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!

The Colorado at Colorado Bend State Park

While Cody played golf, I set out for Colorado Bend State Park.  When I walked in the office, I looked towards the spot where the fishing info. board used to hang, and before I could look around in the tiny office for its new location, the park ranger said, "We took down the board.  We can no longer be considered a fishing destination.  Currently, the river is 12 feet low, and Lake Buchanan is 30 feet low.  We didn't even have a White Bass run this year."  My jaw slackened, and before I could ask, the ranger continued saying, "There is a sandbar downstream that runs the width of the river, shore-to-shore, and water's not moving downstream, and the fish can't run upstream."  I inquired about the other species above the sandbar, and he said, "What fish?"  I then inquired about why the water was so brown but did not receive a reply.  Spicewood Springs is looking healthy, though.

There are some positive changes involving the park.  They have updated all their signs--new waysides, new trail markers, a new entrance area with pull-out and covered-area signage, entrance welcome sign, and a gate.  Recent surveying and heavy road equipment indicate some road improvements; hopefully, the entrance road is going to be paved.  Lastly, as I was leaving, the ranger stated that the park was going to become an astronomy site hosting star parties in the near future.

Shy, Fat Girls

Cody and I set out to try a new White Bass fishing area, but before we had even driven three miles, we came upon a raptor which we had never seen prior to this weekend.  Cody saw the bird of prey on Friday, and then, it was eating a fresh, roadkill opossum in the middle of the road, today.

Mexican Caracara

 We reached our fishing hole, readied our kayaks, and set out.  We received reports that White Bass were running about five miles upstream of our spot and about five miles below us.  We fished near the river's mouth right down the middle.  The wind was a battle at places, but keeping to the middle eased some of the challenege and pushed us back upstream with little paddling on our part. Our strategy played off.  While our numbers were not high, Cody landed very fat, egg-filled girls, with the largest weighing exactly 2 pounds!  Even the buzzards awaited the White Bass by the dozens in the trees lining the river banks.

The water temperatures hovered around 49°F, so our understanding of the White Bass run seems to be holding true.  Cody and I have always heard that the males make their run first awaiting the females.  The hefty females run when the waters are warmer.  We think because they don't move off their nests and need the water temperatures to be warmer, so they can stay warm.  Either way, it will be interesting testing our theory out over the next several weeks.

Fat Girls Are Running

The Girls are running up the Nolan River!  Now getting to them is going to take some walking or boating. With the rains earlier in the week, the Nolan River is even higher than it was 10 days ago, and according to several fisherman lining the shore, today's water level was a foot lower than yesterday's level!

Leaving the Nolan River Park Boat Launch

This time, we took the Mitzi, but the difficult part was finding a place to launch her. We went to Nolan River Park, and besides a beautiful drive overlooking the plateaus to the west and the gorgeous Bluebonnets, it is a waste of time.  Once at the so-called boat launch, there is not much room to maneuver, it is partially submerged under water, and the likelihood that the good 'ole boys block you in is great.  ACOE, not that it is the institution it was during Robert E. Lee's day, poorly maintains the place, if maintains is even the right word.  Just don't go there; it is a ratty, little place.  The Kimball Bend Park boat launch road is under water, so it is closed.  In between the road that leads to Nolan River Park and Kimball Bend Park is Chisholm Trail Park, really about 1/2 mile from the Nolan Bend Park Road.  They have a decent boat launch, but the put-in is farther north than Kimball Bend by at least two miles, and it is on the Brazos River side.  By the time we navigated through the abundance of driftwood and avoided the once-shoreline trees that are now submerged and part of the riverbed, we had boated 11 miles to reach just north of Rock Creek, which is the creek running through Adair Springs Park.  It was worth it, though.

We found the Fat Girls, nice roe-filled she-White Bass, and they are some hungry mamas-to-be!  We could have driven to Adair Springs, parked, and hiked the two to two-and-a-half mile trek north to where they are feeding and bedding, provided they aren't being caught and hauled out, but the boat ride was really pleasant.  Plus, if we had arrived earlier, we could have fished for the abundance of B-I-G Gar, one was four feet long, hanging around near the extremely wide Nolan-Brazos River confluence, and the short, but fat Common Carp.  It was a fun afternoon with warm, cloudless skies, no wind, fun fish on the fly (White Clouser), and an ever-changing riverbed.

