TPWD Launches Prize Giveaway for Tagged Guadalupe Bass in Lower Colorado River

Feb. 3, 2022

Media Contact: TPWD News,  Business Hours, 512-389-8030

 AUSTIN – Grab a rod and reel and head to Central Texas for a chance to catch one of 30 tagged Guadalupe bass and possibly win a prize. From February 4 until August 31, any angler who catches one of the tagged Guadalupe bass from the Lower Colorado River near Austin and Smithville will be awarded a prize package and be entered into grand prize drawings at the end of the seven-month period.

This contest is the latest effort to help recognize the ecological and recreational importance of the Lower Colorado River - home to the current state record Guadalupe bass. The tournament is being hosted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) along with partners, All Water Guides, Cleanup the Colorado, and the Texas River School. The Colorado River flows right through the heart of Central Texas with a proximity close to the urban population center of Austin, yet this river fishery remains an underutilized recreational resource.

“We’re incredibly appreciative of our partners and the attention they bring to the Lower Colorado River,” said John Botros, Inland Fisheries River Access Coordinator at TPWD. “Not only will All Water Guides bring the experience of catching a Guadalupe bass to their clients, but they also bestow upon anglers a responsible fishing ethic.”

Of course, nobody likes seeing trash when you are out enjoying the river, added Botros. Many thanks to Cleanup the Colorado and their efforts coordinating the recent LoCo Trash Bash events which have removed over 21 tons of trash from the Colorado River.

TPWD’s investments in angler access and monitoring, the removal of tons of trash from the Colorado River during the LoCo Trash Bash events and educating youth on paddling skills and river ethics supports the collective goals to improve the river environment and get people out on the river. TPWD believes that people can grow a sense of river stewardship through a good experience on the water and the joy of catching a Guadalupe bass.

 “We are very grateful for the support from partners like TPWD, All Water Guides, Texas River School and the hundreds of volunteers who have participated in cleanup activities on the Colorado River” said John Erskine, Board Chair of Cleanup the Colorado. “Our goal is to raise awareness of and appreciation for this wonderful resource. We are happy to support this Guadalupe bass prize giveaway so that more people get out and enjoy the river and the great fishing opportunities that exist so close to Austin. We believe that the more people who use the river the more they will be motivated to protect it and keep it clean!”

TPWD is also grateful for its partnership with the Texas River School located in East Austin. Not only does the Texas River School teach paddling skills and river ethics to youth and the underserved community, but they also provide public river access for paddling and fishing as a partner in TPWD’s leased river access program.

 “Texas River School and the Chautauqua Foundation have always experienced great benefits working with TPWD and think the Guadalupe bass prize give-away is another wonderful opportunity to showcase our stretch of the Colorado River,” said Joe Kendall, Founder and Executive Director of the Texas River School. “Our access site is located about four miles downstream of the Montopolis Bridge in Austin, and the public access that we provide would not be available had it not been for the support of TPWD. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard how great the fishing is along this portion of the Colorado, or even heard ‘I just caught my personal best!’”

Prize Give-Away Information:

• From February 4- August 31, any angler who catches one of 30 tagged Guadalupe bass from the Lower Colorado River near Austin and Smithville will be awarded a prize package and be entered into grand prize drawings at the end of the seven-month period.

• Eligible Guadalupe bass are tagged with visual Floy anchor tags that read “Reward – Clip tag and call TPWD 512-754-6844.” Each tag has a unique ID number.

• Guadalupe bass have been tagged by TPWD in the Colorado River at locations near Little Webberville Park (just east of Austin) and near the leased river access sites near Smithville.

• Anglers who catch an eligible Guadalupe bass should:

  • Take photos with the fish with the tag, preferably with the segment of river and habitat where the fish was caught in the background of the photo.

  • Clip the tag from the fish and take a photo of the tag legible enough for the tag number to be read. NOTE: DO NOT pull out the tag from the fish.

  • Call the number on the tag to report the tagged fish catch, claim a prize, and to be entered into the grand prize drawing. Anglers should be prepared to provide the tag number, submit photos of the catch, and describe where the fish was caught. Submitted photos will become property of TPWD and may be used in social media or in Agency communications.

