Texas fishing reports
315 reports for Texas — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Highland Lakes bass and stripers settle into a steady late-summer rhythm
The Colorado River gauge near Austin (USGS 08158000) logged a steady 1,340 cfs early this morning, a moderate flow that keeps water moving through the Highland Lakes chain without the turbidity spikes that follow heavy releases. Direct angler reports specific to Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan were thin in today's roundup. For nearby Hill Country context, My Canyon Lake Fishing notes lake levels running well above last year's mark and reports TPWD has paused its statewide weekly fishing reports while retooling the format, so official state updates may lag through the transition. Absent fresh on-the-water intel for these three lakes, we're leaning on typical late-summer patterns: largemouth pushing to deeper structure and feeding hardest in the early and late-light windows, striped and white bass working open-water shad schools, and catfish staying reliable on cut bait after dark. Check current TPWD regulations before harvesting.
East Texas bass hang tough through the late-summer heat
The Sabine River gauge near Toledo Bend (USGS 08030500) is running about 971 cfs as of late Sunday night, a steady late-summer flow with no water temperature reading available this cycle. Regional signal from Lake Fork Trophy Bass's August report describes an East Texas bass fishery that is "holding its own" through a summer of 100-plus-degree days, with anglers still boating big bass despite the heat and evaporation keeping cover intact. That same report notes lake levels have stayed in good shape even with the extended heat stretch. For Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn anglers, the takeaway carries over: expect deeper, cover-oriented bass willing to bite but pushed off classic shallow summer haunts by sustained high water temps. Crappie and catfish should still be catchable working deeper structure and channels typical for late August in this region, though no direct regional reports on those species came through this cycle.
Catfish keep biting on North Texas lakes despite summer heat
USGS gauge 08211200 is reading a warm 89°F with a modest, steady 36.5 cfs flow today, conditions typical of a Texas reservoir system deep into summer. Warm water hasn't shut the bite down: North Texas Catfish Guide, working Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth, reports blue and channel catfish feeding consistently through the hot months, with white bass also pushing through the main lake on recent trips. The guide notes that fresh water entering a system tends to trigger more aggressive feeding, and blue cats over 30 pounds have shown up on strong days when conditions line up. Largemouth bass typically settle into a classic late-summer pattern now, holding tight to shade and deeper cover once the sun gets high, with a better bite at first and last light. The gauge's low, stable flow points to calm, clear water rather than a post-rain muddy push, so expect steady rather than explosive action for now.
Redfish tournaments headline Texas Gulf Coast as snapper bite holds
Two redfish tournaments wrapped up this weekend along the Texas Gulf Coast, one based on the upper coast and the other on the lower coast, per Galveston Daily News — Reel Report. Inshore action turned into what the Reel Report called "a bit of a grind," attributed more to tidal movement than anything else, while offshore red snapper fishing continues to hold up well. Down on the mid-coast near Seadrift, Capt. Jeff Larson has stayed busy according to the same report, and the Sylvan Beach Fishing Pier has reopened after recent tropical systems damaged several public piers along the coast. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes bull redfish working the summer nearshore surf zone as menhaden and mullet schools move along the beachfront. Salt Strong (articles) flags the typical August "summer slump" as water temperatures climb into the upper 80s and 90s, pushing redfish, trout, and flounder into different holding patterns anglers will need to adjust for through the dog days.
Offshore Red Snapper Holds Steady as Inshore Bite Turns Tough
Offshore fishing remains steady for red snapper according to this week's Galveston Daily News — Reel Report, even as the inshore bite turned into a bit of a grind over the weekend, with tidal movement getting most of the blame. Mid-coast action is picking up around Seadrift, where Capt. Jeff Larson has stayed busy, and the Sylvan Beach Fishing Pier has reopened after tropical systems damaged several public piers along the coast. This weekend's Reel Dirty Drum Tournament out of Thompson's Bait Camp has anglers weighing slot redfish and trout for the stringer, a good read on what's keeping the bays busy. Further down the coast, TexasFishingTips has posted fresh video reports out of Baffin Bay/Laguna Madre, Aransas Pass, and Rockport-Copano/Mesquite Bay with local captains. We're seeing a coast still producing, just working a little harder for it inshore.
Highland Lakes settle into typical August deep-water patterns
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Travis, LBJ, or Buchanan this cycle, and none of today's shop, blog, or forum feeds filed a direct report from the Highland Lakes chain, so this update leans on typical August patterns for these Colorado River reservoirs rather than fresh on-the-water intel. Regionally, My Canyon Lake Fishing reports a nearby Hill Country reservoir running well above last year's pool level after recent rain, a trend worth noting since higher water on connected Central Texas lakes generally means more flooded brush and better ambush structure through late summer. On Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan specifically, expect the standard mid-August pattern: largemouth and striped bass holding deep on main-lake points and creek channels during peak afternoon heat, with catfish and white bass more catchable in low light. Check current TPWD regulations before keeping striped bass.
