Drought could improve Texas fishing areas

Posted: Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:22 AM - 9,731 Readers

Low lake levels in parts of drought-stricken Texas could eventually contribute to better fishing areas.

Experts say exposed ground means more vegetation is growing on land that will hopefully be covered by water in a few years.

The Lower Colorado River Authority reports the average elevation for Lake Travis in July is 669 feet above mean sea level. The level Wednesday was 637 feet.

Fisheries biologist Steve Magnelia with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department visited the lake near Austin this week and he pointed out so-called "sometimes islands," areas that are now out of the water.

The fish, especially bass, now congregate in the deeper water, making them harder to find.

"They need inflows coming into the lake for their spawning and because we haven't had much inflow this year and even last year and that's probably had an affect on the survival of their young," Magnelia told KXAN-TV.

But Magnelia is hopeful, once lake levels rebound, that there will be "this huge boom of fish and that will provide great fishing for the next two or three years."

The department says the other problem with fishing is the lack of access into Lake Travis, with the Mansfield Dam boat ramp the only public boat ramp open.

Con Cvietusa was fishing with his 8-year-old grandson, Jackson, from the boat ramp.

"I'm disappointed the water is so low," said Cvietusa.

* Story Contributed by: Associated Press

[edit]

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