Lake Austin Fishing Report: Crappie, Cats, and Fall Bite Patterns

Good morning, folks—this is Artificial Lure coming at you from Lake Austin with your local fishing report for Saturday, November 1st, 2025. We kicked off the day under a mostly clear sky, with a sunrise at 6:55 AM and sunset coming up at 6:30 PM. It’s a crisp fall morning here in Austin, with overnight lows hanging in the upper 50s and a chilly start, but you can expect temperatures to climb into the mid-70s by early afternoon. Winds are light out of the north, just enough to ripple the water and add a stealth factor to your presentation. Lake Austin, being a reservoir on the Colorado River, doesn’t have true tides, but solunar fishing times do matter. According to SolunarForecast.com, today’s major bite windows hit from 2:05 PM to 4:05 PM, and minor activity from 8:00 to 9:00 AM. The moon’s in a 10% waxing crescent, which usually perks up the bass and catfish as the day wears on. Expect fish to hold a little deeper early, then move up to shallower cover as the sun warms things[SolunarForecast.com]. Recent action this week has been steady. Largemouth bass are still the main draw; several solid catches have come from between the Pennybacker Bridge and Emma Long Park. Most bass landed ranged from 2 to 5 pounds—nothing monstrous, but consistent numbers. Night anglers found some larger catfish, topping out near 10 pounds, working cut shad and chicken livers off deeper bends in the main channel. White bass and crappie have ticked up around drop-offs and creek mouths. Reports from the bank say crappie are schooling tight around submerged brush, with some keepers up to 14 inches for patient jig anglers. Bluegill are plentiful in the coves, and kids fishing nightcrawlers are pulling them in like popcorn. Best lures—there’s no doubt that soft plastics rule right now. Go with a 5-inch green pumpkin or watermelon Senko, Texas-rigged or wacky, along the edge of hydrilla beds. Locals swear by chartreuse and white spinnerbaits for both bass and white bass, especially during peak activity. Buzzbaits early, with a slower rolling presentation as it gets brighter, produce quality strikes in the shallows. Crappie are taking 1/16-ounce jigs in contrasting colors—try black/chartreuse or plain white. For catfish, cut bait like shad, shrimp, or chicken liver is the ticket. Hot spots to hit today: - **Emma Long Park**: Submerged rock piles and docks on the north bank are holding largemouth and crappie. Fish the transition zones where depth drops quickly. - **Pennybacker Bridge (360 Bridge)**: The pilings and nearby drop-offs have produced steady bass action and some hefty cats, especially on the downstream side with cut bait. - **Hogg Island**: Early-morning white bass and panfish for ultralight anglers; cast small spinners or jigs near shoreline grass. A few extra tips from the local crowd: keep your retrieve slow and methodical, pause and twitch when working plastics, and downsizing baits as the water cools can make the difference. Water clarity is good—it has