Deep in the Heat of Texas
Central Texas and the Texas Coast
Fly Fishing Report August 2020
I think we can all agree that 2020 has been quite a year so far. Lucky for us here in Texas we have plenty of excellent fly fishing opportunities to get us through #theyearthatwontend As it turns out, being on the water is a great way for everyone to keep their distance, but still be together! If you are a regular on any of your local waters, you can attest to the uptick in new folks on the water. Let’s all keep an eye on our new friends who may not be fully prepared to be on the water.
If you are not familiar with fly fishing in Texas, we have a ‘grand slam’ of fisheries with opportunities throughout the year for redfish, bass, and trout. Depending on the time of year, at least two of our fisheries are fishing well, so we always have somewhere to fish! And, the second half of the summer can be great time to target redfish on the Texas Coast and bass in Central Texas. The fishing for redfish on the middle Texas Coast has rebounded nicely after Hurricane Hanna. The water has lowered, and pods of big, hungry reds can be found moving in and out of the flats, sometimes with a nice speckled trout tagging along. We are also finding lots of black drum and sheepshead. And as we move into early fall, expect the fishing to only get better! Whether you want to sight cast for reds from a boat, or wade fish to see what else is out there, we have the right guide for you! Suggested flies for the coast: Clouser minnow (in Chartreuse/White, Pink/White & Brown/White), any Shrimp and Crab pattern.
If you want a more low-key experience, look no further than to one of our Central Texas Rivers for bass. Although some of our favorite rivers (Llano, South Llano, and Upper Guadalupe Rivers) are too low to float, the beautiful, spring-fed San Marcos River near Martindale always has just the right amount of water and the fishing has been exceptional this summer. The San Marcos River has definitely recovered nicely from the flood of 2015 and there are tons of mid-sized bass and sunfish looking to eat on top. And, normally this time of year the river is packed with tubers, but because of the mandates shutting down tubing operations, there is ways less river traffic, and the fish have noticed! The San Marcos River is a great place to ‘match the hatch’! Look around for caterpillars, cicadas, frogs, grasshoppers, etc to help figure out what the fish are eating. Suggested flies: Matt Bennett’s Lunch Money, Wolley Buggers (any color with lots of flash, rust, olive, black, white, etc.), Alvin’s Dedeaux Popper (in Black or White) and Alvin’s Snake pattern (in White, Yellow or Black).
Meanwhile over on the Colorado River east of Austin, during the peak of summer bass fishing tends to slow down as the water temperatures rise. But, getting that super early morning start when the temperatures are still cool can make a trip on the Colorado River well worth it! The Colorado River tends to have the biggest Guadalupe Bass and Largemouth Bass, and this time of year there are lots of opportunities to sight cast to gar rolling around the top of the surface. Come mid-September to early-October when the water temperature drops some, we expect the bite to pick up dramatically as the bass start their fall feeding frenzy. Suggested flies for the late-summer/early fall season: Alvin’s Snake pattern (in White, Pink or Chartreuse) and Alvin’s Dedeaux Popper in any color as long as it’s big, and Lenée’s Fat Baby
If you are looking for trout on the Guadalupe River, you still have a few more months to go. The first stocking normally starts the weekend after Thanksgiving. And, it is best to wait until there have been at least a couple of stockings to make sure there are enough fish in the river to make your trip worth going. The trout season on the Guadalupe River runs from December to May, with peak season being in January-March. If you are planning a trip, look to the weekdays to avoid crowds! Good luck and see you on the water! AWGs