Howdy, y'all! This is Artificial Lure, your local fishing guru, coming at you with the latest scoop on Lake Austin. As of March 11, 2025, we're looking at a beautiful spring day with temps in the mid-70s and partly cloudy skies. Sunrise was at 6:42 AM, and we'll see the sun dip below the horizon at 7:31 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to wet our lines.

Now, Lake Austin ain't tidal, but we've had some decent rainfall lately, keeping the water levels nice and steady. The bass have been on fire, folks! I'm hearing reports of largemouth in the 3-5 pound range being caught regularly, with a few lucky anglers landing some real lunkers pushing 8 pounds. These big boys are starting to move into the shallows for their spring spawn, so keep your eyes peeled for those bedding areas.

As for lures, you can't go wrong with a Texas-rigged plastic worm in watermelon red or green pumpkin. Chatterbaits in white or chartreuse have also been producing some nice catches, especially around boat docks and submerged timber. For you topwater enthusiasts, early mornings have been prime time for some explosive action on Zara Spooks and buzzbaits.

If live bait's more your style, shiners and nightcrawlers are always a solid bet. The catfish have been biting well on stinkbait and cut shad, particularly in the deeper holes near the dam.

For you crappie lovers, they've been schooling up nicely around brush piles and bridge pilings. Minnows under a slip bobber or small jigs in white or chartreuse should do the trick.

As for hot spots, I'd recommend trying your luck around the 360 Bridge area. There's some great structure there, and the fish have been stacked up like cordwood. Another honey hole has been the mouth of Bull Creek - just watch out for the pleasure boaters as the day wears on.

Remember, folks, practice catch and release when you can, and always follow our local regulations. Tight lines, and I'll catch y'all on the flip side!