Lake Somerville and the Yegua whitebass season

[hook-line&sinker]

Thursday's (Jan 17) kayak recon of the Yegua resulted in ten nice whitebass from the muddy cold water. I only fished for a little over an hour but that was more then enough time to fill my fish requirement for the trip up the creek. I could have fished more or stayed later but I really just wanted to prove the whitebass had moved into the creek when it flooded.

I kayaked up the creek from the state park taking the shortcut across the flat and then exited the creek from the mouth on the way back. Both routes are newly marked (by me) and passable by kayak or canoe but not with a regular motor boat yet. The lake will need to come up another foot before regular boat traffic can pass through the shallow flat were the mouth of the Yegua dumps into the lake.

With no rain in the short term forecast us paddlers can have the creek to ourselves but only if you are willing to work at it a little. If this old man can do it with little trouble then many of you can too!

For more information about the lake and creeks i fish check out my FishTales blog on theeagle.com

[texnomad]

They are hitting well out west at Amistad also. TKF flats minnow in white.

[microsat]

Thank you for sharing information with us. I always watch your video. They are just full of information.
I saw two of your videos where you showed us the water moccasin.

Have you come across them without your knowing?

Do you feel it dangerous to use stringer to keep fish which water snake or water moccasin normally like to follow?

Thursday's kayak recon of the Yegua resulted in ten nice whitebass from the muddy cold water. I only fished for a little over an hour but that was more then enough time to fill my fish requirement for the trip up the creek. I could have fished more or stayed later but I really just wanted to prove the whitebass had moved into the creek when it flooded.

I kayaked up the creek from the state park taking the shortcut across the flat and then exited the creek from the mouth on the way back. Both routes are newly marked (by me) and passable by kayak or canoe but not with a regular motor boat yet. The lake will need to come up another foot before regular boat traffic can pass through the shallow flat were the mouth of the Yegua dumps into the lake.

With no rain in the short term forecast us paddlers can have the creek to ourselves but only if you are willing to work at it a little. If this old man can do it with little trouble then many of you can too!

For more information about the lake and creeks i fish check out my FishTales blog on theeagle.com

[hook-line&sinker]

you ask:
Do you feel it dangerous to use stringer to keep fish which water snake or water moccasin normally like to follow?

I never worry about snakes when outdoors other then keeping an eye out for them. Some snakes have bad attitudes but seldom pose a problem if left alone. I'd worry more about gators in those places where they have much contact with people. The Yegua has gators but I've only seen one in all the years of fishing the creek and lake even after hours and hours of looking for them..

[tlb]

Thanks for the update. I have enjoyed your blog for quite sometime and posted a few question.
Which state park is the creek accessible from.

[hook-line&sinker]

Video of Thursday's trip up the Yegua.. Going Saturday too!

[hook-line&sinker]

Which state park is the creek accessible from.

The entire lower end of the Yegua creek is in Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway. The Nails Creek Unit is closest to the creek where it dumps into the lake. Newmans Bottom is up the creek about six miles from the lake and at the halfway point of the trailway from Nails Creek Unit to the Birch Creek Unit. Newmans Bottom will be very crowded once the word gets out Best "$4 dollar a day" fishing anywhere!

[hook-line&sinker]

Lots of fisherman on the Yegua today. I saw about a dozen kayakers and several more in john boats. It's a little tougher to get the john boats into the creek but today demonstrated that it can be done! Most everyone caught some fish and I heard two reports of limits being caught earlier in the week. All but one of the 25 whitebass we caught and kept were males. The lone female was slim compared to the bigger males. Another good rise in the creek and the females will begin to move into the creek...

Kayakers looking for a good adventure and fishing opportunity look into the Yegua @ Nails Creek Park

[hook-line&sinker]

[goose79]

Great videos, liked all the commentary that you gave along the way. Looks like a nice place to fish and paddle. My brother in law used to be a football coach at Giddings HS and always talked about the white bass in the Yegua creek. Never did get a chance to go with him but know i wish i would have!

[hook-line&sinker]

Often times the Yegua is all or nothing.. about every third year or so there seems to be something that makes the run not possible or early or very late in the spring. It seems we are usually waiting on rain like this year and last. It is possible that this years run will be muted by lack of rain needed to flood the creek again and bring up the rest of the whitebass (females). Only time will tell so keep your eyes on the lake and hope for rain in the future...

[yakfishin]

Any word have they made it up to newmans bottom yet

[hook-line&sinker]

We caught fish up the Yegua nearly to Newmans and began to see bank fishers so I'm sure some of those guys caught fish too. All but one of the whitebass we caught were males. The bigger females will be moving up later or sooner if we get more rain and flooding.

