Lake Travis fishing conditions · Texas

Today, 10 am–6 pmLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 68.

Right now: 53 for largemouth bass, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

532 am
53
53
535 am
58
58
588 am
58
68
6811 am
68
68
682 pm
68
68
685 pm
58
58
588 pm
58
58
5811 pm
58Tue
58
582 am
58
58
585 am
58
58
588 am
58
68
6811 am
68
68

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 0 mph
Light: Dark
Sky: Mostly Cloudy
Air: 63°F
Barometer: Rising
Moon: 100% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Texas regulations for these waters.

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalToday, 10 am–6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14" minimum, 5/day in any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, Alabama, Guadalupe and spotted bass. Some lakes have special limits: Lake Fork protects largemouth from 16 to 24", Conroe is 16", O.H. Ivie has no minimum but only 2 under 18".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalToday, 10 am–6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14" minimum, 5/day in any combination of black bass.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

68MarginalToday, 10 am–6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Striped bass bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18" minimum, 5/day striped and hybrid striped bass in any combination. Lake Texoma: no minimum, 10 a day, only 2 of them 20" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Feb–Apr, Nov–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalToday, 10 am–6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 10" minimum, 25/day (white and black crappie in any combination). Lake Fork drops the minimum Dec 1–end of Feb, when every crappie caught must be kept; Lake Texoma is 10" and 37 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Nov–Apr, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalToday, 10 am–6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum length, 25/day channel and blue catfish in any combination, only 10 of them 20" or longer. Texoma is 15 a day; Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend 50 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalToday, 10 am–6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Texas sets no statewide bag or length limit for fish not on its list, common carp included. Grass carp are a regulated exotic with special harvest requirements.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Texas

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
Barometer30.31 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunrise today7:41 am
Sunset today6:49 pm
MoonFull, 100% lit
Major solunarToday 12:10 am–2:10 am
Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
Major solunarToday 12:30 pm–2:30 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Texas Parks & Wildlife publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A deep, clear Highland Lake on the Colorado River just west of Austin. Steep rocky structure favors largemouth and a strong smallmouth population, with white bass and stocked stripers running the creeks. Clear water makes low light and a moving front the prime windows.

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesTexas
WhereTravis County · 30.4000, -97.9200

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

O.H. Ivie Reservoir132 mi · TexasBest now until tomorrow 2 pm

68Marginal

Lake Conroe139 mi · TexasBest today 6 am–12 am

68Marginal

Matagorda Beach171 mi · TexasBest now until 6 am

98Go

Port Aransas (Mustang Island)184 mi · TexasBest now until 10 pmCoastal Flood Advisory

55Marginal

Port Aransas Beach185 mi · TexasBest now until 10 pmCoastal Flood Advisory

63Marginal

Surfside Beach (TX)187 mi · TexasBest now until 6 am

98Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Travis?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Travis you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Travis?

Lake Travis is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Travis?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Travis against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Travis have?

Lake Travis has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Travis?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Travis. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Travis tidal water?

No. Lake Travis is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.