Fishing Lake Travis

AKA: Travis Lake, Travis Reservoir

Popular Fish Species
Lake Travis Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
Today's Weather & Forecast
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing Boat Rentals
Marinas
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Lake Travis, TX

Popular Fish Species Lake Travis, TX

Lake Travis Popular Fish - Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Fishing

Lake Travis is considered a good bass fishing lake by locals and tournament anglers alike. While fishing success can vary day to day, overall it's a good bass lake. Fishing for bass can be quite rewarding, with an occasional bass over 4 pounds being caught. Bass often move shallow and become aggressive when they are in a feeding mood. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass, use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, drop shot rigs, big worms, jigs and spoons are good options. In winter, spend your time fishing deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time.

Lake Travis Popular Fish - Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish Fishing

To fish for catfish on Lake Travis, most any rod and reel will work, as long as the line is strong enough. For serious catfish enthusiasts, using the right equipment improves success. A medium action, to medium-heavy action rod is ideal, in the 6' to 7' range. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig with popular catfish baits on at least 10-pound line. Use sharp hooks with bait holders on the shank, or circle hooks for live bait. Lake Travis has a decent population of channel catfish, and they are eager to bite. The typical fish are about 2 pounds, with larger ones caught frequently. Night fishing for catfish often delivers better results than daytime fishing. Fishing for channel catfish is often most productive around any kind of structure in the area. In Spring channel catfish migrate toward incoming water, so stay up river away from the main lake. In early summer look for rocky banks, the bigger the rocks the better. In summer and winter deeper structure is where to look. The river end of the lake is often the area where the bigger catfish are caught. Road beds, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin.

White Bass Fishing

White bass are aggressive, hard-fighting and just plain fun to catch. Numerous successful spawn years have increased the population of white bass in Lake Travis, and anglers can expect some great fishing this year. The white bass runs occur in February through May which is the best time to pursue them. When fishing for white bass, the average fish is typically in the one- to two-pound range. These schooling fish tend to roam around the lake looking for ideal water conditions and baitfish. Look for them to generally be in 15 to 35 feet of water, whether they are hovering around the bottom or swimming in open water. Fish finders are the best way to locate big schools of white bass. Fish near the bottom at night with live bait. In spring, once the water temperature rises into the mid sixties, they move shallow into the backs of coves and creek channels to spawn. When white bass chase schools of bait near the surface, spinners, spoons and small crank baits work well. At this time anglers can fish from shore and often do quite well. Use lures that imitate baitfish, including small crankbaits, small jerkbaits, jigs and spoons.

Lake Travis Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, rainbow trout, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, tilapia, white bass, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, longnose gar and spotted gar at Travis Lake in Central Texas.

If you like catching nice quantities of bass, Lake Travis is great destination. It an 18,600-acre lake in the southeast part Texas, at Lakeway. Not known for monster bass, it certainly can deliver the numbers. A great place to teach a beginner bass angler how to catch bass. Striped bass and hybrid stripers are not the dominant species here, but present a decent fishing experience - primarily on the lower portion of the lake. Catfish roam the lake and are catchable year round - look for them in, or nearby, creek and river channels. The lake also sports populations of crappie, stocked trout, gar, smallmouth bass, bluegill and other sunfish. For those who prefer to fish from the bank, there is over 270 miles of shoreline - plenty of which is accessible for shore fishing.

Primary fish species residing in Lake Travis

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Lake Travis Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: YES
Convenience Store: YES
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Briarcliff Marina
Rentals: Runabouts and pontoon boats
512 264-2666

Lakeway Marina
Rentals: Kayaks, runabouts and pontoon boats
512 261-7511

Resort Ranch Marina
Rentals: Pontoon boats
512 333-0620

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Collier Cove Boat Ramp
Located in the mid-western part of the lake, on the south side of the lake, off Pace Bend Road N, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with paved parking.

Crosswind Neighborhood Cove Boat Launch
Located mid lake, on the south side of the lake, off Harbor Way, this is a single-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Emerald Boat Ramp
Located mid lake, on the north side of the lake, off Emerald Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and gravel parking.

Gloster Bend Recreation Area Boat Launch
Located in the western section of the lake, on the north side of the lake, off Hollingsworth Road, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking.

Mansfield Dam Boat Ramp
Located in the southeast corner of the lake, at the west end of the Mansfield Dam, this is a four-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Narrows Recreation Area Boat Ramp
Located in the western section of the lake, on the south side of the lake, off Wandering Way, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking.

Ridge Harbor Deep Water Boat Launch
Located in the western section of the lake, on the south side of the lake, off Ridge Harbor Drive, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking.

Siesta Shores Marina Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the south side of the lake, off Windy Shores Loop, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and gravel parking.

Tournament Point Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the southwest side of the lake, off Grisham Trail, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with paved parking.

Tatum Cove Boat Ramp
Located mid lake, on the southwest side of the lake, off Grisham Trail, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking.

Marinas

Anderson Mill Marina
13993 FM2769
Leander, TX 78641
512 599-4267

Briarcliff Marina
406 Sleat Dr
Briarcliff, TX 78669
512 264-2666

Cypress Creek Marina
13987 FM2769
Leander, TX 78641
512 250-9880

Highland Lakes Marina
16120 Wharf Cove
Volente, TX 78641
512 258-9662

Hurst Harbor Marina
16405 Clara Van St
Austin, TX 78734
512 266-1800

Lakeway Marina
103 A Lakeway Dr
Lakeway, TX 78734
512 261-7511

Marshall Ford Marina
12816 Park Dr
Austin, TX 78732
512 266-1559

Northshore Marina At the Hollows
6612 Lantern View Dr
Jonestown, TX 78645
512 267-6222

Resort Ranch Marina
1300 Pace Bend Rd N
Spicewood, TX 78669
512 333-0620

Siesta Shores Marina
806 Bay Cir
Spicewood, TX 78669
512 264-0004

South Shore Marina
5931 Hiline Rd
Austin, TX 78734
512 637-3150