Fishing: Drought and the Freshwater Forecast 2014

Lake Travis in Austin, Texas

Lake Travis, Austin, TX. 46.52 feet below normal due to drought.



This is Passport to Texas

Low water levels this year may have a negative effect on freshwater fishing in Texas.

15— Water levels, number one, affect whether boat ramps are accessible, and also affect where the fish will be when you’re fishing. And as the water level changes, anglers sometimes have to learn new places to go to find fish.

On the other hand when water levels rise, anglers may find fish where they had not been before, says Larry Hodge, with the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Unfortunately, drought conditions continue in Texas.

18— When access becomes impossible because of dropping water levels, anglers may have to find a different lake to fish. And this is kind of hard for most people because research shows that most anglers have a favorite lake where they like to fish. They consider it kind of their home lake.

And if fishing is not available, many of these folks just don’t fish.

14— We are trying to encourage people to take a look at other fishing locations in their area that they might get out on the water and catch some fish, and maybe learn a new favorite fishing hole.

Larry Hodge compiled a freshwater fishing forecast for 2014, available in the digital fishing issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine. Look for it at tpwmagazine.com.

That’s our show for today .. Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram. For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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