Streetman Ponds

Sunday, with its cloudy skies, calm winds, warm temperatures, off-and-on rain, and upcoming cold front, seemed like a good day to go fishing.  My original destination of Richland Creek did not pan out like I had wanted due to difficulties with launching the ‘yak and Lurker Creepy Dude.  So, I packed up and headed to the small community of Streetman to fish the Streetman Ponds.  (If you go to Oktoberfisch on the South Llano River in Junction, one of the Saturday night cooks is from Streetman.)

Usually, access to the back pond is almost non-existent by boat, as the water is not high enough to navigate through the chutes.  Due to the recent rains, the pond levels are up really high, and I made it to the back pond for the first time.  Bluegills with spawning colors, Largemouth Bass, and one small White Bass liked what I threw.  I got a little excited as I originally thought the White Bass was a Yellow Bass, a species I have not caught, yet; alas, it was not, but it was a caught fish nonetheless!  I only had one hit topwater on the brown grasshopper, so I went with a red and white Clouser and then switched to a jighead fly that Cody tyed with primary-colored mylar flash and pink chenille body.  Seeing as the water was the color of slightly creamed coffee, I stuck with bold-colored flies and waited for the tugs.  The ‘yak did quite nicely, and I enjoyed the afternoon.

Update, 6/11/2015:  Based upon what Brandon posted regarding the last fish at the end of the video, I asked a TPWD icthyologist for help, and sure enough, I did catch a Yellow Bass, whose front dorsal fin is taller than its second, unlike the White Bass where the opposite is reversed.  I also had a still that showed the anal fin spines #2 & 3 are the same length.  Thank you so much Brandon!