In the past here on Chi Wulff, we have been pretty harsh about the fishing environment here in Texas. Most of that has centered around the “trout waters” of the Guadalupe River and the people who fish it. But there is more here than just that aquarium-like destination. Now that some of the creeks are flowing again, attention turns to a genuine native Texan: the Guadalupe Bass.
The Guadalupe Bass is the Texas state fish, and perhaps the most prominent of a handful of native species that inhabit these waters. They prefer faster moving water than their largemouth cousins and are often found in places a trout fisherman would think to look in a river. They don’t get very big (I believe the state record is something like three and a half pounds or so) but they are a beautiful fish.
Friend Winston and I have been meaning to chase these guys for a while, but due to scheduling issues we hadn’t been able to get out. Last week we got our break and headed out to Brushy Creek. Brushy runs right through Round Rock and Cedar Park, north of Austin and is for all intents and purposes an urban fishery. Houses lined the stretch we fished, but fortunately no landowners gave us much hassle.
Brushy was one of the only creeks in the area to have flowing water through the scorching summer, so the fish population wasn’t hurt too badly. It looks like a typical creek, small and meandering with limestone cuts and edges providing good cover for fish. Beer cans, old concrete, and other assorted trash offered up some good obstacles to get around.
Following Winston’s advice that we would hardly get our feet wet I left the waders at home and wore jeans. Big mistake. The creek was quite a bit more full than last time, and due to a cold front the night before the water was a bit chilly. There was some discussion about the fish not being active in the cooler weather, but we soon discovered our fears were unfounded.
The fish of the day was also the first one to hand. Slowly working a bone minnow through a complex of fallen limbs, Winston hooked into this big boy. Almost bending his 3-weight in half, he put up a pretty good fight. A good sized Guadalupe Bass like this will make you appreciate native fish, no matter where you are.
We covered a lot of water over the next few hours, bringing in a couple of sunfish. Several times while working the deeper pools large bass would follow, but we never could find the right fly/retrieve combo to get them to eat. Even though we didn’t catch a lot of fish, it was still a great day. Chasing native fish in new water will put a smile on anyone’s face.
Probably the best part of the day for me was getting a chance to break in a new rod. I recently purchased a Orvis Superfine Touch 8‘ 2-weight for use as a creek rod. A solid argument could be made for the impracticality of a 2-weight, but screw it. Its fun. I hadn’t been that pleasantly surprised with a rod in a long time. It has a full and slow flex, which works great with a relaxed casting stroke and short distance casts. It also has enough muscle to easily cast 40 feet, though it excels at 15. A lot of the flies I threw that day were way to big for a 2-weight, but this rod handled them with ease. The small CFO reel fit perfectly with the rod.
(Note: My comments about this rod were not requested, paid for, or otherwise rewarded in any way. Good equipment deserves note.)
Guadalupe Bass can be found in many waterways through the hill country, and they are found only here in Texas. While I would still rather be chasing trout in a mountain stream, these feisty natives will more than keep me occupied. If you ever find yourself in Texas, bring a light rod and a handful of flies. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
