Can you fish in the Colorado River?


Sharing is Caring


The lower section of the Colorado River is best fished by drift boat. The Colorado supports a large population of brown and rainbow trout. Check with local outfitters to find out what’s hatching, but nymph and streamer fishing are typically the most productive way to hook into these large fish.

What fish are in the Colorado River in Austin TX?

Lady Bird Lake and the Lower Colorado River below Austin provide some of the best urban fishing in the nation. Largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, catfish and several different species of sunfish can all be caught on the same trip.

Is Colorado River good for fishing in Texas?

Fishing on the Colorado River has been good for a while. White Bass, freshwater drum, Guadalupe Bass, Largemouth Bass, and even a few Buffalo have all been caught on the Colorado in the last couple of weeks. A few folks have been lucky enough to catch some bass on top.

Where is the best fishing in Austin?

  • Canyon Lake. Since 1966, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has annually introduced more than 250,000 rainbow trout into the state’s waterways.
  • Pedernales Falls State Park.
  • Lake Buchanan.
  • Lake Austin.
  • McKinney Falls State Park.
  • Lake Walter E.
  • Bright Lake in Old Settlers Park.

What fishing license do I need to fish the Colorado River?

In order to fish from a boat in the Colorado River, you must have both a California sport fishing license and an Arizona special use stamp or validation. The required Colorado river stamp must be purchased through a California DFG license agent in the area.

Can you eat fish out of Lake Austin?

Registered. We catch and eat white bass, striper, crappie, catfish, and guadalupe bass from Travis and Buchanan mostly. Hybrids and crappie out of Decker are mighty tasty as well. The sunfish from lake Austin are off the charts.

How do you catch speckled trout in Texas?

YouTube video

What fish are in the lower Colorado River?

Fishing Regulations: -There is no bag limit for Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Green Sunfish, Bluegill, Bullhead, Yellow Perch or Crappie.

Where does the Colorado River in Texas begin and end?

Its headwaters begin in northwest Texas, and the river flows southeast, supporting many different communities and ecosystems and eventually emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at Matagorda Bay.

What’s the best bait to use in the Colorado River?

Just anchor near cover and use any of the prepared catfish baits as well as chicken livers or stink bait, or other baits like hot dogs or shrimp. There are other fish present such as bluegill, redear sunfish, tilapia and common carp that are a lot of fun to catch. Many types of baits should work for these species.

What fish is in season in Colorado River?

Game fish species include striped bass, small- and largemouth bass, channel catfish, rainbow trout, bluegill, and redear sunfish. Largemouth bass fishing picks up during March through June and range from 12 to 20 inches.

Is fishing good in Austin Texas?

Angling Opportunities Lake Austin contains an excellent population of largemouth bass bass with the potential for a trophy. Many bass weighing 8-10 pounds are caught each year. The reservoir also has some good quality bluegill, redbreast, and redear fishing, and has low-density populations of flathead and blue catfish.

Do you need a fishing license for catch and release in Texas?

Any person who takes or attempts to take fish, mussels, clams, crayfish or other aquatic life in the public waters of Texas must have a current Texas fishing license with the appropriate endorsement.

Where can I fish without a license in Texas?

Texas State Parks are proud to host “Free Fishing in State Parks,” a year-round program to encourage spending time enjoying one of America’s greatest pastimes. Fish without fishing license or stamps in Texas state parks.

Can I fish on the Colorado River with a Ca fishing license?

If you have a valid California sport fishing license or a valid Arizona sport fishing license, you can fish from either shore of the portion of the Colorado River that makes up the California-Arizona boundary.

Is there salmon in the Colorado River?

The largest species, the Colorado River squawfish, or white salmon (P. lucius), may grow to about 1.5 metres (5 feet) with a reported weight of about 36 kilograms (79 pounds); because of changes in its habitat, this species has declined significantly and is considered endangered.

Are there trout in the Colorado River?

Although rainbow trout are most abundant in the 15-16 miles below Glen Canyon Dam, they can be found throughout the Colorado River below the dam, including 78 miles downstream at the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers where the largest population of humpback chub reside.

Are there alligators in Austin Texas lakes?

Alligators have been reported in the same retention pond periodically since 2013. An alligator was also spotted near Longhorn Dam in Lady Bird Lake in July 2020 by kayakers. TPWD says alligators are native to east and southeast Texas, and the Austin area is at the edge of their range.

Are there water moccasins in Austin Texas?

Water moccasins/ or Cottonmouth snakes are fairly common in Austin. I’ve seen plenty swimming through the greenbelt, and am fortunate enough to not have gotten too close. While water Moccasins are said to be aggressive, they actually don’t bite more often.

Can you swim in the Colorado River in Austin?

According to a new report from the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center and the Frontier Group, many of the state’s creeks, rivers and beaches are too polluted for swimming or wading โ€“ and that includes the Colorado River at Austin, as well as Blunn Creek, East Bouldin Creek, West Bouldin Creek, Waller Creek …

What is the best time of year to catch speckled trout?

Commonly, the largest speckled trout of the season are caught in the spring โ€“ if you want to try to catch a new record trout, this is usually the best time. Read Fishing for Monster Spring Speckled Trout, to learn more about early-season fishing for specks.

Where is the best speckled trout fishing in Texas?

There are big ones here in Port O’Conner โ€“ Baffin Bay and East Matagorda will produce the next Texas state record Speckled Trout I believe, or down by South Padre Island. There’s something about those waters that grow much bigger fish than other places.

What is the bag limit for speckled trout in Texas?

Three fish per day per angler. A minimum size of 17 inches and a maximum size limit of 23 inches.

Is there walleye in the Colorado River?

But more recently, walleye have found their way into the Colorado and Green rivers, joining a fourth species of non-native fish, the burbot, as being among the basin’s “worst of the worst” invasive fish species.

Are there stripers in the Colorado River?

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. โ€“ Various areas throughout the Colorado River chain finished 2020 strong on the striped bass stage after a slower-than-usual fall, and that trend is carried right into the new year with bigger fish showing up more frequently.

Craving More Content?

Safe Harbor Fishing