[hook-line&sinker]

Me and the boys will be launching from the Nails Creek park ramp around 10am Saturday January 26, 2013 if anyone would like to join us to paddle up and fish Yegua creek you are welcome to do so.. I know the way

directions to Nails Creek Park http://goo.gl/maps/KdbV0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[p38attack]

I'm definitely thinking about going out there but I would need to leave earlier because I can't stay too late. I've never been there would it be possible to get directions from the boat ramp how to get into the creek

[ecofly]

Really nice videos HL&S. Thanks for posting.

[hook-line&sinker]

Two buddies and I fished from about 11:00am until 4:30pm kayaking all the way up Lake Somerville's Yegua creek about 4 miles or so from the lake. Everyone we talked to reported the same very slow bite. My boys got to the creek much earlier than my two kayaking buddies and I but that extra 3 hour head start didn't make any difference as far as fish caught. Between seven of us in my group we caught only seven or eight fish total. The weather was great for kayaking but the fishing was slooow! I've can't remember the whitebass or crappie fishing being so tough on the creek especially this time of year frown

I first thought with overcast skies the bite would have been better but something sure gave the fish a bad case of lockjaw. I put a lot of effort into crappie fishing this trip but that didn't pay off like in the past. I think if I had taken my depth-finder I might have caught a few more being able to pinpoint the structure crappie love to hold to..

Not taking the defeat very well I started looking for reasons (excuses) why the fish (that I know are there) didn't bite. A few things come to mind that were different from just one week earlier when the fish bit very well..

1.) Full moon

2.) Creek dropped a few inches and lost much of the flow.

3.) Overcast but warmer, wind out of the south-southeast and changing soon.

I guess there was too much change all at once or maybe the whitebass moved further upstream but that doesn't explain the crappie being MIA. We will know if the whitebass moved up when the reports come in from bank fishers at Newmans Bottom.

To everyone that I met on the creek today:

It was very nice to see you on the creek and thanks for coming to Nails Creek park! We should do it again on Saturday February 9th. Now that you know the way to the Yegua from the lake you can show someone else and help out the state park in the process!

[steven7]

Great post and video!

[yakfishin]

Went Sunday afternoon to newmans and caught 6 it is real slow though

[hook-line&sinker]

The boys and I are making another kayak trip up the creek Thursday AM if anyone wants to join us we can show you the way up the creek! Meet us at Nails Creek boat ramp @ 10am we will probably fish until about 4PM or later if the fish cooperate

[hook-line&sinker]

I had the pleasure of fishing with a veteran Thursday and the good fortune to find a few fish willing to come home with us too! Vet Raul and I took our time paddling up the Yegua finding the fish on the first brush we dropped a line down into.

Wintertime crappie will often hold tight to structure adjacent to deeper water or the edge of a drop off. Whitebass when they are in the creeks often do something similar but it's usually more about the current and depth and not so much the brush. Bass are also more skittish and will flee to safety if pressured or startled. Crappie often will hold tight to the brush even after a few have been pulled skyward to the big frying pan in the sky. Thursday the whitebass were hanging where we usually catch crappie and falling prey to dead-stick jigging, a tactic usually best done for crappie.

After last Saturdays humbling day of tough fishing I remembered to bring my depth/fish finder on this trip up the creek. I use fish-finder when I need to locate the structure in the deeper parts of the creek. It really helped on this fishing trip!

No matter the reason it was nice to find and catch the fish on a beautiful winter day in Central Texas and to say thanks to an American Veteran and new friend Raul.

[NamVetSwiftie]

Superman Ben and I had a great time up Yegua Creek yesterday. More on "Superman" later on.

Ben knows the area like the back of his hand. I came prepared for an adventure and that's exactly what I encountered. My wife will be glad to know that this trip convinced me that I need to get "relatively" back in shape...at least begin a regimented exercise program. We left Nail's Creek boat ramp around 11ish, and got back to dry land around sunset.
After a 3 mile trek from boat ramp to last fishing hole, we headed back. Ben, the gentleman that he is, paddled ahead and coasted as I attempted to catch up....lesson learned - I made the mistake of keeping my catch (3 white bass, a freshwater drum, and a 24-inch catfish) in the water along side my yak. That added drag 'bout killed me on the haul back out.

Long story short I had a great time, all thanks to Ben, a true TKFer. A short paddle from the Yegua Creekmouth, we got out of our yaks to walk back to the bank near the boat ramp...my 'guess' about half to three quaters of a mile along 1-foot of water, mostly mud. Getting out of my yak was a relief as TB had seriously set in. The mud got the best of my wader boots and took me off balance and down I went. I liked it so much that I did it again at least five more times. That's when Superman Ben came to my resque and had me get into my yak and he pulled the two yaks (with me in my yak) back to the bank...and he seemed to do it with such ease. Thanks for the rescue, Superman Ben!!!!

I look forward to going back soon, but I'm definitely paddling both ways!!! If lake adds 1 to 1.5 feet more of water, I should be able to mount my motor and make the trip that much more enjoyable. Pictures of Super Ben will follow on this thread.

