Are you a displaced trout fly fisher due to frozen creeks and snow
too deep to wade in the high country of the northern states? Perhaps
you are visiting Texas on a business or pleasure trip? Maybe you are
a local and just need a little fun or practice on the water? In whichever
case, take some time to fish our Texas rivers and streams.
Many species and hybrids of bass, Spotted, Guadalupe Smallmouth,
White, largemouth, hybrid, and Striped bass, all inhabit the rivers of the
Central Texas and the Texas Hill Country. From the Ft. Worth / Dallas
metroplex south to Austin, is the rolling hill country, with some of
the best winter wade fishing that any befuddled fly rodder could ask for,
and the hard fighting Texas spotted bass and the mid-weight fly rod were
made for each other! There is an abundance of water in Texas to fish,
with rivers like the Brazos, Trinity, Leon and Guadalupe (these have all
been dammed to control the spring rains and floods), and lakes like Possum
Kingdom, Whitney, Granbury, Benbrook, plus many power plant reservoirs,
this is an area where you can flyfish year-round with no closed season.
In the winter, Texas has a stocking program which gives us rainbow trout
to improve our skills. In the summer, below the Canyon Lake dam, you
can find trout year round.
If you prefer a big fish, try the he-man of the rivers, the striped bass.
The biggest taken is now almost fifty pounds. The stripers will school
up below the dams of the Brazos river to give any fisherman a battle
will he will remember.
In the winter you will want your winter duds, the water temperature will
be below fifty degrees in the Brazos river. By summer the river temp will
get up to ninety degrees a few miles below the dams. (This is Texas.)
Camping and canoeing is a year-round thing in Texas, but watch for
the weather changes in the spring and fall. Be prepared by bringing both
warm and cool clothes. In the summer the heat can be tough on the body,
so don't overdo, and drink lots of liquids.
What kind of equipment should you bring? If you have a trout outfit, it
will work well for spotted bass; a 5 wt. is great. The striper will take
a little bigger outfit, an 8 wt with lots of backing will work well. If you
want to go for the largemouth in the lakes and reservoirs then bring a 9 wt or
bigger to get those big bass flies into, and the bass out of, the heavy cover.
So, you only have a day to spend, you are on "company time" no problem!
Just try our wade trips down most any river that you can cross on a highway
or back country road. In the Dallas / Ft. Worth area there are hundred of
such crossings that will give you public access to the rivers and lakes.*
By wading out or casting from the bank, you can find fish to keep you in a
state of euphoria. At a time some are trying to relax in a hotel or motel, you
can enjoy some quality time of fly fishing and come back really refreshed.
So bring your fly rod when you come to Texas. It is quality fishing time!
We won't tell.
~ Allen R. Crise(aka flysoup)
*Note: If you have to cross a fence to get to the water, you better
not stop. Find a location that clearly provides open access to the
water, or check with the landowner.
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