Outings Report - April 2009
by Todd Fleming, AFF Outings Director - 2009
Spring is definitely here – cool nights, clear sunny days, and some recent rains that have transformed the monochromatic winter landscape into living color almost overnight. It has not been drought ending rainfall, but welcome rains all the same. Rains fell in the hill country not a moment too soon to salvage a bleak white bass outing in March. It was the third year in the last four that low river flows and low lake levels have made the white bass fishing a little tough. An exposed sand bar near the lake was again reportedly preventing the normally prolific white bass from making their spawning runs from the lake upstream past Colorado Bend State Park. A new season, and a new weather pattern will hopefully bring our lakes and rivers back to normal.
The weather for this year’s white bass outing was cool and damp, and the fishing was tough. By all accounts it was an off year for catching white bass, but a fun outing with many memorable moments nevertheless. Unfortunately the numbers of participants was off as well. If you are searching for a reason to join us on a club outing, don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Make plans to go for the fishing and the fellowship. And remember, the good times and memorable experiences don’t just happen on the water. If you had been part of the group that went to Colorado Bend, you would know what white bass newbie stumbled in the river and took a cold water bath – it happens to everyone sooner or later! You would also know who was having flashbacks of work related product testing while watching jet blue flames shoot up from the industrial size burner on Bruce’s new fish fryer. You would know who wondered out loud why the lantern was slowly dropping from the sky – do you think alcohol might have been involved? If you had been sitting around the campfire after a cold damp day of fishing, you would know who decided to wear their waders to bed, and why. And you would know who else thought that was a good idea. If you were at the white bass outing to Bend, you’d know who woke up to discover they were hosting a dinner party for some camp savvy raccoons – at least they weren’t skunks! If you were there, you’d also know what young couple, on leave from their kids for the weekend, set up a tent, but still managed to steam up the windows in their SUV. If you made the Encore White Bass Outing the following weekend, you would be keenly aware of the difference between the sounds of raccoons fighting in the trash dumpster, and the sounds of the Park Host interrogating a couple of fly fishermen at 3am walking through camp on their way to the fish cleaning station. Both will make you pull the blanket up over your head and try to go back to sleep. Good times and fond memories happen on all of our outings. Come join us, and I promise to only write about the really embarrassing moments!
In April we will head back to the hill country to float the Llano River near Junction, then stop off in Austin for an evening of intense fly fishing film viewing, and end the month touring a modern saltwater hatchery on the coast. After the hatchery tour we may squeeze in some early flats fishing before heading home. It is a busy month, so hurry up and send in your tax return to Uncle Sam, and then join us for some early Spring road trips.
First up in April will be a freshwater outing with a couple of float trips on the S. Llano River near Junction. Camping is available in the state park on the river just south of town. We have a couple of campsites reserved for Friday and Saturday nights (April 17th & 18th), but if you are not into camping, other accommodations are available in town. Kevin Hutchison will be joining us on this outing to share his knowledge of the water and the area. The Llano River is refreshingly clear, and there are great stretches of water to float and fish above and below the park. We are planning two leisurely float trips that will allow for plenty of fishing along the way – one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Prepare your own shore lunch for a stop at mid-day. A burn ban is presently in affect, but plan on a pot luck dinner on Saturday night in the park. Canoe and kayak rentals are available. Let me know ahead of time if you need any equipment.
On Wednesday evening April 22nd, the day after our club meeting, there is a fly fishing film tour stop in Austin. If you need to get energized to go fly fishing, this is just what the doctor ordered. Drake Productions will be showing about seven different action packed, fast paced, intense films on fly fishing locations near and far. It’s fly fishing in H-D with surround sound! This may be too intense for some of our overexcited members – you know who you are! The films are showing at the Alamo Draft House 1220 S. Lamar in Austin. Tickets are $15/person ($12 if you are over 54, and $10 if you are under 13) and available on-line at www.flyfishingfilmtour.com. Doors open at 5pm, films start at 7pm, and food and beverage will be available for purchase before and during the show. If you want to carpool to Austin, let me know at the AFF meeting on Tuesday.
On Saturday April 25th we have an educational trip planned to see and tour the modern, state-of-the-art saltwater fish hatchery near Lake Jackson. Sea Center Texas is operated by Texas Parks & Wildlife, and is one of three hatcheries on the Texas coast (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/seacenter/). In addition to the fish hatchery, the Visitor Center on site houses interpretive displays, a “touch tank” and aquariums depicting native Texas habitats including a salt marsh, jetty, reef and open Gulf exhibits. The hatchery produces juvenile red drum and spotted speckled trout to stock in Texas bays, and has the capability to produce up to 15 million juvenile fish each year. Friends and family are invited and encouraged to join us for the hatchery tour at 2:30pm. Admission is free, but space is limited and you need to sign up in advance.
May will be here soon, and I want everyone to make plans to be in Camp Wood on Saturday May 2nd. This is the date for the Bud Priddy Memorial One Fly Contest on the Nueces River. Cost is $20 per person plus a duplicate fly of your contest selection. The entry fee includes all day of fishing on the Nueces River, and dinner and prizes that evening. Prizes will be awarded for the Most Fish, Longest Perch, and Longest Bass. Start planning your fly of choice. More information and a sign-up list for the hatchery tour and the One Fly Contest will be available at the AFF meeting on Tuesday April 21st. Dates for scheduled outings throughout the year are also available on-line at the club website calendar.
Good luck and I look forward to seeing you on the water!