Swiftie

[hook-line&sinker]

Raul,
I had a good time too! It was my pleasure to show you the ropes and put you on some fish! I may fish and kayak like "superman" but I'm losing ground physically at an alarming rate. At 40 my vision degraded but at 50+ everything is drooping, dropping or just plain falling off! Only regular vigorous exercise will allow any of us old guys to keep on keepin' on... but I can't fish everyday so I'll have to find other tasks to do that get the old heart a pumpin'...

Fish Camp 2013 Saturday February 9th, 2013 10am-2pm

Come to the State Park and enjoy the great outdoors!

Hosted at the Nails Creek Unit of Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway we will have programs on the schedule from 10am to 2pm including:

Knothead University- Know your knots with Professor Knot Head!

First several Knothead U. graduates will receive special graduation gift.

Flying Tyers- Watch and do! Tie your own fly with master fly tyers from the Brazos Valley Fly Fishers.

Fins and Feathers: Learn all about birds and birdwatching from the Master Naturalist & all about fish from the TPWD inland fisheries Biologist and Technicians.

Geocache Treasure hunting with Brazos Valley Geocacher's

Kayak and canoe basics & advanced rigging for fishing. Several paddling friends will be on hand to give guidance in all things kayaking and fishing. The park has a number of rental kayaks and canoes ready for the day.

1 mile guided or unguided hikes to the high ridge overlooking the scenic confluence of Yegua and Nails creek.

Late afternoon pot-luck meet and greet, cook and eat! : Representatives from TPWD, the Park Partners, Texas Outdoor Women Network (TOWN) Brazos Valley Geocachers, Houston Canoe Club, Texas Fishing Forum, Brazos Valley Fly Fishers and many other volunteers.

Stay after dark for a family gathering around the campfire to roast marshmallows, tell stories and make music by the light of a warm fire's glow... Bring your guitar and play in the quiet evening air.

Directions to Nails Creek Park http://goo.gl/maps/Ajy0X

[hook-line&sinker]

I'll tell you what I know about fishing Lake Somerville this time of year. Almost all of my kayak fishing is done in the creeks feeding the lake and most often launching from Nails Creek State Park. Currently the lake is still a little low and in need of more water to get all the creeks active with fish. The Yegua is the only dependable creek for fishing since the rain we received at the first of the year brought it and the lake up a foot or so.

As soon as the lake came up the whitebass moved into the Yegua and have staged mostly at the lower end nearest the lake. The Yegua needs another good rise before the majority of the whitebass will move further upstream beyond the Newmans Bottom park area 6 miles upstream from the lake. What is taking shape now is a "kayak only" situation until the lake comes up another foot or so but that can't happen if it doesn't rain and rain alot!

As far as tactics go to catch whitebass most guys just chunk a white curly tail jig, roostertail, Roadrunner or other type of jig. I throw roostertails when I'm not targeting crappie but last time up the Yegua I probed the brush fishing for crappie but caught both whitebass and crappie. Usually it is one or the other but I think the Yegua is so loaded with whitebass that haven't moved upstream so they are hanging out with the crappie. There definitely seems to be better times of the day to fish as they seem to turn on and off at regular intervals..

I'll probably put together a kayak fishing clinic at Nails Creek state park and will be looking for helpers and attendees if any of you are interested. The day would start early AM as we head up the Yegua fish like crazy paddle back to the Park Pavilion and have a late afternoon fish fry of what we catch that day.. Maybe make it a TFF/TKF/State Park joint venture where everybody wins...

[hook-line&sinker]

If the weather Saturday is anything like today we are going to have a heck of a good time at the park!



Come to the State Park and enjoy the great outdoors!

Hosted at the Nails Creek Unit of Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway we will have programs on the schedule from 10am to 2pm including:

Knothead University- Know your knots with Professor Knot Head!

First several Knothead U. graduates will receive special graduation gift.

Flying Tyers- Watch and do! Tie your own fly with master fly tyers from the Brazos Valley Fly Fishers.

Fins and Feathers: Learn all about birds and birdwatching from the Master Naturalist & all about fish from the TPWD inland fisheries Biologist and Technicians.

Geocache Treasure hunting with Brazos Valley Geocacher's

Kayak and canoe basics & advanced rigging for fishing. Several paddling friends will be on hand to give guidance in all things kayaking and fishing. The park has a number of rental kayaks and canoes ready for the day.

1 mile guided or unguided hikes to the high ridge overlooking the scenic confluence of Yegua and Nails creek.

Late afternoon pot-luck meet and greet, cook and eat! : Representatives from TPWD, the Park Partners, Texas Outdoor Women Network (TOWN) Brazos Valley Geocachers, Houston Canoe Club, Texas Fishing Forum, Brazos Valley Fly Fishers and many other volunteers.

Stay after dark for a family gathering around the campfire to roast marshmallows, tell stories and make music by the light of a warm fire's glow... Bring your guitar and play in the quiet evening air.

Directions to Nails Creek Park http://goo.gl/maps/Ajy0X" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;