Looking for new options...

[fishnbuds]

Hi all. I'm a San Antonio resident for 3 years now and for no good reason have never ventured into the Austin area for fishing with the exception of a handful of trips to Bastrop. I've spent most of my time on Choke and Dunlap. Both have yielded some good trips, but I feel like I need to broaden my horizons. So I'm looking for some advice on places to try up your way. I gather Lake Austin is the top spot from what I hear, but what about LBL and Town Lake? On a map they seem like the same lake. Is that the case? So, coming from San Antonio, what are some good launches to try without getting in too much traffic? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[mjv80]

LBL is Town Lake. It was renamed years back to Lady Bird Lake (LBL). If you're on a kayak LBL is the lake to try. You can still try it on a powerboat but you cant use a gas powered motor only your trolling motor. Depending on the weather you may be fighting lot of pain in the ass rowers, kayakers that dont know how to paddle, stand up paddle boarders, and generally people who dont know the first thing about common courtesy on the water. lol but it can be a good lake and its generally relaxed with no powerboat traffic. Lake Austin is only up the road from LBL and is currently heating up according to the fishing reports. Lake Austin allows powerboats also. You also have Walter E Long and Travis (if powerboats can still access due to the drought).

[Fuzz]

I'd say Austin was your best bet. Easy access from under the 360 bridge. Public ramp access to Travis is a little more challenging

[mike2010]

You could try LBJ, it is a constent level lake. 281 to Marble Falls then 1431 west to Kingslandlso I saw another post from a guy in SA wanting to fish LA, his screen name was hooiserdaddy.

[Trucknmusic]

Fishnbuds... I live in SA too, however I went to college and fished for several years in Austin. I still fish LBL and Bastrop every so often out of my bass buster. If your ever looking for a backseater, let me know. I'll split expenses with you. I am one of the few in Austin that does not like Lake Austin though and would not be able to show you much there. But this time of year Bastrop is hard to beat and I like LBL in Summer, especially bc you don't have to deal with any pleasure boaters! If you launch at festival gardens or under 35 and head east you won't encounter near as many paddlers as you do by Barton Creek. Last time I was by Barton Creek a crew boat crashed into me... haven't gone that way since. I like LBJ but Dunlap is similar and closer - and I've been trying to learn more about that lake since it's so close. I also fish Canyon during the off periods but shy away from Choke Canyon bc I think it is overated and too crowded. Anyways I will help you out if I can just email me bc I am not on here much anymore. jonathan dot magee at gmail dot com

[fishnbuds]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I think my Son and I are going to give LA a try tomorrow. Are all of the ramps listed on TWPD as good as the other? And are there any hidden hazards I should watch for when running? Wish me luck...will post results (hope we have some).

[basstrack]

The only hazards are at 360 and it's the two legged kind and mostly late night. You should be fine during the day. Quinlan is a tad steep and slippery when it has traffic.