Lake Austin produced its twentieth bass over 13 pounds February 21 when Robert Whitehead of Austin caught a 13.19-pound bass while fishing the upper end of the lake.
Whitehead was fishing in five feet of water when the fish took his plastic worm about 1:30 p.m. The fish was 27.28 inches long and 19.84 inches in girth.
ShareLunker 555 is the seventh program entry of the current season. Previous entries have come from Lakes Fork, Athens and Palestine. Whitehead’s catch moved Lake Austin into a tie for fourth place (with Falcon International Reservoir) on the list of lakes producing the most ShareLunkers. Lake Fork has produced 256, O.H. Ivie and Alan Henry 25 each, and Sam Rayburn 23. ShareLunkers have come from 21 private water bodies.
Catches of big bass typically begin to increase in February and peak in March as water temperatures warm and fish begin moving into shallow water to spawn. So far this season catches number one in November and two each in December, January and February.
Abnormally cold temperatures in December appear to have pushed back the start of spawning activity. However, with seven entries at the present time and the month of March just ahead, the program seems on track to receive the 20 entries it’s averaged in the past.
