December 5th Houston Fly Fishing Report

Well as everyone's noticed, the temperature has dropped and we've been getting a bit of rain. This doesn't mean all hope is lost though! Fish are still biting, you may just have to change your tactics and check flows and water temperature. If you've been waiting to break out your sink-tip line, now's not a bad time. Hint hint, get those flies down!

This time of year, I tend to gravitate towards the feeder creeks and rivers looking for White Bass or walking the bayou's looking for rising Grass carp. Don't get me wrong though: Bass are still biting, and if you can get a couple days of consistent weather, you may be able to pull out some big girls. Plus that prefrontal bite can surprise you!

A Look Into What's To Come

Rainbow and Brown trout stockings are starting on the Guadalupe River and can be a great way to get through those cooler, crappy weather days. Dust off your 4wts and nymph boxes and make a weekend out of it! I plan to spend a month or so in the hill country this trout season so look for paddle, wade, and possibly raft trips to be offered very soon until the end of January. Lodging may also be available so please feel free to ask about that.

The Guadalupe river is also known for its Striper, so don't be afraid to sneak that 8wt out and bang some streamers!

As soon as I get back from the hill country, the White Bass run should be on and dates are already booking up. I still have some weekends open so you may want to book them sooner rather than later. Available dates will be from February to April and this year paddle trips will be offered along with the usual wade trips.

Contact Houstonflyfishing@gmail.com for more information. I look forward to fishing with y'all!

Texas Bowfin Part 2

Texas Bowfin on the fly Part 2

Putting it together

  Since then I have developed a couple ways to target the fish and my favorite is obviously sight fishing. I recently purchased a Diablo Paddle Sport's Amigo  sup/kayak hybrid and it's been a game changer poling the mud flats for Bowfin and carp. With the ability to stand and pole in a couple inches of water Ive been able to get shots at super skinny Bowfin mudding, tailing and cruising in hunt mode.

  One big give away I've noticed also while paddling around is to watch for air breathing. They have a lung system similar to a gar and will eventually come up for a breathe in a similar fashion. If you find one gulping air try fan casting that area usually he hasn't gone far and a few casts may come up with a hard thump. If it doesn't try changing flies before giving up on him. They'll hunker down in a hole or under structure waiting for food and defending their spot or territory. The more time I've spent out the more I've noticed certain spots always have the same fish rising. Typically the warmer the day and more active the fish is the more you will find them gulping air and the more shots you'll get.

  The best by far though is the dap shots next to the yak. When you just happen to lock eyes with a beady eyed Bowfin wriggling his eel like dorsal fin. Yes they will come investigate your boat! Move slow and plop that crawfish pattern right in front of his nose. Twitch it once and do your best to get a strip set. Even if you lose the fish you will never get that creepy image out of your head and will spend the rest of the day hoping for a similar shot.

These are just a few of the consistent strategies I've been able to put together. It's still a learning process and hopefully I'll have more to share in the future! For hands on learning book a paddle trip I'll be glad to show you the ropes!

Houston area fishing report October 19th, 2016

Fishing Report October 19th

Urban Fly Fishing - has been good with nice flows bringing out all the fish. Common carp have been showing up usually as the day warms up. Smallmouth Buffalo are still scattered around. Grass carp have turned on big time and are super aggressive loving the plop. Fall is a good time for urban carping!

Lake Houston - The Bass bite has been on along with huge Grass carp!  A fantastic popper bite early and late in the evening with some streamer fishing the rest of the time. Olive woolly buggers, various colors of clousers, baitfish patterns, and leggy crawfish patterns. The upper creeks have been awesome with decent clarity and cooler temps making a wade or paddle that much better. Streamer fishing is the way to go if you want to catch multiple species LM Bass, Spotted bass, crappie, channel catfish, Whitebass,  various sunfish have been making appearances daily.

