San Gabe conditions

[preast]

Was thinking of putting in at Mankin's Crossing to go after some carp tomorrow morning. Haven't been in over 2 years to that spot so I imagine it has changed a lot. Anybody hit that stretch lately?

[eweberdc]

I was around the Hwy 95 crossing last week (before the recent rains), and the river was up, and not too muddy. Let us know how you do!

[preast]

Got there around 10:30. Checked the flows before leaving and they are running about 75cfs right now, quite a bit more than normal. It was noticeable but still easy enough to paddle upstream. Didn't see any fish other than a couple carp and a spotted gar. No carp in the usual spots. The flood changed a lot. Water was also was a little on the cool side. I don't remember the last time I got skunked.

From just downstream of that first pinch:


Looking downstream of the same spot. You can see there's now an island about 100 yds downstream.


Looking upstream from same spot at the big pool. Saw a carp jump but couldn't locate any to cast to.


One more shot downstream of the yak as I was leaving.

[chavez]

Hey Randy! Thanks for the photos and the report! The water looks good! Sorry to hear the carp weren't cooperating. Usually the bass cooperate when the carp don't. I like that yellow yak. New?

[preast]

Hey Chavez. Wondered if you'd chime in dude!

Yeah, I spent so much time checking all the hidey-holes for carp, I ran out of time. That's the same WS Ride I had before.

[e]

Where is Mankin's Crossing?

[RPB]

Where is Mankin's Crossing?

http://www.stoppingpoints.com/texas/sig ... williamson" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.city-data.com/picfilesc/picc25356.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... s+Crossing#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Compare the above photos/videos with the photo on this site from July 2009
http://news.georgetown.org/2009/07/25/s ... up-photos/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Light Keeper's Kid]

That last link is the way it's looked for about a year till we got the rains

Mike

[e]

RPB, Thanks for the reply, knew the spot, didn't know the name. Have thought about dropping in there and floating down to Jonah or further to Circleville, but since l've had my yak, there has been no water. Has anybody floated that section? Wonder how long it will take for fish to work back into areas that had absolutely no water?

[RPB]

Last time I was through there I'dda needed a double-ended shovel instead of a paddle. I've wondered about how long it will take fish to head up the formerly dry creeks around here and still dry/shallow ones around Buchanan etc too, but I figure when everything heads upstream to shallow water to spawn in Dec/Jan/Feb it should be decent, assuming there's still water there.

[preast]

Wow, I never saw it when it was totally dry but that's the spot. The flow was higher than I'd ever fished it. I had to be careful not to get caught in the current going under the crossing.

It's surprising how much fish move around and redistribute. I saw a 3' spotted gar and a couple carp in only a foot of water up on a very flat run, so I'd say they're probably already getting there.

[e]

Yup, during the summer the river was completely white, no blue to be seen from the road. So from your pix, did you paddle through the rapids? lt looks pretty shallow.

[Motley]

Man that sucker is flowin now... When I left for work this morning, both the north and south parts of the san gab river at 183 was WAY up. The Lampasases River was over it's bank as well.. Crazy Rain last night..

[Light Keeper's Kid]

I'm going out to the Remote Launch tomorrow to CK the flow for a Saturday Launch

Mike

[preast]

That's crazy. Running over 12000cfs this morning @ 9:30.

[Light Keeper's Kid]

That was at 9:30 What site did you get that info Looks like saturday launching at Remote Site is out

Mike

[preast]

Last 24 hours: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/uv?cb ... o=08104900" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's already down to 450. It could easily go back down to 100 by Sat. I guess it depends on Georgetown dam release.

[Light Keeper's Kid]

Yeah there was a big spike because of the rain,and it might just fall back by saturday I'm hoping because a friend is coming in from SA and we had planned on paddling from the Remote Launch to Taylor Park for a month now I've never paddled that area before and was looking forward to it Thanks for the link,I just moved here a while back and used to paddling Calaveras Lake not used to having to keep up with these flows

Mike

[eweberdc]

Even if the river drops to summer drought level you can paddle from the primitive launch to Taylor's. I fished that stretch several times over the summer and never had to portage.

On another note, my girlfriend and I are thinking about fishing Willis Creek around all that submerged grass on Saturday morning. Anyone want to join? We're going to try to soak some bait for cats and carp.

[preast]

Is that like a flat right now? Are the carp tailing or rooting in the shallows? I really only fly fish these days and I always looks for opportunities to sight cast to carp in the shallows.

[eweberdc]

After the first 'big' round of rains I went down there and checked it out. The water was up over the grass, and there were carp cruising.
At that point the grass was so close to the ramp that it would have been impossible to put in at the ramp. However, if we had two semi-strong guys we could load from the end of the dock...it was about a foot to a foot and a half drop to the water.
Got to take the girlfriend's care to the dealership tomorrow morning, so I'm not sure when we'll get out there.

[Light Keeper's Kid]

For those trying to figure where to put in here are some pics of the Willis Creek & San Gabe R/L this afternoon at 2pm

[eweberdc]

Thanks LKK! That grass at Willis Creek looks pretty fishy. Wish the water was a little clearer, though.

[Light Keeper's Kid]

Yeah but kitties use thier wiskers I dont think anyone going to use that dock anymore :roll:I had planed on for a month to paddle the San Gabe from the Remote launch but I might have to change my plans I really want to paddle that section for a while

Mike

[Light Keeper's Kid]

Out on Willis Creek today from 8am-3pm. No Bites Water really dirty

Mike