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Colorado river 3-15-19
Changing Seasons, Changing Fishing Opportunities.
The big cool down in our weather this week reminds us that things are changing for our local fisheries... and changing fast!
That means it's time to break out the sinking lines and weighted flies for bass fishing. Our favorite bass flies this time of year are weighted crawfish and leech patterns. And, fishing slow and deep will produce the most strikes. Some of our biggest bass are caught between now and the spring spawn! Also, timing your fishing trip can be important this time of year since bass tend to be most active right before a cold front or after several warm days. So keep your eye on the weather report before you head out!
Coastal fishing continues to be good through the fall and winter, and most people consider this to be the best time of year to catch a redfish on a fly. Cooler water temperatures and lower tides can lead to great sight casting opportunities for tailing redfish. What's more exciting than coming around a remote corner in the flats and catching site of a big ole' group of busy, blue tails?! At that moment, the possibilities seem endless...
And last, but definitely not least, late fall in Texas signals the beginning of the highly anticipated trout season. The Texas Parks and Wildlife will begin stocking our local trout stream, the Guadalupe River, starting in December. You can find the stocking schedule here. Scroll down to the Canyon Tailrace to see the schedule for the Guadalupe River. The more effective methods to catch trout on the Guadalupe tends to be nymphing or stripping streamers. Stay tuned to this page for more info on specific patterns as the season gets going. Prime time on the Guadalupe runs mid-December through March, so make sure you set the hook on a guided trip with AWG's this year before our short trout season gets away from you!
So... time to dust off those waders and the puffy jackets and get out on the water!
JT Van Zandt with a Colorado River Bass
Chris Koch with a nice Texas Redfish on the fly
Alvin and Grace with a Guadalupe River rainbow trout
Llano River 10-29-15
HL Bluffs on the Llano River
It has been a long time. We used to fish the Llano almost weekly during the fall, spring and early summer. The drought has made it really hard to float the last few years. Recent rains in the hill country have brought the water level in the Llano to near normal flows for a few days here and there before they get too low again. The tricky part is timing your trip. Go too early and the water will still be high and off color. Wait too long and you end up dragging more than floating. Ron Linehan and I had a trip booked on Wednesday. I was watching the river flow gauge at Mason and it looked like we might have perfect flows for our trip. I drove out to the take a look at the clarity and we ended up going on Thursday instead. Fishing was slow in the morning , but things started to get going after lunch. We did get a few fish on top but the most productive patterns were weighted wooly buggers in a few different colors. We did have to drag the boat in a few spots, but all in all it was a pretty good float. For now at least, the Llano seems to be holding at a little below normal. Additional rains this fall could keep flows up through the rest of the season.
Three Rivers, Three Species of Fish, and Three Weeks of Great Fishing
Springtime is always a welcome in the Texas Hill Country — the sites, the sounds, and of course the great fishing. This spring is no different except for the rain that has started to put a dent in this horrible drought that won’t loosen her grip. With the rain have come better flows or as I like to say, “new water” which seems to awaken the fish along with the rivers. Unfortunately, sometime this “new water” takes time to clear up before the fish think about eating streamers. This cycle of good fishing, rain, muddy water, and waiting has taught us to be resourceful and patient.
That resourcefulness paid off because we were able to to incorporate three rivers and three species of fish into three weeks of awesome fishing. While the rains took the Lower Colorado River (LCR) out of commission we focused on species number one: rainbow trout on the Guadalupe River.
The Guadalupe River to fish well with good catches on midge patterns and sucker spawns. The fishing pressure is down so the fish are eating well and in great shape. On weekends we are starting to see the annual “tuber hatch” so planning a trip during the week is the way to go. And if catching trout on the fly isn’t your thing than species number two might interest you: the annual Llano River white bass run is on for the next two to three weeks.
So far, every trip to the Llano River has resulted in clients catching double digits of white bass on Clouser Minnows and other assorted minnow patterns. The white bass are leaving the deeper waters of the lower Llano at the mouth of the Colorado River and working their way up to the more wadeable waters upstream. After a rainy start to our March the LCR had cleared up and we were concentrating on species number three: LCR Bass—largemouth and Guadalupe bass.
