Canyon Lake 12-21

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Cuervo Jones
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Canyon Lake 12-21

Post by Cuervo Jones »

It’s always fun checking out a new joint. Mysteries wrapped in enigmas, bundled as riddles. Or something like that. I set my sights on chasing smallmouth bass today being as it’s been over 20 years since I caught one. Blimey! How is that even possible?! Nevertheless, I launched into the crystal clear waters of Canyon Lake today at ramp 2.
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Scoped out some promising-looking water.
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And almost immediately pulled in one of these.
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Best keep at it. Daylight’s a-wastin’!
Cool to be able to see the bottom in 10’ and look at these trees. Incredible!
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I kept hanging up in the trees and I forgot by little retriever. The big monster just broke my 6 lbs. line. So I left a few pounds of 1/8 and 1/4 ounce jig heads and grubs in the sub aquatic forests. But there were enough of these guys to lessen the pain.
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Sure doesn’t look like a smallmouth to me. And in fact, not a single smallie was boated by me. Just a few more of these guys.
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And I spotted some chupacabra poo.
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And I saw a magnificent Brown Boobie flying around! Never seen one outside of Florida. Heh. Boobie. Here’s a lousy photo of it. It’s dead center in the sky. Bigfoot quality photo I know! National Geographic won’t be calling me any time soon.
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Two ladies in sit-in kayaks got a boat ride back to the launch because they had capsized when a speedboat zipped by too close. The one almost drowned but both had PFD’s on and were ok despite the 62 degree water. No UFO’s were seen by me either and it’s not for lack of gazing at the sky, so don’t think that! On the drive out, some of the friendly locals came out to see me off.
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I’ll come back soon to see if I can put some brown bass on my hooks. Happy first day of winter, TKF!


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karstopo
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Re: Canyon Lake 12-21

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Canyon lake, there’s a name from the past. I caught one of my very few Texas bronzeback bass I ever snagged and landed and my PB one from those crystalline water way back in the middle late past century. I remember a tent, cedar needles, hard lumpy ground, Vienna sausage and not much else except of course the fish, which seemed like a piscine monster, but was probably about 3 pounds. How the heck are there sticks and downed trees still in there? Did the water levels drop so much for so long that a forest colonized the former lake bed or are those trees still around from the original impoundment? Are there actually smallies still in there because I see no proof of life in your words and photos?

I want to go, but it requires a car or truck ride of more than my self imposed limit of 59 minutes one way. Plus, last time there I too had to be towed in by a merciful boater. He’s probably still telling that story to his buddies for their eternal glee and for the joy of ridicule of the goofus from the coast that rented a wind surfing board and sailed it out into the middle of the lake but couldn’t sail it back to the launch.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Canyon Lake 12-21

Post by Ron Mc »

If the lake is full, the backwater goes all the way to Rebecca's Creek boat ramp, and you'll find more better kayak fishing with less paddling.
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Cuervo Jones
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Re: Canyon Lake 12-21

Post by Cuervo Jones »

I like your 59 minute rule Karst. Unfortunately, for me that would leave out all but the Colorado River and Fayette Lake. Back in the Pleistocene, when I lived in Wyoming, the nearest walleye were 1.5 hours away. The nearest bass, 1 hour, and the nearest trout in the middle of town in the river. Now, a 2 hour drive is my limit for a one day trip. Three hours or more, and I’m camping. Canyon is an interesting place and I’ll be back.
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karstopo
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Re: Canyon Lake 12-21

Post by karstopo »

I don’t guess I really have a rule. Various things and commitments often keep me chained pretty close to home. I really don’t have one of those professions that I’m ever really off the clock, but I still have lots of free time. An afternoon of free time during the week is ideal for a quick trip to the local marsh or river, Canyon Lake, not so much. Thankfully, I live in a spot with an abundance of public fish infested water and have quick access to private water when the public option isn’t good.

Sometimes, I imagine a life with a little RV and my fishing gear and just wandering from fishing hole to fishing hole. I like being rooted and fishing familiar spots too much to really pull off the vagabond lifestyle. But an occasional long range trip might be nice.
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Re: Canyon Lake 12-21

Post by Cityfisher »

Canyon lake is such a pretty lake. I love that clear water and as always around there, the wildlife. I camped out there this past summer a couple of nights with a friend of mine and his family. We were at a campsite not to far from the dam. In the mornings and the evenings there was a little Kit Fox that came wondering through the campsite which was really cool to see. They are so small! And of course a few deer that came out in the evenings to.
The upper part of the lake looks like it would be hard to find any fish. And with all the power boats and jet skis you couldn't pay me to get out there on a kayak! We tried a little fishing off the rocks without any luck and even drove over below the dam to give it a shot there with no luck either. The best part of that trip was taking a cool dip in our Texas summer heat. That cool water has healing powers! Thanks for the report. I'm going to have to do some exploring there in a more kayak friendly area of that lake one day.
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Cuervo Jones
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Re: Canyon Lake 12-21

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I also forgot to mention that three times towards the late afternoon there were jumping schools of ?white bass? that would leap clear of the water off the main lake points. There were also some big Hexagania mayflies hatching. I threw som plastics and jerkbaits at the schools to no avail. Perhaps they’re inhaling the mayflies. Do white bass do that? They were only up for about 20 seconds at a time. Yet more mysteries to investigate like Fox Mulder.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Canyon Lake 12-21

Post by Ron Mc »

in similar water to where you were fishing (maybe the same water across from Crane's Mill), have seen hundreds of white bass sipping tricos in a hatch, and couldn't turn them with anything (of course didn't have a dry fly with me). Though I have caught stationary pods in the run above Medina on dries.
It would be different in a jump, and I always found small lures worked best on whites then, though bigger lures might get you a striper or big largemouth, also making it a fun time to throw buzzbaits.
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