Currently there are two main patterns I would use when targeting bass on Lake Travis. My Saturday and Sunday trips book up fast! Areas where there are small drops offs that allow fish to sit at the base of them waiting to ambush prey are even better. During the fall bass eat a lot of shad, however they still continue to feed on bluegill and crawfish. Jul 1, 2009. These trips are geared around education and not running my honey holes. These reports are updated weekly on Thursdays at 6:00PM and contain a minimum of 5 pins on the map showing you EXACTLY where to fish, what bait to throw, what color to use, how to present it, what time of day to fish the spot, etc etc. Lake Travis water levels way down. If you are interested to know more about catching bass off a nest, visit the Article page of my website. While bed fishing is fun, targeting pre-spawn fish has produced better numbers for my clients in my recent trips. There is no central/single point of access. Deep docks with numerous cross members and a low platform are probably the best. Today's Weather Forecast. . The bass fishing on Lake Travis will stay good if not get a little bite better for the next month. Lake Travis Camping If you purchase one of my Honey Hole Reports and dont think it was worth your hard earned money I will gladly refund your purchase. First off, while we are experiencing this cold front expect the bite to change and the fish to react to it. This is the time of year when the water temps start dropping from their summertime highs and some fish start moving up more shallow. This will drop the water temps into the mid to upper 60s. With that said, hot surface temps can cause a thermocline to develop in the lake. Catching them will soon be on more moving baits such as spinner baits, crank baits, swimbaits, etc. Pick your days wisely and you can do very well out there on the water. 6,770 Readers. Another one of my go to setups is a drop shot. You can usually see these super shallow fish blowing up in schools on the bank. I put a lot of effort into these reports and pride myself on the info contained in them. One fishing fast moving reaction baits and another fishing slow moving finesse baits. February is always a transition month on Lake Travis. For the crankbait, alternate between a crawfish and a threadfin shad colored bait, select a bait that will dive to +/- 15 feet. Typically it takes several cold fronts and several days of extended cool temperatures before you see the surface temp of the lake actually start to drop enough to have an effect on the fish. The top water bite has been exceptional as of late, and will continue to be a major pattern until December. A Heddon Zara Spook- A bone colored spook is one of my favorite topwater baits. Lake Travis Water Temperature (Today) 29th Apr 2023 23.5C / 74.3F The water will feel warm (balmy). You will also find a population of fish that stays out deep, even when its getting closer to sunset. Lake Travis Vacation Rentals Once the sun has come up and it has gotten hot again the fish tend to move fairly deep. My two favorite trips to guide are trips with children and my coaching trips. What does that say about Lake Travis?? Best Lake Travis Lakeside Restaurants. Sometimes you catch two fish at once with it! Also, I might focus on very main lake bluff type areas. Small swimbaits and spoons that imitate the threadfin shad they are feeding on work well to trick them into biting. Personally I love throwing topwater since it is so much fun seeing the fish hit it on the surface! It is very light, but that little bit of lead helps it cast far. Have a crawfish pattern and a shad pattern ready to go. If the water appears to be more stained move shallower. . Smaller subtle baits tend to get bit better this time of year. 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. We decided to just fish deep today and fish very slow. With these hot temperatures naturally comes warmer water temps, which is one of the number one things to affect fish and how the behave. Water clarity is typical Travis conditions, gin clear on the lower end of the lake and a bit more stained the further up the river you go. The water temperature on Lake Travis is in the high 50's to low 60's, so pretty warm compared to the rest of the country this time of year! Lake Travis Sea Temperature | April Average | United States You can cover a lot of water with this bait and trigger reaction bites with it. This is the bottom of the food chain and what species like threadfin shad eat. Largemouth love living down in the grass and will position themselves on holes or edges in the grass in order to come up from below and ambush their prey. https://www.torwicksguidingservice.com/honeyholes. I recommend starting off with a small profile shad colored crankbait, a 4 paddle tail swimbait rigged weedless, or a Alabama Rig with small 3-4 paddle tail swimbaits. If you dont have any of that try using red, they carry it at Academy around here. Currently I have been finding most of my fish deep, we are still very much in a summertime pattern. Not all marinas are created equal, but certain ones are holding large schools of baitfish, which attracts predator fish