East Texas Bass Dig Deep Through Peak Summer Heat
Direct reports from Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn were sparse this cycle, but the closest read on East Texas conditions comes from Lake Fork Trophy Bass, whose August update describes a lake still "holding its own" after a summer of 100-plus-degree days. Water levels there remain in good shape despite heavy evaporation, keeping cover intact for bass to stay active rather than shutting down completely, per Lake Fork Trophy Bass. That pattern typically carries across East Texas's big reservoirs, including Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn, where largemouth this time of year push to deeper structure and main-lake points during the day and slide shallower to feed in the low-light hours. Crappie and white bass tend to hold over deeper brush and open-water schools through the hottest stretch. Expect a grind-it-out bite rather than a wide-open one until temperatures ease. Check state regs before harvesting, and plan trips around dawn and dusk windows.
Catfish keep firing on North Texas lakes as summer holds on
Blue catfish topping 30 pounds have kept trips busy on Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth this year, with North Texas Catfish Guide reporting easy limits of big blues on its strongest days and channel catfish biting hard enough to call it "crazy" on recent main-lake trips. The same captain has flagged white bass schooling and moving through open water as a solid secondary target. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for Texas lakes and rivers this cycle, so treat water temperature and flow as unconfirmed until you check a local source before heading out. With mid-August heat locked in across Texas reservoirs, catfish typically stay the most dependable bite, sliding deeper and more nocturnal as surface temps climb, while largemouth bass activity generally tightens to low-light windows during peak-heat middays. Per the guide, fresh inflow and rising lake levels have been the trigger for the most aggressive feeding stretches this season.
Bull reds and slot trout fire up as Texas mid-coast piers reopen
Redfish are the story along the upper and mid-Texas coast this week. The Galveston Daily News — Reel Report notes the Sylvan Beach Fishing Pier has reopened after recent tropical systems wiped out several public piers, and results from the Redfish Series point to a solid start to the weekend. Around Seadrift, Capt. Jeff Larson has stayed busy on the mid-coast per the same report, while captains out of the Galveston Yacht Marina are turning in good reports from the jetties and the open Gulf. The upcoming Reel Dirty Drum Tournament out of Thompson's Bait Camp, which allows anglers to weigh up to two slot reds and two slot trout for heavy stringer, underscores that both species are cooperating right now. Farther south, TexasFishingTips has been filing fresh video reports out of Baffin Bay, Laguna Madre, Aransas Pass, and the Rockport-Copano/Mesquite Bay complex, signaling steady guide activity across the Corpus stretch. Beach bull redfish on lures round out the surf bite per Texas Fish & Game Magazine.
Redfish, trout hold summer patterns across Lower Laguna Madre
Texas Fishing Tips has posted three straight reports this month for Capt. Kevin Navid working the Baffin Bay and Laguna Madre area (8/13, 8/6, 7/30), a sign that guides up the coast are staying busy through the August heat. We don't have live buoy or gauge readings for the Lower Laguna Madre and South Padre stretch today, so treat water temp and tide as unknown until you check a local source before launching. Texas Fish & Game's surf report notes bull redfish are still eating fresh mullet and cracked blue crab soaked on the bottom along Texas beaches, a pattern that typically holds for South Padre's Gulf side too. Expect the usual mid-August lineup here: redfish and spotted seatrout working the flats and grass edges, with black drum and the occasional snook rounding out catches while water stays warm.
Hill Country lakes shift into low-light summer patterns
No direct buoy or gauge readings came in this cycle for Lake Travis, Lake LBJ, or Lake Buchanan, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds carry a lake-specific report for the Highland Lakes chain. The closest regional signal is nearby Canyon Lake, where My Canyon Lake Fishing reports water levels running about eight feet higher than this time last year, with boat ramps open and conditions still favorable for fishing and boating. On Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan themselves, expect the typical August pattern for Hill Country reservoirs: largemouth bass working shallow cover early and late before sliding deep as the sun climbs, striped and hybrid bass schooling on shad over open water midday, and channel catfish staying active after dark, with tonight's new moon favoring a low-light bite. Confirm current lake-specific conditions with a local shop before heading out.
East Texas bass hold strong through the summer heat
Largemouth bass are holding up better than the thermometer would suggest across East Texas reservoirs this month. Lake Fork Trophy Bass's August report notes lake levels are in good shape and still providing plenty of cover to keep bass active despite a run of 100-plus-degree days, and the same source's July dispatch credited some of the season's biggest client catches to the hottest stretches of summer, with water clarity holding good. Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn anglers should expect a similar late-summer pattern: bass pushed toward deeper, shaded cover through the midday heat but still catchable, especially around dawn, dusk, and after dark. No fresh buoy or gauge readings are available for this region today, so lean on water clarity and shade rather than a specific temperature target when picking a spot. With a New Moon overhead, low-light and nighttime bites are worth prioritizing for bigger fish this week, a pattern that tends to hold across East Texas reservoirs in August.