David (DNR), Maury (Texas4UT), Linda (Yaktipper), Keirra (KayakQ), Keirra's son Jay and I gathered up at Fisherman's Park in Bastrop Thursday and off loaded for a 4 day trip. Getting off at about 10:00 we were soon out of town floating our way down.
The bite was slow that day, but there was plenty of scenery and good company to enjoy as we floated. The wildflowers are starting to bloom and there is always a variety of wildlife from water birds to turkey gobbles to keep one looking around. The river was low so many of the islands are not islands at the moment but still good legal campsite. There was a threat of rain and the sky stayed cloudy saving us the effects of a hot sun, but except an occasional short sprinkle we went unmolested. After the second day no more precipitation showed. The temps were just warm and humid enough to make a bath in the river welcome in the evening.
The stretch from Bastrop to Smithville is ranch country so we saw few on the shore and never more than one or two parties on the water the first day, one the second and none after that. Limestone cliffs provide many a fantastic view and atop one you could see signs of last years runaway fires. On the third day we saw an eagle's nest in the crotch of a tree atop a bluff. I found interesting that we could clearly see limestone cliffs with about 15' to 20' deposits of fertile soil on top. Each day the bite picked up with the concentration on bass. David is getting very proficient with that fly rod catching 4 channel cats on the 4th day that were over 20". Three of the came in about 10 minutes. That rods was sure bent with those loads. Linda is catching more every trip as well and Jay was a very skilled angler.
On the third evening we passed on a nice campsite about 3 miles above town thinking we saw something better a little closer. That proved false and a fisherman at the edge of town told of a sandbar just south of our takeout at River Bend park that proved suitable. There turned out to be a motorcycle rally in the park and band that ended at midnight and sounded well behaved. Sunday morning we got a quick breakfast and packed coming off the water about 10:00 am ending another great Spring Break Trip.
