Pat Mayse Lake covers almost 6,000 acres and has 67 miles of shoreline. It is situated among gently rolling grasslands and mixed hardwood forests studded with mature pines. Wildlife is abundant in the surrounding area.
Recreation: The lake provides excellent opportunities for boating, swimming and fishing. Anglers fish for largemouth bass, white crappie, sunfish, striped bass and channel and flathead catfish, among other species. Hunting is a very popular activity in the area. The surrounding lands are managed for upland game and whitetail deer. Other species present include fox squirrel, gray squirrel, bobwhite quail, mourning dove, cottontail rabbit, raccoon and fox. Opossum, beaver, mink, skunk and nutria are also present. The lake also provides resting and feeding habitat for migratory waterfowl. A few miles north of the project area are the famed Red River Bottoms where waterfowl congregate in impressive numbers.
