BY ZACH KEEL & CHRISTOPHER GREEN
WHAT CAN YOU CATCH LOCALLY?
GETTING A LICENSE TO FISH Fishing licenses are required for anglers 17 and older to sh public waters in Texas with a few exceptions. Licenses are not required to sh in Texas state parks. The cost of a license depends on state residency status, fresh or salt water and duration of term. For example, an annual freshwater shing license is $30 and valid from purchase to Aug. 31. A one-day license for any type of water is $11 for Texas residents. License regulations can be found at www.tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/ outdoor-annual/licenses. Purchasing a license can be done online or in person at participating retailers.
LARGEMOUTH BASS SPOTTED BASS GUADALUPE BASS Common in Austin waters, some bass can grow to more than 10 pounds depending on the body of water. The Guadalupe bass, a rare species and state sh of Texas, can be caught in some local waters. Bass can be caught with various arti cial lures and live bait such as worms and crickets. CARP These are hard- ghting sh that can be spotted in some Austin waterways. They are mostly vegetarian—canned corn is a popular bait choice. A 44-pound common carp was caught at Lady Bird Lake in 2021, according to the TPWD. In partnership with the TPWD, the city of Austin has released tens of thousands of sterile grass carp into Lake Austin to control the aquatic vegetation hydrilla. CATFISH They can be found at many Austin sheries. Channel, blue and athead cat sh are the main species caught. Cat sh are generally caught using baits with strong odors such as chicken livers, dead sun sh or hot dogs. The TPWD record for the largest blue cat sh caught at Walter E. Long was set in 2002 as an angler brought in a 60-pounder. BLUEGILL AND OTHER PANFISH e.g. Pumpkinseed, Redear Sun sh, Crappie) These are abundant in ponds, creeks, rivers and lakes across Central Texas. Pan sh angling is an ideal activity for children, as the sh are small enough to be caught using light equipment. Arti cial grubs and worms on a jig, live worms and small pieces of sandwich bread are e ective baits.
SOURCE: TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
SOURCE: TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENTCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
WHAT’S IN YOUR TACKLE BOX? Make sure to include a weight on a cat sh rig to sink baits to the bottom where cat sh like to dwell. Tie on a circle hook so catching the corner of its mouth is simple.
Soft-plastic lures come in countless shapes and sizes. Meant to imitate bait sh or craw sh or bugs, plastics will catch all types of sun sh and bass.
Jigs come in various forms, and picking the most e ective
type depends on the water temperature, water visibility, type of bait sh present, underwater structure and other factors.
Hollow-body frog lures oat and are ideal for eliciting acrobatic, leaping bites from bass. Make sure to work the lure on top of water lilies and surface vegetation.
Crankbaits wobble underwater as they are retrieved. Running the lure into rocks and making a commotion attracts reaction strikes from bass.
SOURCE: WIRED2FISHCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2022
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