Same as January . . . . no one else posted fish for the competition . . . . . let's keep this fun and interesting!!!
Your three best species . . . including trout
Code Ditto
One species of sunfish only. Cichlids are not sunfish.
Go get em
February Competition
Re: February Competition
Paddles on the San Marcos & Blanco have produced some nice fish . . . . not many, but good sized.
High pressure, cool breezes, and blue bird skies tend to push the fish deep.
These fish are fat and full of eggs, but no sign of any spawning activity.
High pressure, cool breezes, and blue bird skies tend to push the fish deep.
These fish are fat and full of eggs, but no sign of any spawning activity.
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Re: February Competition
A late afternoon paddle on the San Marcos, below Staples was enjoyable.
The massive logjam, near the grass farm, is in the process of being cut apart.
There are some good fish willing to bite a deep diving wolly bugger.
The big bass of the day spit the hook at the net. However, a nice catfish hung on long enough to be measured.
Come on guys and gals, let's get some fish on the board. It has been six weeks since someone put another fish in the competition.
Go have some fun on the river.
Let's go fishing
The massive logjam, near the grass farm, is in the process of being cut apart.
There are some good fish willing to bite a deep diving wolly bugger.
The big bass of the day spit the hook at the net. However, a nice catfish hung on long enough to be measured.
Come on guys and gals, let's get some fish on the board. It has been six weeks since someone put another fish in the competition.
Go have some fun on the river.
Let's go fishing
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Re: February Competition
I'm heading to the Guad on my yak on Thursday for the very purpose of catching a dang trout. Might even avoid the trophy zone 
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Zackthefisherman
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:53 pm
- Location: New Braunfels
Re: February Competition
Nice report as usual Skypilot!
I haven't taken the yak out a single time this year. The trout fishing on the Guad has been so good lately I'm having a hard time giving it up. Tomorrow I'll be hitting up the Guad for the first time since the flood and hopefully I can get something on the board.
I haven't taken the yak out a single time this year. The trout fishing on the Guad has been so good lately I'm having a hard time giving it up. Tomorrow I'll be hitting up the Guad for the first time since the flood and hopefully I can get something on the board.
Last edited by Zackthefisherman on Sun Feb 14, 2016 9:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: February Competition
... and my daughter got sick so it looks like this afternoon is out for me.
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Zackthefisherman
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:53 pm
- Location: New Braunfels
Re: February Competition
I finally did some kayak fishing this week both Today and Thursday. Both days the fishing wasn't great but I did mange a few fish. The biggest thing was just being able to explore all the new changes since the flood, and scouting out a few new places that should produce fish once the water warms up.
Beautiful Smallmouth from the Comal.
On Thursday I caught a Largemouth that was bigger but I couldn't remember the code so I released it without a picture.
Beautiful Smallmouth from the Comal.
On Thursday I caught a Largemouth that was bigger but I couldn't remember the code so I released it without a picture.
Re: February Competition
Super nice smallmouth.
Way to go
Way to go
Re: February Competition
This employment thing is taking all my fishing time. I am very thankful of my job....
Also, those effing vandals that tore up my truck.....is taking the rest of my time trying to find replacement parts.
Y'all, I'm fishing vicariously though these pics!
Also, those effing vandals that tore up my truck.....is taking the rest of my time trying to find replacement parts.
Y'all, I'm fishing vicariously though these pics!
Re: February Competition
Great SMB Zack, the confluence area has really changed since the flood in October.
T100, I was sorry to hear about your truck, that was not a good way to start the New Year. The Colorado seems to be more and more, a river that I'm worried about over-exposure to humans, and this was just another sign of that.
I've been hitting the water about twice a week and focusing on flyfishing. I was doing that strictly, until this last weekend when my fly jig got swept under a log. As I paddled upstream to try to retrieve it, I dipped my rod in as I pulled the line and tried my usual technique, only to get my rod tip snagged. I spend the next 5 minutes, holding myself and my yak in place in current while trying to hold/rotate/retrieve my flyrod from the grasp of some pecan tree roots. Eventually the tip separated from the rod and now the tip was still stuck under water. It finally broke free and I intentionally snapped my leader, losing a great fly, but saving my rod. Needless to say I was done flyfishing for the day. I put my rod inside my hatch and broke out the bait caster. I casted a black/red jig with craw trailer and started catching fish.
In 2 hours with the flyrod I caught one decent Largemouth at a depth of 1' under a tree. After switching to the jig, bouncing it off the bottom and letting it rest for up to 5 seconds, I was catching a few fish every hour, all Guads, all males. This was the first 'numbers' day I've had this year.
