Lake Austin Quickie - 02 Feb 2012

[Strictly Biznuss]

Got out of school a little earlier than normal today, so I just couldn't help myself and had to get out on the water. It still only gave me just under 3 hours to fish, but I went for it anyway. Launched at Quinlan Park and was on the water around 4:15ish. I decided to try and stay away from the areas I've been doing well on lately and see if I could find something new. Usually, up past Quinlan Park the water is a lot colder. Not this year. With Lake Travis the way it is, we're not seeing that super cold water being released from the dam, so most of the lake is the same temperature from 360 all the way up to the low water crossing. As I started running up the lake I saw water temps anywhere from 59-62 degrees. It's gettin' warmer! With little time to fish, I started running and gunning to a few different spots. I ended up running further up the lake than I can remember going before. I think I must've been less than a mile from the low water crossing and the current was flowing pretty good. Figured out a pretty good pattern up there putting 8 keepers in the boat in the short time I had to fish. I didn't weigh anything this time, but it seemed like I had more solid 3lbers in the boat this time than the last few times, so I feel good saying I probably had 14lbs+ for the top 5. Figured out pretty quick that they were holding in shallow current breaks along the docks / shoreline. Once I figured out the exact type of current breaks I was looking for, I'd just idle down the docks / shoreline, and once I saw what I was looking for, I could almost call the shot. Just skip the wacky-rigged senko in there and watch for the line twitch. I'd only make 3 or 4 casts before moving on. The current put them in real predictable spots. My 5 biggest keepers came on this pattern, but I did catch 3 other smaller keepers on a 1/2oz red craw lipless crank fishing grasslines in between docks. It was pretty cool. That's the first time I've been able to get any good fish that far up the lake. I never go up there very often because I don't have very much confidence up there. Now I have an excuse to go up there more. Didn't have the camera on me, but I took a quick photo of 2 of 'em with the cell phone. Kind of a crappy pic, but whatev.
Lake Austin 18.jpg

P.S. Weather was overcast the whole time I was out there, and even fished in a light rain for about 30-40 minutes.

[J.R.]

Here comes LA, it's starting to get banana's out there, good report Ander.

[clipper]

i had a goodayi ..
might saw you,nice catch

[JT]

Nice catch! Yeah that water is pretty swift up there when they are releasing.

[Strictly Biznuss]

Here comes LA, it's starting to get banana's out there, good report Ander.

I talked to 2 other boats and they both said they did pretty good as well. I'll be headed out again on Saturday evening for a few hours. Maybe I can finally get a bite over 5lbs... it's been a few months.

[Acuna]

Mmmmmmmmmmm 62 degree water. I bet those fish up there were getting heat stroke. I really like that part of the lake.

[midnight5]

Nice report.


Russ

[Benny20b]

Great report and nice catch!

[Gary B]

Well, I guess I was there to early, we started at 10 am and went up also wayter was 59.8 to 60, no water was being released. Caught a nice 4 lber on a brush hog then nothing else. Had a few short strikes as well. Fished all the way down pass City Park with nothing. Came back up and partner caught 2 more 1 keep. Off by 4:45. Guess I should have worked and fished the afternoon.
Lake Austin kicks my ass again!

[Strictly Biznuss]

You're spot on, Gary. The afternoon bite has been much more difficult out there for me as well. I've been getting the bulk of my fish in the first hour of sunlight or the last hour of sunlight. In between there, it gets tougher for sure. And the current played a big part for sure, as well. Like usual on Lake Austin... timing is everything.