While this may all sound like doom and gloom, fear not! Sounds dumb right? Current water temps on Lake Travis are in the upper 80s, anywhere from 85-88 degrees depending on the time of day. Lake Austin's current water temperature is 62F Todays forecast is, Clear With a high around 92F and the low around 51F. When they are more lethargic I like to drop a small fluke on a drop shot down to them. Early in the morning bass will move up shallow to feed. Lake Travis Water Temperature (Today) 29th Apr 2023 23.5C / 74.3F The water will feel warm (balmy). But, good techniques for deep points can be deep diving crankbaits, carolina rigs, and even jigs and Texas rigs. I promise you will not find a guide in Austin with a better boat! So what does this cold weather mean for the bass fishing? March and April are historically some of the best months to fish Lake Travis. The water will feel warm (balmy). The bass fishing on Lake Travis will stay good if not get a little bite better for the next month. Now with that said, these fish are not easy to catch. However, this is just a ballpark figure and there are always exceptions. During the spring bass move up shallow to build nests and lay their eggs. With summer approaching the water temps are in the mid 70s and rising. If you read fishing blogs, my reports or watch Youtubers, youve probably heard that the bass move up into the backs of creeks and coves. After an unusually cold winter, the fish are ready for a warm up! Look for bluffs with docks as the bass will oftentimes hangout under or around them for the shade. For largemouth bass winter time is about survival. Right now the fish are a little mixed up. I love teaching new and veteran anglers alike. I still have some dates coming up so get your trip booked soon with Texas Hawgs, Lake Travis has been fishing a little tough this month. Towards the end of this month I would expect more and more fish to be pulling offshore. Cooler water temps tell the fishs biological clock that winter is approaching and that its time to start fattening up. Dont let the heat stop you from booking a trip and getting out on the lake with me this month! I look for areas where bass can move to feed on bait that moves into these areas. We have seen some quality fish being caught near lighted docks at night on a variety of shad imitation baits. As the water gets colder expect the fishing to slow down a bit for the average angler. Travis is a gin clear rock fishery and finesse baits excel. On windy overcast days, especially if the barometer is dropping from weather moving in, I like to get on main lake points and shorelines getting hit by the wind. Not every deep spot like this is loaded with fish, but when you find the right one they can be loaded. Once Fall arrives the fishing will fire back up again since the water will cool again. I have noticed the fish relating to the deep sloped chunk rock banks as the lake level creeps down. When there is wind I like o throw these baits, especially the A rig. Spring is right around the corner! Bluff Walls I alternate between a squarebill and a medium diving crankbait. Fishing has been getting good and will only get better until it gets really cold! This technology is incredible. Lets not forget about the white bass run that is taking place farther up lake (up river) and the crappie that will soon be showing up in the shallows and the marinas to spawn. Were still experiencing schooling in the marinas early and sporadically throughout the day. I would place a premium on water quality. While the bite this time of year can be a little more hit or miss, if you put in the work you can still have some very rewarding days on the water! A wacky rigged senko, a rage craw, or a jig are all good options for this type of fishing. April fool's Day produced the catch of the week. Largemouth bass are at their heaviest when they are full or eggs but have yet to lay them. It is common for the bass to pick up and bite you lure very quickly, then spit it back out. The second pattern I recommend is slowing down and fishing a Texas rigged plastic craw. Personally I prefer winter fishing to summer fishing, but as water temperatures drop, the fishs metabolism slows. Targeting spawning coves can be a very fun and productive way to fish. If its sunny and clear out, Ill move to a suspended-type presentation like my drop shot of mini carolina rig. Summertime fishing can be hit or miss for a lot of anglers, but I promise you, if you put in the time and learn how bass behave and why certain conditions make them behave a certain way, you will be more successful. Personally I love throwing topwater since it is so much fun seeing the fish hit it on the surface! A crankbait is one of my favorite ways to catch bass in the fall. 2. Instead, I am looking for the first stretch of deep water out in front of the areas where the fish have been spawning. https://www.torwicksguidingservice.com/shop-2, The Bassmaster Elite guys (2018 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest) showed up to Lake Travis, Bassmaster Recap Video Lake Travis 2018, Top Bassmaster Tournament Lures on Lake Travis (slide show). As for the fluke, I like to rig this on