Austin Texas Fishing

Austin Texas fishing is available in a number of locales, many of which are surprisingly within the Downtown Austin area. Large portions of the entire state of Texas can be considered a fisherman’s paradise. There are numerous state and national parks with good fishing rivers, streams, and lakes, and this region of south central Texas is particularly rich with parks and green spaces. The city itself has been proactive in ensuring that there are plenty of urban greenbelts and parks, and some of the best fishing places in Austin are found in the shadow of skyscrapers and only blocks from some of the best nightlife in the United States.

It is undoubtedly the freshwater Austin bass fishing that draws the most anglers to this area. The Colorado River (the longest river in the United States with both its source and mouth in the state of Texas) runs right through the city. A series of dams have been built along the river’s course, creating seven freshwater reservoirs, two of which are within the city limits—Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake. Originally, there were only six lakes; Lady Bird Lake was created later in 1960. Several of the fishing places in Austin are along the shores of these reservoirs, including from a number of public urban parks that have fishing piers, boat slips, and small marinas. Many of these parks sponsor special events that include fishing derbies.

These are two of the so-called Highland Lakes, and they include Lake Lyndon B. Johnson and Lake Travis to the northwest of the city. Austin Texas fishing is very popular in these two lakes, and the parks and camping areas around them provide some true wilderness. In addition to the Austin bass fishing in all of the Highland Lakes, fishermen will be rewarded with large catfish.

Lake Travis is one of the largest and most popular recreational lakes in this region. Here you will find golf resorts, numerous campgrounds and RV parks, cottages, cabins, and other vacation rentals. There are also a number of hotels and motels. The Austin Texas fishing here is superb. There are fishing charters and rental boats available and you can hire professional fishing guides.

If you don’t have the time to travel the 50 to 65 miles up to Lake Travis and Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, you will find good fishing places in Austin right in the metropolitan area. McKinney Falls State Park is a large park about thirteen miles from the State Capitol south of the river. There is excellent Austin bass fishing here, and the catfish are famous for being extremely large. There is camping available here, which is excellent for budget conscious family vacations. Also attractive if you are on a budget is the fact that all fishing license and stamp requirements are waived if you are within the boundaries of any state park. This includes state parks along the Gulf Coast, in case you’re interested in heading south the 150 miles or so to the Galveston area for some saltwater fishing. You will still have to adhere to bag and length limits and similar regulations, but you can avoid the extra licensing fees.