such as largemouth bass and white bass. It is more narrow, has smaller coves and creek arms, and the water is more stained. As for the Texas rig, this bait is often times interchangeable with a jig. Keitech makes a ton of excellent colors, so stick with something that looks like a baitfish. The fishing on Lake Travis has been exceptional the past month! With that said, focusing on the 10-20 foot depth range has been the most productive. The bite is still good during the summer, but its hard to beat springtime fishing! The fish are post-spawn at this point so they will be making their way back out to the main lake and feeding up. If the fish want structure or shade, that is where they are forced to go. Ledges, points, bluff walls, and rockpiles in 25-35 feet of water are your best bet. There are more of these below the water line, and this is where the fish congregate. Theyre my personal favorite at least! I mostly stick to crawfish patters, browns, oranges, and reds are all very good colors. A topwater bait can be productive, but that bite is mainly limited to the first hour of daylight. Steep shorelines that bottom out before going to the river/ creek channel, ledges, and points have all been great places to look for bass. Look for fish in anywhere from 20-40 feet of water. These threadfin shad feed on plankton and are moving in search of that. 11,847 Readers. I am an open book with my clients and will treat the day as if we were practicing for a fishing tournament. Typically the shoreline 100 yards inside and outside of the point will be the first place these fish will stage in preparation to move further back. Recently I had a day with a morning and evening trip we caught numerous fish, up to 5 pounds, on a spook all throughout the day. Fish slow and really pay attention to the feel of the bait hitting the bottom. If you are fortunate to have a stable weather pattern, and you employ Strategy 2, chances are you could catch a giant. The same locations as before apply, however you are trying to get this bait down to the rocks and get it to bump into the bottom. Crankbaits fished in the same places I fish the topwater plugs have also been very productive. That still is the most consistent pattern for me, with a few exceptions, which we will get too. Things are getting ready to bust loose! You can catch several fish up shallow but not too many big ones. These are trips geared towards teaching you how to fish Lake Travis and not just running you to my honey holes. 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. If you want to fish on a weekend I recommend booking well in advance. During this time of year bass also tend to hang out in schools out deep. I offer what I call a coaching trip. If you are not seeing any baitfish activity, keep moving. July fishing is notorious for being challenging. However, the top part of the water column is the most prone to temperature fluctuations. Key baits this month, when the fish are on bed, are bluegill imitations like square bill crankbaits or small swimbaits. While they may not be locked on bed at this time, they will hover in and out of the areas which they will be spawning in. A deep crankbait and a Carolina rig with a fluke are two things I like to throw through the schools to fire them up. Football jigs, Texas rigged stick baits, and drop shots are some of my go-to baits to fish this way. During spring, one of my favorite ways to chase bass is when they are schooling. If you intend to stay in the water for a while a thin shorty wetsuit will suffice. Until then, you are best off targeting pre-spawn fish. Points, bluff walls, and offshore structure such as rock piles or brush piles can be especially good. The lower end of Lake Travis closest to the dam is typically much clearer than the upper end of the lake closest to the Perdenales split. The coldest month is January with an average water temperature of 56.7F / 13.7C. Lake Travis is Central Texas' largest water storage reservoir, holding over three hundred billion gallons. Lake Travis is a BIG lake. The evening bite has been very good. Were still experiencing schooling in the marinas early and sporadically throughout the day. I look for areas where bass can move to feed on bait that moves into these areas. My video covers a lot of great info about selecting a crankbait during the winter, so lets skip to a jerkbait. For those of you with a boat headed out to the lake, consider checking out my Honey Hole Reports. The better quality bass have been showing up night fishing with jigs and creature baits. One of the challenges of fishing Lake Travis is learning the lake at various lake levels. Lake Travis Weather Forecast, TX 78641 - WillyWeather I do know that access to freshwater and sunlight are important for the spawn. When its like this, backing off the shoreline and picking up a crankbait can produce really well. Our Lake Travis Fishing Report is brought to you monthly. Currently water clarity on Lake Travis is around 4-5 feet depending on the part of the lake you're on. During the fall there are several baits I always keep tied on, but to keep this short I will focus on three main baits. You need to have the confidence that you can feel your bait hitting the bottom and be confident its down there where the fish are. That is a high percentage spot for those fish to pull up on. Look for hard targets like stumps and or boulders, with sand and gravel nearby. 