an Owner twist lock hook and make long casts with it. However, on overcast days or very early in the morning something with some chartreuse in it has been very good. I recommend starting at the mouths of coves and working your way inside. Overall, the climate of the Lake Travis and Lake Austin area is temperate with mild winters and relatively low humidity. Water clarity is still very good, Lake Travis is known for being very clear, but at the present time can be a bit more cloudy in some areas depending on the wind. They move out and down the bank pretty fast. So expect to see these pre-spawn fish over the next week or two. An Alabama rig is my go to bait for this type of situation. The bass are spawning all the way from the dam on up to Marble Falls, so it doesnt matter what end of the lake you are fishing! In other news, theres been some big changes at Torwicks Guiding Service! As the water warms up the bass become more active and begin to feed more and more. Bass are ambush predators and want to be around cover. Currently water clarity is 5-10 feet depending on what end of the lake you are on. My clients the other morning caught two bass on one topwater bait! They move from creek channel to flat, and back to creek channel, constantly. I will also start moving up further and further into the backs of coves as it cools down. April 2023. The water on Travis is getting pretty clear now but you still cant see fish on beds in deeper water like 15-20 just yet. Look for fish busting on the surface to give away their location. We are still in the season of the spawn. During this phase of the spawn they make a migration from their winter deep water homes, to areas close to spawning coves and flats. Sometimes you catch two fish at once with it! As I mentioned earlier though, crawfish are a large part of their diet too. Nearly all my weekends are booked up, but I have quite a few openings mid week. These three rigs will cover a wide array of spots on Lake Travis. When you think you are fishing slow enough, fish slower! Deep docks with numerous cross members and a low platform are probably the best. Lake Travis Parks. During the fall, weather plays a huge role in how I fish and what baits I tie on. A Storm Wiggle Wart in brown craw is one of my favorite baits, but there are tons of great options out there. All of these baits can be fished deep effectively yet slowed down to maintain bottom contact. I look for these birds to help me quickly find shorelines the shad are spawning on. If you find them jumping, get your cast as close to the fish as possible as quick as you can. You want a bait that gets close to the bottom and even digs into the bottom. If you know me you know I HATE the cold! Stick to natural colors like green pumpkin, watermelon, or variations of those. As the lake level creeps down on Lake Travis the fishing has been great the last few weeks. If you are interested to know more about catching bass off a nest, visit the Article page of my website. Pro tip: if the fish is being finicky and not biting the bait but is expressing interest in it us a scent. Sunset Water Utilities has the rights to 348.74 acre-feet of groundwater but is only permitted to use 152.5 . I personally like starting with moving baits in order to cover more water, plus I find it more fun than fishing slow and easier for clients to tell when they are bit. As for the deep bite, this has been the most consistent pattern for me lately. These arent community holes, these are spots I am catching fish with paid clients. Lexi-careless 13 days ago The angle of the bank also makes a difference. A Heddon Zara Spook- A bone colored spook is one of my favorite topwater baits. Tip: a Donkey Rig is a rig with two separate flukes on it, this is a fun way to fish this bait and make it look like a small school of bait fish. Tight lines! I prefer the crankbait and Alabama rig when there is a little bit of wind or cloud cover, I find those conditions help. Currently there are three patterns that I am focusing on to catch the majority of our fish. January in Central Texas can actually bring some very good fishing! With water temps in the low 60s this is the prime time of year if you want to sight fish for Largemouth on beds. No. Right now Lake Travis is very much in a fall type pattern. Fish live deep on this lake all year, so catching them in 20 feet of water right now is not uncommon at all. In low light or more windy conditions, were seeking out chunk rock and other irregularities on the bank. I find year after year my largest fish come off this bait. The warmest water temperature is in August with an average around 86.2F / 30.1C. There are fish in every part of the water column from a few feet to all the way down to 60+ feet. When it comes to baits to use there are a lot of options but I will give you my top three. New for this season I am running a 2022 Phoenix 921 elite with a Mercury 300 on the back! While the fish arent out on the deepest structure in the lake, they have made a significant move to the 1st major break. I have been catching fish out deep on deep diving crankbaits, and as the water gets even hotter, more fish will begin that migration. These