April Bass Fishing
Month · water 62–72°F
April is the peak of the spawn across most Central Texas lakes. In clear water like Travis and Austin you can sight-fish bedding bass, while the earliest post-spawn fish and the beginning of the shad spawn add reaction-bait action. Big fish are shallow and catchable all month.
Why: The spawn — sight-fish the flats.
Evidence: Verified knowledge from Bryan Cotter, 26+ years guiding all 16 Central Texas lakes.
Related: Lake Travis · Lake Austin · Bass fishing by season
Verified Answered by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs guide · Updated Jul 12, 2026
The pattern
Peak spawn on the flats; sight-fishing; early post-spawn and the start of the shad spawn.
Where the bass are: Shallow spawning flats, pockets and hard-bottom areas; nearby cover for post-spawners.
What they're doing: Guarding beds, then recovering and feeding; shad spawn starts on hard cover.
April at a glance
- Type
- Month
- Months
- Apr
- Water temp
- 62–72°F
- Spawn phase
- Spawn
How to fish it
Go-to techniques: Wacky Rig, Texas Rig, Flipping & Pitching, Squarebill Cranking, Walking Topwater.
Best lures: Senko / Stickbait, Creature Bait, Squarebill Crankbait, Fluke / Soft Jerkbait, Walking Topwater (Spook).
Best lakes right now
Lake Travis · Lake Austin · Lake LBJ · Canyon Lake · Lake Belton
Conditions in play
What to expect
Shallow, visible, catchable fish — a great month for numbers, size and first-timers alike.
Common mistakes
- Spooking bedding fish with a sloppy approach
- Ignoring the post-spawners staging off the beds
Keep exploring
All seasons & months · Bass fishing calendar · Conditions · Central Texas bass fishing guide
Want to fish April with a guide who knows the pattern? See rates and book or call 512-762-0190.