Perdenales white bass run

Is there enough water to trigger a run this yr? I will be in Austin for SXSW, and want to hit Reimers if the run is on. Hope to get a reply. Would love to fish with some Austin experts.

Been thinking about making a trip out that way. I'll let you know if I do.

Thx!

I would also be interested on any info on The Steps at the San Gabriel. They gotta be up in one of these rivers! Up here in the MetroMess the creeks are choked with whites with all the rain weve had.

I'm sure there are loads of 8 to 9 inch White Bass at "the steps" by now.

I will be in austing 3/16-18. Hope by then some big males and the mammas show up in both rivers.

The Steps are good if you can stand the crowds...not for me. Reimers is low...but haven't talked to them since the rainy week. Really hoping for a run close to home this year as time is precious! There are a couple other parks on the Colorado on upper Travis that you can get em at also during the sping if water is lower. Look up the Travis County Parks page...Muleshoe can be great!

Any news about Reimer’s? Thinking of going. I went to “the steps”. Sunday. No luck. Reimer’s should be ready. (I hope). Appreciate any info.

I was up there yesterday evening scouting around...Somewhat low water, but there was current. I saw about 5 guys fishing, but never saw them catch anything. They were using live bait, and this was around 3:30 PM.

Thanks for the report.

The Wife and I went Wednesday 3-7-18 and Friday 3-9-18. Both days started slow. Wednesday we caught 12 between us. All males. We used river minnows caught there. Friday was tougher. My wife caught 6. All males. My son caught a big female. I thought it was a hybrid at fist. But it was a big mamma white.

It was fun both days. The fish are only starting up out here. They are big fish too. I’ll be back soon. Time to get this party started.

Thanks for the report, i plan to hit it Maybe Friday afternoon, saturday for sure, weather permitting

Went today. Caught 1 small guad bass no whites. 1 guy caught 1 downstream from a yak. Didnt see anybody doing any good. Mayve yesterday would of been better.

I went yesterday and got 6 in about 4 hours.

What did you catch them on?

1/16 th oz white rooster tails and those things called little fisheys white with black back small ones too! Find deep holes downstream

Thanks, i had a white rooster tail but didnt try it. Hooefully i can make it back before its over.

Made my first visit to Reimer's Ranch Park and Perdenales River yesterday. Parked at the last river access trail downstream from the other river access points in the park. I fished a good mile downstream towards the lake and only caught one white bass. I saw a few carp here and there. Fished a 1/16 oz roadrunner with pearl chartreuse curly tail. I'm hoping we get a good rainfall next week.

Made my first visit to Reimer's Ranch Park and Perdenales River yesterday. Parked at the last river access trail downstream from the other river access points in the park. I fished a good mile downstream towards the lake and only caught one white bass. I saw a few carp here and there. Fished a 1/16 oz roadrunner with pearl chartreuse curly tail. I'm hoping we get a good rainfall next week.

Thanks for the report. Perdernales can be tough fishing, but the scenery out there is tough to beat.

[img]https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/usergals/2018/03/full-284-206501-20180322_212454.jpg[/img



Got this 2.75 lb. Crappie last night

Congrats! That's an awesome fish. You caught it out at Reimer's?

A few pics from my visit to Reimer's Ranch last week

I can not make out where you are on the river by these pics. Are you way downstream? That's my guess anyway. Lake level must be down some.

Good guess. I figured my best bet was to get as close to the lake as I could so I took the last river access trail downstream from the parks first river access trail.

Water looks really low. Drove over the bridge at 71 yesterday and looked really low there as well.

I think Rudy posted the crappie on the wrong thread hehehe.... you da man Rudy!

Eric

Sorry guys, I did post on the wrong thread! Senior moment. That crappie was caught in a local dallas area pond. Senior Moment!

Lol...and I was all ready to drag my crappie gear out to Reimer's.

This was the main spot i fished. A tiny creek flows in there.

Those were the biggest whites i caught. Also 1 lmb and one guadalupe. 15 whites total plus the bass.

Nice! Thanks for the post. Yeah, I recognize that spot for sure. I may head out there this Friday. Supposed to get some rain, but that might actually be a good thing.

A good flow of muddy water will bring up some good numbers. As soon as the water clears up some and the flow is low enough to wade fish then the stringer number will rise.

If I remember correctly that creek is at the very end of Reimers property. Been there done that, but that was like 26 years a go. Hehehehe.

White rooster tail, and a "rainbow trout" rooster. 1/8th oz. slow steady retrieve. The lmb and the guadalupe were hugging the boulders parallel to the shore.

An older guy taught me a trick when I was still a teenager about catching these guys when the river is muddy and flowing strong. He told me to put a black jig on and stand in the water fish close to the shoreline. So I did and it works great. I could not believe the fish I was catching. Awesome tip from the old guy for sure. Word of mouth was the only way you were going to get any help back then, no Internet 43 years a go. I always asked older anglers for advice and I would listen to them very closely, they knew what they were talking about.
Another thing I use to do is keep a Lake Travis water level record. That way I knew where the lake level was at out there. And yes, it took me several years to jot down enough information to keep an accurate record of the lake from way downstream to way upstream. You would be surprised at what a few inches would do to the lake back up water in this area. I kept this information for years and I can not find it today. But when you go through a divorce, anything and everything gets lost or put in the wrong place. And that was 30 years a go, never took notes again, but a very good idea for someone who thinks they will fish this place for many more years to come. It really help me.