three rigs are very effective at getting down deep, being fished slow, all while presenting a smaller easy to eat meal for those sluggish bass. Bass fishing in September on Lake Travis can be a very fun time to hit the water! Let it take line and sink out to help it get deeper. I like to rig a fluke weightless on a 4/0 hook and fish it similar to a jerkbait. For coves like this stick to the points and nearby shorelines. Look for schooling activity and signs of life, and youll eventually find the fish. With that said, some largemouth bass will make a migration to the shoreline early in the morning and late in the evening right before sunset to feed. You will notice fish become more aggressive during brief feeding windows rather than feeding all day long. A drop shot, a football jig, a Carolina rig, and a deep diving crank bait can be very effective. Today that was really the key for us, especially fishing isolated docks. I think the biggest fish of the year spawn first. Once I find the fish I like to slow down and pick the area apart with a slower moving bait, then go back to the moving baits. About Torwicks Guiding Service That is still a little ways off with as hot as its been. You need to be wearing polarized glasses in order to bed fish effectively. A lot of the deep-water marinas on Lake Travis hold schools of baitfish, which attracts the bass. I always tell clients, spring and fall are hands down my favorite time of year to fish. These fishing reports are different from the free reports you get here! Once water temps reach the low 60s you will find fish on beds. If you are new to Lake Travis and want to learn to fish the lake more effectively, consider booking a trip with me! Some days you can even find some good ones on top waters. When fishing with any of these baits make sure to keep your retrieve very erratic, lots of stops and starts and changes to the speed of your retrieve will help to elicit reaction bites from the bass. If you have ever considered booking a fishing trip with me, March is the month to do it! Water temperature is by far one of the largest factors that influence how the bass behave and what they do. When they do this you are able to sight fish for them and catch them off their nests. Once the water gets into the 60s I start throwing more crawfish pattern baits, so baits with red, orange, and brown will be good. Once you catch a fish off a nest, please return them to the lake quickly. Small swimbaits and spoons that imitate the threadfin shad they are feeding on work well to trick them into biting. As long as the water remains hot, a portion of the bass population will remain out deep in search of cooler more comfortable water. I recommend downsizing to a 3/8th ounce jig, trimming the skirt down and using a smaller profile trailer. Jun 26, 2009 . I recommend upping your weight if need be in order to maintain that bottom contact. You can catch some up shallow in spurts and a few decent ones out deep with really slow presentations using jigs, t-rig worms and shaky heads. For the crankbait, alternate between a crawfish and a threadfin shad colored bait, select a bait that will dive to +/- 15 feet. We get far more bites using compact baits, especially when the fish arent extremely active. I recommend sticking to natural colored baits that resemble a threadfin shad due to the clear water in Lake Travis. March usually kicks off the good fishing for the year. During the winter they fish slow down due to cold water, then fire back up as it warms in the Spring. This popular Texas lake is massive, spanning almost 19,000 acres, with a length of 63.71 miles, up to a 4.5-mile width, a 271-mile long shoreline, a 190-foot maximum depth, twenty-plus marinas, and hundreds of boat launches. One, this helps maintain bottom contact, and two it makes the bait easier for the fish to catch up too. Its hot out, but so is the bite on Lake Travis right now! Big fish have greater metabolic needs and leave nursery type areas to follow oxygen saturation and open water forage. On windy days, especially when you get a drop in the barometer, I have found bass positioned suspended off the ledge willing to eat a moving bait like a crankbait or swimbait. Zoom trick worms in natural colors like green pumpkin or watermelon black seed have been good options for the dropshot. A good mess of white bass and crappie make for a great fish fry and table fair. Mammatus clouds over Crosswater Yacht Club on Lake Travis on April 28, 2023 . Knowing when a thermocline is present can help significantly in figuring out how deep to fish. During the winter time the lake has no thermocline and the water is cold from the bottom of the lake to the top of the lake. I dont want to have my boat positioned too far back into the creeks. On Lake Travis there is an abundance of bluff walls. Dont get me wrong, I love fishing jigs, Texas rigs, drop shots, etc but getting slammed on a moving bait like a swimbait is a blast since there is no doubt when you get a bite! If the water appears to be more clear, you might move deeper. The ability to walk the dog with it, then pause and kill it every once and a while is very enticing to spring time