Fishing Report Presented by Austin Fishing Guide Tyler Torwick
January in Central Texas can actually bring some very good fishing! I think it's a common misconception that the fishing is bad in the winter just because it's colder. Currently water clarity on Lake Travis is around 4-5 feet depending on the part of the lake you’re on. 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! Lately the weather has been all over the place with cold fronts and stretches of warm weather. With the swings in water temps come different patterns the fish get on.
What I find to be most important in the winter is timing when you fish based on the weather forecast. Pick your days wisely and you can do very well out there on the water. Days prior to cold front or storms can have very good fishing. Recently I’ve had several half day trips with 20+ fish. However, if you are fishing the day after a front moves through and are facing blue bird skies and north winds, the bite can be pretty slow no matter how skilled of an angler you are.
Right now there are two patterns I recommend you try. One fishing fast moving reaction baits and another fishing slow moving finesse baits.
Everyday I’m on the water I am refining the patterns that are working to put fish in the boat. Even from day to day what the bass want to bite can change. 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. 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. Alternate between these baits as you figure out which one the fish have a greater preference towards. I recommend looking for areas with rock or grass, avoid spots where the bottom is mostly sand or gravel. This time of year the bass tend to hold tight to cover and are not roaming in schools like they do in the spring. I have been doing best targeting spots in the 8-15 foot depth range. I especially recommend this pattern if you are fishing in the evening on a day that’s been warm and sunny. As the water temps rise throughout the day the fish tend to pull up shallower to feed.
On days when the fish don’t want to commit to a moving bait bite, slowing down with finesse techniques can be very productive. A weedless drop shot with a Roboworm, a shakey head with a straight tail finesse worm, or a small Texas Rig/ finesse jig to imitate a crawfish can be a great choice of baits. With these baits you want to really slow down and pick apart the structure you are fishing. 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. Truthfully there is no such thing as fishing too slow in the winter. I recommend going with natural colors; any variation of green pumpkin is a good place to start.
I spend more time fishing Lake Travis than any other local guide as this is my home lake. I offer what I call a “Honey Hole Report”, essentially what this is is a paid fishing report that I update weekly on Thursdays at 6:00PM. 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. For the cost of a couple crankbaits I will show you the patterns and spots I am catching fish on with paid clients. Don’t waste time fishing dead water and burning fuel running all over the lake! If you purchase one of my Honey Hole Reports and don’t think it was worth your hard earned money I will gladly refund your purchase.
Happy New Year and I hope to see you out on the water! May this be the year you break your personal best!
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