FISHING REPORT

Fishing is the perfect way to start off the New Year. Here’s a fishing report from the week of Dec. 19 for lakes in the Hill Country Region.

Austin

Water lightly stained; 52–58 degrees; 0.74’ low. Black bass are slow. Sunfish are slow to fair on cut nightcrawlers and corn. Catfish are fair to good on cut and live baitfish.

Buchanan

Water murky; 69–73 degrees; 1.99’ low. Black bass are good on white spinnerbaits, Bleeding Shad Rat–L–Traps, and 3” shad Flukes in larger creeks. Striped bass are good on Spoiler Shad plastic swim baits, Red Fins, and drifting live bait along the river channel in 30 feet. White bass are fair on Tiny Traps and Spoiler Shads. Crappie are good on pink/white tube jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are good on liver, nightcrawlers, and dipbait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on live shad.

Canyon Lake

Water murky; 71–75 degrees; 0.31’ high. Black bass are good on Fat Free Shads, white spinnerbaits, and watermelon Flukes on secondary points in 4–12 feet. Striped bass are fair on Red Fins and jigging Pirk Minnows over and around humps in 30–60 feet at daylight. White bass are fair on Pirk Minnows along the river channel. Smallmouth bass are good on green pumpkin tubes, pumpkin jigs, and smoke grubs in 8–15 feet. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs upriver. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are good on juglines baited with live perch.

Granger

Water murky; 69–73 degrees; 2.06’ high. Black bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

LBJ

Water murky; 68–72 degrees; 0.99’ low. Black bass are good on Bleeding Shad Rat–L–Traps, Curb’s buzzbaits, and weightless watermelon red Whacky Sticks along laydowns and stumps on creek points. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on Li’l Fishies at night. Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are fair on minnows and nightcrawlers. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live bait.

Travis

Water murky; 69–73 degrees; 0.18’ high. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are slow.

Walter E. Long

Water murky. Black bass are fair on chartreuse soft plastics and Rat–L–Traps. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are fair on minnows. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.