• Gift packages containing a Yeti 18 oz bottle and a Buff will be awarded for each eligible tagged Guadalupe bass caught, and grand prizes include a half-day guided trip with All Water Guides, a Yeti Tundra Haul cooler, and complimentary canoe/camp site rental at the Texas River School.

 “All Water Guides is proud to support TPWD efforts to bring attention to the Guadalupe bass, our state fish and a favorite freshwater species,” said Alvin Dedeaux, owner of All Water Guides. “The tagged Guadalupe bass competition on the Colorado River will highlight what a great urban fishery we have in our backyard. We hope that you will get out on the water and join the fun!”

The public can learn more details about the prize give-away program by visiting the official website.

 To learn more about efforts to conserve Guadalupe bass or where to go fishing for this species, please visit TPWD’s Guadalupe Bass Restoration Initiative webpage, www.tpwd.texas.gov/conserveguadalupebass.

Fall 2021 Freshwater Fishing Report

As Central Texas natives know, this past summer was notable for a lack of the face-melting heat we have come to expect this time of the year. Relatively cooler temperatures and occasional pop-up rain events throughout the last couple of months staved off the fishing “doldrums”, which occur when a combination of persistent high pressure systems, clear skies, and high water temperatures results in lethargic, inactive bass and long, scorching days on the water. 

In short, bass fishing has been good for this time of the year, and the next few weeks promise lower overnight temperatures, rain, and cloud cover - all of which should begin our run into Fall and some of the best fishing of the year! 

Colorado River 

The Lower Colorado River below Austin has seen high flows all summer, and with those flows has come dirty water, small-but-active Guadalupe Bass, and some big Largemouth and Longnose Gar. In addition, a regrowth of river grass has lead to an increase in sunfish populations, which bodes well for our gamefish over the long term. While the off-color water has cut back on the total number of fish landed some days, it has also lead to a fair number of large fish landed in less-than-ideal conditions. Looking forward, the Fall is usually marked by reduced releases from Longhorn Dam. Once flows have dropped, the water lower in the system should clear out and allow for jet boat and raft trips on the 40+ miles of productive water below our beloved capital city. As the water cools and clears, White Bass, Crappie, Freshwater Drum, and Smallmouth Buffalo will be in play, along with the usual summer residents. The LoCo in the Fall is a true grab-bag of diverse species and techniques, and presents some of the most unique fishing opportunities of the year. 

San Marcos River 

The San Marcos River fished well throughout the summer, with Guadalupe Bass, Sunfish, and Largemouth making up the majority of fish landed, along with the occasional Longnose Gar and Catfish (sometimes on poppers - it’s true!). Early starts have been the key to success. Water levels have remained at fishable levels, with the upper section staying clear and the lower sections retaining that famous San Marcos green. Wildlife sightings have been above-average this year, with river otters spotted much further upriver than usual - a good sign that the river is supporting healthy populations of fish and other forage. As temperatures drop, recreational tubing traffic will crawl to a stop, and mid-day trips on the upper sections will be possible once again. Once Winter sets in, though, the San Marcos tends to fish very slowly, so Fall is your best bet to wet a line on one of our area’s most scenic rivers. Towering Cypress trees and clear water in the low, warm light of Fall is the perfect antidote to whatever is ailing you - guaranteed. 

Guadalupe River

The Upper and Lower sections of the Guadalupe River both enjoyed brief, but productive float seasons this year. When rains raised water levels high enough for raft trips, the Upper Guad fished well, with high numbers of Guadalupe Bass, Largemouth, and Sunfish caught, many on poppers. The Lower Guad also fished well below the recreational tubing sections, with Guadalupe Bass and large Longnose Gar in the mix. That being said, most angler’s attention will turn to the Lower Guad below Canyon Dam in just a short time as our highly-anticipated trout season kicks into gear. Rainbow and Brown Trout will be stocked sometime in November, and any rain that fills Canyon Lake between now and then will help water levels remain high enough to support a successful season. Our trout boxes are stocked and our rafts are at the ready to get you out on the river in style. Additionally, we have a large selection of waders and wading boots available for those not wishing to provide their own. On a related note, if you haven’t already, consider joining or volunteering with GRTU (www.grtu.org) to help them in their important work managing the southernmost Blue Ribbon trout river in the country. When it comes to Trout Season on the Guadalupe, it’s all hands on deck. 

