Lake Buchanan Striper Fishing Guide

Lake Buchanan is located about 200 miles west of Houston, 200 miles south of Fort Worth and Dallas, 95  miles north of San Antonio, and 60 miles northwest of Austin. Lake Buchanan is one of the hottest striper fishing locations in Central Texas as a result of efforts by volunteers and stocking programs by the government. Lake Buchanan has 124 miles of shoreline with a maximum width of just less than five miles and a length of 30 miles. Lake Buchanan is the 1st. of the Highland Lakes in Central Texas. All around Lake Buchanan, there are many different kinds of lodging available such as houseboats, campgrounds, cabins RV spaces and several resorts. On the west side of the lake there is a very popular winery where thirsty fisherman can stop in for some wine tasting and even purchase some Texas wine.

A good haul!

Around some parts of Lake Buchanan, there is pleasant granite gravel that provides an ideal beach for sun bathing, wading, and swimming. This lake is very popular swimmers, campers, fishermen, and boaters. Visiting fishermen will never feel crowded on this lake because it is so large. This 22,211 acre lake has a maximum depth of 132 feet with no significant aquatic water vegetation present. At the dam, the water is clear but as the visiting fisherman moves upstream, the water gradually becomes less clear. The striper fishing is excellent on this lake. The stripers start their yearly schooling & feeding activity in February.

Along drop-offs and on humps on the bottom of the lake, a Carolina rig baited with live shad is nearly productive for stripers. In the early fall and late spring, the topwater fishing is often productive. Fishermen need to concentrate on the humps and points on the main lake. Usually, stripers will be chasing baits just under the surface of the water when birds can be seen sighted working schools of shad. In order to effective target a striper; fishermen may have to use a downrigger in the heat of the summertime. Yellow or white trailers and bucktail will work well behind these downriggers. A depthfinder or fish locater can help the fisherman locate structure for this kind of fishing on the main lake. Fishermen need to set their balls on their downriggers somewhat higher than the depth of thermocline depth, which generally is between 20 feet and 30 feet.

A striper is a fish that schools. All throughout the year there are many times when they can be located feeding on bait fish on the surface. However, this is far from a sure thing. A striper will usually be located in groups in cooler, deeper in the months during the summertime. The winter months of October through June offer some excellent striper catching, while the weather isn’t the best and often colder and less conducive to going fishing. These months are probably the best for a trip to catch a striper. When going for stripers, there are many factors to be considered. These factors include the phase of the moon, bottom structure, time of the year and day, direction of the wind, and temperature of the water. This is the reason that visiting anglers might want to consider hiring a Lake Buchanan Striper Fishing Guide. A striper Fishing Guide on this lake can often provide a short cut to catching stripers because they usually have so many years of experience.

As a guide, on Lake Buchanan, 18 inches is the minimum size limit. However, it can be very exciting for the younger or inexperienced fisherman to even catch a smaller size fish. Knowing the legal size of a striper can be tricky. This is another reason to consider hiring a Lake Buchanan Striper Fishing Guide.

The Lake Buchanan Conservation Corp. which was established in 2006 by a core group of striper guides, resort owners and concerned citizens, has, among other accomplishments, been the driving force behind stocking the lake with millions of hybrid stripers, black bass and habitat, as well as lakeside improvements. The hybrid stripers stocked by this organization are now legal “keeper” size and are adding dramatically to the fishery of this great lake. The also tend to be very good fighters and VERY good eating!

Contact Capt. Jackie Headrick of Empty Pockets Fishing Guide Service now to be your Lake Buchanan or Inks Lake Striper Fishing Guide.