   Grass carp have been found in big groups tailing and backing and even better taking a fly plop in front of them! When I say big I mean 10-20lbers easy! Perfect for sightfishing out of the Diablo’s!

Lake Conroe - Bowfin fishing has been on all day. With plenty in the 3-5lb range eating. Mostly pitching streamers to active fish. Grass carp have been more aggressive here also sucking of flies on the plop!

Texas Bowfin Part 1. The Discovery

Texas Bowfin on the fly Part 1

The Discovery

  I had really been wanting a Bowfin on the fly but didn't really know where to start. I had caught them over the years on accident bass fishing with a plastic worm but never consistently. Well I have been spending a lot of time this year on Lake Conroe fly fishing, paddling, chasing carp and occasionally other species. One day paddling around looking for carp up shallow I look over and notice a Bowfin looking me in the eyes wiggling his eel like dorsal fin almost curiously or excitedly then he darted off under some vegetation. I thought badass and kept going about my day. After several more similar experiences I was starting to form a game plan on how to go about targeting this prehistoric fish.

  Then one day after getting a little pissed off at some Grass carp. I decided to tie a streamer on and give it a try in an area I had seen a few. I probably casted less than 10 times before I got a hard thump and missed it. A few more cast to the same area and another hard thump but this time I strip set it hard and keep stripping in line not letting up. After a bit of wrangling the fish out of some tree roots and some surprise aerial acrobatics. I boated my first Bowfin on the fly! Admired the air breathing prehistoric beady eyed fish with eel like fins and released it back into the murky water. I landed three more in the same area right after that and man do these things fight! I went home stoked ready brag to everyone about my new species on the fly.

Fishing Report Sep. 28th

Fishing Report September 28th

Urban Fly Fishing - has been good with mostly low flows. Big Common carp have been showing up along with Smallmouth Buffalo and if you happen to be on the water during a minor spike in flows look for aggressive rising Grass carp. Fall is a good time for urban carping!

Lake Houston - The Bass bite has been really turning on! A fantastic popper bite early and late in the evening with some streamer fishing the rest of the time. Chartreuse seems to be the ticket for the most part. The upper creeks have been awesome with decent clarity and cooler temps making a wade that much better. Bigger Spotted bass have been tight to structure so expect to lose flies!

Lake Conroe - Bowfin fishing has been on mostly during most of the day. Mostly pitching streamers to active fish. Grass carp have been a little more aggressive. Look for the grassers that look for the plop and don't waste time with spooky fish.

Early Fall Bass Patterns are Starting!

  With fall officially less than a month away and early fall patterns usually starting the end of August and the beginning of September it's time to start thinking of cooler nights and fall patterns. As the days shorten and it starts to actually cool off from triple digits and the mid 90°’s and those night temps get into the lower 70°’s look for bass keyed in on shad in the creeks and backwater lagoons of the bigger lakes. Don't be afraid to go bigger either!

  Remember these shad have grown since Spring and bigger bass will a lot of the time key in on the larger shad, bluegill and other prey items. Especially while fattening up for the coming winter. I'm big on lobbing large streamers like gamechangers and big deceivers this time of year. Mostly hammering the banks in 2-5ft of water and stripping back at various speeds, Working along structure such as docks, Lilly pads, down trees, and points where the bass have to travel to enter and leave these areas.

  Also watch for bass busting schools of shad I'm big on pulling up to a spot and just watching for a few minutes. Shad are key this time of the year and If you find the shad you'll find the bass. If you don't see much action it's probably good to keep moving. When you do find them cast next to or past the schools and make sure to let the fly drop a second or three before stripping. They'll hit on the drop quite often so watch your floating lines for a twitch. If that's not working and they're busting aggressively still strip the fly faster.

  Don't be afraid to try a popper or a gurgler in any of these same areas and situations in fact I highly encourage it! Don't be surprised either if your biggest bass of the year is caught in the next couple of months. Start tying flies, booking guides and wetting lines you've almost survived the Texas heat!