About two inches of rain in the Austin area last night. That should get the Perdernales up and flowing.

Is it too late though?

not too late. Rain will drive fresh schools into the river. Now they have a place to spawn in running current, which whites prefer to do rather than windy points and flats on the lake. Get ready for some awesome times!

Is that at the old rope swing? I took the yak upstream a ways two years ago and had limited luck. I have caught fish there before as well. And yes on the black jig! Some old fisherman taught me about using the dark colors shallow up at Colorado Bend one year...tried and true!

I believe he is much further downstream than at the rope swing. But then again I'm not 100% sure which rope swing you are talking about. The only one I've seen in this area is in a hole almost down below Melton's house where the rock climbers like to climb down in that gully to reach the bottom of the cliffs.

Well I bet I missed the run this year...but I need to practice my new fly rod and reel so I hope to make it out there this weekend. I will hike way downstream and fish my way back I suppose. Anyone been this past week or two?

I don't think you missed out on much, Naggler. The water was too low this year for a good run.

Nice fish. Good job Rudy.

Anybody been out to Reimers this year yet?

Way too early! Late Feb, March, maybe early April. Should have enough water for them to make a sizeable deep upriver run, Water was low when i went last march. Had to work to find em. Then it was a fairly small school.

Yeah, earliest I've caught them at Reimers is mid to late February. With Lake Travis being a foot over pool right now should have plenty of water for a good run this year at least.

Saw the first red buds of the year this morning so may be about time to give Reimer's a try.

My neighbor went today. I’ll see how he does before I make that trip. He is a good measure of how these sandies are biting there. If they are in there, he’ll catch some.

There is no such thing as a bad trip to Reimer's. Even when the fish aren't biting it is a good place to be.

I drive over the 71 bridge every day...the water looks great. Can't wait to see what it looks like after the Pedernales was so high!

My neighbor fished Reimers on Friday. He managed 24 fish from noon to four. He was in his boat and went upstream towards the falls. He was using river minnows that he had previously caught. So I would safely say, that the fish are in there. But catching them is another thing. Time to get the boat ready and get out there.

Tight lines all!

Is your neighbors name Royce?

Howdy Doug!

Yes sir. it's "Royce". I talk with him frequently during this time of year. I know if he is catching, the fish are there. He is a good meter for me "if the fish are there". Just the same way I read your and J-Moe's post frequently to learn the same info. if you guys are catching, fish are there. But... catching them is a skill I am still trying to learn and get better at. At least I'll know if I have a chance or not. LOL. To my wife, I call you guys... "the white bass whisperers".

My neighbor is deadly with river minnows. my wife uses store bought minnows. they work OK for her. The river minnows, or especially "glass minnows" are awesome. there are a lot of river minnows at Reimers. they take some skill to catch them. But, if you get some, they are like "white bass crack". the Glass Minnows are even better, but harder to get. I end up spending a lot of time trying to catch her minnows, and less time fishing. But, she is happy when we catch a few. when Momma is happy... we go fishing a lot more often. LOL.

I hear ya catchnrelease. I was pretty sure you were the guy living next to Royce. That old guy knows his stuff. I was wondering if he was still out fishing, I haven't ran into him for like three maybe four years now.

Went to Reimers Saturday and fished from about 9:30 to 3pm, which I feel is the worst time to fish but the easiest time to schedule. Looked like most of the people on the bank were catching between one and nothing, with one guy who had been there since the morning with about six. There was a couple up near the falls who seemed to be doing good on fly gear. The wind was kinda a pain.

Here's the curious part. I was there with a buddy and my mom. I caught about 15, kept 10. My buddy caught 5. My mom caught nothing. We were casting into the same spots and using the exact same twisty-tailed grubs on road runners. I think my buddy was using a slightly heavier road runner, but otherwise I'm definitely not better at fishing than him.

Most of the fish were female. I'm thinking of different ways to fix up the roe as we speak.

Thanks for the report! Reimer's is usually pretty tough fishing for me. I think the most I've ever caught there is around 7 or 8. Sounds like you had a good day.

I wish I didn't live so far from there today. It is one to best places to fish, I have hauled more fish than one can picture from this place, but I started fishing at Reimers back in 1973. Memories upon memories have been built at this place. Camping there was at its best, very primitive. Those were the days where you owned a lot of Coalmen camping products in order to keep things somewhat easier on you as you enjoyed the serenity of Mother Nature at her best. We always had a somewhat large camp fire at night while sitting around with friends talking it up and watching the ambers go upward. The fishing there has always been good to me as well, love that place. I always wore waders and would wade out close to the main channel, that’s where the fish are staged during the daylight hours.

