Things are looking up at Lake O.H. Ivie. The powerhouse bass lake near San Angelo recently caught more than four feet of water after big rains fell on the Elm Creek watershed north of Ballinger during the first week of November. Added to a five-foot rise from September, the lake level has jumped more than nine-feet over the last 2 1/2 months.
As of Nov. 21, the lake was at 41% (about 10,000 acres) of full capacity, which is about 19,000 acres. That’s way up from the 26.3% capacity level recorded in mid-August, according to Lynn Wright, the fisheries biologist who oversees the lake for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“I’m happy to get any increase in water level,” Wright said. “These two rises together are not near as significant as a 20-foot rise like we’ve had in the past, but will definitely help,” Wright said.
The biologist said the most recent rise pushed water over vast flats cluttered salt cedars and other terrestrial vegetation that has grown during years of low water. He expects the bounty of newly flooded will provide bass with excellent spawning habitat next spring and ultimately result in good survival among young fish.
“There is a lot that could happen between now and then,” he said. “But we definitely have a lot more acres of water and flooded habitat than we had at this time a year ago. As long as the lake holds fairly steady we're in good shape for the spawn next spring. We definitely have more nursery type habitats for the young fish.”
For those who may not know, ‘Ivie has been the workhorse for Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Toyota Sharelunker program in recent times with 51 Legacy Class entries over 13 pounds over the last four spawning seasons, Jan. 1— March 31. Among them are six Top 50 fish, including two 17-pounders, three-16 pounders and a 15.82.
Bassmaster Magazine ranked ‘Ivie as the No. 2 bass lake in America 2024; No. 1 in 2023. If you’re after a big girl, it’s definitely a lake you don’t want to overlook in 2025.
REPORTING ANTLERLESS HARVESTS
Deer hunters in 21 counties in south-central Texas are reminded that all antlerless deer harvested during the upcoming fourday antlerless deer season — Nov. 28 - Dec. 1 — must be reported to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department within 24 hours of the harvest. The mandatory harvest reporting rule also applies for antlerless deer taken during the youth-only and muzzleloader only seasons.
Counties included under the mandatory reporting rule include: Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (east of I-35), De Witt, Fayette, Goliad (north of US 59), Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays (east of I-35), Jackson (north of US 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis (east of I-35), Victoria (north of US 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (north of US 59) and Wilson.
Archery hunters in Dallas, Grayson, Rockwell and Collin counties are required to comply with season long mandatory harvest reporting on a white-tailed deer taken in those “archery only” counties.
Hunters can report harvests using the free Texas Hunt and Fish mobile app (for iOS and Android) or the Texas Hunt and Fish web page.