Wife wants to move to Hill Country so I'm wondering how the fishing is in Canyon Lake? Cats, Hybrids, Striper, Sandies, Crappie?

I can't speak for the lake, as it is heavily used for recreation and I don't much care for fighting for water space with skiers, boarders, and tubers...

But the Guadalupe below the Canyon Dam is a fantastic tailwater and the southernmost trout stream in the US. Prime fishing season is the winter months (for trout), but you can reliably pull rainbows out of it most of the year. When the 'bows aren't hitting, bass (Guadalupe, largemouth, smallies, and hybrids) and sunfish usually are.

The Guadalupe above Canyon Lake is also great fishing, provided you've got a canoe or kayak or raft. You're also within an easy shot of wading/floating the Llano, the San Marcos, and the Colorado, as well as a quick drive to the Highland Lakes around Austin if you absolutely must lake fish.

In the lake? Not good.

Thanks Lane, appreciate the info. My research is showing that it's not a very good fishery. :-(

Canyon is pumping out a high number of black bass. You will definitely catch some if you go out there albeit on the smaller side, but you can wade threw the 30 or so you're going to catch to get a limit. You can look at the results from the Thursday Nighters championship to prove it.

Crappie fishing is excellent right now, although I dont crappie fish many people have been raving about it. The lake is loaded with crappie and I've heard many many locals who have fished it for years say they havent seen crappie like this since it opened if ever.

There is also more bait in the lake than you could believe. Flats and creeks are full of it (shad and perch). I dont know about the other species but do know some guys caught some big catfish on artificial baits while fishing for bass this past weekend during the tournament.

Sounds like the lake coming up really helped the fish out. Good to hear.

Canyon Lake can surprise you.
It can also slap you down and become a dead sea.
Stripes/Whites: Fair-good fishing in the Spring time. Some bigger fish caught then.
Summer/Fall you needs good sonar and down riggers, some schooling at the dam.
Crappie: Better fishing than many know. Many do good at night up river.
Cats: Some,they move a lot. If you find them, the fishing good. If.
Bass: Both LM & SM. Many dinks but so solid #'s. Some brute SM's.

The Lake has high rec traffic during the Summer, so that messes things up at time.
Both the fishing and at the ramps.

I myself fish the lake when I have only 1/2 day or such.
Buch. ( 1.2 hr) has great Stripe/White fishing.
Bastrop/Dunlap ( 1.5 hr)has good Bass fishing.
Cally ( 1.5 hr) has good cat action.

Living in the Hill Country is great, if you can make a living.

C U on the H20.

FI

I havent fished it in years. Used to be an excellent smallmouth lake. That being said, I will also say i only fished it from November to April. For obvious reasons.

Thanks all. Sounds better than what I've been reading.....especially the crappie.

The challenge is finding them, but when you do, you can have a good day.

Canyon is a good fishing lake if you put the time in to find them. I have caught a couple of 8's out of it and saw one guy who caught a 12lb bass while down rigging for stripers at the dam.

Oh sir, I have put the time in and I get my azz handed to me every time.

Welcome to the club!

Yea, no joke. I have fished Canyon for years. Its definitely hit or miss
I haven't fished the lake lately
I'm still trying to learn on Dunlap, it's closer for me!!! And more consistent
Don't overlook the stripers in the lower part of the river. They can get BIG and fat on rainbow trout