Hey folks. I'm headed out to the release area first thing in the morning (they open at 7 I think).

I'll give a report of how it goes.

I used to fish this area a lot when I was younger, to the point we walked/waded all the way down to 121 from the spillway. I know it changes and I probably wouldn't even recognize it anymore.

5-8 lb bass, lots of guadalupes at the tressel area, big sandies everywhere, lots of tiny (and I mean sometimes *tiny*) crappie, and once a gar 2/3rd of the way back to the bank on a buzzbait (yikes!)

I'll prolly be skunked tomorow, but oh well, it'll be a good day.

Anyone wanna join me?

-b

Don't think I'll be able to make it, but I really wanna fish that spot some day. Please let me know if you see any sizable carp or buffalo anywhere in that area!

Productive morning, BTW.

3 largemouth, 1 guadalupe, and a couple sandbass (small).

nothing big, but in swift water things always feel bigger.

I did have something break me off (17 lb test stren, new) I guess it to be a hybrid from the way it behaved.

SD: yeah, loads and loads of common carp. I'd estimate several I saw at over 20lbs.

Also, Fridays seem to be the way to go. There were a total of 4 people on the river between the dam and the rr tracks. myself, someone fly fishing and a couple guys trying for catfish at the water outlet. Seemed like I had the river to myself.

ALso of iterest, they are in the process of putting in campsites and the like, looks great.

-b

Well now....commons over 20? at Lewisvile? too cool. If I might ask, where abouts were the common at? Were the moving along the banks? I have to see this for myself, lol. As I type now, I'm 2mi. south of the spillway, off 121bus. I noticed last year they were putting in water lines to what was primitive camping grounds. Sounds like I'll be able to drag my wife out there to camp for a change, lol. It is beautiful over there.

-Alan

Glad you got some fish FWB! Sorry you lost the big hybrid, did it just take off downstream?

Thanks for the report on the carp, too. The big ones are probably moving up for the spawn. I'll have to try and get out there one of these days, maybe Friday morning.

As Alan asked, where did you see the carp at?

Aren't guadalupe bass strictly limited to the guadalupe river? Maybe a spotted bass?

Kentucky's or Yellow's

yeah, spotted bass. bad habit as I called them (incorrectly) guadalupe bass when I was a kid. Old haits ya know..... Thanks for calling me out on it. It *is* something I try to correct.

True, the Guadalupe Bass lives only in the Edwards Plateau.


-b

SD / Alan

those beasties were hanging around in almost every calm spot I came across; more fish in the calm areas closest to the release point than further downstream.

In other words, they are right there close to the parking spot.


SD; yeah, one swift turn downstream and it was all over. I coulda been something else, but it acted like a sandie, so taking that and the force it had, hybrid is a logical choice. I suspect there was a nice big fat rock somewhere I couldn't see it helping as well (its not like rocks are hard to come by out there).

Still a fine day out there. I may go back in a few weeks and try for some cats.

hehehehe

Cool, Bret. Thanks much for the report. I'll definitely have to get out there and try to get into some of those big carp. Probably up in the calm areas near the release cause they were getting ready to spawn. Right now the carp in a lot of areas are really starting to feed hard to prepare for the spawn. I'll have to check it out.

What were you fishing with that you caught the bass and sandies on and hooked the ( Likely ) hybrid? I might have to bring some minnows or something down there when I get a chance to go.

Thanks for the info. Justin, I'm going to fish this place soon. I used to catch quality flats, blues, and channels. Only fished it for carp twice, and for short periods of time. There is some cool lookin' areas to fish back there. If you haven't been there yet Justin, you should look at google satelite map of the area....I drooled when I saw it the first time. DId you see any big flathead? It's almost time to catch 'em, if not already.

-Alan

Nope, I have yet to actually go there. I'll check it out one of these days. Will probably bring some minnows to set up either on the bottom, or under a slip-bobber while I wait for the carp to show up. Sounding like a pretty sweet spot.

The bass and hybrid were on 4" jerkbait ; shad colored with that garlic chartruse dip on the tail.

the little sandies were on tube jigs drug behind a rattletrap (it works a lot better than you'd think, makes for some weird times when the sandies are thick in there. what with 2 on at once, or a black bass, and a sandie, or a sandie and a crappie, there's no telling what'll latch on during a fish fighting).

I'd expect one to kill with minnows.


"What were you fishing with that you caught the bass and sandies on and hooked the ( Likely ) hybrid? I might have to bring some minnows or something down there when I get a chance to go."

FWB are you sure you wasn't seeing buffalos? I fish the area alot ive seen very few carp mainly all buffalos. Ive been there and seen over 30 buffalos in the main gate smallest ones being at least 5 pounds. Early in the morning is the best time seems that as the day goes on they move down stream out of the main gate. Next time you are there take a look back at the main pipe in the main gate the shallow water there always has at least 4 or 5 big buffs. Just down a ways where the island is just on the east side of the river theres a channels that gets a couple feet deep its right agisnt the bank but all the times ive wadded in the river to one of my holes i see alot of buffs takeing off out of the channel. Was anyone catching cats? its getting about time for the blues to make it up there cant wait

Pretty sure. They were all over the place. I did see one buffalo (that I was sure if) messing around the concrete at the normal release area (it was of course still, as the only water coming out is the hydroelectric side).