bass. During the late summer some fish will move up shallower and will orient around isolated structure. https://www.torwicksguidingservice.com/honeyholes. These threadfin shad feed on plankton and are moving in search of that. Not that you cant catch them, but you have to work hard for them. Texas rigged creature baits, football jigs, shakey heads and drop shots are all effective baits. We have been fishing ledges and drops in the 20-35ft depth and having to fish very SLOW Without going in to great detail the heavy soft plastics, jigs, a-rigs, and slab spoons have been the go to baits this winter for most of us. But honestly my favorite fishing comes in April when the shad spawn. It is part of the Colorado River and is fed by overflow from Lake Travis. and as late as April 1st, have kept water temperatures cooler than average for this time of year. If you are fishing later in February start looking for the tops of small ledges that are close to deep water. I look for secondary points in 20-35 feet of water so pretty deep. Dont get fixated on throwing just one or two of your favorite baits. This is by far the best time of year to fish. Make long casts up forward of your boat and get close to the shoreline. Best Lake Travis Boat Fuel Docks What I mean by this is when you find a stretch of shoreline where there is only one dock on it, that will be a hot spot. *These tide times are estimates based on the nearest accurate location (Port Lavaca, Matagorda Bay, Texas) and may differ by up to half an hour depending on distance. Long casts with this style bait, covering lots of water, are very effective. A little tip for you guys docks can be very good places to find bass, but especially when they are isolated docks. Each paid report comes as a .KML file opened in Google Earth, accessible on both desktop and mobile. Watermilfoil and pondweed. Make long casts with the swimbait around cover and work it over any drop offs you find underwater. As they leave their post spawn homes, the bass will begin moving deeper and relating to steeper bluffs. If you follow me on social media you probably have noticed a lot of posts from Lake Travis. February is always a transition month on Lake Travis. Oftentimes, early in the morning, you can find bass chasing shad feeding up for the day. A drop shot is also hard to beat. Torwicks Guiding Service, Tyler Torwick. These hold fish almost year round. Once you see the water temps get warmer here further into March the bass will commit to the spawn and they can be found up shallow. Pair this up with a ounce lead head and fish it slowly just over the bottom. There are four baits I recommend you have tied on at all times. Right now you can get bit fishing around docks on bluff walls in 15-30 feet of water. A slower retrieve with your baits such as the drop shot or jig will work best on those hot days when the bite is slower. We are starting to see bass move to the shallows and this opens up a variety of ways to catch them. If you are out there early either fishing from your boat, or at your marina getting ready for a fun lake weekend, have a rod at the ready rigged up with a small 3 swimbait smaller the better. I recommend a bright color such as white, bubblegum, or merthiolate as it is easy to see underwater. What all three of these have in common is that they are moving baits and allow you to cover water quickly. A Texas rig with a creature bait and a pegged weight can work very well for making accurate pitches at a bed. I guarantee that this alone will be worth the price of a guided trip! From year to year your favorite honey hole could be high and dry, or 30 feet underwater! I think its a common misconception that the fishing is bad in the winter just because its colder. Watch your line to make sure you are maintaining bottom contact, especially when you get down deep with the bait. Spring and fall are my two favorite times to fish here in Austin, TX. I want to keep my bait in that 20-35 foot depth range. When fishing for bed fish one person gets to be up on the bow trying to catch the fish off the nest while I coach them, while the rest of the group gets to watch. A Picasso School-E rig is my favorite Alabama rig to throw this time of year. Texas Hawgs! Until the water temps drop a considerable amount, a slow presentation with your soft plastics will work best. There are a couple key patterns that I recommend you try. Some fish will stay out deep offshore in their typical summertime homes, while others will make a transition and move. As it gets colder I will continue going further and further into the backs of coves. Changes in water flow and temperature can also impact growth rates, so the City and TPWD will continue to monitor Lake Austin vegetation and implement control efforts as needed. When they are not on the surface, make long casts and let your bait sink 8-12 feet deep before beginning your retrieve. Jul 1, 2009. Be quick though. I have been catching bass off both fall and winter patterns. During the winter I will pause my bait a lot longer than I normally would. Once again, these lures would be most effective when color matched to the predominate prey species in your fishery. For