Fannin County — One hour northeast of the DFW Metroplex is Lake Bois d'Arc. The first new artificial lake in Texas in about 30 years.
People like Rusty Bass and his wife April waited years for it to finally arrive. The Carrollton couple and hundreds of others were among the first to break into the lake's brand-new boat launch Wednesday.
“I've been waiting since 2019,” Fannin County resident John Iannotti said.
The original design plans for this man-made reservoir date back to the 1980s, but it took decades to purchase land, permit, build, and wait for heavy rains to fill.
Anglers were eager to drop bait and lures into waters that are home to a million fish, including largemouth bass.
“I probably caught 50 fish up to 2 pounds,” said Richard Saccaro of McAlester, Oklahoma.
Bois d'Arc Lake covers an area of approximately 17,000 acres and has already proven to be a fishing paradise from day one. However, the lake's primary use is to provide water for many North Texans.
The North Texas Municipal Water Authority creates and manages this lake, which provides drinking water to more than 2 million people in 13 North Texas cities.
“Adding Bois d'Arc Lake to our water portfolio will ensure we continue to provide a safe and reliable water source for generations to come,” said Jenna Covington, North Texas Municipal Water District Executive Director. said.
The grand opening of the lake provided a more secluded spot for kayaking and inspired people to stroll along the shoreline.
Fannin County resident Austin Plett said he was “excited that we are gearing up to purchase a boat.”
