MASON -- A
little patch of long-bladed grass, aimed downstream by the current's
steady push, was the only cover that could hide a Guadalupe bass in the
race below a rocky waterfall on the Llano River. The whole thing was not
much bigger than a washtub, but almost every time my little popping bug
swept past, another bass shot out from beneath the gently waving
vegetation to take a whack at it. Most of them connected, too.
After smashing the yellow popper with all the brashness and vigor
displayed by some of their 5-pound cousins, the mottled Guadalupes went
airborne once or twice, then settled into the swift current to use the
stream's hydrology to help them fight the fly rod.
One could think
of nothing more similar than a high-country rainbow trout, bred long and
sleek to take advantage of currents and eddies and riffles, making a
living by staking out and protecting his own special feeding spot. The
jumping, the pound-for-pound strength, the willingness to take a fly had
trout written all over them.
The difference was that these were
Guadalupe bass, the Texas state fish, which can be found all around us --
not living in a stream 1,000 miles away. With splotchy backs and a row of
vertical lines down their sides, a peculiar batch of very sharp teeth, and
coloring more reminiscent of smallmouth bass than trout, Guadalupe bass
are aggressive, willing little fighters that inhabit fast water and still,
deep water. And though small, they occur in such numbers that even a
novice angler can hook and land 30, 40 or even 50 in a day of fishing.
The first four or five I caught from below the waterfall all had
companions swimming with them, trying in vain to dislodge the popping bug
so that they could swallow it themselves. A couple of those fish would
scare two pounds, which is getting on toward behemoth size in the
Guadalupe community. Most river bass are small, 12 inches or less, which
is why there is no minimum size limit on Guadalupe bass in Texas.
Size is not the measure of a Guadalupe, however. On the Llano and
other Texas Hill Country rivers where Dub Dietrich takes anglers on kayak
fishing trips, angling is a numbers game.
Dietrich, who lives in
Manchaca, is a geologist by profession but a river runner by choice. "I
caught my first Hill Country fish when I was 8 years old," he said. Though
he grew up in West Texas, he later migrated to the Hill Country and has
been fishing the Llano, San Marcos, Colorado, Blanco, Nueces and other
rivers for more than 20 years. He's been guiding anglers for eight years.
"I started out fishing in canoes," Dietrich says. "But I switched
to kayaks because it's so much easier and you don't have to have one
person paddling and one person fishing." Indeed, the kayaks Dietrich uses
are simple even for novice paddlers. They are comfortable, easy to
maneuver and lightweight enough to be quickly portable to avoid any rapids
and rocky falls the angler doesn't want to negotiate.
"The nice
thing about it is that you can go at your own pace, or stop and fish the
better spots," Dietrich said. Each angler gets his own kayak, which is a
self-bailing model with a comfortable fabric chair for support. You can
paddle quickly, stopping and walking riffles and rapids, or drift lazily
with the current, doing not much more than keeping the bow pointed forward
to make the fishing easier. The river is seldom more than waist deep and
except during flood times doesn't present any dangerous situations for
inexperienced kayakers.
Dietrich offers help when it's needed, but
mostly just follows along, pointing out geologic anomalies, good places to
fish and birds and wildlife on the shore. He's even willing to take
anglers or paddlers on overnight trips on the river. The Llano River kayak
trip was one of the most enjoyable fishing and outdoor days I've ever had.
During our day on the river, which covered just over five miles
and about seven hours, three anglers landed about 200 fish, most of them
Guadalupe bass. There were also redbreast sunfish, green sunfish, a few
largemouths and one Rio Grande perch. Summertime anglers also catch the
occasional catfish. "We catch some big buffalo and gar, too," Dietrich
said.
Most of the fish right now are feeding on grasshoppers and
other insects. Small popping bugs, rubber spiders and flies such as
Clouser minnows are most effective. Dietrich caught his fish on spinning
gear, mostly on small grubs and crankbaits.
Guadalupes spend a lot
of time in fast water, Dietrich said, and that's where we found them.
Riffles and rapids also serve as hiding places for Guadalupes.
I
used a three-weight fly rod all day and that was plenty big enough. Even
rods up to eight weight would be fine, though. Spinning gear should be
light, 8-pound or smaller.
Dietrich can accommodate up to four
anglers, but says he prefers groups of two. He provides the guide service,
kayak, equipment, the river shuttle, drinks and lunch. For more
information, call him at (512) 292-8215 or see the Web site
www.kayaktexasrivers.com.
mleggett@statesman.com
Illustrations/Photos: PHOTO; Photo: Mike
Leggett/AMERICAN-STATESMAN; Guide Dub Dietrich holds a nice Guadalupe bass
he caught below a waterfall on the Llano River, near Mason.
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