David Sikes

Thursday, January 25, 2001

Flour Bluff overrun with trout

I spent some time on the Guadalupe River while on vacation the past two weeks.
   For the most part, the surge of current between the river's banks rendered the water dangerous and certainly unfishable. That's OK. We needed the rain.
   But there was an unfortunate consequence for me, because the river was full of rainbow trout thanks to stocking programs by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Trout Unlimited.
   The good news is the fish are still there.
   Short time frame
   Thousands of these non-native trout will be caught by Texas light-tackle anglers before warmer weather returns and tubers again crowd the Guadalupe. State-released fish tend to be small. But TU releases fighters in the 20-inch range. The state record rainbow caught below Canyon Dam weighed 7.74 pounds.
   I plan to catch my share of these freshwater trout and I'll let you know later how you can too.
   Another alternative
   Meanwhile, for those who can't get to New Braunfels, or if you have children who cannot wade the rapids, there is an alternative. I'm talking about the annual TPW trout release at reservoirs and neighborhood ponds.
   About 1,200 trout are already seething in Waldron Park Pond, at St. Francis and St. Benedict Court in Flour Bluff. Hundreds of them from hatcheries in Missouri were released this past weekend.
   Lake Corpus Christi State Park will sponsor a free fishing clinic for children from 5- to 12-years old Feb. 10. Hourly sessions begin at 9 a.m. All fishing equipment will be provided and the park entry fee will be waived.
   To register or for information, call (361) 547-2635 or (361) 547-9712.
   The 1,500 Lake Corpus Christi rainbows, some donated by the Mathis Knights of Columbus, will be fair game within a cordoned off section of the reservoir immediately after the Feb. 10 kids fishing event. The park is just up Interstate Highway 37 near Mathis.
   State-stocked fish average eight- to 10-inches long, which means there are always a few that are bigger. No matter their size, though, rainbow trout are aggressive fighters that will attack a variety of baits and lures.
   This should continue for several weeks at Waldron Pond.
   How to catch them
   Most anglers use the very lightest tackle they can find. Fly-fishing equipment or ultra-light spinning gear with two- to six-pound test line is preferred. A No. 8 hook or smaller works best.
   Trout go for tiny lures too, mostly small jigs, spinners, spoons and flies. The flashier the better is a good rule of thumb.
   For natural baits, it's hard to beat salmon eggs, dough baits, cheese and corn. But some anglers find success using worms or small minnows. Berkley makes a scented dough bait that I recommend. It's called Berkley Power Bait, made for catfish. It's available at our local Academy Sports and Outdoors.
   You can either fish on the bottom or use a float, depending on structure.
   Anglers 17 or older must possess a valid Texas fishing license and a freshwater trout stamp, also available at Academy. But kids need only obey the five-fish bag limit, with no minimum length requirement.
   And, generally speaking, patience isn't a prerequisite for this kind of fishing. Except maybe for the parents.