Canoe Trip To Red Hills Lake...

We headed out yesterday to Red Hills Lake in the Sabine National Forest for a little canoe and swim action. I recall we might have made a trip here when the kids were little. Seems I remember fly casting while keeping an eye on the kids in the swimming area and catching some funky looking carp on flies that might have been the results of someone dumping an unwanted aquarium in the lake. I also recall a Parks and Wildlife electro shock boat on the lake so maybe good fish have been stocked since then. 

Red Hills is a Civilian Conservation Corps build from FDR's New Deal Programs of the 1930s. This lake was built in 1940.  If you recall during the depression there was not much work so the government came up with the jobs building lakes, parks, school gyms and other facilities that as well as the benefit of the jobs they could also raise the general quality of life. Now a days things are a bit different. If ya got a job building something you might not be able to afford to go or shop there once it's done. I went here for the price of a $30 Forest service parking permit I bought last summer and have used again and again at the lakes and woods in this area. 

Cathy joined me on the trip. She is not much for paddling being squarely in the power boat camp. I paddled her around like to think I am getting some exercise doing this which was probably canceled out by the trip later the Fisherman's Galley on nearby Toledo Bend Lake. I had the grilled catfish topped with etouffee.    

The spill way. It was gently overflowing making a nice lapping water sound as we drifted past. Looks like it was designed to have a man climb up there from a boat and open or close it but from the looks of the rusted machine that might not have happened in a while. The hooks, line and sinkers hung in the grate are sad endings to what mush have been heroic casts from the nearby earthen dam.

I caught one small bass so I don't think we can expect a off the beaten path fishery here. I might try again sometime in the fall or spring as it was a very peaceful place, quiet other than the few kids in the swimming area. 

Not swimming in my belly. 

We changed out of our wet swim suits standing by the car in the shade of the forest with no one else around. Rest rooms were pit, but clean with plenty of toilet paper. No electric camping hook ups. I did note this sign after we were finished canoeing and swimming.