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. Were also finding the lighter line has been producing a few more bites in the lakes aquarium like water. You are looking for the bait to disappear in their mouth rather than feel for the bite. Anytime you see shallow structure in the lake such as brush, anchor blocks, or isolated rock piles, make sure to cast at those. When they move up to spawn they are very vulnerable and easier for the bass to prey upon. 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. Lake Travis Boat Club for long-term or short-term use during your stay on Lake Travis. This is especially nice as I am able to return to a spot multiple times during the week without wearing it out. Lakes Buchanan and Travis, the two water supply reservoirs in the Highland Lakes, were designed to fluctuate, capturing water during rainy times and holding it for use when the weather turned drier. Dont put them in your livewell, dont stress them out taking a million pictures let them go so they can repopulate our lake with more bass! A slower retrieve gets more bites in my opinion. Tight lines and have a great July! There are a lot of versions of this bait, a vixen, sexy dawg, spook, rover, dogma, etc are all good choices by various bait companies. I recommend a bright color such as white since it is easier to visually see when the bass has taken the bait. Well, its to follow their food source! Visit www.torwicksguidingservice.com to book your trip. Lake Travis Weather Once you see water 59 degrees or higher you can expect a change in the bass behavior. Your guide to Lake Travis Fishing. We will also go in depth about how to use your electronics to find fish. I do not have any weekends open in March, however I do have a very limited number of weekday spots open. Fish slow enough that you can feel the bottom at all times, long pauses and more subtle movements with the bait will produce more bites. When you see them jump, throw right into the middle of them. What I mean by that is that the behavior and location youll find fish is going to change a lot throughout the month. Next time you are fishing a shallow sloping shoreline on Lake Travis take a look at the rocks. Groundwater district OKs new well for a Spicewood water utility Zara spooks, buzz baits, and poppers just to name a few. Once water temps reach the low 60s you will find fish on beds. That is the fish that make their home on the main lake. They take advantage of the cooler temps and low light conditions to feed up. We have been finding numbers up shallow as well as deep. I recommend fishing deep secondary points, ledges, and the middle of creek channels. Another bait I throw is a or ounce football jig in brown/ black. Lake Travis Water Temperature (TX) | United States Both of these lures can be very effective this time of year. Why is that? Well thats because its a great time to get bit throwing moving baits and on topwater. Whatever bait you are throwing, slow way down with it and keep it in contact with the bottom. 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. 6,540 Readers. However, this is just a ballpark figure and there are always exceptions. When bass spawn varies slightly year-to-year depending on if we have a warm winter or not. Areas with a lot of rock attract the fish as it provides habitat as well as hold forage they feed on. For this rig, Were using a 7 berkley power worm in green pumpkin. Mammatus clouds over Crosswater Yacht Club on Lake Travis on April 28, 2023 . Seventy is a magical number on Lake Travis as that is the temperature needed for the shad to begin their spawn. Water temperature affects dissolved oxygen levels in the lake, where the baitfish live, and the slowing of the bass metabolism. Lets discuss both! A Rapala DT10 is another very good option that most sporting goods stores offer. The current lake level is about 28 feet low, but by the time you read this it may be a couple feet lower! Water Temperature Tables - National Weather Service Currently water temps are around 60 degrees on the main lake, up to 64 degrees in the backs of coves. Early in the mornings and late in the evenings there has been a solid topwater bite. During this time of year the bass pull up shallow to feed and spawn, making them more aggressive and easier to target. Historically some of the biggest bags I have caught on Lake Travis have been in the fall, so dont be afraid to book in advance if you dont have a flexible schedule and want a certain date! If they are higher up off the bottom, the deep crank can work well to get the school fired up. There is still some top water action but not near the constituency of the past few months. As the "Crown Jewel" of the Central Texas Highland Lakes, Lake Travis is THE most visited freshwater recreational vacation destination in the state. If you can hit the fish on the head with your bait right after they jump, you will get bit almost every time. Water temps