Today
Submerged ledge, no island

3/15/12
I was standing on the island

 @Mouth of Rock Creek looking south
Island is visible

Island submerged 2 1/2 feet

1 1/2 miles NE of the Confluence

                                         

Nolan River White Bass Run

With Spring Break winding down, Cody and I decided to hit the White Bass run on the Nolan River at Adair Springs Park just south of Blum on FM 933.  Fishing on the Ides of March probably wasn't a good idea; I kind of know how Caesar felt.

Problem #1:  Every one else in Texas has the same Spring Break. There must have been 14 trucks parked along the roadside, and we arrived at 2:00 p.m.!  We get to the water, and it is not congested with fisherman after fisherman, thank goodness, but we have no idea where they have gone, nor how they got to where they were going. Evidence that people had been before us lay everywhere.  Humans are trashy, and why that good ole' country boy can't tote that beer bottle or can, those cigarette wrappers, and fishing paraphernalia out is beyond me.

Problem #2:  Heavy rains occurred on Sunday 11 March 2012.  The water looks like brackish hot tea, and  the levels are up 2.9 feet above normal.  Unlike last year, there was no way to wade across from east to west, and farther down, there was no way to wade across the little feeder creek at the end of the White Austin Rock Boulder shelf.

Problem #3:  Floating lines are useless.  Fish with either a full or intermediate sinking line or sink-tip line.  Plenty of whites crashing the surface, but not one person caught a fish on topwater.  I caught zero fish.  Cody's first hook-up was on a Beck's Sililegs Bonefish fly. His second hook-up and caught fish was on that same fly; both were at the north side confluence of the Adair Spring Creek and the Nolan River.

Problem #4:  When the after-work crowd appeared, they were loud, abundant, fished a spot someone else was fishing, and were keeping fish that did not meet the 10" minimum length requirement, but by-golly! they were going to get their 25 bag limit no matter what.  The run right now is just the males, but I hate to think what it's going to look like when those fat girls filled with roe start running, probably around the middle-to-end of next week.  In ALL the years I have had a fishing license, never once in my life have I encountered an official of any kind.  The Game Wardens could make a killing on fines on the Nolan.  Not many people had licenses, and they were bragging about it.

Two guys fishing the south side confluence of Adair Spring Creek and  the Nolan had caught four fish.  They kindly let me get a shot of their catches.  Cody and I each saw two really large, just under 2 lbs., White Bass, but the rest were average size males--3/4 to 1 1/4 pounds.  Now, the Alligator Gar were HUGE.  One that swam by was at least 3 feet long, conservatively!  (I had my fly rod laying on the ground while I tied on a new fly and measured the Gar against my rod.)  The other two were around 2 feet.  Cody caught another fish on a small lead-eye red and white Clouser Minnow.  We are definitely going to hit the Nolan again when the females make their run, but in a boat!  Here are some pictures from April 2011 and today.

At least 7' feet lower than today

Shallow crossing

No worries about hitting rocks

Crossing submerged 5' +

Nolan River White Bass



Cody and I read Russell's post about Sandies in the Nolan on the Texas Fishing Forum's Fly Fishing posts.  I went to high school in Granbury and lived near the De Cordova Bend Dam.  I canoed a short stretch of the Nolan one afternoon more than 25 years ago, and it looked like the pictures in Russell's post was the place I had been.  Missing the White Bass run wherever we went this season, I sweet-talked Cody Bell in to a Sunday afternoon trip to the Nolan.

We tried to get in at Adair Spring Park, but the ambulance, fire truck, and volunteer fire fighters blocked the way, so we headed over to Nolan River Park, aka Poison Ivy Heaven.  The wind blew straight from the west with no buffer, and Cody intended to wet wade and didn't feel like a long, drawn-out ordeal with Poison Ivy.  We monitored the airwaves for news on the activity at Adair Spring.  Care Flight had been released; they decided not to boat the victim to help, and when we made it back over there, medical crews were leisurely leaving.  We waited, pulled in, geared up, and headed on.

We waded the creek bed to its confluence with the Nolan.  Cody crossed to the western side and found a nice bed of greedy Redear Sunfish.  There was a Mama Bass bedding and lots of rather large, 12 oz. size, Redears lurking, hoping to eat some eggs.  We left the Mama alone and targeted the harassing Redears, who just loved the CodyBugger fly.  They were hungry, greedy, and hammering the flies.  Even a little Dollar Sunfish got in on the action.

We passed the narrow little slew that opened in to a nice elongated pool, and choosing the low bank, we cast to and caught some aggressive Bluegill.  Eventually, we climbed and walked the high bank, and realized that the pool was somewhat shallower than we thought originally, but with our polarized glasses and sunlight, it was like looking in to a managed aquarium.  We saw a male Largemouth Bass and small, separate schools of Bluegill.  Due to its shallow depth, the Duckweed was rather a nuisance, but the Bluegills were fun.