the cost of a couple crankbaits I will show you the patterns and spots I am catching fish on with paid clients. In particular, I look for shorelines that have small rocky drop offs, or veins of rock as I refer to them. This sonar returns images in real time and you can literally see the fish moving on the screen. Largemouth bass prefer cooler water which also contains more dissolved oxygen. Visit https://www.torwicksguidingservice.com/shop-2 to check out these reports! A slowly rising lake level and a surface temperature hovering at 65 degrees have created some outstanding bass fishing on Lake Travis. Threadfin Shad are one of the main food sources for largemouth bass. These slightly deeper, but nearby locations will contain a mix of pre and post spawn bass. September is typically a transition month here in the south. Fish it with small twitches of the rod top and dont be too aggressive with the bait. If you are looking to learn the lake better and would like to get out with a professional fishing guide, please visit my website for more information on booking a trip. If you see fishing jumping you need to be quick and accurate. Once you have located an area with fish, I recommend either fishing very very slow, or rather quickly. Until the water temps dip below 60 degrees the patterns I discussed above will be good. When fishing open clear water like this I can easily see out to 80 feet away from my boat with the forward facing live sonar. For this type of fishing there are four baits that are my go-tos, but there are plenty of others that will work. Each week I create a detailed fishing report for Lake Travis that offer 5+ pins in Google Earth that show you EXACTLY where I am fishing, what baits I am throwing, how to work the bait, what colors to use, how to position your boat, etc. The good news is the water temperature should be warm enough for comfortable swimming. My next two baits are for once you have made numerous casts at the schools and are now ready to get directly over the top of them and fish vertically over them. (Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman/USA Today Network) Each report contains 5+ EXACT spots on Lake Travis where I have been catching fish with my clients. Get on your trolling motor and quietly move around docks up inside the coves looking for white spots on the bottom. There is also a type of grass called chara that grows up shallow, its an annoying stringy grass that doesnt help attract fish but rather fouls up your hooks more than anything. For the drop shot, Im using a zoom fluke in the albino color. The National Weather Service reported an estimated wind gust of 65 mph in Burnet County, the highest in the area. However, the top part of the water column is the most prone to temperature fluctuations. With Lake Travis being so rocky, there is actually an abundance of crawfish in the lake. Personally I like to use bright colored baits such as white, bubblegum, or chartreuse. These three baits never leave the deck of my boat no matter the time of year, when fishing Lake Travis. Look for structure such as main lake points, ledges, and deep rock piles. Now with that being said the bite has begun to slow up a bit with the warming water. I would love to help you out in doing the same as well with yours so take your kids fishing today Bryan Cotter Texas Hawgs, Thank goodness for the much needed rain that we have been receiving! As a little bonus report I also have some info on Lake Travis crappie fishing for you. Bait it up with some canned cat food and leave it out over night. Flukes can be deadly as they represent the migratory baitfish and can be color matched to be even more effective. When the moving bait bite is good I like to tie on a red/ orange squarebill, a white spinnerbait, a 4 Keitech on an underspin head, or a fluke rigged on a belly weighted hook. One thing I always remind clients is that not every fish in the lake bee lines it for the bank. You can catch them right on the bank out to 35-40 feet of water. Lee Benton Fishing Guides Austin, The fishing on Lake Travis is holding strong as summer is officially here. If you fish Lake Travis but struggle to consistently catch fish, consider booking me for a coaching trip I encourage you to Google my guide service, as I am confident my online reviews will speak for themselves! In addition to my normal guided trips I also offer what I call Coaching Trip geared solely towards teaching you how to become a better angler. TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating a deadly hit-and-run crash in Southeast Austin. Some clients opt to take a lunch break midday and stop at one of the many great restaurants on the lake. What I mean by that is that the behavior and location youll find fish is going to change a lot throughout the month. On days with no clouds and no wind you have to really fish a little stealthier and slow down your presentation. Dont be afraid to swing away. Test your agility on over 2 football fields of pulse-pounding obstacles then relax and play on over 1500 feet of beautiful lake Travis shoreline with beach games, food, drinks and more!

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