So I've been battling allergies and a sinus infection so the last thing I have cared about was updating my website with reports. But don't worry I'm back and I have some good info for y'all about Lake Travis! Despite the lack of reports I have been fishing a ton, the boat is running like a champ and the weather has been pretty good. We've also had a few windows of awesome fishing.
I had several trips this past week, I fished Thursday, two trips Friday, and one morning trip Saturday. The bite has a little inconsistent to be honest. I think the freezing temps we had at night last week kind of messed with the fish, that and there is a ton of bait up shallow right now.
All the fishing I have been doing lately has been between the dam and Bee Creek... haven't really needed to venture past that to find fish. Everywhere on the lake though there is bait up shallow... tons and tons of shad in the shallows. What's odd is that there hasn't been a ton of bass up shallow feeding on them. That's not to say there are none up shallow though. What I have found is that you can still get on that shallow brush bite, but you need to cover water. Once you get a few bites slow down or even fish that stretch where you got the bites a second time. The fish are stacking up tighter together and are less spread out that when they start gorging on shallow positioned shad like they do late Spring. 3/8 oz spinner baits, white chatterbaits with a swimbait trailer, and especially a 6th Sense swim jig with a Keitech are working. That's my advice for shallow fishing, but if you want better numbers and bigger fish I would get out deep right now.
My best trip this past week was my Friday morning trip, we tore them up in just a quick 4 hour trip. Lake Travis was showing off! We caught all our fish on drop shots, but how we fished them was important. Something that has been hard to teach beginners is how to fish slow... I mean really slow. When I am fishing the drop shot I am constantly dead sticking the worm, letting the worm just "shudder" in one place, and opening the bail to make sure its dropping straight back to the bottom after lifting it up. What I mean by shudder is that I am moving the rod tip maybe an inch or two max without lifting the sinker off the bottom. Make the worm barely move without moving across the bottom. This is especially effective when you are fishing an area where the bass are stacked up in one small spot. You can keep that bait in amongst the fish and leave it in front of them until they bite.
The other bait that has been working really well is a good ol jig! Nothing new there, besides fish it slowwwwww. I really like a jig with a natural rubber skirt this time of year and a chunk trailer that moves more subtly underwater than say a zoom speed craw or rage craw.
Red shad, watermelon black flake, and watermelon violet have been my top producing colors lately. Lake Travis is still slightly stained from the flooding a while back. Not bad by any means, but it definitely is enough to affect my color choice.
If you have been itching to get out on the lake and are looking for a fishign guide in the Austin area give me a call! Lake Travis has been fishing well and next week has some nice weather in the forcast. Give me a ring!