Planning on kayaking up the Yegua from Somerville this coming Saturday, but the weather this week has me a little concerned. Rain much of the week, cold front mid-week... It'll be my first time there so I have very little idea of what I'm going to be paddling in to. How do you experienced Yegua-ers think all this will impact the fish? Will the water likely be murky from runoff? Will the cold front make them keep their mouths closed? Should I consider a particular presentation given the expected conditions? I'm sure I'll be there Saturday one way or another, but I would like to be as prepared as possible so as not to waste one of a precious few weekends I can make it out on the water.

The temperature will be in the high 70s Friday, low 70s Saturday and low 60s on Sunday so that shouldn't be a problem. The winds are going to climb up to around 15 mph so that will be a bit of an issue since you have to paddle from the Nails creek boat ramp to the mouth of the Yegua in open water.

The water is crystal clear right now but it will muddy up some. It depends on how much rain we get. It usually takes about 36 hours for the majority of the rain in the watershed to reach the lower Yegua. So expect a fairly high current and possibly very muddy water if we get a lot of rain. I personally wouldn't attempt to try it this weekend, but that's just me. Last time I tried in those conditions I got skunked.

You can't hardly trust the weather people this time of year, so I would just wake up that morning you intend to go, look outside, and see first hand what the weather is doing and make the call yourself.

J-Moe do you think it would be better to try nails sat. morning instead of yegua, if we are launching from nails creek state park?
this Saturday is one of my only Saturdays I have off and really want to go, but it is a few hours from where I live, so I cant just wake up early Saturday morning and decide if I can go... I need to plan ahead.

Well so far it looks like the majority of the Yegua watershed has only received about an inch of rain. So it may not get as muddy as expected. The winds may still be up around 15 mph though. If you do go into Nails I would paddle up beyond the flag pond cut. The water clears up substantially above that point. The best crappie fishing in Nails is usually between the flag pond cut and the trailway bridge. Last year when we got a good heavy rain the white bass and crappie were being caught all the way up by the 125 bridge. You may want to drive over the Yegua at Irwin bridge (CR 124) and over Nails creek (CR 125) first to see what they look like before launching and making your decision.

Thanks for helping others find Moe Betta fishing.

You are welcome. That's also the name of the jig head fly I tie for crappie and white bass. It's Moe Betta than a normal crappie jig

The Fishtales guy has lots of videos with us fishing that area. There were a couple he published in October of last year. He needs to get off the Ranch and come fishing with us again soon.

I went out and checked on the creeks. The water was up about 1.5 to 2 ft at Irwin bridge. The water was murky with some mud streaks in it but in general it wasn't too bad at all. Nails creek was up about a foot and there were a couple guys catching white bass near the bridge. So as long as we don't get much more rain I think y'all should be good fishing either creek. The crappie bite may be a bit slow but I expect this should draw some more white bass into the creeks. You should do well on the white bass.

What is the history of the Flag Pond? Sorry for the hi-jack, just curious was it built before impoundment?

Looks like there is more rain still in the forecast. I'm also concerned about the 80% chance of thunderstorms on Saturday. I wouldn't be just super thrilled to be stuck on a kayak in hard rain and lightening. I really appreciate the real-time info though. Hopefully the rain will hold off.

hey sic'em, it looks like the storms might hold off tomorrow morning, I am thinking about heading out there early in the morning. The creeks should be good fishing, and not a bad paddle right at sun rise to Yegua. But the paddle back with the wind will be a workout but due able.

I've been tracking the weather too and I hope you're right! Unfortunately I was informed today that I have an mandatory event at noon for my medical school. I'm hoping that the weather holds and I'll be able to push fishing back a day and be out on Sunday.

Yes, Flagpond was there all along, with out much fanfare! back in the 60's we fished that alot, with Yegua too. In 67 when they flooded the creek and finished the dam, tubes of crappie, and channel cat we caught every night on the lake. Before the state took over Nails creek, was just a dirt road down to the lake. Remember getting stuck all the time, always had a rope or chain some one always offered to get us out. Man those were the good years, hot, and very cold at times around the lake.

Our family had a old jon boat, dad a 12hp seaking outboard and it got us around. Best of all getting into flagpond, several creeks are accessable from the lake, once the water went down after big rains only skinny boats or shallow draft boats could access it. Never had a problem getting crappie or whites this time of year. Also carry a good stick, plenty cotton mouth water moccasins around.

safe fishing...

hogflyer...

Love the history of places like this, thank you for sharing! I always saw it on the map but never heard people talk about it. Do folks still paddle into Flag pond? Wonder how deep it is.

Is the Nails Creek fish cleaning station open, and do they have a gut grinder?