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Austin Bass Fishing Guide & Tournament Angler

Lake Travis Fishing Report – January 28, 2026

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Lake Travis is sitting about 14 feet low with stained water and roughly 2–4 ft visibility. Water temperatures are around 57°, and the lake has fully settled into winter patterns. Interestingly, the water has stained up more compared to a month or two ago, after beginning to clear earlier this winter.

The most consistent bite has come from fishing jigs around docks and rocky areas, from shallow water out to about 15 feet deep. There are also plenty of nomadic bass roaming open water in search of shad, and these fish can be caught with suspending jerkbaits and mid-strolling minnow-style soft plastics. However, targeting these roaming schools is only efficient if you’re comfortable using forward-facing sonar, as the fish are constantly on the move and not relating to specific structure.

Big Bass Score = 2; Numbers Score = 1; Total = 3

Lake LBJ Fishing Report – January 17, 2025

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Lake LBJ is sitting at a normal level with stained water and 2–3 ft visibility. Water temperatures are around 54°, and the lake is settling into a typical winter pattern that should become even more pronounced following the upcoming cold front.

The most consistent bite has come from fishing crankbaits and jigs in 2–10 feet of water, focusing on rocky areas and docks with hard, rock bottoms. The bass are grouped up, and when you catch one in an area, it’s worth slowing down and working it thoroughly, as there are often multiple fish holding in a very small zone.

Big Bass Score = 2; Numbers Score = 3; Total = 5

Client holding a largemouth bass caught on Lake LBJ in January 2026 on a finesse jig near a hard-bottom dock.
Client with a Lake LBJ bassquatch caught on a finesse jig near a hard-bottom dock during mid-January conditions.

Inks Lake Fishing Report – January 21, 2026

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Inks Lake is sitting at a normal level with stained water and 3–4 ft visibility. Water temperatures have dropped to around 52°, and bass are grouping up as winter conditions continue to settle in. While a variety of conditions have produced bites, cloudy days have been slightly better than sunny ones overall.

The most consistent results lately have come from crankbaits and jigs fished around rocky areas in 2–14 feet of water. Rather than locking into what typically “should” work this time of year, it’s been more important to fish the conditions and stay adaptable. The bass are often tightly grouped, and there can be long stretches without bites—but when you find one, it’s common to catch multiple fish in a very small area. A hard cold front moving in this weekend will likely push the lake more firmly into winter patterns.

Big Bass Score = 5; Numbers Score = 3; Total = 8

Client holding a largemouth bass caught on Inks Lake in January 2026 on a crankbait during winter fishing conditions.
Client with an Inks Lake bassquatch caught on a crankbait.

Inks Lake Fishing Report – January 8, 2026

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Inks Lake is sitting at a normal level with stained water and 2–4 ft visibility. Water temperatures are around 58°, and unseasonably warm conditions have kept the lake from settling into a typical winter pattern.

The most consistent bite has come from fishing drop-shot rigged finesse worms, crankbaits, and jigs in 8–12 feet of water. Focus on rocky areas and remaining submerged vegetation, where large numbers of bass appear to be stacking up in predictable pre-spawn staging areas. These fish are grouped up and catchable if you slow down and work the right zones.

Big Bass Score = 4; Numbers Score = 4; Total = 8

Client holding a double-digit largemouth bass caught at Inks Lake in January 2026 while fishing a pre-spawn staging area.
Client with a double-digit largemouth bass from Inks Lake, caught in a pre-spawn staging area during early January conditions.