Points West 

The far-flung rivers of West Texas remained low most of the Summer, but the Llano River did provide a short period of floatable water, and the Pedernales River was host to some good wade fishing as conditions allowed. The Llano produced high-number days of Guadalupe bass alongside some of the most beautiful scenery in our area, and the Pedernales was Common Carp Central, with some nice specimens landed on foot after careful stalking and delicate presentations. With one well-placed Fall storm, these rivers can come into form once again in a heartbeat. Anglers willing to spend a little time behind the wheel or stomping around on foot will be rewarded with views of rugged cliffs, native grasses, and hard gravel bottoms not found elsewhere in the state. Our rivers out West create a kind of beauty inseparable from this relatively inhospitable region, and, once you’ve witnessed it, as the saying goes, the fish are just a bonus. 

Texas on the Fly (Day 3 of 4)… Guest Post by Tony Wheeler

Today we are back on the Colorado River fishing with Alvin Dedeaux with All Water Guides.

We start at the Utley Bridge about 25 minutes downstream of Austin on the highway FM-969.  We jet upstream in Austin’s cool Hog Island Boat Works river boat that is half jet boat and half drift boat.  Up on plane it skips over some low water riffles that are barley wet.

After a quick upstream run of 7 miles, it turns into a drift boat and we start back down the river.  For once the put-in and the take-out are truly one and the same.

A high pressure bass unfriendly cold front with winds gusting to 30 mph has arrived.  Alvin warns us our chances are grim.

Right near the start some unknown unseen river monster grabs Okey’s crawfish on Alvin’s 7 weight and it bends the rod to the cork.  The creature streaks away diving for a brush pile.  I dig for my camera in the dry-bag and as soon I find it the monster breaks off.  Once again I sure hope that wasn’t a bass.

With the cold temps and howling wind the bite is slow.  We both are getting them on streamers and crawfish patterns – beautifully marked Gauds and their largemouth river cousins.  The hot fly for me was a C.K. Baitfish, a fly those Texas bass had never seen before.  Okey stays consistent on the crawfish pattern.

We all fight the wind (especially poor Alvin on the oars) but our numbers start to climb.  Soon we have exceeded the total of the last two previous days.

For variety Okey hooks and then loses a big gar.  Then a few cast later he lands a catfish on the fly (a first for him.)

Much to the protest of my elbow I throw a sink tip fly line on my 8 weight all day.  Later back in our rented Airbnb apartment in Austin I thought my elbow was going to just dislocate when I popped off my elbow brace.

I have known and done outdoor adventure trips with Okey for over 30 years now.  No amount of coaxing could convince him to massage my shoulders and elbow while I soaked in a hot bubble bath.

I had to settle for a handful of Advil and shot of Tequila.

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Fly Fishing With My Old Friend Alvin

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We used to get out there at the drop of a hat to fish together, but now as middle aged  men with wives, children, jobs, lives, it takes a bit more effort. I mean, we fish for a living but to fish for pleasure is rare. On Nov 2nd 2014, I met my old friend Alvin Dedeaux for a day of fishing on the Colorado River in Central Texas. It was the coldest morning of the fall season thus far with a temperature of just over 40° fahrenheit. A much welcomed change for all inhabitants of this region. Alvin and I were to meet around 9am, but an exchange of text messages indicated that we both got out of the house early in  anticipation of a day of fishing with an old friend. I arrived at the put in just before Alvin  and hopped out of the truck with my coffee to judge how the weather fit my clothes. It was a perfectly brisk morning, and steam was rising from the river like a  curtain rising before the show begins. With a deep sigh, I tried to let go of the anxiety brought on by the morning news on my satellite radio. Ebola, ISIS, global warming, pivotal elections all  looming as imminent threats, and I think to myself, “Was it selfish to bring children into  this world?”