T100, I was sorry to hear about your truck, that was not a good way to start the New Year. The Colorado seems to be more and more, a river that I'm worried about over-exposure to humans, and this was just another sign of that.
I've been hitting the water about twice a week and focusing on flyfishing. I was doing that strictly, until this last weekend when my fly jig got swept under a log. As I paddled upstream to try to retrieve it, I dipped my rod in as I pulled the line and tried my usual technique, only to get my rod tip snagged. I spend the next 5 minutes, holding myself and my yak in place in current while trying to hold/rotate/retrieve my flyrod from the grasp of some pecan tree roots. Eventually the tip separated from the rod and now the tip was still stuck under water. It finally broke free and I intentionally snapped my leader, losing a great fly, but saving my rod. Needless to say I was done flyfishing for the day. I put my rod inside my hatch and broke out the bait caster. I casted a black/red jig with craw trailer and started catching fish.
In 2 hours with the flyrod I caught one decent Largemouth at a depth of 1' under a tree. After switching to the jig, bouncing it off the bottom and letting it rest for up to 5 seconds, I was catching a few fish every hour, all Guads, all males. This was the first 'numbers' day I've had this year.
Re: February Competition
Hoping to get on the water Sunday morning. Thinking sun up to about 10:30-11:00.
Re: February Competition
Guadalupe today, been delayed two weeks in a row. Aiming for that trout and hopefully, just hopefully, my first striper.
Re: February Competition
Wow, not the day I was expecting. My buddy and I braved the rough carry down the Canyon Dam access and intended to go down to Horseshoe Falls and back. He was gonna bass fish and I was gonna focus on targeting trout and striper...
Now, I'd heard people saying the high flows have pushed the stocked trout down away from the dam (they were right) and the abundance of sunlight and warm weather has a lot of algae growing near the dam (they were right about that also). Combine that with predicted high winds (the weatherman was even right) and it made for tough fishing. So we had about 4 hours to fish and anything that approached the bottom or had an exposed hook was gonna drag back strings of algae with EVERY cast. So that and the wind kind of shutdown flyfishing. When we got to stretches with decent depth and flow I couldn't find trout or striper. My friend caught one LMB early on with a square bill. Not looking promising.
So I dedicated the first three hours to trout and striper for no reward. The last hour (as we paddled back up) I had to put something in the boat and I switched to a topwater frog for a few reasons- topwater and hooks on top mean less algae snagging and I can toss this thing over obstacles; it's so dang warm everyone always wonders when it is too early to throw a frog. I tied the light brown small body frog on to the bait caster and pounded every piece of cover I could find.
I found warm slack water with a ton of laydowns and submerged limbs. I casted far back on top of an algae mat and with a quick clip, reeled the frog back to me, parallel and above a submerged log. As the log rose to the surface of the water about ten feet from my kayak I slowed the frog down just a hair and watched as a white ring emerges from below the log and turns in to a bucket mouthed Largemouth. At ten feet from my boat I have no time to react as it leaps into the air, annihilating the frog. With a difficult pause I wait until the bass dives with my frog and lean into the rod. The bass has to turn its head as the hooks dig in and the fight is on. In a cut as wide as my kayak is long she has no where to go but under and around me, thrashing like a jack in the water. I manage to keep my rod leading her and drag her in to the net.
At 5.5# and 21", she looked like she was ready to burst. She went back to her retreat with strength and I left with a smile knowing she'll get a chance to lay her eggs.
So, no trout. Might not get a chance to target them again this month. I hope someone can, but if not, we have March also. In the meantime I wish Zack would post his trout pics. He makes me jealous fishing next to him, hahahaha.
Now, I'd heard people saying the high flows have pushed the stocked trout down away from the dam (they were right) and the abundance of sunlight and warm weather has a lot of algae growing near the dam (they were right about that also). Combine that with predicted high winds (the weatherman was even right) and it made for tough fishing. So we had about 4 hours to fish and anything that approached the bottom or had an exposed hook was gonna drag back strings of algae with EVERY cast. So that and the wind kind of shutdown flyfishing. When we got to stretches with decent depth and flow I couldn't find trout or striper. My friend caught one LMB early on with a square bill. Not looking promising.
So I dedicated the first three hours to trout and striper for no reward. The last hour (as we paddled back up) I had to put something in the boat and I switched to a topwater frog for a few reasons- topwater and hooks on top mean less algae snagging and I can toss this thing over obstacles; it's so dang warm everyone always wonders when it is too early to throw a frog. I tied the light brown small body frog on to the bait caster and pounded every piece of cover I could find.
