Texas Paddling Trail Network - Village Creek




Texas is blessed with an abundance of paddling opportunities. The state has 15 major rivers systems with more than 3,700 named streams.

The Texas Paddling Trail Network includes 70 stretches of inland and coastal waters with designated public access and egress locations, camping areas and connections to local businesses that provide boat rentals, shuttle services and other paddler related services.

One such Paddling Trail is Village Creek, flowing through Hardin County, north of Beaumont, and south of Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend.

Three outfitter/rental services for Village Creek are Big Thicket Outfitters - (409) 786-1884, (512) 592-9327; Eastex Canoe Trails – (409) 385-4700; and Sharp’s Canoe & Kayak Rentals – (409) 385-6241

Light weight, shallow draft craft such as canoes and kayaks are vehicles to great summer floats, especially this year. Many places are not normally accessible because of low water levels, but this summer are accessible because of our abundant spring rains.

Village Creek offers access to 21 miles of flat-water paddling trails through smaller streams, oxbow lakes and sloughs in the Big Thicket. The trails are best described as narrow, winding, bracketed and shaded by pine and hardwood forest, offering slow paced paddling. The only obstacles paddlers likely to encounter are toppled trees.

Access is available at public road crossings and Village Creek State Park.

Most paddlers make day trips of 8-10 miles, but overnight trips are possible with great campsites on the white sand bars found along the creek.

Fishing can be outstanding for spotted bass, largemouth bass and sunfish as well as wildlife watching for belted kingfishers, wood ducks, herons, freshwater mussels, turtles and rare sightings of otters and beavers.

More information is available on the TPWD website, tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/boat/paddling trails




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Lake Sam Rayburn Current Weather Alerts

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Lake Sam Rayburn Weather Forecast

Thursday

Sunny

Hi: 71

Thursday Night

Clear

Lo: 51

Friday

Mostly Sunny

Hi: 76

Friday Night

Partly Cloudy

Lo: 58

Saturday

Partly Sunny

Hi: 79

Saturday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 61

Sunday

Mostly Cloudy

Hi: 79

Sunday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 67


Lake Sam Rayburn Water Level (last 30 days)


Water Level on 3/29: 158.23 (-6.17)



Lake Sam Rayburn

Fishing Report from TPWD (Mar. 27)

GOOD. Water stained; 62 degrees; 5.99 feet below pool. The magic water temperature is 67 degrees for the spawn. The water is muddy north of the Texas State Highway147 bridge. Navigate with caution to avoid sandbars and stumps. Bass are in the grass lines in 4-20 feet of water biting soft plastics and spin baits. Spawn appears to be deeper due to the water draw. This will eliminate a lot of sight fishing. Crappie are slow. Report by Captain Lynn Atkinson, Reel Um N Guide Service. The bite bass bite has been fantastic! Large waves and groups of fish shallow from 10-15 feet deep as well as large numbers of fish shallow 1-7 feet deep. Primarily fishing a Carolina rig, medium diving crankbait, and Texas rig in 10-15 feet. Cast rattletraps, chatterbaits, and lightweight Carolina rigs up shallow. Report by Captain Hank Harrison, Double H Precision Fishing.

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