throughout the winter have been cold. Updated: 12:52 PM CDT April 21, 2021. For these spots I recommend a drop shot, a shakey head, and a ned rig what I call the Holy Trinity of Finesse Fishing. If you position your boat too far off the bank you spend more time letting the bait sink, or worst case, just swinging back towards the boat not even on the bottom. I like to use a crawfish scent on my plastics to make it a little more enticing. In my opinion, its a waste of time. The best water temps for spawning fish, in my opinion, would be 63-67 degrees. While the shad pattern is very popular to fish this time of year, imitating crawfish can also produce some nice fish! Fishing gets stupid easy and largemouth feed up gorging on seemingly any bait you throw at them. Alternate between these baits and target points and drains outside of areas bass spawn. With these baits you want to really slow down and pick apart the structure you are fishing. Central Texas summer weather has usually started to settle in by this date, so come prepared for the sun and heat. Pre-spawn fishing is a blast and it often presents you with the best chance of catching a BIG bass! Recently I have seen water temps as low as 61 degrees first thing in the morning. For the Texas Rig and Carolina Rig I like a Green Pumpkin Zoom speed craw or senko. When they do this you are able to sight fish for them and catch them off their nests. These reports go into extreme detail compared to the free reports you here or on my website. One thing I always notice is when the trees start getting little green buds and flowers on them, the fish will be moving up shallow. Carolina rigs are always a good choice for a long, lazy approach, for lethargic cold water bass. www.torwicksguidingservice.com. Boating, scuba diving and swimming are popular activities enjoyed at the lake. As the water gets colder you will start seeing these fish move out deeper, but why? Current weather 15C / 58F (clear sky) Wind 13 mph Humidity 65% If you are not seeing fish busting on bait, get your casts close to structure such as the sides of docks or behind boats. I look for steep banks, but not sheer cliffs. Its about to be a great time to get out and on some nice fish. Lake Travis Fishing Guides If you luck out and get on the lake when there is little wind, bed fishing is a blast since you can see the fish very easily. A slow dragging presentation with the Carolina rig or subtle twitches with the drop shot can be very enticing to a bass. A ounce brown and orange football jig with a speed craw for a trailer is a deadly combination. Lake Travis Test Station | Weather - University of Texas at Austin Coves will be an important place to look for the next few weeks until winter really sets in. Small baits fished deep and around docks is a consistent pattern on Travis during the colder months. An underspin is just a swimbait lead head that has a small willow blade attached to the bottom of it. This will likely consist of threadfin or gizzard shad schools. I recommend targeting the mouths of spawning coves. Lake Travis Marinas Lake Lyndon B. Johnson's current water temperature is 69F Todays forecast is, PartlyCloudy With a high around 85F and the low around 49F. Zoom trick worms in natural colors like green pumpkin or watermelon black seed have been good options for the dropshot. When I get solo clients or groups with only two anglers weve been catching a lot of fish off beds. Have a boat of your own? However, you want to let it sink and try to follow the bottom contour keeping it a few feet up off the rocks. I think its a common misconception that the fishing is bad in the winter just because its colder. Weve definitely noticed that the bite is better near the lower end of the reservoir, meaning closer to the dam. Look for coves that are protected from both boat traffic and the wind. Lee Benton Fishing Guides Austin, The fishing on Lake Travis is holding strong as summer is officially here. The fishing on Lake Travis has actually been really good lately. Spring is right around the corner! If you have ever fished with me you know I love to throw jigs. Swimming Temperature Guide (With Chart) A green pumpkin Zoom baby brush hog is an excellent choice right now. I can literally pan the transducer around and see exactly where the schools have moved to in order to make a more accurate cast. 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! The water temperatures will remain warm for a while longer, but as the summer drags on, the bass internal clock tells them fall is approaching. There are few hope-giving warming trends that somehow find their way through a calendar of brutal cold fronts. To know if you should be looking for bed fish or be targeting pre-spawn fish, keep any eye on the water temps. Fishing has been getting good and will only get better until it gets really cold! Right now there are two patterns I recommend you try. There are a few fish on beds already as well. On those calm days I tend to slow down a bit, however a crankbait can still be very productive. There are fish in every part of the water column from a few feet to all the way down to 60+ feet. Right now the fish are a little mixed up.