Fall Bass Fishing in Austin, TX
I don't know about y'all but I have been loving this cooler Fall weather! Every trip I have had recently has done really well with both numbers and size, with this cooler weather comes more active fish. Recently I have been fishing both Lake Travis and Lake LBJ, so I figured I would drop a new fishing report with more information on both those lakes to help put y'all on fish! If you are doing a little research and considering booking a trip, I can promise you now is a great time. Currently I feel Travis is fishing the best and will give you an opportunity at a lot of fish as well as some big ones mixed in!
Lake Travis
While we did get some rain the other day, the lake is still about 42 feet down. Water temps have been fluctuating around that 73-75 degree mark. Water clarity is pretty standard, about 4-5 feet on the lower end of the lake and 1-2 feet on the upper end of the lake. I went way up river on Travis a few days ago, and way up the Pedernales and water clarity up there is super muddy. Still good fishing, but very different from the lower basin area of the lake.
Right now there are honestly a lot of baits you can throw to get bit. Understanding how the day to day conditions affect the bass' behavior makes them a lot easier to pattern. While there are a number of baits you can be throwing, I'll limit this to my top three that I know will get you bit.
Topwater: Spooks and poppers have been working really well. I like to switch between these two baits depending if I'm working down a bank wanting to cover a lot of water, or if I'm fishing structure where I expect the fish to hold tight to a specific area. A spook can be worked quicker while a popper is better when you need to keep the bait in the strike zone longer. The two main colors I like are either Bone (for those overcast and cloudy days) and a chrome/ shad pattern (this tends to be better when it's sunny or in very clear water). When working these baits don't forget to incorporate a lot of pauses in your retrieve.
Crankbaits: Lately I have been tearing them up on crankbaits, especially medium diving cranks. My Honey Hole Report that comes out tomorrow will spill the beans on the exact cranks I have been tearing them up with, there's a couple key characteristics you want in a bait right now to maximize how many bites you get. The most important thing though is selecting the right diving depth based on the location you are fishing. It's very important to pick a lure that will dive a foot or so past the main depth you are fishing... if it doesn't dive deep enough it won't contact the bottom, hit rocks, or tick the grass in order to trigger more reaction bites. Too deep though, and you will find you get snagged more and it hiders the action of the bait. As for colors, shad patterns are still the key, until the water gets a lot colder those shad patterns will outperform craw colors. Be sure to check out the YouTube video below! If you want to know the exact crankbait I was throwing I mention it in the video.
Jigs: While a lot of what I've been throwing lately have been shad pattern baits, a good ol' jig has still been putting a lot of fish in the boat for me. With more fish moving up shallow, a finesse flipping jig in a natural craw color has been good. Try to skip it up around the back of docks, in drains around the base of the grass, or along little rocky points you come across along the shoreline. Craw trailers such as a Zoom speed craw or 6th Sense Stroker craw in green pumpkin are good options for trailers.
I highly recommend you make a point to get out on the water asap! The weather has been great aside from a tiny bit of rain and the bite has been really good!
Lake LBJ
With the recent closure of Lake Decker, I have made it a point to go out to Lake LBJ more. If you are interested in a guided trip out there shoot me a message. Water temps out there are about the same as Travis, 73-75 degrees, with water clarity around 1-3 feet depending on location. A while back the LCRA sprayed some of the grass out there, but there's still plenty left. Some coves with grass I've found have really good water clarity in them right now.
As you likely know, with the cooler water temps pulls more fish out of deep water and makes them move more shallow to feed. Grass edges, docks, points, and shallow rock in the 3-10 foot depth range can be really good. Being that the water temps are still in the 70's shad pattern baits are still working well as far as moving baits. Pay close attention to wind direction and focus on areas where the wind is hitting. There are a couple key patterns I recommend you try.
Topwater: Buzz baits and whopper ploppers stand out as some of my favorite baits to be throwing early in the mornings right now. I like to switch up which one I throw based on the cover I'm fishing. Near primrose or matted grass, throw the buzzbait. Near docks, open water, or along breakwalls, throw the whopper plopper. I find location is more important than color, as these fish are reacting to the bait as it goes by, but bone or black are two great color options I prefer.
Swimjigs and Chatterbaits: Both these baits are two I like having tied on when I'm around grass. Get up in those wind blow coves and locate the grass edges in them. A white swimjig or chatterbait will work well to get through the grass and trigger bites. I recommend fishing them on either heavy flouro or braid to make it easier to rip the baits free from the grass when you get snagged up in it.
Dock skipping: I've also caught a lot of fish out from under docks lately. Locate docks that sit close to a creek channel bend or near a point. Wacky rigged senkos, flipping jigs, and weedless swimbaits are all lures I like to skip up under and run parallel to these docks. A good rule of thumb is the harder the spot is to get to, the better it will be!
If you are looking to get out on the water whether is be Lake Travis or Lake LBJ and are looking for a fishing guide look no further! I offer both half day and full day trips and offer trips on both LBJ and Travis. All rods, reels, tackle, etc. are included in your trip, just show up with your fishing license!
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