Well someone clearly didn't tell that damn COVID-19 virus that this time of year is the best time to be bass fishing... seriously some pretty lousy timing. I kid, but seriously I hope you are all staying safe and taking all necessary precautions to keep you and your family safe and healthy.
With that said, I know we can all get a little stir crazy sitting inside our homes... I mean America is currently obsessed with a Netflix series about a mullet wearing, gun toting, tiger owning, homosexual crazy man. (If you haven't seen Tiger King yet I highly recommend it haha) If that doesn't prove that, then I don't know what does. If you want my opinion, I think more people need to be out on the lake fishing... at least 6 feet apart of course.
To address a couple of thing... yes, I am currently guiding. Fishing falls under the list of essential things, as does commercial fishing to I am fortunate there. I am taking extra precautions right now to ensure my safety and the safety of my clients. After each fishing trip I am spraying down all rods/reels/ tackle with Lysol disinfectant spray, the inside of my boat is also wiped down with Clorox wipes, and the hull of the boat is sprayed and wiped down with extra strength vinegar.
Another thing I would like to address is the boat ramp situation on Lake Travis. The Travis County Parks Department has closed all public ramps... while I don't agree with their decision to do this, and I feel it was more financially driven than for that of the safety of the community, it is what it is. Currently I have been told Jones Brother's park is open and I suspect Briarcliff may be open. At this point you will have to find private ramps or the ones mentioned above. I am extremely fortunate and was offer the use of a private ramp on the lower end of Lake Travis. (Trevor if you are reading this, a HUGE thank you to you!)
Should the situation change I will make an updated report, but for those of you interested in a trip rest assured we can get out on the lake. If you know of any other ramps that are open please shoot me a message.
Lake Travis Fishing Report
Right now the bite on Travis is very good! The shallow bite has been very good first thing in the morning and during the last hours of the evening. I recommend watching the video below if you have not already seen it. A floating worm rig is killing it right now... this will continue to be a great bait to throw until the shad spawn kicks off and the fish start eating more shad.
With that said I am starting to see the early signs of threadfin shad spawning on Travis. With water temps in the mid 60's it's not surprising. Typically though I would like to see the water a little closer to 70 degrees before the shad spawn really heats up. (pun intended)
Once the sun comes out and the shallow bite dies off I recommend going a little deeper. (Honestly you can get bit shallow all day right now, but it does slow down a little around lunch time) A Texas rig with your favorite plastic will definitely get bit right now. Target the mouths of coves in 10-15 feet of water. Lately I have been throwing a brush hog a lot.
Shorelines that are not as steep and also have brush on them are going to be your best places to target. These bass are post spawn and are roaming the bank but will still stop and hangout around structure.
In the coming weeks flukes, Alabama rigs, spinnerbaits, and topwater baits will start showing up in my reports... so be looking for those!
Right now the bite is good, if you are not catching a bare minimum 15 fish in the morning you're doing something wrong! haha
Another pattern that is still working is fishing drop shots along bluff walls. Its not glamorous and isn't my favorite way to catch them, but if you are new to fishing or are trying to get some kids on some fish, this will do the trick.
Fish a 1/4- 3/8th ounce drop shot with a 1/0 dropshot hook along steep bluff walls. Target that 10-20 foot depth range. A finesse trick worm in green pumpkin or watermelon red will get bit. I fished this way yesterday and caught a bunch doing it, but nothing over 3 pounds. So full disclosure... this isn't the way to catch the big ones, but like I said, if kids are in the boat this will produce numbers.
If you are having trouble getting bit, or simply would like a little confidence boost to get you on the right track, consider purchasing my honey hole report.
The link above will take you to Lake Pro Guide's website... for $12 you can purchase my fishing report for Lake Travis or Lake LBJ which I update weekly. Each Thursday at 4pm I upload a new report with a minimum of 5 exact spots I have been catching fish off of. You will also get a 2-3 minute video accompanying each spot telling you exactly what to throw, what color to use, how to position your boat, what to look for etc. You also will get a lure list of recommended bait to have tied on or purchase before your trip.
The 5 spots will get you started and I promise they will produce fish. What I think is the most valuable though is the information to key you in on the pattern the fish are biting. With the information I give in my report you should very easily be able to figure out other spots of your own and recreate the same pattern all over the lake. If nothing else that will save you $12 in fuel and time!
I spend a lot of time each week on the lake and it is my business to know what the fish are biting on! If I don't know what they are biting on that week I wouldn't be a very good guide. Save yourself some time and consider trying out my fishing report on Lakeproguides.com
Good luck to everyone out there and if this report helped you, please consider sharing it on Facebook or any other fishing sites you frequent. I can't tell you how many clients I have met because someone shared my fishing reports with them. Since the beginning of this pandemic I have had 75% of my bookings cancel... this is typically my busy season that makes up for winter when business is slow. Everyone is hurting right now, so I don't want any sympathy, rather I ask for some word of mouth marketing! If you like my content or it helps put you on the fish please share it with your fishing buddies.
If you are looking for a fishing guide in Austin, TX, especially for Lake Travis, Lake LBJ, or Lake Decker, I would love to put you on the fish!
Tight lines!
Tyler