Rowlett Creek 2019

Ready set go!

Dude! I was wondering who would get this 2019 rowlett creek thread going! my days at work reading tff will be doubled! Brings me back to the soup opera “ all my children “ every year! Have fun fellow fishermen and play nice !? Send lots of pics and gps coordinates! Life is good! Here we go!

So, do the fish in RC still smell funny?

Remember to kindly take your trash out with you when you leave!

I'd also like to encourage pics of the copperheads that are seen out there participating in the run too.

Take ... trash... out???????????????????

Already then lol

Greetings!

Went down to the creek. Hell hole / fire wheel bridge last week looking for anything that would bite.. . The water was bright almost florescent green. NO FISH NO ACTIVITY other than a my lure going in and coming out of the water.

thanks for the update!

Alittle bit more rain and sunshine =$

The run is still a good month out at least I’d say

Where does one go to fish Rowlett Creek?

Google map any access points to the creek above hubbard. ^

Girlfriend and I went out there past weekend same experience water is very odd looking plus there are puddles of strong sewage smelling spots I wonder if there is leakage from those pipes they seem to be replacing .

Supposedly you can limit in 2 hours right now.

Word heard, sarcasm, or a shot fired?

Caught a couple of males milking in my creek this afternoon. Water still super cold.!
Definitely getting close

Miller Bridge

It’s that time!

Been awhile since I've been on these threads...they used to be on fire a couple years ago

I imagine there are some fish to be found in the creeks but we need some heat before the main school shows up. You might find a limit or two if you fish hard in select areas, but those water temps need to get up in the high 50s or 60s before things really get going. Right now water temps on lakes are still in the 40s.

its going to be muddy as all get out but Im still going tomorrow. I have learned (recently ) that the a rainy day may stop the fishermen , but not the fish.

Last I heard, random numbers at fish have been caught at firewheel.

Firewheel couple days ago. Have with the crowds.

It's still a tad early. We need a few warm nights to get those water temps up.

this is spot on! The days are still short and 60 degree daytime temps aren’t going to cut it. There are fish to be had, the run still typically won’t peak until early April.

The weather is nice ...... the water is clear........ we could use some more rain to get them really coming up

Come on rain! Still alittle early so far for my neck of the woods.. off for spring break= creek/s scouting!

We just got the rain. May have been too much to fast to fish for a day or so though.

We got the rain , the heat , all we are missing is the fish. By then the water will be calmer and the banks a little dryer. Dont forget the cleats!

went to miller yesterday and caught nothing.
Saw a guy bottom fishing under the bridge with a stinger full.
The water was high and muddily, but the current was not bad at all.
At the bridge very muddy, back on the trails it was mostly dry.
every so often fish would pop at the surface , i was told they were carp but Im no so sure.

Went this week end.
Friday, caught five in 2 hours. Water was still a little murky.

Saturday - water starting to clear up Found a school and finished with 16 for the day.
Sunday, water looking even more clear but the fishing slowed down, it may have been because i moved locations. got 5 or the day.


Darren be ready, we'll go back out after i get of work at 4:15 .

Well looks like fishing in Rowlett creek might be over before they even get started!! Sewage leak is in Spring Creek but that feeds into Rowlett Creek

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/video/4050095-workers-stop-raw-sewage-leak-into-garland-creek/

just by the location , rowlett creek is between spring creek and lake ray hubbard. I dont know enough about water flow to say any more on the subjust other than the news reports say they are monitoring the water.
I never eat the fish anyway but this could be really bad news for those who do and do not watch the news.

What city official agents could be contacted about the water safety going forward?

Spring Creek flows into Rowlett Creek around 78 and George Bush. So all this sewage is going by everyone's fishing spot. I don't know if the amount that spilled will impact the water quality enough to impact the fish in the creek or the lake, or even if it can effect the fish. But I hope the game wardens are out there informing everyone or posting flyers.

Heck, I hope the Game Wardens would be posted out there all the time with all the illegal catches people walk out of there with.

If you catch an Australian one eyed brown mullet, don't eat it!

Sewer Overflow Reported - UPDATE

Update -

Tuesday night at 9:39 p.m., crews were able to stop the overflow. A large piece of concrete had gotten lodged in the pipe and they were able to move it so sewage could continue to flow. We do not have a total amount of overflow yet this morning but we will have that soon. Crews have been able to bypass the broken pipe and will be able to begin repair this morning.



