Lake Buchanan always getting skunked

Ok I’ve attempted fishing lake Buchanan for the last year solid three to four times a month with no luck. I am clearly doing something wrong but have only had luck fishing in the spring from the shore when the whites are running. Anytime outside of that I’ve not even caught a small bass.

I’ve tried live shad in many spots in the main lake (humps, bends in the old river bed with intersections), across long flats,, slabbing, trolling and even using a down rigger with pet spoons. I am always out in the morning before first light and off the water by noon. I do well in every other highland lake but this one has me completely stumped.

Does anyone have any best practices for targeting whites, striped bass or even large mouth for Nov / Dec?

Today really made me want to almost give up on the lake until spring as I was working birds on a hump at the beginning of beaver creek and shad were being chased on the surface. I threw everything including the kitchen sink into the birds and jumping shad. I was marking fish from 10-30ft but they didn’t seem tightly packed together. The only thing I did not have was live shad.

Hoping someone might have thoughts on a single game plan for Buchanan for fall. I get frustrated by about 10am every time I am out after not catching anything and know I need to slow things down and stick to a single game plan which might be the issue too but looking for any advice.

Alabama rig
Donkey rig
Large top waters. Spooks and poppers

Or if they're chasing bait, throw a small swimbait and fish it fast! Don't let em get a good look at the bait. As long as it's pretty close to size and color of the shad they'll get it! Surprised live bait didn't do the trick though.

Buch in the fall is my favorite. Tell me about your rod and reel rigs? Devils in the details

I too have had little to no success fishing for largemouth on Buch.

I haven't tried hybrids yet but would like to someday.

It's not very often you see any fishing reports on the lakes in Highland chain of lakes.

Good luck!!

Maybe with the stocking the hybrid fishing will get better.

From this website I read the following:

https://www.lakebuchanancc.org/

We stocked Lake Buchanan with 1,100,000 hybrid striper fry in mid May, 2020.
​Happy Fishing Folks!

I'm the striper king. I limited out in about 30 minute by tinhorn.

I'm the striper king. I'm the one who taught the guides how to fish buch. I limited out in about an hour by tinhorn.

Flag island is good once a quarter when the shad bloom. Black Rock. Bounce a slab this time and I would use downriver in the summer with a buck tail jig Live shad is always the best bet

The white bass are usually on humps by channel swings in 30 to 40 fow.. I jig with slabs for them and will pick up an occasional hybrid.
Two weeks ago the large mouth were SHALLOW and chasing shad literally onto the shore. A small bladed spinner bait was working.

Wow snowyriver6 I sure would like to learn from someone who taught the guides how to fish buch!

Time to hire a guide to teach you the lake. It is a great fishery if you can get a pattern down
I recommend Seth Hobbs. He is very laid back and will teach you the tools you need to be successful.
https://www.facebook.com/labellefishingguideservice/

Match the hatch. Lure size is very important. Match the hatch.

PM Mr. Brandon A
He knows the lake/fish.

Sorry for not responding. Right now Buch is settling into the winter pattern. I've always stay on the South end of the lake 90% of the time. Reason being most folks think all the fish migrate up north. Thats just not true. The main lake will always hold plenty of fish and they usually don't get beat up on as much. As far as what to look for, I look for points, humps and ridges in 30-40 ft of water. I have waypoints that are specifically winter waypoints. For whatever reason they always produce consistently during the winter months. all seem to be 25-30ft . This time of year Thumping can be the difference between having an epic day and having a so so day. Get with Bobo. Reading your graph and the bottom is imperative. People are looking for stacks and yeah sometimes you will find them like that. But a lot of times they are lying right on the bottom. Look for a series lumps or saw blades. Anchor lock on them and start thumping. If they are fish your screen will blow up.

As for bait I catch mine the afternoon before when it is warmer. You can catch them early in that 20-30ft with lights but it gets cold this time of yr. And when I say early 3-4 in the morning.

Also early look for birds. They were so loud the other morning by the house it woke me and the dogs up. It looked like a snow storm going on while driving to the office

Thanks Brandon!

Thanks Brando!
I guess i just need to get out there more often.
I like using the Llano County Ramp but with the lake low it can be a chore by yourself.
If the dock would be lowered as needed then it wouldn't be a problem for me.
Thanks for the information.

email Lake Buchanan Conservation Corp and ask them to push the dock out. They raised the funds and donated the dock and maintain it.

lakebuchanancc@gmail.com

Anyone recommend a guide?

Jackie Headrick , Empty Pockets guide services

I have a standard thumper and in my aluminum boat it produces a very high sound. My buddy has a glass boat and it produces a deeper thud thump. Does that matter and should I switch my thumper to maybe a rubber mallet? Curious specifically about chasing whites in relation to this thread.

It’s the vibration vs the sound. Put a rubber mat under your thumper to soften the thump. It sounds like a gong in some boats and the mat will help!

Thank you, will do. Tim tells me my boat sounds like the Astros dugout when I turn it on. Haha

Ive never tried thumping in an Aluminium boat but I agree scuba a thick rubber mat would be needed

Rubber or carpet will work.

Just got back from Buchanan. Had Seth Hobbs of La Belle Guide Service come on my boat to help me dial in my electronics and show me the ropes on whites/hybrids/stripers. In 4.5 hours 3 of us had 125+ fish boated using MAL spinner. Great guy, great teacher. Highly recommend him to anyone serious about catching fish on Lake Buchanan.

What was the cost for that? I'd like to have some help with my electronics as well.

Seth charged $50/hour with a four hour minimum. I now feel more confident about my Lowrance (settings, adjustments, etc.) as well as finding and keeping fish in the area. He was straight up with "What do you want to gain from this experience" at the start of the trip. $$ well spent!

Awesome! Thanks!!

Went Thursday - no need to get out early! - and got on the whites. They were moving a lot so as soon as it slowed down we went on the hunt for them. Fortunately they were easy to find. We basically targeted 40 - 60 FOW just off the river channel on the lower part of the lake. MAL spinners and castmasters dropped to the bottom and cranked up slowly produced the fish. Great day on the lake!

Went twice this past week and got on em both times. Once on a bait ball in 55 ft but after that they were tougher to find hugging the bottom. Still learning though.

Thumping that bait ball and seeing my graph fill up was fun though.