| Fall is a great time for fishing statewide. |
One of the gifts of the holiday months of November and December can be fantastic fishing throughout Texas. With oppressive summer weather giving way to cooler temperatures and shorter days — and fewer people and boats enjoying the water — this time of the year brings an abundance of fishing opportunities for those exploring the states' many lakes, rivers and bays.
Many reservoirs throughout the state benefited from abundant rains and experienced prime bass fishing this year. With cooler water temperatures, baitfish congregate in shallow water and bass feed aggressively. Almost any technique is effective, but using topwater lures can result in phenomenal catches.
In South Texas, Choke Canyon and Amistad are full and anglers experienced super catches of large bass throughout the year. Lake Travis, Stillhouse Hollow and Lake Austin are always a good bet in the central region. Fishing is extended through the winter months at power plant reservoirs such as lakes Fayette, Bastrop, Decker, Braunig and Calaveras, due to warm water temperatures. These lakes are managed for numbers of quality bass and provide consistent action in the coldest months.
White bass and crappie provide another fishing opportunity during late fall and winter. These fish gather in large schools in deeper water preparing for spring spawning. White bass move toward the upper end of reservoirs, wintering along the flooded river channel. Lakes Somerville, Whitney, Buchanan and Livingston have excellent populations of white bass. Crappie relate to structure such as trees and bridge piling in deep water during the winter. Lakes such as Richland Chambers, Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend are well known for winter crappie fishing.
Conditions also prime in rivers?
Rivers across the state offer good fishing during the fall months. Like lakes, cooler water sparks fish activity. Good catches of catfish can be expected in the deeper pools below riffles. Anglers fishing the clear Hill Country rivers such as the Guadalupe, Frio and Llano have an excellent chance of landing a Guadalupe bass, the state fish of Texas.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department also stocks rainbow trout during the winter in many rivers and streams, providing a good opportunity to take children and novice anglers fishing. The trout stocking schedule can be found at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/reports/trout_stocking.phtml.
...and along the Texas coast
This is also a great time to be on the Texas coast. Cooler temperatures and fall tides initiate migration of many estuary species to the Gulf of Mexico. Large schools of speckled trout and red drum gorge on white shrimp as they make their annual exodus through the bays from the coastal marshes. Gulls join the feeding frenzy, making locating the action an easy task. "Fishing the birds" is legendary in East Matagorda Bay. Flounder and red drum also make fall migrations to the gulf. Fishing near the passes and jetty systems leading out of the bays can result in great catches of these fish.
LCRA Aquatic Scientist Bryan Cook is an expert on water quality, aquatic life and — fishing. Write him at bryan.cook@lcra.org.
Related page:
See fishing tips along the Colorado River Trail
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