There are only a few good spots that can be fished from the park side off the banks, otherwise you need something to get to the main channels. I wore waders every time to fish this river, it's almost the best way to do it. Insulated waders at that, the water was cold.... Middle to late March the water was warm enough to wear jeans to wade fish, but still a little on the chilly side.

I may go out there this week. I've only been to Reimers once before and didnt catch any fish. Where is a good spot from the bank, Tia.

sws210, the lake is a bit above pool right now, so all the river structure is under water. I think if you find the spots where the channel is choked down to a narrower width you could do okay. Otherwise the usual advice applies: keep moving until you find something biting.

I'm heading to Reimers tomorrow to do a little fly fishing. Fingers crossed.

Wishing you good luck. My neighbor is catching using live bait. They should be in there. I’m headed that way as soon as it warms up.

Fished from 11:30 this morning until 2 before I had to head back. Didn't even get a nibble, and the six or seven other fishermen I talked to today had the same story. The general consensus seems to be that the fish haven't quite woken up after this last cold snap, but it should happen any day now.

Good luck if you're going, and please let the rest of us know how it went.

Thanks for the report. Did you head upstream or fish there below the parking lot?

Tried to fish upstream but there was too much silt on the bottom of the river. I'm a little over 6 feet tall and sank almost to the top of my chest waders, so I fished below the parking lot where the footing was a little more stable.

My neighbor went to Reimers again today and caught 60 fish In about 3 hours. He said they are big ones. 14-17 inches. About half were females. He’s catching them upstream from the kayak launch.

My wife has been sick and I haven’t made there yet. I’m hoping she gets well enough soon so we can get out there. I feel a sick day coming on. Cough cough...

If you get out there, I wish you luck. Leave me some!

Tight lines!

Thinking about heading out there this evening.

Good luck!

My wife is out of action but I might get to go. Maybe Sunday. FYI-Neighbor told minnows are more productive. Not much being caught on artificial. He says the water is too clear.

Tight lines!

Went out there for a few hours after work today. Ended up catching two whites, a black bass, and a guad. Didn't have waders or live bait, just throwing everything in the tackle box at them. Waders might have helped a little, but the water is a bit too high for my liking. There was an area with pretty good current flow just above the kayak launch. That is where I caught the two whites. Saw one guy with a stringer of four. Most reported pretty slow fishing. Oh and if you plan on going out there be sure to bring cash, as I learned the hard way they don't take debit or credit cards.

My buddy and I went fishing yesterday. We took a two-seat bass buggy and trolling motor. I stopped by Cabella’s and bought some minnows. We arrived at Reimers about 11 AM. After launching our boat we went upstream towards the falls. We saw many kayaks and several boats headed upstream.

We made it about 1/2 way to our destination before our battery began to fail. So we anchored, fished, and moved, then repeated. Allowing the battery to rest and regain power, we were able to move the boat in short bursts. We would move further upstream in short bursts of battery power. We went as far as we could go but never made it where the fish were. (Neighbor’s honey holes).

Around 1pm Some kayakers began going back down stream. They told us there were two John boats that were catching a lot and had limits. We saw several kayakers that had nice stringers. We didn’t make it upstream where the johnboat’s were. But we finally found an OK spot. I caught 14, my buddy caught 10. The water was so clear, When we would catch a fish, you could see two or three more fish following it. Occasionally we would also see the fish doing the “Spawn dance”. My buddy and I caught several large males and females.

Around 3pm, after we stopped catching fish, our battery died. Luckily, the wind was blowing down stream. We paddled most of the way back to the launch. Lots of work for the few fish we caught. I can only imagine if we would have made it all the way to our intended spots. (Where my neighbor has been slaying them). Oh well... all-in-all - it was a beautiful day.

Tight lines!

Thanks for the report, catchnrelease.

My buddy and I are headed back to Reimers today. Right now I am waiting outside of Cabella’s to buy minnows. I’m hoping to catch a lot of fish today. My neighbor shared his honey hole location with me. He texted me a picture of it so I would find it. How awesome is that! I can’t hardly wait to get up there today. I will report how we do.

Tight lines!

Good luck!

Well... didn’t have the luck on Thursday. One thing or another went wrong. I didn’t see the other boaters/ fishermen catch their limits; but they had good stringers. We had a good time anyway. I caught 4, but lost about 10. My buddy also caught 4. I was just one of those days.

My neighbor went out Friday. He was ready to slay them. He told me he caught 8 dozen river minnows to take with him. I’ll let y’all know. If he didn’t catch, It may be close to the end out there. If he only catches 10-12, I won’t go back until next year. On the other hand, if he does well, I may try one more time next week.

Tight lines!

Right now live bait is the best due the water being so clear. It is like this everywhere I am fishing today, crazy clear water.

Update. Neighbor caught his limit but worked harder than normal to catch. His buddy only managed 8. Well, I guess I’m done white bass fishing for the year. On to the cat fishing.

Tight lines to all!

We went out on Sunday morning, March 31, and it was pretty cold. Didn't see another angler until about 2pm. We each caught one fish. Blah.

It seems this place is very tough unless you know the exact right spots and are using live bait. It doesn't help with the water being as high and clear as it is.