University of Texas at Austin

College Ambassador: Sellars Squires

Species

Redfish: An easy drive down to the coast and you will be able to sightcast these guys all day long. They may not all be giants but there are tons of them.

Largemouth Bass: Can find these guys in almost any body of water around town. If you have some poppers and you're at a lake, river, pond, or creek you will be catching, not fishing.

Black Drum: These guys aren't as popular as the redfish but when you do stumble into one of them they sure are fun to fight.

White Bass: Just outside of town in Lake Travis strong white bass runs occur on the Pedernales River.

Trout: You might think that you can't fish for freshwater trout in Texas but you can. The Guadalupe River near Canyon Lake allows the temperature of the water to be cold enough to stock it with trout. There are 20” trout just an hour away and if you know what fly to throw don't worry about getting skunked.

Crevalle jack: When the birds are tearing up the water in the jetties you know it's game on. Electric fish to catch at the coast on the fly.

Accessibility

Lady Bird Lake/Lake Austin: Just 5 minutes from campus there are miles of lake water with easy access to a large population of largemouth. With easy parking down the lake at Mozarts, off of Redbud trail, or on the other end of the lake near Barton Springs. There is so much water to fish, so grab some buddies, walk around, or rent a kayak and go catch some. After that, either enjoy a swim at Barton Springs or grab some food at Shoal Creek Saloon or the many other places nearby.

Rio Guadalupe Resort: This is one of the places where you will be able to park and fish the trout section of the Guad. It is very doable to go for the day at about an hour's ride. There are a couple of fly shops in the area and they will tell you where the holes are and how to rig. The only flaw is that this section is very competitive because it is so easy to wade and guide services drift down this section as well. The best times to go are from November to March.

Port O’Connor: This is the closest saltwater destination from Texas about 3 hours away. Don't let that travel discourage you from going. This is a great spot to go with a couple of buddies for the weekend. With endless flats, lakes, and rivers to fish, it can make for a lifetime memory. After fishing all day, there are some great spots to grab some grub and hang out until the next morning.

Community 

In Austin, there is a great community of fly fishermen. They aren't that hard to find and as you fish around the area more you will run into them or if in a club or fraternity. With it being such a big school you are bound to find some great guys who will be willing to go on any trip with you. 

Hangouts/Shops

Sportsman's Finest: The best shop for fishing and outdoor goods is Sportsman's Finest. Located on Bee Caves this shop has it all. The people that work here are amazing and know their shit. They offer free casting lessons and have fly-tying nights where you will be able to perfect your cast or learn to tie flys. This shop has great vibes and it’s always fun to chat it up with the guys working there

Howler Bros: Howler Bros was started here in Austin and they have a couple of shops that are fun to pop into and hang out. They usually have some fun get-togethers around Austin where they have live music, discounted clothes, and more. This usually brings a lot of the fishing/outdoor community together so it's a great time to meet new anglers and have fun.