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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Liebers Dad]
#13329280
11/01/19 08:44 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559
Jarrett Latta
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559 |
Talked with a guy at basspro earlier today who said he fished it earlier this week, but he made no mention of a low water issue. I am now concerned because I'm headed there with a buddy Sunday. Usually kill em on Decker (last trip was a 22# bag after culling from roughly 30 fish), but now I'm worried enough about the level that I called COA parks. They were less than useless so I still have no idea if I can even launch. I have trouble launching there anyway and if the level is way low I'm "attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis" and will need to find another lake. How's Bastrop been? Might contact someone at Central Texas outdoors, I think they host a tournament out there every Sunday. Travis is fishing really good right now as well
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Jarrett Latta]
#13329317
11/01/19 10:59 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,853
fivebites
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,853 |
Talked with a guy at basspro earlier today who said he fished it earlier this week, but he made no mention of a low water issue. I am now concerned because I'm headed there with a buddy Sunday. Usually kill em on Decker (last trip was a 22# bag after culling from roughly 30 fish), but now I'm worried enough about the level that I called COA parks. They were less than useless so I still have no idea if I can even launch. I have trouble launching there anyway and if the level is way low I'm "attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis" and will need to find another lake. How's Bastrop been? Might contact someone at Central Texas outdoors, I think they host a tournament out there every Sunday. Travis is fishing really good right now as well Jarrett, are you on many fish over 3 pounds at Travis? That lake confounds me. LOTS of dinks up to about 2 pounds, but man I have a hard time getting better fish out there. I see a few around the marinas that are in the 3-5 pound range so I know they're here. And I catch an occasional one in that range, but not one or more per trip.
2019 Chevy Tahoe 2018 Basscat Eyra 250 Proxs PB Wife of 32 years! PB Largemouth 9.56 Ray Roberts
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13333849
11/06/19 03:26 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 277
Liebers Dad
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 277 |
So here's the skinny I got. First I called COA parks and got told they have no control over water level that LCRA controls that which is false, but I called LCRA anyway. Sure enough, LCRA only pumps water at the direction of COA or more precisely austin energy, but they guy DID tell me they are returning water to the lake S-L-O-W-L-Y. So I called COA parks back and asked again and got transferred to someone in SALES at austin energy who obviously had no clue.
So, on to the fishing part. I went out Saturday afternoon just to make sure I could get on the water. I had to back all the way down the ramp to get flat enough to launch. My hitch was almost in the water, but I was able to launch without tearing up the boat. The end of the ramp is fairly flat, hard sand/ I should mention here that I have a hydraulic jack plate on the motor which makes it much easier in shallow water, although I saw plenty of other boats out there. You can launch no issue. You can trailer with no issue provided you are deep enough. As long as your vehicle has enough power to pull up a steep hill you should be fine to go.
now for the fishing part. i did not wet a line Saturday, but go out Sunday at 630am. Got to one of my favorite spots on the lake by 7 (had to wait on my back seat). He got a blow up on a pearl fluke (about the only thing he'll throw!), but missed the fish. It wasn't big. He missed another a few minutes later. That's it. That's the report. There was no other action and I saw no other boats even get a sniff.
Water temp was 65-63 across the lake. Plant generated for about an hour around 8am. lake level was roughly 4-5ft low. lots of hydrilla mats in the coves.
Its a shame, but it seems the draw down really screwed fishing this lake this fall. Damn shame too because some of my best days are on Decker in November.
I didn't lose him at the boat. I shook him off cause I didn't want my hands to get "fishy"
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: fivebites]
#13334301
11/07/19 02:11 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559
Jarrett Latta
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559 |
Talked with a guy at basspro earlier today who said he fished it earlier this week, but he made no mention of a low water issue. I am now concerned because I'm headed there with a buddy Sunday. Usually kill em on Decker (last trip was a 22# bag after culling from roughly 30 fish), but now I'm worried enough about the level that I called COA parks. They were less than useless so I still have no idea if I can even launch. I have trouble launching there anyway and if the level is way low I'm "attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis" and will need to find another lake. How's Bastrop been? Might contact someone at Central Texas outdoors, I think they host a tournament out there every Sunday. Travis is fishing really good right now as well Jarrett, are you on many fish over 3 pounds at Travis? That lake confounds me. LOTS of dinks up to about 2 pounds, but man I have a hard time getting better fish out there. I see a few around the marinas that are in the 3-5 pound range so I know they're here. And I catch an occasional one in that range, but not one or more per trip. That's just Travis. Tons of smaller fish with occasionally a good one
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Liebers Dad]
#13334304
11/07/19 02:12 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559
Jarrett Latta
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559 |
So here's the skinny I got. First I called COA parks and got told they have no control over water level that LCRA controls that which is false, but I called LCRA anyway. Sure enough, LCRA only pumps water at the direction of COA or more precisely austin energy, but they guy DID tell me they are returning water to the lake S-L-O-W-L-Y. So I called COA parks back and asked again and got transferred to someone in SALES at austin energy who obviously had no clue.
So, on to the fishing part. I went out Saturday afternoon just to make sure I could get on the water. I had to back all the way down the ramp to get flat enough to launch. My hitch was almost in the water, but I was able to launch without tearing up the boat. The end of the ramp is fairly flat, hard sand/ I should mention here that I have a hydraulic jack plate on the motor which makes it much easier in shallow water, although I saw plenty of other boats out there. You can launch no issue. You can trailer with no issue provided you are deep enough. As long as your vehicle has enough power to pull up a steep hill you should be fine to go.
now for the fishing part. i did not wet a line Saturday, but go out Sunday at 630am. Got to one of my favorite spots on the lake by 7 (had to wait on my back seat). He got a blow up on a pearl fluke (about the only thing he'll throw!), but missed the fish. It wasn't big. He missed another a few minutes later. That's it. That's the report. There was no other action and I saw no other boats even get a sniff.
