New boat...New water...No problem.
Head Shot!
AWG have been on Lake Bastrop and Lake Austin over the past month. We are catching fish on the fly and we are doing so on some notoriously tough but very rewarding lakes. As we wrote for another publication it is, after all, only water and fish gotta eat.
It's nice when the fish is exactly where you think it should be. its a problem though when its your "ok...last cast"
Lake Austin fished very well recently for Shea and Winston who boated about 10 Bass (10 bass is a good day on Lake Austin). They were on the water and fishing at daybreak and home well before noon and before they were in trouble. Most fish were caught near the surface with baitfish like stuff and at times they were sight casting to some big fish chasing small fish which they said was extremely exciting. Texas dry flies haven’t been productive yet (that's a big yet). 8wts are the way to go on the lake with an aggressively tapered floating line so you can throw the big flies. However, as things cool off, Winston will start ranting about the “other lines”. Lake Austin holds some very large bass and participates in Sharelunker. Lake Austin is arguably a top 5 bass lake in Texas and has been mentioned as a top 100 bass lake in America. We’re looking forward to fishing this one more and with its close proximity makes for easy half day trip.
Shea and the BBQ bass
JD and Bastrop Bass
Lake Bastrop has been consistent for Alvin, Jeff and Winston. Overall probably better. We’ve all had good days pounding the banks with big surface flies. Alvin and Winston managed a couple nice bass one morning in close proximity to some “bass fisherman” in “bass boats” which was kind of fun as we were getting tight and they were not. We say this in a playfully competitive manner; we know we can learn a lot from these guys. Like Lake Austin we have been on the water early and heading home before the heat of the day sets in. Bastrop is said to have “more smaller fish” but we have not experienced this. JD and Alvin have pulled out some larger fish. 6-8wts are the way to go, again with floating line. Poppers and baitfish type stuff.
Since the lakes are pretty new to us, we’re not saying that the fishing has been good or bad as only more time on the water will tell. We are excited to be catching Bass on the fly though. These lakes hold some big fish and targeting them with a fly rod is different. I’m sure we’ve gotten some strange looks with our "row boats" at the ramps. Fall is going to be good!
Alvin with a Bastrop "deer hair crushing" bass
Tight lines and see you on the water,
AWG