near shore and plan an exit before the wind picks up.
- Check the National Weather Service forecast for your ramp's zip code the night before and again at the ramp. Our guide to special marine warnings and small craft advisories explains the alerts, and the Beaufort scale turns wind speed into what the water looks like.
- Head for the ramp when thunder is audible. Open water is a bad place to be during a storm.
- Wear the life jacket instead of stowing it. TPWD cites Coast Guard statistics showing drowning was the reported cause of death in 76% of recreational boating fatalities in 2024, and 87% of those who drowned were not wearing a life jacket.
- Stay clear of Denison Dam and obey posted signs and buoys near it.
- Tell someone ashore your ramp, route and return time.
When to go and what to expect
TPWD says Texoma is one of the few freshwater lakes in the United States with a self-sustaining, landlocked population of striped bass, and that striper guides operate year-round. It also lists blue and channel catfish, white bass and several black bass species, and says the current Texas state record blue catfish, 121.5 pounds, came from the lake in 2004. That is why anglers make up much of the traffic. TPWD's lake page lists special bag and size limits, including 10 striped or hybrid striped bass a day in any combination with only two fish 20 inches or longer, so read the current limits before you fish. The Grapevine Lake guide covers a smaller North Texas alternative if the wind is up.
FAQ
How many boat ramps does Lake Texoma have on the Texas side?
The TPWD inventory, as shown on Marinalo in October 2026, lists 28 open ramps and launches for Lake Texoma, one of them flagged as paid.
Do I need a license to fish Lake Texoma from a boat?
Yes, unless you are exempt. You need a Texas license, an Oklahoma license or the $12 Lake Texoma license, and rules differ for people 65 and older. Near Denison Dam, an Oklahoma license is required to fish from a boat.
Are zebra mussels in Lake Texoma?
Yes. TPWD lists zebra mussels as present. Drain your boat, livewells and trailer, and clean and dry your gear before using another lake.
What is the water level at Lake Texoma now?
On October 17, 2026 it was 615.0 feet, 94.1% full against 617 feet (Marinalo data, October 2026). Check the Marinalo lake page or the Corps of Engineers for a newer reading.
Does Marinalo list fuel docks near Lake Texoma?
Not in Pottsboro, Denison or Gordonville as of October 2026. Call marinas to ask about fuel.
Sources
- Marinalo data, October 2026: Lake Texoma boat ramps and level; Marinas in Pottsboro, Denison and Gordonville
- TPWD: Fishing Lake Texoma
- TPWD: Requirements for Federal, State and Border Waters
- TPWD: Fishing Licenses and Packages (Lake Texoma License)
- TPWD: Life Jackets and the water draining rule
- TPWD: Stop Invasive Aquatic Hitchhikers