A sanitary sewer overflow has occurred from a collection facility (an 18” wastewater collection pipeline) at 4501 N. Garland Ave., near the northeast intersection of North Garland Avenue and Arapaho Road in Garland. The collection pipe is part of the City of Garland’s wastewater collection system. Excavation activities in the area damaged a manhole at approximately 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 19, releasing domestic untreated sewage into Spring Creek, which may impact the Lake Ray Hubbard reservoir (approximately 10 miles downstream of the overflow). The estimated volume of the spill at this time is 20 gallons per minute.

Notification has been made to the Fort Worth Office of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the City of Dallas Lake Ray Hubbard personnel, the City of Rowlett, City of Garland officials and the news media. At this time there is limited containment of the spill. The emergency response repair contractor for the City of Garland Water Utilities Department was notified shortly after the spill started and is on-site at this time. An additional contractor that provides sewer bypass services has been contacted in an effort to bypass pumping, which will reroute the flow of untreated sewage from entering the damaged 18” pipeline. The City of Garland Health Department will monitor stream water quality.

If anyone comes into contact with waste material, soil or water potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.

For more information, call 972-205-3210.

Next big rain should be enough to flush it downstream (no pun intended)

no bueno! Be safe folks! Rowlett creek drama to the extreme! Thanks for sharing...

It is too bad. Need to go fishing some other locations.

I called the game warden this morning asking if rowlett creek would be affected by the spill in spring creek and i was referred to inland fisheries department. I'm at work and don't have time to call yet,

I am playing amateur detective so i anything I say cant be taken the as vrified fact,.

As I examined google maps spring creek is branched together with rowlett creek . I don't know if spring feeds rowlett or vise versa.

Here is the map i am looking at .
https://www.google.com/maps/place/4501+N+Garland+Ave,+Garland,+TX+75040/@32.965837,-96.6533347,14.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x864c1c30199c610f:0x996c60136d173168!8m2!3d32.9572741!4d-96.6524724
Ill call the inland fisheries later today.

The game warden did ask if I ate the fish and did they taste strange., I never eat fish so i didst know.

From the map, it looks like spring flows into rowlett and would then contaminate it.

People say Sandbass taste like [censored] anyway so I don't see the problem.

i called garland city. Asked if rowlett creek was affected and was told it was spring creek and it stretches ten miles down to the lake, ??????????? kina knew that already.
Called Rowlett city and was told they were not aware of the garland spring creek splii and there were no bullitins about rolwett water, kinda helpful I think,

Calledl texas inland fiseries, and was referred to another number. . .



I think the common sense do it yourself method would be to go to across the street from hawaiian falls in garland. to see if where the acutal break was and see if the creek running under the garland road bridge was polluted.

Im out until it rains.

This does not surprise me at all. Rowlett is clueless on everything! The statement above says that Rowlett was notified, but Rowlett says they don't know about it. LMAO!! Good to know they are lookin out for us!


And I was out there today. Caught some small Yellowbellys about 6" long. Some people were keeping them. YUM!

Man, I wished I checked in earlier. Went out today between 2-5pm at the bike park, walked down toward 66. Some areas smelled like [censored]. Didnt catch anything, but did touch my line and got hands wet, and then ate fries and nuggets on my ride home. My hands were all up in my mouth too. Damn poop water, I'm always hearing about spills into that creek

got referred to line below and was advised a report woulbed be filed/

All I know is that since the spill the creek smells bad.


give them a call if you are civic minded.


https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/kills_and_spills/


Kills and Spills Team
If you see a fish or wildlife kill or suspect a pollution event:

Call (512) 389-4848 or contact your regional Kills and Spills Team biologist.

Prompt notification is key to a successful investigation. The sooner we arrive, the better the chances that our biologists will be able to collect useful evidence.

Hope tomorrow’s rain will clean up the creek a little bit.

I think the rain last night helped cleaning up the creek.

How do those boo boo flavored sand bass taste? Lmao

Anyone been to the creek lately? How's the water/fishing? Itching to fish. 😂

like ma may!

There’s a few sandies out there, I like to use 50 lb braid and a 2 oz slab spoon in rc.

Try catch and release if possible

I fished a little while Saturday evening north of Miller road from the bank.
Saw a couple of fish caught and people leaving had some luck but not a lot.
I tried drifting jigs along shore and brush.
I also tried jointed minnow trailing small kastmaster spoon going across the creek.
I only had one bite.

