"Late Summer Bass On Lake Austin: Topwaters, Dropshots, and Patience for Big Bites"

This is Artificial Lure with today's Lake Austin fishing report for Thursday, August 28, 2025. If you hit the water early, you know we kicked off the day with the tail end of last night’s muggy air, rolling into a high this afternoon pushing the mid-90s, wind coming in light from the southeast. Sunrise was at 7:05 AM, with sunset coming at 8:01 PM, so plenty of daylight for an evening bite. Cloud cover picked up midday with rumors of a north breeze after dark—hinting at that first tease of fall, but summer’s holding on strong. With the **hot weather and water temps around 88 to 90 degrees**, fish activity stayed best during low light hours. The dawn patrol crowd found the bass pushing up shallow, chasing shad along the bulkheads and main lake docks. Surface was quiet after the sun got high; fish slid deeper and tighter to cover. **Best fishing today**: The early morning bite favored **topwaters**—poppers and walking baits thrown around points and shaded seawalls. Anglers working those clear pockets along the Pennybacker Bridge stretch and the cove near Emma Long Park were rewarded, pulling in healthy **largemouths in the 2–4 lb range**. As the sun climbed, the action slowed, but those who switched to a **dropshot rig** with a green pumpkin or bold bluegill 4.5" Roboworm found steady numbers off the deeper ledges and submerged grass lines. Boats working submerged humps near the Mansfield Dam end reported steady bites on **Texas-rigged soft plastics and shaky head worms**. Folks tossing **lightweight football jigs** at deeper brush piles or dock pilings found better fish but had to work for it—expect 8–15 feet for active bass most of the afternoon. Bluegill remain plentiful and aggressive on crickets or small worms pitched around docks and weed patches for the kids or anyone wanting a guaranteed tug. A few solid **catfish** came in on prepared baits and cut shad near the lower river bends, but most of the chatter was bass-focused. Recent catches have been dominated by **largemouth bass**, a few folks reporting ten to fifteen fish on a good morning, with the odd fish pushing 5 lbs coming out from under shaded docks—especially where bait is thick. No credible striper or hybrid action reported this week on Lake Austin proper. **Top baits and techniques:** - Early: Topwater walkers and poppers in shad or bone color - Midday: Dropshot with a Roboworm (bold bluegill or green pumpkin), wacky rigs - All day: Texas rigs or shaky heads in watermelon red or plum - For numbers: 1/8–1/4 oz jigheads with 3–4 inch soft plastic minnows Locals on the forums and Instagram are dropping pics of steady fish, with several reporting “slabs mixed in”—if you’re after a big bite, work those mid-morning shadows and be patient. **Hot spots:** - *Pennybacker Bridge (360 Bridge)*: Work along the riprap and docks on both sides, especially early and late. - *Emma Long Park cove*: Shallow cover plus submerged grass, good for both numbers and some better-quality fish.