Mt. Bonnell road to 2222. Take a right on Lakeshore right across from County Line BBQ. Down the road a bit there is a nice little pull off for parking.
Everything below (downstream of) the bridge is private water but upstream is a nice stretch of hill country creek, complete with a bedrock shelf that makes for easy wading.
Walk upstream a bit. There are some great deep holes right at the entrance but they get a lot of swimming pressure this time of year and I imagine those fish get hit hard. Take the trail to the right upstream but bee careful. If you go too far you will go up in elevation from the creek and access becomes a problem. To eliminate all problems take some wading shoes.
Fish upstream to the dam. Below that damn I hammered some sunfish and even pulled out a couple bass. Above the damn there are some real fish. I caught plenty of perch but I needed a larger fly or popper to tempt some of the bass I saw swimming around. Further upstream of the damn the creek opens up into some huge boulders similar to the ones you see at the entrance to the park. I didn't get a chance to fish this area but I wont lie - I was yearning for a spinning rod and a crankbait. In sum there are some fish to be caught here. I will return.
There are more areas to be explored in this region. Standby for further exploration of Bull and Boggy Creek.
April 14, 2017
April 13, 2017
Shoal Creek
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| Green sunfish (above) male with spawning colors. |
Keep working upstream and you will find a really nice little spot that as the crow flies is right in front of St. Stevens School. While fighting a smaller sunfish I had a bass come up and flash at the sunfish. The fish must've been 15 inches but he isn't going anywhere as the creek is dry on both sides but the coming rains may change that situation.
One spot that I have scouted but not seriously fished is a small little hole along the trail that runs from the 34th bridge up to the 35th street bridge. The water looks slow and it could be one of the deeper holes in the creek but I just haven't had a chance to take a look. I imagine starting there and walking upstream with a flyrod would be a fun way to spend an afternoon. If someone takes that walk before I do...please report!
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| Long-ear male hit like a freight train. |
April 12, 2017
183 and Braker
Pond #1
Mopac north - just after you cross under 183 exit breaker. Pull off towards Mimis Cafe and go as far South in the lot as you can which will put you behind an autozone. Walk down the hill and you will see a drainage pond. Believe it or not - loaded with fish.
This pond is a place I saw driving to one of my other spots over by Highland Park High. It looks insignificant and frankly it is but god bless Texas because most of these drainage ditches are close to or serve a particular watershed which in this case means fish!
When you go down there go to where the spillway enters the pond on northwest side closest to Mimi's. That is really the only area that allows for any sort of backcast BUT fish it slow and take your time. With patience I was able to pull a dozen small bass and bluegill out of that spot on a small wooly bugger but these fish aren't picky.
If you have a kayak or a float tube this is your spot! Bank access is limited by some enormous reeds and cat tails. Also the pond has a pretty vibrant weed cycle. I was there Sunday last and there were still some good clear spots in the middle but if you are spinning think weedless and if its a fly approach I might try dragging a popper through some of that grass.
I am not sure about the size potential in this little lake. I have only had smaller bass up to about a foot take my panfish flies but I don't see why there wouldn't be some larger fish swimming around. There is plenty of space and the bluegill and minnow populations are healthy.
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Pond #2 (recent discovery)
If you walk south the railroad tracks on the opposite side of the pond (there is a berm with an old road you can walk on easily) you will come to a spillway into another pond (across the railroad tracks) that is adjacent to some soccer fields.
I first saw this pond on the map a while ago but haven't explored it until just recently. There is a nice little trail around the pond but bank access like before is tough. Especially for a fly angler. I found a few spots where I could manage a roll cast and was disappointed. In the main pond the action is usually fast and furious. In this pond I wasn't even feeling the nibbles of the smaller bluegill.
Right as I was about to give up something inhaled my bug, tore into the weeds, wrapped me around a tree limb and broke the tippet. I've been fishing for a pretty long time and this wasn't a small fish but to be fair it didn't have to be too big to take advantage of my 3wt. Point is - larger fish.
The second pond is split by a muddy landbridge and the larger of the two parts seems very interesting. I did catch one bluegill but the pond itself is a simple circle with not too much structure but for the landbridge. However, in the bright sun with my polarized glasses I couldn't see the bottom more than a couple feet from the bank. I think this pond is deep - much deeper than the main pond but it also doesn't provide too much structure.
Someone get out there with a float tube or a kayak - sit in the middle and work the banks. I have to think there are some big fish in there. Also kind of a cool note there are wild blackberries all around the perimeter of the pond.
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All the places mentioned above are super easy to find on google maps or earth.