A few disappointed duck hunters were arriving back at the boat ramp from a fruitless  dawn with their soaked camouflage and droopy perspectives as we put our gear in the  boat. They seemed like solders of a beaten army who’s enemy had escaped unharmed.  Our shift was beginning as theirs was ending, and hopefully our luck would be better.  After shoving off, Alvin rowed the boat out beyond the grass line before starting the  motor and we took off downstream towards the first sign of fish. His boat is a Hog Island  Skiff with a jet drive outboard and oars. A rare craft for this region but perfectly suited for  the terrain because you can fish and row through productive sections of river, and motor through non productive sections. Alvin and I both prefer to fish moving water rather than  the backed up lake sections of the river because moving water offers a little more  excitement, and also a better chance of catching the Guadalupe Bass which prefers current to slack water. The Guadalupe bass is at the top of our admired species list. Not only is it the state fish of Texas, but it also offers a fight equivalent to a largemouth of  nearly twice its size. Like my friend Riverhorse says “ They’re half sack and half heart!”.  I was transfixed and nearly hypnotized while Alvin motored the boat downstream as I  stared at the glassy surface of the river over the bow and studied the perfect reflection  of the sky as we slid around obstructions and hovered over shallow rocks and sand  bottom. My mind was slowly letting go of the world news and other peripheral stresses  when Alvin killed the motor and said “Alright, lets fish”.

Alvin and I met around 1991 when I walked into Whole Earth Provision Company where he worked and proclaimed that we would be fishing together soon. He said ok, with a  slight hesitant chuckle. You see, previously, upon buying my first fly outfit at The Austin  Angler a few days before, I asked the owner Larry “who should I go fish with to learn?” I  could hardly believe it when he said “you should hook up with Alvin to fish” because I  was already familiar with Alvin and was a fan of the band he played in back in those  days called Bad Mutha Goose. I had no idea he was a fly fisherman. I couldn't wait for a  random encounter, I had to go find him and force the issue so I went to where he  worked and invited myself on the next fishing trip. We ended up going fishing on the gulf  coast for reds and trout that weekend, became best friends for life and have fished together ever since.

Within moments of killing the motor, I was hooked into my first bass. It was an average sized Guadalupe, full of spirit and worthy of the name. Shortly after, another came, then  another, and another. The fifth fish grabbed the fly with extreme aggression as it passed  over a submerged log and took off sideways with surprising speed. I kept even pressure but with a violent head shake the line was broken and it was gone in less than 5 seconds of being hooked. I am presuming that it was a state record, no, world record  Guadalupe bass, what else could it have been? None the less, the loss sat me down in front of the boat while the reality of what happened sank deep into my bones causing  me to slump. Alvin said “ok then , let me try that shit!” and I handed over the rod and grabbed the oars to row for a while. My depressed state was uplifted quickly as Alvin began to catch fish, also one after the other. Alvin is the Zen master of the sport of fly fishing. He is likely the most laid-back individual you’ll ever meet who only speaks in profound truths. I've seen him upset only a couple times in the 24 years I've known him  and even then he was subdued. A certified casting instructor from Joan Wolf’s School of fly casters, he has perfect form and a cast that seems to straighten out further than the effort suggests and always within inches of the bank, stump, weed bed or any other  target. Once again my mind was drifting into a blissful absence as he casted, stripped  line, and set the hook on a half a dozen fish, one of which was an exemplary Guadalupe  worthy of a photograph. After which Alvin proclaimed “Let’s get the hell out of here” as we drifted along the bank through the current and into a large slow pool of the river. And that's how it went; we fished through stretches with current, and we motored through large deep sections without current. Not that the deep slow pools don’t fish. In fact, there is excellent fishing in the slow deep stretches, but you have to fish them slow and deep. We were covering many miles of river that day and needed to keep moving. Every place we stopped to fish looked like a picture out of a fly fishing for bass book. Large rock formations in the river created deep eddies and swirling current gathered debris around downed trees and other obstructions, and with fish in all of it. We were throwing flies of Alvin’s creation. Long colorful rabbit strip flies with dear hair, wool, or  synthetic heads and large bobble eyes on them. When he opened his guide box of flies  it looked like the entire cast of the Muppets were trying to bust out of it. It made me quite jealous because fly tying is a longtime passion of mine but somehow, I hadn't tied one in  forever. Constantly working and having children hadn't stopped my buddy Alvin from tying. I vowed to myself to get busy!

The day raced by which they seem to do when you’re perfectly content. We shared recent stories about our kids, our wives and talked mostly about fishing, specifically for bass. Why they do the things they do? At some point we had caught so many fish that we switched to poppers permanently and were often interrupted by unexpected blow ups on our fly. We also spoke of Austin and its growth over the past 20 years and how it had changed. We remarked at how shocking it was to be in such a beautiful place so close to a major city without any people around us. I mean we saw nobody! Like the  river was our own secret. Why? On one hand, we felt lucky that such a resource was ours and ours alone to enjoy, but then a dark cloud moved over that notion. If no one  knows about it, then how does one care about it? One doesn't care about it, or doesn't know to care about it. One needs to care about it!