I found warm slack water with a ton of laydowns and submerged limbs. I casted far back on top of an algae mat and with a quick clip, reeled the frog back to me, parallel and above a submerged log. As the log rose to the surface of the water about ten feet from my kayak I slowed the frog down just a hair and watched as a white ring emerges from below the log and turns in to a bucket mouthed Largemouth. At ten feet from my boat I have no time to react as it leaps into the air, annihilating the frog. With a difficult pause I wait until the bass dives with my frog and lean into the rod. The bass has to turn its head as the hooks dig in and the fight is on. In a cut as wide as my kayak is long she has no where to go but under and around me, thrashing like a jack in the water. I manage to keep my rod leading her and drag her in to the net.
At 5.5# and 21", she looked like she was ready to burst. She went back to her retreat with strength and I left with a smile knowing she'll get a chance to lay her eggs.
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Zackthefisherman
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:53 pm
- Location: New Braunfels
Re: February Competition
Nice bass Jhb especially for that part of the river and you caught it on top water even better!
The trout fishing was great yesterday on the lower end of the river. I landed 15 and lost a lot more. Jhb unfortunately I'm not the photographer type. I always tell myself I'm going to take more pictures but it never happens. I did get a pic of my biggest of the day. A solid 17-18 inch fish.
I lost a fish that was a lot bigger than the one above. He started running towards a cypress tree covered in flood debris so I applied extra pressure to keep him out. Apparently I put to much because he snapped my 5x tippet.
The trout fishing was great yesterday on the lower end of the river. I landed 15 and lost a lot more. Jhb unfortunately I'm not the photographer type. I always tell myself I'm going to take more pictures but it never happens. I did get a pic of my biggest of the day. A solid 17-18 inch fish.
I lost a fish that was a lot bigger than the one above. He started running towards a cypress tree covered in flood debris so I applied extra pressure to keep him out. Apparently I put to much because he snapped my 5x tippet.
Re: February Competition
Zach and JHB
Great reports
Were the trout from a kayak?
I have been fishing . . . . but not taking photos . . . . just chilling and tossing little poppers to get the sunfish to rise
Today the Tenkara Amago (13.5 ft) was put into use. Kinda cool to stand up in the Diablo and cast tiny poppers with the long rod. I keep hoping a really big fish will suck one down just to see what that would be like
Let's go fishing
Great reports
Were the trout from a kayak?
I have been fishing . . . . but not taking photos . . . . just chilling and tossing little poppers to get the sunfish to rise
Today the Tenkara Amago (13.5 ft) was put into use. Kinda cool to stand up in the Diablo and cast tiny poppers with the long rod. I keep hoping a really big fish will suck one down just to see what that would be like
Let's go fishing
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Zackthefisherman
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:53 pm
- Location: New Braunfels
Re: February Competition
No I was wading. I'm a Grtu member so I can access the best water on the river without needing a kayak. Let us know how you like your Tenkara rod. I'm thinking about getting one just for sunfish.
Re: February Competition
Zackthefisherman wrote:No I was wading. I'm a Grtu member so I can access the best water on the river without needing a kayak. Let us know how you like your Tenkara rod. I'm thinking about getting one just for sunfish.
Tenkara is a blast. I keep one with me most of the time just to keep it interesting. You won't believe the fight from a 8" sunfish.
Re: February Competition
I had a couple of hours to dunk my Diablo in the upper San Marcos River this afternoon.
Someone has to make sure that there are fish in the river . . . . for when our Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing veterans hit the water later in the week.
Beautiful cichlids, sunfish and bass brightened up an otherwise dark and overcast day.
It was especially nice as half of the fish slammed topwater poppers, cast near submerged tree limbs, on the river bank. This is a sure sign that the fish are moving up into shallower water.
It is a blast when you can see the fish approach your fly, hesitate, then attack it with abandon.
Fat bellies, and vivid red, yellow, blue, and green coloration are indications that the fish are preparing to spawn.
What a day!
Someone has to make sure that there are fish in the river . . . . for when our Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing veterans hit the water later in the week.
Beautiful cichlids, sunfish and bass brightened up an otherwise dark and overcast day.
It was especially nice as half of the fish slammed topwater poppers, cast near submerged tree limbs, on the river bank. This is a sure sign that the fish are moving up into shallower water.
It is a blast when you can see the fish approach your fly, hesitate, then attack it with abandon.
Fat bellies, and vivid red, yellow, blue, and green coloration are indications that the fish are preparing to spawn.
What a day!
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Re: February Competition
you sir are giving me the itch! I'm going to scratch it this weekend with some stock tank action