Just looking for some info/experiences on Bastrop. Never have been, been wanting to make the run out there from Houston for a few years. Planning on making that happen this Friday (weather dependent, right now looks like gusts to 31mph on Friday and a cold front blowing over this week, my luck)


Any info would be great! First timer so just wanting to know what to expect. I plan to drop in at the South Park ramp. Thanks!

Interested myself. My daughter just moved up the road from Lake Bastrop. May want to give it a shot when we visit her. Rode by there a couple of weeks ago and there were several campers and boats there. Looked like there was a fee to fish or launch a boat.

5 dollar entry fee, both ramps are Texas Parks and Wildlife operations. I plan to be out there Friday - I try to fish Lake Bastrop twice a month. There are tons of bass but lake off of sub 3lbers. I have the best luck along the main lake reeds personally. Always makes for a fun outting if you are ok with 2-3lbers.

I have been trying to fish lake somerville more up the road - Want to make a push for more 4+lbers over quantity.

I’m curious, do you think it’s a going to be a mud hole after all that rain or does it stay pretty clear?

Bastrop lost most of its grass this past summer/winter. Made the fishing a little tougher. I have never seen the lake muddied except after an absolute gully washer, like a TS or hurricane remnants.
There a few chunks there but mostly 1-3lbers. Its a numbers lake.

I believe the parks are LCRA parks.

Thanks for the info. Haven't heard about it losing grass.

is the plant still in operation?

Yes, Bastrop is a great lake for 1 to 3-pound fish. Winds will kick up the silt in the lake, but it will never look like a chocolate milkshake. It is very inexpensive to enter and has some great facilities.

I do hate it when I work during the week and crappy weather pops up on Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday.

Me and my Wife are going to have a first next month at the lake. We are going to stay 3 days and 2 nights in one of their Airstreams. That ought to be an experience.

I am not throwing rocks at Hookem, but the "the lake lost most of its grass this past Summer/Winter" is not right. The Summer heat or the Winter cold would not kill the grass on half of the lake. There is lots of eel grass on the south side of the lake. I can't swear to this, but someone sprayed the lake on the north side.

Thanks for the info Rayzor! Yeah I may still run up there tomorrow. Buddy and I are off for Good Friday so may just fight the wind gusts and make it a good time. Looks like a cold front came over out there this past week though.
Not as much worried about that if the plant is still running

The water was about 75 degrees on the lake away from the discharge. I have given up worrying if the plant was producing heat or not.

It’s Bastrop, go throw whatever you want near grass or reeds and get a bunch of bites. Just don’t expect any to be over 4lbs.

It’s a numbers lake,

Little update for everyone, buddy and I ended up going to Bastrop on Friday

Got the boat put in at south shore at about 6:50ish. Very calm and beautiful morning. Idled out of the no wake zone and started throwing top water at the reeds. Bass were chasing shad on open water behind us, couldn’t get any to slam a top water though. Not a single bite in first hour or so

Moved on to the dam. Caught one that was probably 3lbs on a citrus shad 6XD.. Fished some reeds again with senkos, flukes, Texas rig, got one small bite but missed him. Other than that, nothing

Moved into the creek/canal that the discharge is on by about 9:30ish. Every fish we caught the rest of the day was in that creek on white spinnerbaits and beetle spins (they were running shad/schooling. Very fun!) We fished other coves (some of them with timber) and other reed lines, didn’t get a single bite. Go back to the discharge, fish on!

Had to get off the water by 1pm. The wind picked up extremely bad (I run a 22ft center console and was rolling on 2-3ft swells at times on the main lake). I wasn’t aware a 900 acre lake could look like East Galveston Bay LOL. Even up in some of the coves the trolling motor had a hard time keeping up at some points.


Ended the day with I believe 11 fish, all were 1-3lbs. Fun time for sure! I don’t believe the plant was running because the water 64-66 degrees throughout the whole lake. I’d go back, but I don’t think I’d do another day trip up there.

Nice report. Pretty sure I was pulling away from the docks when I saw that center console backing down ramp. You place a camera on the rocks ? I had about same results using a crush city mayor and an underspin setup in silver.

I was back to the ramp by 12:30. The wind was just to much. I found one semi calm area but only snagged 1 tiny dink there.

Razor I thought I saw your boat at bucees but when I go to south shore ramp no triton trailer.

Buc-ee's in Giddings? We haven't stop there in my last 2 trips. We have stopped at the Whataburger the last 2 Saturdays.

BTW - we always use the north ramp.

We fished from 8:30am until 3pm. The water temp was only about 68 degrees today. Constant wind. I am going to rename the lake "El Lago Ventoso." My Wife had a bad day and we wound up with only 34. All fish in the reeds.