The rain has came and went and as some one previously said, "flushed" the creek, or at least diluted the mess to not so hazardous levels.

The run is on , I have been catching fish for the last month,. If miller is not producing , moving north is the solution.
I believe it was Carey that said that when the creek is cleared of brush and deep , there is nothing to hold the fish there and they keep shooting north.


It is two days after the rain so im going tonight.

The peak of the run is over for Ray Hubbard. If you knew where to find them and how to catch them then you know what I mean. The few females I am seeing now are spawned out and even the males are few and far between now. You are going to have to hit the creeks north of the metromess at this point if you want to get in on some good action. I know some of those are peaking right now.

I know where to find them and how to catch them and It’s just getting good. The run peaks in mid April around these parts. They haven’t even shown up in some of the creeks I fish that are well south of the metroplex. We will have fish until May.

I will assume you are talking about Ray Hubbard since this is a Rowlett Creek thread. I have been chasing Sandies in the creeks off of Ray Hubbard for just about 30 years now and have NEVER EVER seen the peak happen in mid April. In fact by the first of April its pretty much winding down on a normal year. This year has peaked later than I have ever seen but mid April aint happening. No way Jose!

In my experience they’re just now showing up, but we’ll all have our own opinion. Just means more fish for me.

Matters where you fish. Around 3rd week in March is best in the parts I fish. This years a few weeks off from the cold nights. Hope to try tomorrow at RC

Still limiting out

creek is still producing and there are a ton of people out there. a lot of noobies too that run their mouth.....almost wanted to go up on the other side of the creek and gently kick this old man down because he was constantly just running his mouth and mocking the asians.

You keep waiting on the crappie to spawn in April. More fish for me lol

There are lots of fish in there right now.
They get bigger every day.
I am still waiting to see hybrids coming out on a regular basis.

This was taken at the most hammered spot on the creek at 4pm today. Not a person in sight. Yeah it's full of fish right now! LOL!!

Got about 30 today, but only 8 keepers. Tons of 5-10 inch.

Yep! That’s how my spots look! Just me=good times! NIce pic!

Hey, all. Was thinking of taking my old man to Rowlett Creek tomorrow closer to the Ray Hubbard part to kayak fish. It's kind of a commute for us so I was wondering if anyone could tell me how the water is flowing. Does it look like the pictures above, or does it look like East Fork Trinity when the gates are open?

You should not see much current. Looks pretty much like above unless there has been a good rain but nothing like East Fort Trinity when gates are open
If thinking close to Ray Hubbard, you can park and put in off of Miller Rd just east of Centerville.

That's where I was thinking. thanks

Welcome to the forum by the way.


I think that kayaking is the way to fish this lower section.
I bank fished from miller on east bank up to about 1/3 mile back
One bite in 2 hours and not many places for fish to hide on this bank.

I bank fished on west bank all along lakes of springfield park(about 1 mile north) for about 2 hours no bites.

Banks are high with few places to get down close to the water making fishing tougher from shore.

Both places had some cover on the other bank or on same bank I could not get to.

Best of luck!

Keep us posted on how it works out.

I personally prefer high banks to fish from.. it allows me to see more structure in the creek and I can also present my bait at different depths by reeling slower or faster! This is where 4pd
Line is very crucial to allow you to cast precisely. Light action rod is also key! (5’6) for me

Ledeez,
You always make good points, will remember them next time.

Update: We went yesterday morning for the sunrise bite. Didn't see anyone catching them from the bank, but I found a nice hole from the kayak and pulled up 9 keeper crappie and about 10 that were too small. One sandbass. Expected more sandbass, but I can't complain. We used minnows. The water didn't have much of a flow. Pretty good trip. Will probably be out there again this weekend or monday.

I went on Wednesday around early afternoon, fish were biting pretty well. Caught about 25 or so, but I only wanted to keep 10, the rest were just small. Most were males, i'm not sure if that means anything as far as the timing of the sandbass run goes (anyone's inputs in appreciated).

We went again Saturday, got rained on pretty hard. I'm sure the whole place is slippery and water is muddy as well. Be careful if you get out there in conditions like this.

Went Sunday from 11 - 3 dangerous sloppy mess on the banks.
lots of fish, mostly good size keepers.
\Have not seen people getting hybrids yet.

