Is it too early for Colorado Bend?

I have been wanting to take the kayak down and try this area. Does anyone know if the sandies or crappie are in this early in the season?

I havent been but I think you are a little early.

I heard the other day, and it’s coming from a source who spends tons of time at the river, that limits of males have already been caught at Sulphur Springs. I keep up with this every year and routinely see people report catches of male whites and crappie from late December on.

Caught a limit last week of all males & half dozen crappie. This was about 1 mile down river from state park ramp. Just a heads up state park stays pretty well booked. Access is getting harder to find. We come up river from Buchanan it’s a longer trip, but it pays off if the fish bite. Toss a few jugs to check on the way back & it makes it worth while.

How is the run from Buchanan to the park, is fairly deep water with a prop or do you have to worry about shallow spots and rocks?

so we have enough water to clear the entrance? Thats good to hear

Plenty of water to run. It’s tricky at the mouth, but just follow the buoys. You’ll see a clear path once you hit the channel. Most of the water is 14-16ft now. At full pool there holes up to 20ft+. We’re good for this yr, but need a good rain this spring.

Not if LCRA keeps letting out water

My understanding is that Colorado Bend doesn't start up in earnest until well into April, but if it's been getting rain and flows, then maybe there's action. I'm in Austin right now, looking out my window at a blooming red bud, which is about a month early.

My best luck there has been in March and early April.

Your exactly right. They let it out as fast as we catch it.

We’ve always caught our biggest & most numbers in mid to late Feb. It’s been that way for the past few yrs.

Back eons ago when Lemons still had it, and normal water levels, they would open it the next weekend after deer season closed. We would put in at the ramp there and run down the river to around the TP&lL houses and start trolling, we would catch BIG males. Somedays not so many but then there were days we would sack em up!!!!! Again that ways eons ago. LOL

What are the TP&L houses. What side of the river?

rebait, going down river on the left(east side) about half way to the big waterfall. Been so long ago dont even know if the TP&L( Texas Power& Light) houses are still there.At that time it was 3 houses all pretty close together.

The state park is closed until Thursday, Jan. 14th due to someone in the office testing positive for Covid.
Sulphur Springs has been closed for hunting season but fisherman will be there soon enough to test the waters.
Water levels have held strong through the fall so it should be a good season for the whites.

Billyfish. Interesting thanks for the info.

I am really looking forward to this years WB season! I usually start going out in mid to late February!

Anybody been lately?

It’s on!

Good to hear. I'll be at Bend most of next week. Report once I return.

They have redone the Bend store with food and entertainment. Good place to eat!!!

I have Monday and Tuesday off work and I'm thinking about heading down there and camping at Sulphur and paddling down towards the State Park. Is this feasible right now or would I have to do a lot of dragging and would be better off trying to get a day pass into Colorado Bend and putting in there? Also if I were to put in at the State Park would it be better to head back towards the lake or up river? TIA!

Fished Wed-Sat last week. Good fishing the first three days, great fishing on Saturday *limit*. Wind all week was torrent. Big fish are up from camp sites in deeper channels. Only about 5% female, so the next few weeks should be very good. Water level is down, so kayak from camping area upstream is difficult to impossible. Coming down from Sulphur as SuperFluke was asking about would probably be difficult as well.

We were up there Friday evening and Saturday. Didn't see any limits, but we took home 47 fish, and now I have to go out and buy a chest freezer this afternoon. Seemed like folks were catching fish above and below the drop near the top of the campgrounds about the same rate. You could barely step anywhere in the water without scaring a whole school. Trick was finding the holes with the eaters.

The highlight was the carp who took my Clouser and swam 520 degrees around me before I got it into the net.

Those carp will surprise you! I've caught 3 this year and missed the hookset on a fourth. It looked to be 10-12lbs when it broke the water!

Thx 4 the reports🎣👍