I've been out on Travis 15 - 20 times over the last 4 years at various times during the year fishing for large mouth bass. Typically on most lakes that have sandies and stripers you'll see them schooling. Is there just not good enough populations or do they just not school on this lake as much as others? I'm generally fishing from Gloster bend back towards the dam. Haven't ventured up the river much further than Gloster. You'd think you could see them at least occasionally if there was a good population of them. Thanks!

None of you Central Texas boys striper/sandbass fish Travis? The wife just doesn't have the skills or patience to catch LMB. She loves slabbing or topwater bite when sandies/stripers are schooling. PM me if you have an area that holds them. I can catch em if I can locate em.

Up

I don't think there is a large population of stripers on Travis. There are a few, but not like Buchanan. The only place I've ever caught one is in the deep water by the dam, trolling with a spoon on a diver, but that was later in the summer when the water was warm. I do recall seeing a report some time ago where a guy was catching some, fishing at night with live sunfish. Again IIRC, that was in the warm summer months. Whites can be caught on the far upper end when they are schooling in the spring, but that is over for the year.

There is a ample population of stripers in Travis. Being a super clear lake makes them harder to catch. Buddy catches DD stripers on the reg using live perch. other than what he tells me I don't have much. I hate that lake during the summer months.

Thanks boys. I just can't imagine that if there is any kind of population of either fish that you'd NEVER see them schooling! I see large mouth school regularly on Travis. Never seen birds diving at Travis. Just wierd. Another one of those mysteries on these highland lakes I guess. Dang I miss Lake Fork! LOL! I gotta get over to Buch one of these days and try it out. Only been there twice and was fishing strictly for large mouth.

Just speculating here on why you don't see much schooling and that is low shad population. Stripers/hybrids/whites school when they push big schools of shad to the surface. If the shad aren't there you are not going to see much. I don't know know I just know the buddies of mine that do fish for them catch a bunch of them. I know people load up on the whites every year up the perdenales and below starke dam. So they are there.

I'm guessing Stark dam is the bottom of Marble Falls. Never been past Gloster Bend. I find plenty of schools of shad Brando. And I catch quite a few large mouth busting shad on top. Just never seen stripers doing it.

Yes its below marble. I don't know why you don't see them schooling. Also was always told Travis didnt have many shad. I've only fished it a few times and due to the rec boats I rather fish Buchanan

I would think it’s more like plenty of food just not very many fish compared to surface acres and they don’t have to work hard for their meals. Amistad also same way. When you fish some of the Arkansas lakes “stocked like Travis” the striped fish very rarely school but they are they are there and tend to be NICE fish. 15-20 times total over several years not very many days...I am sure very rarely Once in a blue moon they torture some helpless shad somewhere in a little pocket or on a point and it’s just fast and quick.

You’re probably right. I don’t fish the lake enough to really know. I have heard of them schooling though. Mostly from bass fisherman in back of coves . Can’t recall any open water schooling reports.

The real issue for not seeing any schooling whites is the amount of boat traffic that keeps the lake a constant churn. Best advice for catching whites is fishing the green lights at night. But it does seem the whites have been very scattered the last 4 years or so. Right now they school early in the morning around the marinas with the shad spawn.