Lake Pflugerville is a bit of a misnomer, if you’re expecting a, "lake," of normal proportions. Pflugerville is a 180 acre reservoir that was built to supply the community with drinking water. While I shudder to think of drinking the water that gets…Read More

Lake Pflugerville is a bit of a misnomer, if you’re expecting a, "lake," of normal proportions. Pflugerville is a 180 acre reservoir that was built to supply the community with drinking water. While I shudder to think of drinking the water that gets pumped out of that basin, I’m sure that they filter and treat it appropriately first, but then again, this is Texas.

There is not a whole lot to do at Pflugerville, so if you have it in your head to do a little more than walk or sit on the shore with a fishing pole, you may be sorely disappointed.

They do not allow gas powered boats on the water, but you are allowed to bring canoes, kayaks and other motor free, aquatic accoutrement. On one occasion, we sat and watched as a man darted across the lake clutching a parachute whilst strapped to a boogie-board. He spent the better part of a couple of hours practicing his aerial acrobatics in the puddle’s center and provided some much needed distraction for the, "lake’s," other patrons.

They have now opened a kayak rental service at the only official launching point. This little, "shop," is called PflugFun. Standard rates for rentals are as follows:

Single Kayak: $10 Per Hour
Tandem (2 Person) Kayak: $15 Per Hour
Fishing Kayak: $15 Per Hour

They are looking to add new types of rentals this summer (2011), including paddle boards, canoes and pedal boats. This may add some much needed human/water interaction to the location.

For the walkers and the joggers looking to see something different, there is a trail that winds around the outside of the water. The total length of the trail is approximately 3.5 miles or 5 kilometers which provides a decent walk or run for the average person. Most nights, there are between 20-30 people running/walking their way around the path. Keep in mind thought, there’s not a lot of scenery, unless you like the backs of neighborhoods and the empty fields of family farms.

Fishermen: I always see people out there with poles in the water. I have never seen anyone actually catch anything other than a perch. I have had a few good strikes, but mostly I end up having to retie my line (if I’m casting) or get up and walk around so my legs don’t fall asleep. The fishing at Pflugerville is abysmal. They’ve increased the size limits twice since we started going. The minimum bag size for Black Bass is 18 inches, while Channel and Blue Cat Fish remain at 12. Good luck to anyone who wants to try. You will require more patience than I possess.

The, "piers," that you can fish from are pathetically small and the water around them is depressingly shallow. Despite these facts, they are somehow still also always crowded. The one time we tried to use one, the railing was simply untouchable as people had left the remnants of their bait (hacked up perch and hot dog bits) strewn about and the wood was alive with ants and other bugs.

Despite all of its flaws, Lake Pflugerville is still a nice place to walk (or run if you’re into that). I certainly would not make a special trip out to see it if I was here on vacation. There’s nothing there that would be a big enough draw for a traveler, unless they were going to a family picnic and that was the chosen destination.
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