President's Message - April 2009 "Back Yard Exotics"

by Rob Burlingame, AFF President

Just when we thought South Texas might shrivel up and blow away, we finally got the much needed rains. Going from nearly no rainfall to almost 4 inches for the year has been a welcome change. The rivers are beginning to fill a little and flows are picking up. You all know the saying… April showers bring May flowers. Well, here in Texas we are almost always a month early with the rain and by early April the Hill Country is dotted with wild flowers. Besides adding beauty to a Sunday drive, these Texas natives are also a signal of something wonderful and spectacular…Texas Fishing! When the flowers begin to peek out of the ground, the warm water fish seem to come to life. White bass make it to the bank by the stringer full, migrating bait makes its way along the coast on their return from a tropical winter vacation, pan fish begin to gobble anything within their reach and so on.

It is also this time of year when we all begin to occupy our thoughts with fishing and the upcoming trips the year has to offer. For some, this includes far away destinations in search of the local bounty only found in remote spots on the globe. As for me, I am still in the “hope” phase of the journey that I will one day haunt the Alaskan wilderness or the gin clear South American flats. One day I will get there, just not this year! Instead, I will continue my search for the exotic locations right here in our back yard.

We often take for granted the things that are right under our nose. Take the Alamo and River Walk as examples. For most of us, these nationally known tourist attractions are no more than a 15 or 20 minute drive, but we are lucky to see them more than a couple times a year, much less set foot inside. People travel half way across the US to see these great landmarks of our city. Fishing destinations are no different. There are literally hundreds of opportunities for excellent fishing right here in our back yard.

First, the Hill Country Rivers are plentiful and highly accessible. As the weather warms, fishing can be phenomenal. Just ask anyone who has competed in the Bud Priddy One Fly if 200 plus fish days are possible on the Nueces. Then there is the Llano, Frio, Guadalupe, Perdanales, and the Medina. That only scratches the surface of available waters within a short drive. Looking at the fare of these waters reveals two unique species, the Guadalupe Bass (found only in Texas) and the Rio Grande Perch (found only in Texas and Northern Mexico). That’s right, this hard fighting light rod duo is found only in our own back yard! In addition to these prize fish, you can hunt the local waters for rainbow trout, small mouth bass, largemouth bass, catfish, several carp species and a handful of pan fish. So there is literally nowhere else in the world where you can have three figure fish days and a good shot at catching two unique species.

Moving onto the southern coast opens another wonderful book of opportunities. Wandering to the coast offers a plethora of adventures from lazy days on the flats to more adventurous midnight tarpon runs. Those looking for a short day’s adventure site casting to bronze brutes in shin deep water can find some of the best skinny water red drum fishing in the country right in our own back yard. These adventures begin with short wading or kayaking trips in the local flats to weekend runs to the lower Laguna Madre.
In the Spring and late Fall, South Padre National Seashore teams with baitfish clusters returning from equatorial waters where they spend the winters. With their migration comes fast paced no holds barred fishing for a wide variety of toothy critters of the salt. When fishing on the fringes of vast blue water, you never know what you might find on the other end of your fly line. Common species are redfish, speckled trout, ladyfish, whiting, croaker and several Jack fish species. When the winds calm and the “blue” water creeps within casting distance of the beach, all of the rules change. Suddenly, the species common to Florida like waters and normally found further from the beach come well within casting distance for the average fly rodder. Fisher beware though, because the added buffet close to the beach brings with it some massive tooth wielding torpedoes that will keep you wading shallow.
For those seeking yet another adventure, there are the jetties. Primary destinations for San Antonio anglers are the Port Aransas, Packery Channel and the Mansfield Jetties. The former two are fairly accessible by vehicle or via an easy “jetty boat” ride. The latter is accessible by vehicle, but only after a daunting 60+ mile drive on the beach. The jetties offer fly anglers a walkway into another realm that offers catches to serve as reminders of why we string so much backing onto our reels. With a summer abundance of Spanish Mackerels, Blue Fish, Groupers, Snappers, Jack Crevalle, Tarpon and Snook on top of the “regular fish”, these trips are what memories are made of. This is one of the few places in the State where you can hear the scream of a fly reel both day and night as dumbfounded anglers wonder how in the world a fish can swim that fast. On a good day, this can be an experience you feel cast after cast.

So, the next time you are watching your favorite fishing show or reading a barber shop magazine, daydreaming about some exotic faraway place, set your sites locally on the exotics in our own back yard. While the destinations may not seem as impressive, the memories can be built just the same. Whether you are planning a distant trip this year or still in the “hope” phase, don’t overlook the bounty of your own back yard. Load up the truck, pack your gear and choose your favorite direction and head out. You just might find that adventure that you will be talking about for years to come.