Your biggest problem is going to be finding a area where the recreational folks are not affecting you..... I'd be looking in 10 to 20fow..... Good Luck....

 

Thank you. We went not luck. Still trying to figure it out.

 

Temps in upper 80s all over the lake. I go from like 530-8 and call it a day if I dont golf!!

 

Little off topic but Houston is one of the weirdest lakes I've ever had a boat in... You'll be in 30ft of water and then 5ft in a matter of seconds.

Only fishing worth a dang we've ever had was up in Luces

 

Although this lake only have two very small areas I know of with standing timber it's as dangerous as a lake full of standing timber.... As you mentioned the bottom contour changes quickly in several areas and with each flood those areas change with the bottom being mostly sand.....
There are several areas with solid stumps that will take out a lower unit in a heartbeat......
If you don't know the area you're boating idling is a must.....

 

Speaking of solid stumps ....
Oxygen is what rots them, not water. In a fairly constant level lake that means you can have very solid stumps just below the surface.

 

Lake Livingston is one they try to keep it at 131' above sea level and has plenty of stumps just under the surface.
Unless you have a good map/gps unit that you can zoom into a good range that allows you stay in the river channel you can get into big trouble trying to run the river channel.
The biggest trees grow right along the edge of a river, often in places that were always too wet to log. So they are still there rotted off just under the surface.
The river takes wild twists and turns with horseshoe bends and switchback turns throughout the lake. So even with a very good map staying in the channel and not venturing too close to the old banks is difficult.

So clear lanes to run the lake are very important. If you are unfamiliar with the lake find a friend or guide who can show you the ""safe runs" from one part of the lake to another.
I bet Lake Houston has the same issues even if it is not timber you run into, but snad bars etc...

 

I've been running Lake Houston for a long time same as Livingston. Houston has plenty of areas that can get you in trouble fast and the channels have drastically changed since Harvey and Imelda. One area to watch out for is the old atascocita road bed if the lake level is down a few ft its not very far below the surface, also there are still some old bridge pilings just below the surface where the road crossed the old river channel. Luces also has some large stumps right in the middle that are not far below the surface .. best to idle around the bayou until you have a clear path like SK said.