Headed to Fayette County Lake for three days of fishing the last week of February with a couple of friends and have never been there. We only catch and release because we just like to drink (more) beer when we're done fishing.

looking for any advice you guys could share on patterns, baits, waterdogs?, areas, etc. Also any concerns with running the lake?

Not looking for secret spots, just trying to figure out what to expect when we get there.

fish this lake a good bit. It's where I learned to fish 30+ years ago and now I take my son there. Planning on going at spring break which we try for every year.

what's your email and I'll send you some info

it's a great lake with lots of options. fish timber....fish out off points.....fish along rock rip rap. All of which you can do any type of method....finesse, crankbaits, spinner baits, etc, etc.

I haven't fished waterdogs on it since I was 15. Not even sure where you'd get waterdogs now a days. Maybe a place in fayetteville has them.

relatively small lake and there really are only a few areas not to run b/c of the timber

I'd be curious what the water level is like out there right now. Fayetteville got pounded with rain this week.

Hydromet - Charts (lcra.org)

I've fished this lake a few times throughout my life but am by no means an expert. We tend to fish the eastern half of the lake primarily. Maybe because it's a coal plant, but unlike other power plant lakes (e.g. Bastrop) there doesn't seem to be a warm water discharge point to focus on when it's cold. There are a few "coves" with creek beds which are good in the early spring (slow presentation in or near the grasscan't go wrong with black-blue senko). The dam can be good too, and we've had good luck in the timber especially when they're actively feeding. I've never actually fished with waterdogs as we couldn't get them any time we wanted to when I was growing up. My biggest complaint/caution and the reason we don't fish there more is it absolutely sucks in the wind; the landscape around there doesn't provide much wind break and it can get pretty rough. It's a good lake with some good fish though.

SGrem said:

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Nobody Knows My Name said:

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Just a heads up there is like a 99% chance you get a water safety inspection by LCRA or Game Warden on that lake so make dang sure everything is in order. I don't think I've ever not been checked there although it has been a few years since I've been.

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This is interesting to me as I have been there hundreds of times over last 30 yrs and never been checked.

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was about the say the same as Grem. I have been stopped there ONCE

but the other posters comment about the folks cast netting tilapia is spot on!!

AustinCountyAg said:

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I'd be curious what the water level is like out there right now. Fayetteville got pounded with rain this week.

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it was very low in late December. To the point you need to be careful when launching your boat at either ramp b/c they are steep and algae is above the water line.

they did get pounded last couple of days so interesting to see how much it comes up

That's funny. I was going to say that if you don't mind eating tilapia, just take a cast net and catch as many as you want to clean.

SGrem said:

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Nobody Knows My Name said:

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Just a heads up there is like a 99% chance you get a water safety inspection by LCRA or Game Warden on that lake so make dang sure everything is in order. I don't think I've ever not been checked there although it has been a few years since I've been.

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This is interesting to me as I have been there hundreds of times over last 30 yrs and never been checked.

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While I do find that odd, my sample size is much smaller!

Trip,
Sorry for the delay, any info would be much appreciated. That would be awesome.

flipperag94@gmail.com

And thanks to everybody for the info. Hopefully have some pics to post when we get back.

Tilapia have overrun some areas where we used to fish back 25-30 years ago, but if you know some areas the big fish are still there. Been a few years but one day in late May using those 12 inch Megaworms at the junction of a couple creek channels and some timber. I caught a 10 lb. 6 oz, 2- 8lb. , a few 5-6 pounders, all within a couple hours. Best day of Bass fishing in my life. That day was a blessing from God! May God bless y'all too! Be safe, Be careful, Be Blessed!

flipper...sent you an email

Have you ever done this yourself? If so, is there any shot I could use a cast net for tilapia without a boat?

Fished there today and it was tough. Only caught 10 fish. No Mexicans cast netting out there today. The grass seems to be a lot sparser than past years.

Find the submerged old pond dams in the middle of the timber. My dad caught a couple 8-10 lbers with the 10-12 inch megaworms Carolina rigged. In Feb., fish the drop offs and points near the discharge due to elevated water temp. Good luck
https://imgur.com/a/CXnRyim

SGrem. Not to derail. Did you ever know Rick Rule who used to guide on the lake?

Gunny456 said:

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SGrem. Not to derail. Did you ever know Rick Rule who used to guide on the lake?

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I certainly remember him. That was a long time ago when everyone was slinging waterdogs out there.
I'm getting old. I was fishing Gibbons Creek back when Clark Wendlant was still guiding out there.

Gunny456 said:

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SGrem. Not to derail. Did you ever know Rick Rule who used to guide on the lake?

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I'm not familiar no....

I fished with Rick Rule on Fayette (and on his offshore boat) back in the mid to late 90's. At Fayette we threw Carolina rigged worms on the humps towards the middle of the lake (not all the way in the middle but pretty well offshore). We were normally pretty successful doing that.

Fayette has been a really good lake to fish for a long time. Amazing that it's stayed fairly consistent for that long when most lakes have their ups and downs. Probably related to nearly constant level. It's never been a really good big fish lake though. But lots of fun for 2-4 pound bass.

Grew up on the lake being from Austin County. Best day was a 5 fish stringer that I caught off a fork in a creek channel. Largest was 10 lb 6 oz and smallest was a 6 lb 2 oz. 40 pound stringer within 3 hours. Have never even come close except on private lakes with little to no pressure.

That's a good day!

Do you or Hullabaque know what ever became of him? Is he still around. I used to do some marine business with him and were friends. Totally lost track.

Gunny456 said:

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Do you or Hullabaque know what ever became of him? Is he still around. I used to do some marine business with him and were friends. Totally lost track.

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I don't know. I really didn't know him. I just remember him guiding out there.