Lake Austin is a 1,600-acre lake (a part of the Colorado River) known locally for trophy bass and quality sunfish. This reservoir courses through Austin, Texas, and the Austin Hill Country on the Colorado River in Central Texas. The lake is home to catfish, crappie, various types of sunfish, and longnose gar. Developed by the Tom Miller Dam, Lake Austin was once known as Lake McDonald. There are hiking trails at different spots around the lake, giving access to fishing from the bank. Boat ramps provide access to powerboats, all things considered, for fishing, water sports, and pleasure boating. Kayaks and canoes are an alternative here for short-distance travel to fishing spots just as sightseeing.
Quick Facts About Lake Austin
- Lake Austin is just 20 miles from downtown Austin.
- Lake Austin’s water is much colder. It comes from the bottom of Lake Travis at 270 feet deep.
- Lake Austin is an excellent river for water-skiing, boating, and swimming at 1,830 acres and twenty-two miles long.
Here’s the Catch
Predominant Fish Species
- Largemouth bass= Excellent
- Catfish= Fair
- Sunfish= Good
Once you are familiar with the nature of the lakes, you will have a much better chance at catching something when you go out fishing in Lake Austin.
One of the most popular species of fish in this excellent lake is largemouth bass. This aggressive olive-green fish usually grow up to 10 pounds.
You can also reel in some smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, and longnose gar.
Some of these species hide very well, and they also have a great sense of smell. You can catch them on your fly, but you should use a depth finder if you want to be even more successful. A depth finder will allow you to determine where the fish are hiding.
Other popular kinds of fishing in the lake include perch fishing, which is fishing for perch in the lake’s freshwater. Of course, carp fishing is also quite popular in this lake. You can catch carp overnight when you are fishing in Lake Austin, Texas. Also, keep an eye out for triploid grass carp. It can exceed a massive 60 pounds sprawling in the lake’s sunny shallow waters.
Regardless of which type of fish you prefer to catch, you can be sure that you will enjoy a relaxing day of fishing in Lake Austin, Texas.
Know the Best Time
The lake remains exceptionally excellent all year since it is close to the furthest limit of the highland lakes chain. The cooler water brings out numerous recreational boaters making fishing during summertime challenging, yet it can be entirely pleasurable during the weekdays and promptly in the day.
Throughout the summer months, late evening fishing is encouraged because of the number of boat traffic in the daytime and other anglers’ experiences in discovering giants in the nighttime. Late evening fishing has generally been great on Lake Austin from April through October.
Some of the excellent times to go fishing at Lake Austin, Texas, are the spring and fall months. When this type of water is filled with fish, it is a beautiful sight to look at, and the feeling of being right in the middle of the natural ecosystem is something you will not forget. This is the leading time of the year for freshwater fishing. It is also a great time to teach kids about the wonders of nature: you don’t need a license to fish in the lakes in Texas. You do need a few fishing tips and techniques, though, if you want to get a chance to catch fish in Lake Austin, Texas.
Fishing Tips and Techniques
Largemouth Bass Fishing
When accessible, largemouth bass anglers should focus their attention in and along the edges of weed beds that line the shoreline. Throughout the summer months (particularly at the ends of the week), recreational boating activity on this repository makes fishing from a boat challenging, if undoubtedly impossible. Anglers should schedule trips promptly in the first part of the day or around evening time this season. In light of the clear water conditions, this can be a fantastic evening fishing lake for bass. Casting white spinnerbaits and topwaters or pitching jigs with heavy lures casting tackle to the weed beds and boat docks frequently turns out well. Other famous artificial lures incorporate plastic worms and jerk baits. For live-bait fishing, use minnows suspended under corks along the weed lines. Sight fishing additionally works well throughout the spring spawn, which happens February through April, relying upon the climate. Since cold water is discharged from Lake Travis simply upstream, bass will produce later in the year on the upper end of the lake. Look for them in the backs of central brooks, around marinas, and in the various boat docks that line the lake.
Panfishing
Panfishing can likewise be favorable along the edge of the weed lines and woody debris using tiny cylinder jigs or crickets on light spinning tackle or little poppers with a fly rod.
Fishing spots
If you want to fish in Austin, no place offers you as many choices as Lake Austin. There are countless lakes in this area that you can fish from.
- Lake Bastrop– Over 51 miles away and around a 1-hour drive.
- Lady Bird Lake– Over 11 miles away and about 25 minutes drive.
- Brazos River– Over 11 miles away and around 24 minutes drive.
- Blanco River– Over 65 miles away and approximately 1-hour drive.
- Lake Travis– Over 11 miles away and about 21 minutes drive.
The information about fishing in Lake Austin, Texas, will help you choose the suitable lakes to fish from based on your experience. It will also help you to be able to choose the right spot to fish because of the different species of fish that live in each of the lakes.
Fishing Austin, TX is immensely underrated compared with all the more notable Texas fishing spots. Book a fishing guide service on Lake Austin during the spawning season, and you will have a great possibility of pulling in one of the many 8-10 lb trophy bass who treats this lake home.
Anglers should realize that the spawning season will run a little later on this lake than other Texas fishing spots. Due to the colder water streaming into the upper parts of the lake from Lake Travis.
Fishing Regulations
Statewide regulations currently manage all species of the state of Texas. Before harvesting grass, carp required a permit. The Triploid Grass Carp Permit for this lake is no longer available as of September 1, 2016. Anglers may keep grass carp as long as they are appropriately gutted and beheaded.
At all times, everyone should observe the standards needed for legal, ethical, and safe fishing.
