His first trip to the river

So.... when your little brother asks if you can babysit his 2yr old and 2 month old so they can go to Wurstfest what would you do. I gave my niece to the wife and took Noah for his first ever wade trip in the river.

When your kids are all in College you forget how curious a young man can be. On the walk down to the river we named every insect that we crossed path's with. Picking up sticks is a good way to beat the brush out of your way, and it's okay to let go of his hand every now and then for him to have a little freedom.

Since we were not prepared (lack of conversation, meant no life jacket) I took him to a section of the Guadalupe river by the house that has been affected by the drought. There is very little flow so I wouldn't have to worry about him getting swept away.

I'm not sure if it was on purpose or accidental, but it didn't take long for him to kick off his shoes and dive in. Before you knew it he was throwing rocks and chasing minnows.

It wasn't about fishing, it is a right of passage that I hope to share with him many more times. I'm already planning a camping trip on the river with him in about three more years. Might have created a monster, he sure didn't want to leave but with the promise of an ice cream cone I was able to coax him out of the river.

Upon reaching the truck I realized that a change of clothes and a towel were left at the house. No problem though as there was a blanket in the back. I kept up my end of the bargain on the ice cream cone, it was good. To bad Noah missed it.

OKTOBERFISCH 2012

Turning right onto the highway, I found myself settling in for a two hour trip West to the town of Junction. This would be my first trip to Oktoberfisch and the original plan was to go there and experience all three days but there was another important event going on this weekend, the Baptism of my new niece. Some things trump others so I will shoot for the full experience next year.
The weather looked promising for the day, partly cloudy with a slight breeze and warming up as the hours slipped away. Exiting the Interstate and heading into town I had finally reached the Llano river and was greeted with a beautiful view as I crossed the old iron bridge.

Pulling into the campground I looked for a place to park close to the river. Walking up to the event tents I saw a couple of seminars taking place. One group was getting casting instruction while two other groups sat under a tent learning about knot tying and building flies.

Approaching the main vendor area, the aroma of BBQ was in the air and led me to a pit where they were selling plate lunches of sausage or brisket with beans, chips, and a soda for five bucks. After lunch I made my way around the tents checking out the gear and the raffle items for that afternoon.

During the day the crowd grew larger as people were returning from fishing the river and getting ready for the evenings festivities which included a steak dinner and raffle. I took advantage of some expert casting instruction from Austin of Salt396 . We then proceeded to try our luck at some of the impromtu casting challenges put on by the instructors that were at the event, and we held our own.

As I drove home it became clear that I had to get back next year and experience more of the event and to fish the river.

Adios, till' next year...............................................

Living Waters Fly Fishing

Tucked away in the Historic downtown section of Round Rock is Central Texas' best kept secret. Started in 2006 as a fly fishing guide service, Chris and his wife opened the doors to the only fly shop in the area in 2008.

Chris and Matt

This was my second visit to the shop. I went there to pick up some Pole Dancer flies that Matt was holding for me that I plan on using on the next redfish trip. What impressed me the most about this place, is how comfortable they make you feel.It's like I have been going there for years. The abundance of equipment that they provide for the fly fisherman is easily noticed as well as the amount of items needed to tie whatever fly you desire in stock.                                                 

Living Waters also hosts events every month, with the highlight being the fly tying night every Wednesday.
Although I didn't see a shackle around his ankle, i'm pretty sure Matt spends a lot of time at his fly tying station. How else can you keep winning the employee of the month award.

If you happen to be in the area stop by and introduce yourself. They are willing to help you anyway possible.

Fall on the Guad

Hearing rain drops tapping on the window took me by surprise. Wondering what the water looked like upon reaching the river was the second one of the morning. Stepping into the water as I waded to the dam with kayak in tow reminded me that the dog days of summer are over.

Not sure if it was the river turning over with the new season upon us, or the earlier storm that had the fishing slower than normal. Started the day out tossing a Zazzy Pop tight against the bank. I laughed out loud as the perch blew the popper out of the water only to be eaten by a small Guadalupe bass that was just bigger than the popper itself.

What I like about exploring this river is the beauty that is found around every bend. Whether the majestic Bald Cypress trees or the sight of fish as they dart through the rapids as the kayak crosses their path.

The last few trips the river has given up a bonus to me. Pound for pound I think the Rio is one of the hardest fighting fish that I have come across in freshwater. They sure put a bend in the fly rod.

Days like today also serve as a reminder of why I wear a PFD all of the time. It took one missed rock in the set of rapids to spin the kayak and flip without a chance to correct myself. Luckily I didn't lose anything on this day except for a little pride.

Hopefully around the next bend, on the next adventure I will get into some of the deeper pools that are known to hold some hefty smallmouth.

Until next time, be safe on and off the water.

Bone Boards "walk on water"

While fishing on the Guadalupe river one day, a group of people paddled by me on stand up paddle boards. Watching them glide along, my mind began wandering at the possibility of fly fishing from one. Arriving at the casa, the laptop was pulled out and a search brought me some results and even a local company close to me in San Antonio. After reviewing the board from this new company, I sent an e-mail to the owner with an inquiry to test one out and in return I would do a review. The next morning their was a reply from Bone Boards and I was able to pick a board up and use. 

The Bone Board is built from a rigid closed cell foam that gives it strength and keeps the weight down. Design Specs.
Looking over the board I was impressed with the detail and thought that was put into it.
With a length of 12 feet and width of 32 inches it was stable for it's size. It came with a marine grade aluminum rack that incorporates two rear rod holders and a side paddle holder. The rack is also fitted to hold the Igloo 14 can cooler that is included with the package and a  carbon fiber paddle that comes apart and has an internal steel stake out pin that goes through a hole in the board to keep you in place.

 I was a little hesitant at first to take it on the river because of the abundance of rocks. After a few trips out on the river I don't think you would have a lot of issues unless you are careless and run it into the rocks at high speed. With the light weight, I was able to carry it whenever I had to portage and was surprised at how tough the laminate on the bottom was with the rocks that it did scrape against.

Standing was fairly easy and at 250 lbs I felt stable enough to fish and paddle the board as it was designed. 
Paddling the board was a little bit of an adventure. The board would get nose heavy but it was due to my weight. After talking with the designer they are in the thought process of designing a second board which will be over 13 ft in length and have a wider stance to help out someone like myself. I was able to paddle it at a good pace once I adjusted the trim by backing up some on the board.
Rack, being collapsible and made out of marine grade aluminum it was light and fit perfect into the recessed holes incorporated into the board. The rack was then held in place by a buckle tie down like you would find on a casting platform on a boat.
Paddle, built 100% from carbon fiber, it was light and had the appropriate blade angle that allowed you to really dig when you wanted to cover ground or you turned it around when using it to position for a cast. It also comes apart by pushing a pin and inside is a metal stakeout pin to be used to anchor yourself in place when fishing a flat or if you want to get off and wade.

The standing area of the board is recessed and fitted with a nice foam pad that allows you to stand comfortably for a long period of time. The cooler is a nice addition when using the rack which has a recess that holds it perfectly. I was also able to leave the rack at home and just use my K-2 cooler as a platform to sit on when I wanted to take a break or paddle around.

Overall I think the design is great and functional. Some suggestions I would make would be to add grab handles to make it easier to carry, offer it in other than black. I realize that it was designed primarily for fishing the flats in Saltwater but I was impressed with it's ability to take on the river. I'm looking forward to seeing a larger model and wish them luck with the board.