The fishing has been really good on the LCR and we are enjoying fishing with out of town guests visiting Austin for SXSW and spring break. Though the subsurface bite has been good, we are starting to catch increasing numbers of nice bass on top. The big producer on top has been Cohen deer hair divers (www.rusuperfly.com) and assorted foam popper patterns. March and April are two of the best months for fishing the Lower Colorado. We have already caught several largemouth bass over 6 pounds and a near state record Guadalupe Bass.
Winter in Central Texas
There is no doubt what winter has come to Central Texas. When the mercury drops and the wind blows us fishermen are in serious danger from a case of cabin fever. Fortunately for us we have a some great options this time of year to get out and catch a few fish.
The Guadalupe river is the first spot that comes to mind this time of year. The Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake is stocked with Rainbow Trout every winter. Texas Parks and Wildlife and Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited both stock the river from November through February. Most of the fish stocked by TPWD will be in the 8" to 12" range. GRTU stocks larger fish, sometimes up to 20" and larger. The banks of the Guadalupe River are mostly, but there are quite a few access points for wading anglers or those wanting to launch a boat. Rio Guadalupe Resort, Lazy L & L Campground and The Action Angler are a few of my favorites. The nice thing about the Guadalupe this time of year is that no matter how cold and wet it gets you can still fish. The trout are usually more active when the weather is bad and the fishing pressure will be a lot less. Check out some recent photos below.
If you are looking for some solitude, the Colorado River is the place to be. Bass fishing on the Colorado River is a year round proposition. After a few warm mid winter days the bass will be on the move and feeding. The nice thing about winter fishing on the Colorado is the chance to catch some really big fish. The new world record Guadalupe Bass was caught in the Colorado River in February of 2014. Several Guadalupe Bass over 3 pounds have been caught so far this winter. We have caught some really nice large mouth bass as well. The trick is keeping an eye on the weather. Fishing will be best after several days in the 60s. Fishing will be slowest right after a cold front moves through the area. While there are miles and miles of great water on the Colorado River, access is limited for paddle craft and wading anglers. The easiest place to access the Colorado River is at Little Webberville Park. Cooks Canoes rents canoes and runs a shuttle service. Some recent Colorado River photos below.
Of course we are doing full day and half day trips all winter on both the Guadalupe and the Colorado. Drop us a line if you have any questions or if you want to book a guided trip.
Great Day on the Guadalupe river
Today we did a 4 boat trip on the Guadalupe River with the guys from MGC Contractors. It was cold and cloudy for most of the day, but the fishing was good so we didn't really notice. Most of the guys had never fished the Guadalupe before but everyone did a great job on the water. We caught quite a few nice rainbow trout up to 17 inches. The most productive patterns were San Juan Worms and various attractor nymphs.
One of the Best Times of the Year
Fall Colors on the Colorado River
Fall has arrived in Central Texas and with it comes some of the best weather and fishing of the year. After a long hot summer, fall always gets us fishermen in a frisky mood. Luckily for us the fish feel the same way!
Cooler water temperatures mean some great bass fishing on the Colorado River below Austin. Right now the Colorado is cool and clear and after recent rains we have had good flows all fall that will most likely last into the winter. We are fishing close to 100 miles of the river and most of these sections of the river see very little fishing pressure.
The Colorado River is home to some of the largest river bass in the state. Catches of Largemouth Bass over 5 pounds are not uncommon. As water temperatures continue to fall, the numbers of Largemouth Bass caught will decline. At the same time the average size will increase. This time of year the best tactic for Largemouth bass is fishing slow and deep with big streamers or crawfish patterns.
The Colorado is now hands down the best place to catch large Guadalupe bass. Last winter one of our clients caught the new state and world record Guadalupe Bass on the Colorado River. Fall and winter are one of the best times to catch a huge Guadalupe Bass. The same flies and techniques used this time of year for Largemouth Bass will work for the Guadalupe Bass. The Guadalupe Bass will usually be found in the faster moving sections of the river with more moving water while the Largemouth Bass prefer the slower water.
Check out some recent pics of the action on the Colorado River.
