Anyone hit Lake Austin lately, during the draw down? I'm contemplating sticking the yak in today or maybe sometime this weekend. It seems like this last time this happened, folks were yanking em out left and right, but I haven't heard anything on this one???

Not many people fishing it even when you could put a boat in. I'm sure they are stacked with this weather. Stacked as in 2 on one spot...

Let me start off by apologising for the long rant. I would feel this way regardless of the body of water because I feel a body of water should be managed for everyone in mind and not one group. I understand this is very hard to accomplish at times but when it is done so blatantly as to cater to one group of boaters and not to all boaters, such as it is on Lake Austin it really upsets me.

I cannot comment on the fishing during the draw-down because I have never experienced it, but I can to attest to the overall "quality" of fishing and it's decline, I have experience over the last 3 years. It can be summed up in two words, "It SUCKS". It is obvious the lake is no longer managed as a fishery and is evident by the amount of actual fishing vs. recreational boating that takes place on the lake. Just travel around the lake and look at the number of boat docks/houses that contain a ski/wake boat vs. a bass boat. Being managed by the city of Austin they cater to the wants of the home owners on the lake, and not the occasional visitor. These folks want nothing more than a body of water to run their boats and could care less about the fish and the quality of the water underneath them. Get on the lake anytime and simply watch how inconsiderate these boaters are of those of us who are there to fish. I have personally had my boat swamped on more than one occasion and the boat operators on these occasions shoot me the bird and laugh as they were driving away. When I say swamped, I mean to the extent I cannot get on plane due to the amount of water in my boat. I can just imagine a grandpa with a couple grandkids in a jon boat or canoe trying to fish and have one of these wake boats over-turn or even sink them. On my last trip to the lake a friend and I were commenting on a couple of issues as we were paying the outrageous launch fee (under the bridge) and the kid (short scrawny, long haired kid) working there said "you can go someplace else if you don't like it." This was an unsolicited, uncalled for comment, that I considered rude for him to butt in on a private conversation as he did. Had I been his supervisor, I would have fired him on the spot for making such a comment to a customer. I asked him if he was a skier who lived locally and I got the expected, "Yes" answer. Just by looking at him I already knew the answer.
Go speak with some of these folks and you will quickly learn this to be true. They cannot stand fisherman or what we stand for. They are one of the most inconsiderate groups I have encountered in a life-time of fishing lakes and rivers all over the south. Because most people in this group own houses on the lake and pay taxes to the city of Austin to do so, they act as though ownership of the lake goes along with it. The sad part is, it looks as though the city of Austin shares this way of thinking!! Until such time as I am convinced that the quality of fishing has returned and the city of Austin and TPWD enforces existing State and Federal boating laws as they should, I for one will never spend another dime to fish Lake Austin, and I bet I am not alone!

I agree with both of you. I don't fish Lake Austin when the water is warm enough for the knuckleheads to be out there in force. I'm usually on Lady Bird (no combustible motors). I fish out of yak, so I'm not spending any money to launch, however, you can launch free at Quinlan park.

All that said, I know there are still big fish in Lake Austin. I'm also fairly sure that this is the best time to go stick the fish of a lifetime out there. I'm happy to pass on the info I've heard recently...the area around Emma Long has been producing some fish...

Yep - and unfortunately TP&W played a major role in the demise of the Lake Austin fishery by permitting a gross overstocking of grass carp - no doubt under pressure from City of Austin and the lake's deep-pockets HOA . This gross overstocking resulted in the grass carp eating all the aquatic vegetation in the lake resulting in the nuking of the lake's ecosystem. TP&W recently pulled their grass carp permit so the grass carp can be taken but its too little too late - it will be many years before the grass carp population is reduced enough to allow the lakes ecosystem to return to balance.

I was aware of the carp situation and should have mentioned it, as it only furthers my belief that Austin is managing this lake for the pleasure boaters and could care less about the fish or fisherman.

Lake Austin could have set a new state record for sure. It was that good. 40-45lb bags to win tournaments.

The glory days surely are missed

Here's your indicator...

Our "big fish" lake is now Georgetown.