Mopac north - just after you cross under 183 exit breaker. Pull off towards Mimis Cafe and go as far South in the lot as you can which will put you behind an autozone. Walk down the hill and you will see a drainage pond. Believe it or not - loaded with fish.
This pond is a place I saw driving to one of my other spots over by Highland Park High. It looks insignificant and frankly it is but god bless Texas because most of these drainage ditches are close to or serve a particular watershed which in this case means fish!
When you go down there go to where the spillway enters the pond on northwest side closest to Mimi's. That is really the only area that allows for any sort of backcast BUT fish it slow and take your time. With patience I was able to pull a dozen small bass and bluegill out of that spot on a small wooly bugger but these fish aren't picky.
If you have a kayak or a float tube this is your spot! Bank access is limited by some enormous reeds and cat tails. Also the pond has a pretty vibrant weed cycle. I was there Sunday last and there were still some good clear spots in the middle but if you are spinning think weedless and if its a fly approach I might try dragging a popper through some of that grass.
I am not sure about the size potential in this little lake. I have only had smaller bass up to about a foot take my panfish flies but I don't see why there wouldn't be some larger fish swimming around. There is plenty of space and the bluegill and minnow populations are healthy.
------
Pond #2 (recent discovery)
If you walk south the railroad tracks on the opposite side of the pond (there is a berm with an old road you can walk on easily) you will come to a spillway into another pond (across the railroad tracks) that is adjacent to some soccer fields.
I first saw this pond on the map a while ago but haven't explored it until just recently. There is a nice little trail around the pond but bank access like before is tough. Especially for a fly angler. I found a few spots where I could manage a roll cast and was disappointed. In the main pond the action is usually fast and furious. In this pond I wasn't even feeling the nibbles of the smaller bluegill.
Right as I was about to give up something inhaled my bug, tore into the weeds, wrapped me around a tree limb and broke the tippet. I've been fishing for a pretty long time and this wasn't a small fish but to be fair it didn't have to be too big to take advantage of my 3wt. Point is - larger fish.
The second pond is split by a muddy landbridge and the larger of the two parts seems very interesting. I did catch one bluegill but the pond itself is a simple circle with not too much structure but for the landbridge. However, in the bright sun with my polarized glasses I couldn't see the bottom more than a couple feet from the bank. I think this pond is deep - much deeper than the main pond but it also doesn't provide too much structure.
Someone get out there with a float tube or a kayak - sit in the middle and work the banks. I have to think there are some big fish in there. Also kind of a cool note there are wild blackberries all around the perimeter of the pond.
-------
All the places mentioned above are super easy to find on google maps or earth.
Back in ATX!
Restarting this blog now that I am back in Austin. My last post was in 2012 right before the convergence of some family drama and a rough spell at work. In 2015 I moved to DC to work and have just returned to Austin to pursue a graduate degree. All that is wildly irrelevant but there it is.
Fishing-wise I am without a kayak and finances aren't such that would allow for such a luxury. I do have a boat down at the farm but as far as the Austin area is concerned this blog will now have the following specific focus: urban fly fishing opportunities in and around Austin.
The Colorado divides the town but it also sets the stage for the myriad of creeks, runoffs, drainages etc. that all hold fish. At the very least I hope this will help the intrepid urban angler uncover some of the spots in Austin.
Unless in the colorado or fishing a private tank most of the fish I am catching are under 12 inches. Small fish means I am almost exclusively fly fishing for two reasons: first, smaller fish are easier to catch on a fly, second, it doesn't take a large fish to put a 3wt noodle flyrod to work. I caught a bluegill the size of a cereal bowl the other day and the damn thing nearly broke me off twice.
So in sum. Austin fly fishing. Small fish. New spots. Good stories.
Fishing-wise I am without a kayak and finances aren't such that would allow for such a luxury. I do have a boat down at the farm but as far as the Austin area is concerned this blog will now have the following specific focus: urban fly fishing opportunities in and around Austin.
The Colorado divides the town but it also sets the stage for the myriad of creeks, runoffs, drainages etc. that all hold fish. At the very least I hope this will help the intrepid urban angler uncover some of the spots in Austin.
Unless in the colorado or fishing a private tank most of the fish I am catching are under 12 inches. Small fish means I am almost exclusively fly fishing for two reasons: first, smaller fish are easier to catch on a fly, second, it doesn't take a large fish to put a 3wt noodle flyrod to work. I caught a bluegill the size of a cereal bowl the other day and the damn thing nearly broke me off twice.
So in sum. Austin fly fishing. Small fish. New spots. Good stories.
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