Hill Country lakes settle into early fall bass pattern

What's biting

What's next

Expect the shad-driven pattern to keep building as water temperatures ease down from the low 70s. Creek arms and coves are the first places to plan around, with main-lake humps and ridges as the second option once the sun climbs and the shallow bite fades.

Wind and cloud cover will matter more than the clock this week. Tactical Bassin's fall coverage describes bass chasing baitfish under building clouds, with a swimbait on a bladed underspin adding flash and vibration, and a jerkbait working well when conditions change. Both are reasonable starting points for moving fish.

First quarter moon brings decent light in the evening, so late afternoon into dusk is a window worth planning around, along with the first couple of hours after sunrise.

Context

Mid-October is typically when Texas reservoirs move from late-summer deep patterns toward the fall feeding period. Water in the low 70s is on schedule for the Hill Country, neither early nor late, and bass are generally more willing to roam than they were in August.

Flow readings are mixed across the gauges. Gauge 08155500 shows 18 cfs and gauge 08158000 shows 426 cfs, while gauge 08170990 shows no flow. Moving water and still water will fish differently, so check conditions on the specific stretch you plan to fish.