Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

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Ron Mc
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Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Ron Mc »

Sunday, Josh and I hit two hill country crossings, one above the aquifer recharge, one below.
Both crossings have been in my back-pocket for for 20 years as the best water in Texas, second only to private access on Hondo Creek or the Frio Sendero.
I keep waiting for him to OP a thread so I can follow, but I know he's busy in a good way. Maybe he'll add his post to this thread. Also since Josh invited me, this hill country river remains nameless.

Snagged our breakfast tacos in the dark leaving town, and had first light and good overcast when we launched.
Last time Josh fished here, he and a friend waded up the river until the water was over their heads. We went back to float that same pool.
We floated our boats over rutted dolomite to portage a small chute.

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Josh crossed to fish the far bank, and I thought the fishiest water was at the tailout.

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My first fish was this little bluegill, and a good bass followed it to my boat.

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I got a good lead on the bass as he was heading back to the bank, and watched his mouth flare to eat my cats whisker.
Good fight, finally got his head above water and skittered him to hand.

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Here's the bank I worked over.

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Got one more little bass before exploring to the head of the pool.

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From the head of the pool, here's Josh working over where I started

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We both agreed we had worked this pool over, Josh had been counting coup, and we decided to travel south to the confluence where what's left of this river coming out of the aquifer joins another.
Packing out, Josh offered a really good breakfast beer - what was it?

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Last time we were here, we didn't have boats, and this first deep pool was clear and packed with fish. This crossing was my turn to count coup, and Josh's turn to clean up - he'll post about that, and I'll show some kayak-probing photos.

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This is the last pool at the confluence, looking upriver. Very pretty bottom here, and in my coup-counting, I lost count of how many fish I felt or saw their mouths flare and still missed.

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Josh up from the confluence, at the last blue hole coming out of the aquifer.

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Your turn, bro - fill us in.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Thu Nov 09, 2023 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dandydon
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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Dandydon »

Good bass, blue gill, and beer in the scenic remote Hill Country? Sounds like high living to me. Kudos.

Enjoyed the fishing report and photos, Ron. Thanks to you and Josh for all the useful reports and info through the years...

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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Awesome yall! Those last three pics look like very fishy spots. Great fish Ron.

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Last edited by 2 Weight Willie on Tue Aug 10, 2021 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Kinda reminds me of the San Marcos.

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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Neumie »

Really not too much to add to Ron's fine report for the first half of the of day fishing. It was a rather uneventful morning for me. I broke off my one fish and dealt with a couple backlashes.

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After a little more than an hour fishing we decided to move on, but not without a breakfast beer; Ale Nino from Viva Brewery.

After a thirtyish minute drive we launched again where I was able to find a bit more luck on the fly rod. This section was full of Rio Grande Cichlids; my favorite species to target.

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The river narrowed to a small waterfall that was full of aggressive fish. I probably landed a dozen or so fish.

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All in all a great trip. Thanks for joining last minute Ron.

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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Nice cichlids. Is that on the Blanco?

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Ron Mc
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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Ron Mc »

This ain't 20 Guesses.

thanks for inviting me Josh.

Ale Nino. Will remember.

The Redfish 10 did its job great at both crossings. 45 lbs, spins on a dime.
Glides really well, and easy to orient with a little paddle.

Great hump-headed cichlid. In the past, have caught a few here the size of footballs.
They screwed up that crossing by replacing the low-water bridge with culverts and high banked road.

This was the confluence pool 10 years ago

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I'm fishing a short rod for wading up from the confluence
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to the blue hole
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and this was upstream from the crossing

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Last edited by Ron Mc on Wed Aug 11, 2021 2:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: RE: Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Ron Mc wrote:This ain't 20 Guesses.

thanks for inviting me Josh.

Ale Nino. Will remember.

The Redfish 10 did its job great at both crossings. 45 lbs, spins on a dime.

Great hump-headed cichlid. In the past, have caught a few here the size of footballs.
They screwed up that crossing by replacing the low-water bridge with culverts and high banked road.

This was the confluence pool 10 years ago

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I'm fishing a short rod for wading up from the confluence
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to the blue hole
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and this was upstream from the crossing

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Ok. No more guesses. Pretty pics tho. Image

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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Chubs »

Man I'm out here by Canyon lake for the past 6 weeks and didn't even think to ask you guys if I could tag along on a fishing trip, drat! Moving back to H Town this Friday :(

Actually... I'm making an even bigger move the week after than too :( Will make a little post soon.
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Re: RE: Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Chubs wrote:Man I'm out here by Canyon lake for the past 6 weeks and didn't even think to ask you guys if I could tag along on a fishing trip, drat! Moving back to H Town this Friday :(

Actually... I'm making an even bigger move the week after than too :( Will make a little post soon.
How was ur luck at canyon? Have the crappie started to warm up yet, or is it still to early. Id think its 2 early

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Ron Mc
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Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Ron Mc »

Chubs wrote:Man I'm out here by Canyon lake for the past 6 weeks and didn't even think to ask you guys if I could tag along on a fishing trip, drat! Moving back to H Town this Friday :(

Actually... I'm making an even bigger move the week after than too :( Will make a little post soon.
Chubs, sorry you missed out, friend.
We wouldn't have been able to do those two crossings w/o lightweight kayaks.

Before you leave, paddle up from Rebecca's Creek crossing (the golf ball on 281).
Beach when you get to an island with chutes on both sides.

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Fish that deep pool behind my buddy Mike.
There's a bat cave vent, and Trinity aquifer takes water off the Guadalupe there.
If you can work your way around the close bank, you can get to Mueller falls.
This Guadalupe hen came from there, and we've caught stripers and white bass in that pool.

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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Kayak Kid »

Thanks, RonMc and Josh.

I really enjoyed that trip.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Fly fishing with Neumie in the hill country

Post by Ron Mc »

KK, you're always along in spirit.

I looked for the photo Josh took of me taking.
It wasn't any good, and I deleted it...
The leftovers...

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