Boggy Creek...

...is aptly named.

A buddy of mine went on a scouting adventure to explore the lower reaches of Boggy Creek. Boggy flows through the eastern part of Austin before dumping into the Colorado about 6 miles from Webberville. Creeks this time of year have been productive and with the navigable waters rule (that we admittedly use readily) all that one needs to do is find access.

On this particular day we met at 8001 Delwau Ln. which is technically a parking area for the Walnut/Boggy Creek greenbelt. The spot is little more than a pull off in front of what looks to be a dilapidated old power/water plant or some such thing. When you park you should be facing the old steel structure. Access can be found by walking down the road to your left (as you are facing the structure). Keep following that road until you come across a relatively well traveled trail that breaks off from the road to the right. I marked the trail head with a stick on top of an empty water bottle. I doubt that marker will stick around and I regret leaving a plastic water bottle on the ground but moving past my carbon footprint transgression I hope the marker helps.

The trail will wind down the hill. Stay left on the trail - if you don't you will end up in a healthy reed patch. Follow the trail around to the left and it will drop you right at this cool little spot where a spillway of some sort comes into the river. There were fish hitting left and right at this spot when we were there (evening). There were also a ton of carp that you could sight fish to. I am working on trying to figure out how to catch these beasts on a fly but more about that later.

Fish the spillway spot. Both my buddy and I caught a few bass on poppers. Apparently there is an old City of Austin dumpster in the middle of that section of the river that holds a ton of catfish as well but we were ill equipped for the whiskered fish.

After the spillway spot we moved around to the central part of the river where Boggy actually comes into the Colorado. Again, I've been having a lot of luck in creeks so I waded up the creek all the way to the Delwau bridge. The report is as follows:

The day we were there the mouth was pretty muddy. Muddy enough to visibly affect fishing. BUT if you keep going up the creek it clears out and there are some pretty nice little holes that hold bass larger than one might think. The more interesting part of the walk is the flats you come to. Obviously the water level is going to fluctuate with the coming and going of the spring rains but when I was there the flat was just deep enough to cover the numerous carp and gar I spotted while walking.

You CAN catch carp on the fly and actually the sport itself has been gaining popularity in the states. Naturally the Europeans were way ahead of us on this particular adventure. Apparently Carp have a brain the size of a walnut, dwarfing the brains of every other fish in the stream. You must find a school that is feeding. You can tell because the will leave a mud trail and if you are sight casting you can actually see them working the bottom like a vacuum. Often times you will come across a school of carp in suspended animation. These carp will not take. Just move on. BUT if you can find a feeding school and put the right fly in front of them - they fight. Hard.

Again I have, as of yet, not managed to accomplish this particular angling feat but it is only a matter of time. Recommended flies include trout nymphs (bead heads, copper johns, etc.) but apparently crayfish patterns and/or the right color wolly bugger will also work. I will keep everyone apprised of my journey to land a carp on the fly.

Any way it is a nice walk and while there are definitely some good holes I think this spot will yield much more action after a good rain when the water level goes up just a touch.

Regardless any day on the water is a great day on the water and this day was no exception. Tight lines folks.