Lake LBJ

David McGuffey of Marble Falls is no stranger to catching big fish. He previously caught the lake record bass on Lake Marble Falls and while the largemouth he caught Thursday, June 15, at Wirtz Dam on Lake LBJ is not a record-setter, it still is a pretty nice catch.

McGuffey reeled in a certified 9.07-pound, 26.5-inch-long largemouth bass at 4 p.m. using a five-inch Senko worm for bait.

“He was feeding on shad and I caught him on the first cast on the rip raff (a bank of rock leading to the dam),” McGuffey said.

McGuffey owns a guide service and still holds the Lake Marble Falls for an 11.18-pound largemouth bass he caught in 2010.

Asked if he planned to have the fish mounted, McGuffey replied, “I don't know … I'm still just shaking!”

Occupants of a boat that caught fire on Lake LBJ Friday afternoon, June 9, escaped without injury but their craft was a total loss.

The first call about the fire came in to the Horseshoe Bay Police Department about 3 p.m. Friday and most of the fire departments in the area responded with mutual aid to the fire that was within the call area of the Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department.

“The occupants of the boat we're not able to extinguish the fast moving fire on board,” said a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) spokesperson. “They had to put on lifejackets and jump out of the boat to safety.”

“The occupants of the boat were transported by a bystander to the Lake LBJ Marina where Cottonwood VFD and Marble Falls Area EMS evaluated them for injuries,” said Fire Chief Joe Morris of Horseshoe Bay Fire Rescue.

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) has announced it will lower lakes LBJ and Austin for about six weeks in early 2017.

The goal is two-fold: to let property owners repair and maintain docks, retaining walls and shoreline property and help curb growth of nuisance aquatic vegetation such as hydrilla and Eurasian watermilfoil.

“It’s been years since we’ve lowered any of the Highland Lakes,” said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of water. “Property owners need to maintain their boat docks and perform other maintenance, and I’m pleased our water supplies have been replenished enough that a drawdown is possible. Our lakes are nearly full, and conditions in the basin are better than they have been in several years.”

LCRA last lowered Lake LBJ in 2008, Lake Marble Falls in 2009, and lakes Inks and Austin in 2011. No drawdowns occurred in 2012-2016 because of the drought.

Lake LBJ

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) on Tuesday, May 31, issued temporary closings to recreational boating on Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls.

Specifically the ban refers to portions of each lake because of flooding rains and strong flow of the Colorado River. The partial lake closures will remain in effect until further notice.

The closures includes: