Guadalupe River Trip

We took a short family vacation with our friends to the Guadalupe River this past weekend. With Canyon only releasing 60 cfs, it was a bit more paddling than actually floating. Either way, we had fun-filled 4 days. We floated the "horseshoe" between the FM 306 bridges.

Now to the good stuff. I had never fished the Guadalupe, so I was on a mission to catch a Guadalupe, a Smallmouth & a Rainbow trout. The fishing wasn't phenomenal, but I would say it was solid.

First fish of the trip for me was a complete surprise. About a 10# striper caught on a brown ball-head jig


Just a few minutes after landing the striper, a 4# tank crushed the same brown jig

Day 2 had us getting up at daylight and going down river. We were in search of the trout. We went through multiple "pools" without getting any bites or seeing any action. We parked the raft and continued wading down river, searching for a trout to cross off the list. After a couple of hundred yards, we came to pool that had a good "rapid" and looked like deep water. Before making the first cast, I saw good rainbow dart by. I told my buddy Jason that we found 'em! I was throwing a little white, Mepps inline spinner on a spinning rod with braid to a 10# fluoro leader. On the second or third cast, it was smoked by monster rainbow. This isn't another "fishing tale", it was truly a 5# rainbow. As I'm fighting it, the man who's house is up on the hill from the river, comes down in his side-by-side. He proceeded to cuss us like a dog. He's screaming and yelling that us "bass fishermen" are killing the trout. That there are only 100 trout left in the river. It's too hot down stream and the stripers eat them up stream. He goes on yelling that he feeds them twice a day (6 am & 7 pm) and that he's the only reason there are 100 trout left! During the time that he's giving us a tongue lashing, I'm shaking like a leaf trying to land the monster. I'm finally able to get my hands on it, only to realize we don't have our phones on us, they're a couple hundred yards up river in the raft. Anyway, we decide to just leave. He was the biggest Richard Cabeza that I've ever encountered while fishing. For anyone who's looking for basically farm fed rainbow trout, here are the coordinates. Go blow that hole out and let Mr. Deloach know I sent ya! I took a screenshot that afternoon when we floated by. When you see the red canopy by the flagpole with the American & Texas flag, you're in the juice!! (Coordinates: lat 29.8664 long -98.1563)


Day 3, I was finally able to connect with a Guadalupe on a dropshot & caught a great Smallmouth on a black/blue ball-head jig, as well as another stud river bass.




Here's pic of the trout lures as well as the bass lures I was using. For the jig trailers, I used some small Grande Bass beavers that I've had for years (maybe 10 years old??). They were the perfect size and really worked out great.



If you're headed to the river with the family for one last getaway before school starts, be sure you take a little fishing gear with you. If I just ruined one of your trout holes, I apologize but you can thank John Deloach

Pretty typical landowner out here on any river and lake. Lake Austin homeowners like the "no fishing around dock" signs. Gives me something to flip at honestly

That river has a ton of rainbows in it. Unless something has changed they stock it every year with adult sized fish. I've fly fished it several times with my brother and 4+ pound fish were shockingly common but admittedly that was several years back.

19k pounds stocked last year and only 100 left? He didn’t like it when mentioned facts

Every winter people catch the heck out of them

I have fished the Guadalupe River a ton over the years. There are plenty of fish in that river and there is well over 100 trout swimming in that river. Great river for trout,bass,striped bass,white bass,crappie,and of course some nice BIG Bluegill and Redear! Love fishing that river!


Side Note: Great post and some super fish. Thanks for sharing your trip!
Also the Devils Playground and the Rio Raft Camp Grounds hold trout year around. There are also other places along the Guadalupe between Rio Raft and Mountain Breeze that hold some nice trout as well.

Excellent report, great story, really enjoyed the pics. and thanks for sharing the trip.

Growing up we had a place on the San Marcos. I have spent countless days floating & fishing the San Marcos and Guadalupe. In defense of the property owners what they put up with on a daily basis with trespassing, littering...especially the Guad. 40,000 people on it in a single Memorial Day weekend! That being said it never ceases to amaze the imagination of some of these property owners who believe they own the river and others do not have a right to river itself. Sounds like a great few days and congrats on the "hat trick"!!

With all of the summer time tubers that float that river land owners are very strict about enforcing the trespassing laws. The may own the land around the river but they do not own the river it's self. There are harassment laws that that protect the angler and anyone else that lawfully use the river.



Side Note: I have caught trout year around over the years on the Guadalupe!

Ive dealt with that landowner you speak of many times, and, he is indeed a dick. He gets angry at the kids partying and takes it out on fisherman. He once told me not to fish near his house at dusk bc I was scaring the deer in the area when they are trying to feed. I told him to please F**k off.

Great hat trick Thanks for sharing