SMALL CREEK FISHING IN TEXAS

Go on over to Wild Ed's Texas Outdoors, because he's got an excellent post on fishing on a small creek near his house about 25 to 30 miles north of Austin.

WILD ED'S TEXAS OUTDOORS


I have fished this very creek on several occasions, going back to the 70's, in several locales. As well as other creeks nearby to it. The also nearby twin forks of the San Gabriel river are always a joy to fish as well.

Once upon a time, entirely too many years ago, I went to a year of college in Austin. In addition to the thriving early 80's blues scene going on in Austin at the time, the fishing around Austin was really great as well. Still is, but just not as close in as it used to be, unless you like carp and gar.

Nothing against carp fishermen, but I'd rather fight a sunfish on a 2 lb test line and a whippy fairy wand of a rod or on a tiny fly rod than a huge carp. I liken catching a carp to dragging a log through the water, or at least the ones I've accidently caught over the years.

Back nearly 30 years ago, I had me a prime fishing spot to the northwest of Austin. It was a good sized year round creek that was springfed, meaning it was reasonably cool even in the heat of summer. There was a huge low water crossing and county park area adjacent to the crossing, providing plenty of bank area to fish on and easy access for a canoe or kayak or even just wade fishing. It was a uniquely designed low water crossing, comprised of gently sloping concrete that went for 100 feet or so on either side of the road. Plenty of room for fishing a variety of areas all around the small, mostly unused county park and the crossing.

Every now and then, mostly on a Saturday, there'd be a few families or teen groups that would come out to the creek to go swimming and do some beer drinking and BBQ'ing and they were always realy friendly. It was sorta their town "go to" outdoors spot.

Another interesting feature of the crossing was that holes the shape of hot tub like structures had been made somehow in the side of the crossing next to the water. The water, at normal depth, would flow through the indentations and the holes themselves were the perfect size for what would normally be a hot tub, except the water here was spring fed and thus cool. The flowing water through the holes kept them free of vegetation and they were nice to sit in on a hot day.

I kept on fishing that spot for years after moving back to Houston. Back in those days, I pretty much kept a full set of fishing gear in my car to be ready for any roadside fishing opportunity that presented itself.

The posting over at Wild Ed's reminded me of the good times I had at that creek, which is probably a good 30 or 40 miles from the area Wild Ed is fishing in. I used to enjoy wading down the gravel bar that ran for quite a ways, either above water or barely submerged, that enabled you to walk the middle of the creek fishing to either bank.

Like many Central Texas/Hill Country creeks it's size, it held small largemouth bass, some guadalupe bass, channel/blue/yellow catfish and lots of different kinds of sunfish. An ultralight and fly fisherman's paradise, it was my friends.

I'm going out next weekend and do some driving in the Hill Country and see if I can stumble upon a good fishing hole at a low water crossing. I've had pretty good luck at it over the years, and the wife is tolerent of my fishing expeditions and of me keeping some gear at the ready in the back of the SUV.