Originally, we planned to hike all the way to the old train tress, but the trail became difficult and laden with Poison Ivy, so we decided that the pool beginning at the big boulders resting in the river bed was as far as we would go.  Cody cast his CodyBugger, and we saw the hit-and-run, silver flash of the White Bass.  I switched out my fly to a Bonefish Bitter, hoping that crayfish were on the fishes' menu.  Cody caught two nice-sized Bluegill, and I wandered over to the riverbank and began fishing the tree-lined, shady streamside.  Spending about 10 minutes over there, I hear Cody hollering and walking his pet "fish on its leash" towards me.  Sure enough, a nice White Bass was at the end of Cody's line. 

Cody switched to a bead-chain eye, grey-and-white Clouser, and had moved about 15 ft. farther downstream from where he caught the Bluegill.  Sharing another bead-chain Clouser in chartreuse and white, Cody showed me where to cast, offered the advice to strip quickly, and I had FishOn!, too.  It was a nice White Bass.  I was happy, but now I had to know if my BassBrunch--Gizzard Shad pattern would work.  I moved about 6 ft. downstream, and even though the Duckweed would cover the fly, entangle the lines, and snag in the guides, the spot was the honey hole!  My BassBrunch was the fly I had hoped it would be.  I ended up catching eight White Bass on my fly, and Cody continued to catch them on his Clouser.  Finally, after a continual chorus of FishOn!, Cody gave the five-minute call. 

Our sweet friend, fellow fly tyer, and DFF member Harvey Stahl passed away on Wednesday 6 April 2011, and Harvey's memorial service would be Monday, so before my last cast, I called the final fish of the day in memory of Harvey.  I was rewarded with a rather nice White Bass.  Cody also called his Last Cast in Harvey's memory and was honored nicely, too.  We missed the White Bass run on the Sabine and Colorado Rivers, so stumbling in to the White Bass on our first fishing trip to the Nolan--wonderful.  Designing a successful fly--superb.  The fact that we were the only two on the river--priceless!


My "Harvey" catch



Cody's "Harvey" catch













Spicewood Springs Trail, Colorado Bend SP

Rain, we desperately need rain in Texas.  The lack of rain changed our White Bass fishing site.  Usually, the Sabine River plays host for us to fish the spring White Bass run, but its low, low water levels (4,000 cfs lower than last year) forced a venue change.  We have fished the Colorado River at Colorado Bend State Park for the White Bass, but not as our main source for this annual fishing spree. 

Days leading up to and on the full moon often mean excellent fishing, and since we were at the ranch, we headed to Colorado Bend State Park.  What were we thinking?  50+ people lined up side by side, trying to find a run in the shallows to fish for the same fish?  What idiots we were!  We fished and watched the bait chunkers throwing minnows catching fish, and they were the only ones, with the exception of the one White Bass Cody hooked on a small gray and white, beadchain eye Clouser.  Spending an hour and half witnessing this torture, we packed it in and headed to a really fun spot on the eastern side of the park--Spicewood Springs Trail.

Fishing Spicewood Springs makes one either a better caster or cusser, take your pick.  We used our 1# and 2# rods and fished narrow runs and pools created by cascading waterfalls as Spicewood Springs wended its way down to the Colorado River.  We hiked farther up than we ever have and were not disappointed.  We netted fish that have probably never be caught before.  Small, yes, beautiful, absolutely, and so unafraid that they swam up to us and nipped at our waders and boots.  Where we fished packed like sardines on the river, here we fished just ourselves often times taking turns because the creek was not wide enough for two side-by-side.  At times sheer granite walls surrounded us, and at others, wild oaks, cedars, and shrubs.  Drop-offs and small waterfalls gave birth to each of the pools we fished, and due to the rocky bottoms, the waters were always clear until the mouth of the creek.

Cody hooked up with the bigger fish using the CodyBuggers, and I chose to fish the GirlieBugger.  Our fish were measured by ounces not pounds, but Cody landed several Bass nearing a pound and Bluegill in the 5-7 ounce size.  After suffering zero catches for the White Bass, the small Bluegill satisfied me due to their beautiful colors, including scarlet eyes, and feverent fight.  A 6 ounce Bluegill can put a bend in a 2# rod like a 10 pound Bass can put in a 5# rod!  1.1 pound tippet, 2# rod, and a floating line made for an excellent fishing trip in a majestic, solitary setting.