Water temp was 65-63 across the lake. Plant generated for about an hour around 8am. lake level was roughly 4-5ft low. lots of hydrilla mats in the coves.
Its a shame, but it seems the draw down really screwed fishing this lake this fall. Damn shame too because some of my best days are on Decker in November. Lake is in great shape. Couldn't find a pattern today but water did come up to 74-75 degrees and bait pushed out to 22-24ft. I think alot of fish went out with them. Water temps need to stabilize and get cold in my opinion. Plenty of hydrilla and milfoil to fish all winter
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13334553
11/07/19 01:36 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350
doctorb
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350 |
Fished Decker for a couple of hours yesterday. Only caught 3 fish in 2 hours. I could tell there wasn't going to be a good pattern and decided I had better things to do. The lake is about the lowest I've seen it but I launched my Ranger Z520 no problem. 4wd definitely helps on that slick ramp more than ever. There is definitely a ton of grass in there again this year and I'm sure the fishing will be good again this winter. Crazy how many boats are on this lake these days. When I started fishing this lake in 2002 there was hardly anyone out there this time of year. I guess Austin keeps getting bigger and bigger.
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: doctorb]
#13334911
11/07/19 05:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559
Jarrett Latta
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559 |
Fished Decker for a couple of hours yesterday. Only caught 3 fish in 2 hours. I could tell there wasn't going to be a good pattern and decided I had better things to do. The lake is about the lowest I've seen it but I launched my Ranger Z520 no problem. 4wd definitely helps on that slick ramp more than ever. There is definitely a ton of grass in there again this year and I'm sure the fishing will be good again this winter. Crazy how many boats are on this lake these days. When I started fishing this lake in 2002 there was hardly anyone out there this time of year. I guess Austin keeps getting bigger and bigger. When lake Austin had grass there was zero reason to go to decker or anywhere else actually. Now that it's a dump, decker is the next closest grass lake.
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Jarrett Latta]
#13335152
11/07/19 08:24 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350
doctorb
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350 |
Fished Decker for a couple of hours yesterday. Only caught 3 fish in 2 hours. I could tell there wasn't going to be a good pattern and decided I had better things to do. The lake is about the lowest I've seen it but I launched my Ranger Z520 no problem. 4wd definitely helps on that slick ramp more than ever. There is definitely a ton of grass in there again this year and I'm sure the fishing will be good again this winter. Crazy how many boats are on this lake these days. When I started fishing this lake in 2002 there was hardly anyone out there this time of year. I guess Austin keeps getting bigger and bigger. When lake Austin had grass there was zero reason to go to decker or anywhere else actually. Now that it's a dump, decker is the next closest grass lake. That is essentially what happened. Downfall of Lake Austin and the drought several years back put a lot of people on Decker and they realized it was actually a pretty good lake. I enjoyed the spring sight fishing on Lake Austin but otherwise I never was a big fan of that lake/river. Too many knuckleheads out there for me. I just don't enjoy big crowds on the water. Luckily I also have a jet boat that I use to fish the lower Colorado river away from the crowds. Now that is some fun fishing especially if you like to flip heavy jigs. It's a seemingly endless supply of lay downs.
Last edited by doctorb; 11/07/19 08:26 PM.
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13354152
11/27/19 04:06 AM
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 26
Jwallace
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 26 |
Any updates on water level?
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13354273
11/27/19 12:50 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350
doctorb
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350 |
Still low as of last Wednesday. Launched my Ranger Z520 no problem.
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13740054
10/22/20 06:42 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 220
Amistad Tackle
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 220 |
Reviving this thread as the lake is very low again. I wasn't able to launch my bass boat yesterday. Another bass boat was there and they also couldn't launch. It wasn't deep enough to float the boat. They are pumping water, but it's going to be a while before a bass boat will be able to launch. If you have a small aluminum boat it will probably be OK. Also lots of rocks in the water at the ramp, so even if the water comes up you need to be careful power loading. Guy in the other boat told me about someone tearing up a new $700 prop the week before.
Just a heads up if you are planning on fishing there this weekend. Given the popularity of this fishery why can't the City improve this ramp. It's been like this for at least 30 years.
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13740063
10/22/20 06:50 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 78,548
banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
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Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 78,548 |
Glad to hear there pumping water back in. Usually do pretty good around the water coming in, good oxygenated water. Will probably hit it early next week. Thanks for all the comments, Emmett
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap. John 3:16 Sinner's Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13740280
10/22/20 09:02 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350
doctorb
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 350 |
I tried launching my Ranger Z520 yesterday. It was a no go. I wonder if the low levels have something to do with that power plant being shut down. I'm not certain if it is shut down yet but I've heard that it will be. I'm going to bring my jet boat out there next time. It's not worth damaging my bass boat.
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13740390
10/22/20 10:47 PM
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Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 192
Skeeter John
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 192 |
I guess I should load up my yak and head out there since big boats are limited. At least "Amistad Tackle" won't run me over!
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Re: Decker Lake Water Level
[Re: Emmett]
#13740443
10/22/20 11:44 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559
Jarrett Latta
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,559 |
I think it's the new normal. I heard that a large golf course investor group bought the area around the bait shop. It's just a matter of time now. If they don't pump in water it gives them an excuse to shut down the ramps. The city would love to sell that place off....
And dropping water a few feet to kill grass is moronic in my opinion. It just grows deeper....if anything, if they flooded it with 4ft over it it would be more likely to die unless they literally dropped it beyond where it grows.
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