Rained yesterday, sun today , I will go again tomorrow.

Don't get stuck! Drove by less than a hour ago and there is a Lexus buried to the front bumper. LOL

Fished this morning from about 7 - 8 am using fluke swim baits and or white/green road runners. No luck..not a single bite. I eventually decided to leave after noticing several carp splashing near hell hole. The water was chocolate brown with some flow. I noticed 4 other bank fishermen with empty fish baskets as well.

Not sure if the run is over or what??? Maybe someone on this forum can provide some insight. Please note I have been fishing this area for about 8 years, however since the construction on 66 this place has never really been the same. I clearly remember killing them before the construction during a drought year with very little water and sill having great spawning runs.

Don't think it's quite over yet. I agree that the construction has changed many "hot spots", but you just have to find em. Then hope you're not seen catching anything or there will be others around very quickly.

went out sunday afternoon caught lots of sand bass and two hybrids. I fished yesterday afternoon limited out on sand bass and caught one 19" hybrid, water was some what cleared but not chocolate brown. the run is not over the creek still has lots of fish.

Its pretty much over. The bulk of the spawn took place waaaay earlier than most people think it did. Heck just a few days ago people were still talking about the best is yet to come. I knew better. Like I said in a previous post on a normal year its over around the first of April. We are now 10 days into April and the only reason you still have a few fish in there is because of that heavy rain this past weekend. I was there yesterday for about an hour and even in the prime spots you had to work extremely hard to even get a bite.

There is a reason why when you drive by the main parking spot you only see 3-4 people there now. If there was still fish there you would still see 30-40 vehicles there.

There’s always a possibility this year could be different, but I have documented photos for many years where I’ve had 200-300 fish days at rc and other local creeks in LATE April.

*Just checked my records and found a picture where myself and 3 friends had 4 limits of sandies on April 27th from dfw.

I love fish stories!

Another limit tonight....Lots of fish still in the creek.

Been out fishing after work for the last 3 days now and limiting out. Takes a little bit longer each day to limit out.

Found another photo of a guide trip I ran where the client had a limit in under an hour on April 28th. Just saying, the run lasts a lot longer than you think, and oftentimes peaks later than most think. I think most of the time it’s just poor fishing tactics that lead people to think the run is over. The fish that show up in April bite differently than the ones that got there in March, so you have to adjust your techniques accordingly.

Hit the spot near Miller/Centerville again today in the kayaks. We fished with minnows. The water was pretty murky, so naturally we couldn't stop catching catfish. For every 10 crappie caught maybe 3-4 weren't keepers and got thrown back. There's always people fishing from the bank, but no one ever says they've had any luck. I'm all ears if someone wants to DM me where all the sandies are. God knows I try and catch the run every year and always seem to miss it. Good luck out there. Watch for snakes.

Hit 3 locations before finding a nice hole. Fish almost every cast, but tons of dinks.

Would you say it gets better closer to ray hubbard or further north?

By the gun range / black pipe. Not sure if I read wrong or people don't know what they are talking about how there's no more fish. I immediately skunked right after I took this picture of all his fish. Lol what luck. I got there about 12pm, he said he's been there since 9am this morning.

Anyone fishing Liberty grove and 190?

The run should be almost over.

I thought the spawn wouldve been long over by now
So sandies are still there?

Seen people at Miller and centerville killing them on minnows yesterday. Few large carps too

This has been going on for decades out there and gets worse every year. Glad to see they are starting to do something about it!

From Texas Game Wardens Field Notes page:

An Illegal Net-work

Dallas County game wardens were on patrol when they received a phone call about several individuals netting at Rowlett Creek and keeping game fish. The wardens arrived at the location and observed from a distance six individuals scaling and catching fish illegally with a cast net. The subjects were confronted and admitted to catching all the fish with the net. The violators had 48 fish in their possession, and of those 10 were undersized catfish and 8 undersized white bass. As wardens were citing these violators, two more individuals were observed walking out of the woods carrying a bucket containing a net. After questioning, they admitted to catching fish using the net and led the wardens to the location where fish were hidden in another bucket in the brush. The bucket contained 55 fish including 34 undersized white bass and 1 undersized crappie. All subjects were cited and released.

Where do you find the, Texas Game Warden’s Field Notes?

Getem! Any pics?!

TPWD Website. Click the game warden tab