The bass fishing on Lake Travis has been surprisingly good for as hot as its been! This time of year its not unusual for the bass fishing to slow down a little bit. Bass get lethargic with the warm water temps. It forces them to move further offshore and look for cooler water that holds more oxygen.
For my trips with anglers skilled at casting a baitcaster we have been getting on a fun topwater bite early. If you would like the change at a bucket mouth like the one below lets get on the water at 6:30AM. This fish hit a bone colored whopper plopper fished around primrose grass.
The early morning bite is good up shallow on topwater, small swimbaits and a wacky rig. Find those shorelines that are next to deeper water. These will be the areas bass are more likely to come up out of in order to feed during the cooler low light hours of the day.
Marina Fishing
Another pattern than has been working for me is targeting suspended fish inside marinas. During the summer months largemouth bass will also suspend over deep water. They can be hard to catch as casting in marinas can typically lead to snags. When the fish are 30-40 feet deep it can be a challenge.
I have developed a way to consistently get my bait down to depth and put it in front of their face. Depth is the key to catching them. If you book a trip with me, we will work on this technique so that you have another tool to add to your arsenal!
Lake Decker
Lake Decker has also been fishing well early in the morning or late in the evening. The middle of the day bite is rather slow, so if you want to fish Decker. I would recommend a 1/2 day trip either early in the morning or around 4:30PM so that we can fish until dark. Later in the morning I have found schooling fish in parts of the main lake. A small swimbait and a casting spoon have been the best baits for me.
The fish will come up schooling but won't stay on the surface very long. A bait that can be casted far and worked quickly is a good choice. Since the bass don't stay up for very long you don't have a chance to chase them down with the trolling motor. Use a set up that you can reach them with and you will put more fish in the boat.
Another bait of choice has been a 4" Senko. A friend of mine turned me onto Vike's tungsten weights with the built in screw lock... they have been perfect for this technique and alleviate needing a bobber stopper. Decker has a lot of good sized fish in it, so if you are after big ones that would be my pick of lakes!
Striper Fishing
The Striper fishing on Travis this year is producing more big fish than I have seen in the past. Every one of my trips has caught at least one double digit fish if not more.
The fish can be a little finicky lately though. They go through these feeding windows when they will get active and you will start getting bites. You may sit for an hour without a bite, then all of the sudden they will start feeding and two rods will get bit. Being patient is the key.
Some nights they start feeding early, before the sun sets. Other nights they don't get active until really late. You can see them on the graph, and there are TONS of big Striper where I fish. If you want to break your personal best give me a call and let's get on the water. I bet you we can beat it!
These fish are also great eating. Bring a cooler and some ice with and plan your next family fish fry!
There are several fishing guides in Austin who will put you on fish. If you are considering booking a fishing guide I highly recommend you look up honest reviews online. I pride myself on working harder than any other guide to put you on fish. We all know they call it fishing and not catching, but on those off days when the fish won't cooperate, I will work harder and longer than another other guide to make sure you have a fun trip!
I also offer coaching trips for more serious anglers looking to better their skills. This time of year is when we can focus on deep offshore fishing and marina fishing. Come spring and fall this won't be the pattern. So book a fishing charter now if you want to learn more about these techniques!
-Tyler