Lake Austin Fishing Report: Early Bite, Late Surge and Tactics for August Anglers

Lake Austin is waking up warm and muggy this Sunday morning, August 17th, but the serious anglers know that’s just when the bass start getting fired up. The sunrise hit at 6:54 AM, and there’s a slight, sticky breeze whispering from the south. Expect highs around 102 degrees by midafternoon, so if you’re hoping for steady action, you'd be smart to work the first two hours after dawn and tuck back in at dusk, with sunset scheduled for 8:10 PM.

Lake levels are holding steady, and with minimal recent rainfall, the water clarity remains surprisingly good for August. Tidal movement is light—no true tide here but you may catch a slight current when the Mansfield Dam releases, so if you see water movement, get ready because the bite can pick up as bass ambush bait.

Fish activity has been solid at first light, with white bass and largemouth pushing shad up onto shallow flats and rocky points. Reports from regulars along the Emma Long stretch and City Park indicate white bass schools busting the surface and a handful of 2-3 pound largemouth mixed in. Just two days ago, an Austin local pulled in a 3.5-pound bass and a healthy 15-inch white bass from under the Loop 360 bridge, both falling for a compact, shad-imitating crankbait. Word is, hybrid stripers are less dependable this week, but a couple were caught trolling deep mid-lake near the Pennybacker Bridge.

Best baits right now are small swimbaits, 3-4 inch paddle tails in white or silver, and classic chartreuse or white spinnerbaits. On the finesse side, Ned rigs, drop shot setups with small trick worms (watermelon red is a current favorite), and the always-dependable Texas rigged worm in blue fleck are getting consistent attention, especially along submerged vegetation and wood. For topwater, early birds had luck with walking baits and poppers around shoreline docks. The #12 Pet Spoon trolled behind umbrella rigs has a good track record when the white bass are schooling deep—recommend following the shad balls on your graph and matching your depth accordingly, usually between 12 and 22 feet as of this week.

Don’t overlook the power of live bait—shiners and small perch fished below slip bobbers near creek mouths or large docks have tempted plenty of largemouth for those willing to wait out the August sun.

Your best bets for quantity and mixed-bag action remain:
- The main-lake point near Emma Long Metropolitan Park, especially around the rocky drop-off.
- The deep water just upstream of the Loop 360 bridge, particularly during early water release patterns.

Remember, August tends to scatter the fish with the heat, but a little mobility and a good fishfinder will pay off. If you spot active bait fish or see birds diving, get in on the action quick—surface bites don’t usually last past 8:30 AM.

Just a heads-up: traffic on Lake Austin on weekends can make for bumpy fishing, so consider launching at first light or returning after sunset for that evening window when the pleasure boats thin out and the bass bite heats back up.

That’s your Lake Austin fishing report for today, August 17th. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe to keep up with the best hot spots, tactics, and local insights each week. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Lake Austin is waking up warm and muggy this Sunday morning,
August seventeenth, but the serious anglers know that's just when
the bass start getting fired up. The sunrise hit at
six fifty four am and there's a slight sticky breeze
whispering from the south. Expect highs around one hundred two
degrees by mid afternoon, so if you're hoping for steady action,

(00:20):
you'd be smart to work the first two hours after
dawn and tuck back in at dusk, with sunset scheduled
for eight ten pm. Lake levels are holding steady and
with minimal recent rainfall, the water clarity remains surprisingly good
for August. Tidal movement is light, no true tide here,
but you may catch a slight current when the Mansfield

(00:41):
Dam releases, So if you see water movement, get ready
because the bike can pick up as bass ambush bait.
Fish activity has been solid at first light, with white
bass and largemouth pushing shad up on the shallow flats
and rocky points. Reports from regulars along the em Along
Stretch and City Park indicate white bass schools busting the

(01:02):
surface and a handful of two to three pound largemouth mixedten.
Just two days ago, an Austin local pulled in a
three point five pound bass and a healthy fifteen inch
white bass from under the Loop three hundred and sixty bridge,
both falling for a compact shad imitating crank bait word
is hybrid Stripers are less dependable this week, but a

(01:23):
couple were caught trolling deep mid Lake near the Pennybacker Bridge.
Best baits right now are small swim baits three to
four inch paddle tails in white or silver, and classic
chartrews are white spinner baits on the finest side. Ned
rigs dropshots setups with small trickworms. Watermelon red is a
current favorite, and the always dependable Texas rig worm in

(01:46):
blue fleck are getting consistent attention, especially along submerged vegetation
and wood for top water. Early birds had luck with
walking baits and poppers around shoreline docks. The twelve petspoon
trolled behind umbrella rigs has a good track record when
the white bass are schooling deep. Recommend following the shadballs

(02:06):
on your graph and matching your depth to hoardingly, usually
between twelve and twenty two feet as of this week.
Don't overlook the power of live bait shiners in small
perch fish below slip bobbers near creek mouths or large
docks have tempted plenty of largemouth for those willing to
wait out the August sun. Your best bets for quantity
and mixed bag action remain the main lake point near

(02:29):
Emma Long Metropolitan Park, especially around the rocky drop off
the deep water just upstream of the Loop three hundred
and sixty bridge, particularly during early water release patterns. Remember,
August tends to scatter the fish with the heat, but
a little mobility and a good fish finder will pay off.
If you spot active bait fish or see birds diving,

(02:51):
get in on the action. Quick surface bites don't usually
last past eight thirty am. Just a heads up. Traffic
on Lake Austin on weekends can make for bumpy fishing,
so consider launching at first light or returning after sunset
for that evening window when the pleasure boats thin out
and the bass bite heats back up. That's your Lake

(03:12):
Austin Fishing report for today, August seventeenth. Thanks for tuning in,
and don't forget to subscribe to keep up with the
best hotspots tactics and local insights each week. This has
been a quiet Please production. For more check out Quiet
Please dot ai