20 years ago, Austin was not in the drought stricken condition it is now, and it also  supported a fraction of the human population that it does now. Many small rivers and creeks that Alvin and I used to fish around Austin have dried up, never to flow again some fear. The Highland Lakes and it’s tributaries that we fished were spilling over with  water and the dams were regularly open. There were endless striper and white bass  migrations to the dams and up the rivers, and the Pedernales River at 71 was always full. All could be due to natural variations in our climate throughout time perhaps and  even more likely that we all have something to do with it. Regardless, after a quick study of our recent history it is conceivable that the lower Colorado River could stop flowing, is likely to stop flowing! I circled back on the idea of having children in such an age, and  came to realize that our only salvation is to educate children about the urgency to  protect and conserve our waterways, about their consumption of water, about their  stewardship of the environment and their respect for living things.

My contemplative thought was interrupted suddenly by a text from my wife which read “Status?”. Both of our wives had been watching our children all day while we fished, and  so it was time to get back to it. Alvin and I could have stopped fishing hours ago and been plenty happy. It was a day to remember! The River and her bass had been more than kind to us. We arrived at the boat ramp, trailered the boat and hurried to the local grocery store for a six pack, since I had accidentally left the Yeti full of beer in my garage that morning - ouch! The main highway back to Austin looked busy but moving. There is an  old county road that meanders back to Austin on the north side of the river. Zen master Alvin said he would take the back road home out of principle, so I said I’d take the highway and race him back to town. Within a few miles back towards Austin I hit a wall of traffic which wasn't moving at all. The Formula One race had just ended and the international crowd had left the race track and inundated the insufficient infrastructure.  After a while of sitting still, I decided to turn around and head back for the country road on the other side of the river. I called Alvin, he was almost home.

Dressing for Success: Or at least being able to stay on the water without suffering from heat exhaustion.

While Alvin and JD get to escape the summer heat of Texas, the rest of us will still run trips in the usual manner, however we’re going to be a little more inclined to do “half days” as opposed to the “full day trip” focusing on the early morning and late evenings.

 During the next couple months we (as guides and fisherman) expect the brutal heat while on the water and do everything we can to prepare ourselves for it.  Many of us guide and have “real jobs” on the side.  Our preparation for the heat of the day not only keeps us fishing and guiding but allows us to not need a day off from our ‘day on the water’ to recuperate.  Clients that show up dressed for the sun and heat in my experience catch more fish because they are able to fish hard from the first cast to last cast.  Sun block, while an important part of the equation, can only go so far.

While on the water whether I’m fishing or guiding during the summer, you’ll find me covered from head to toe in clothing.  Big straw hats, Buff sun masks, long sleeve shirts, pants and (yes, gloves).  I’ve hyperlinked what I’m wearing in the picture.  It seems to counter common sense that wearing so much clothing when its 105 will help keep you cool but it does.  With the advances in outdoor clothing these technical garments create a barrier from the sun and “wick” moister (perspiration) in a way that you actually sweat less and what you do sweat evaporates in a more controlled manner.  I’m not going to “cut and paste” a bunch of scientific evidence into this article as it is my experience that when I dress in this manner I’m a better guide for my clients and a better husband/father when my day on the water ends and the real work starts upon getting home.

Proper hydration isn’t something you can fix the day of.  We all should be drinking water on a day-to-day basis.  Bottled water won’t solve a dehydration or volume depletion problem the day of and while on the water, it can actually create serious complications (wearing my paramedic hat now) by flushing out electrolytes that well, are pretty damn important to being alive.  As a medic this time of year we see a lot of people that don’t drink enough water on a day to day basis only to have it bite them in the ass after a full day in the sun.  I’ve seen some scary cardiac rhythms associated with dehydration in “normal enough folks” that could have been avoided by just drinking a normal amount of water during the days before and wearing appropriate clothing.  Shorts and t-shirts won’t cut it.

I think we all could easily drop a small fortune on gear without out a second thought. Personally it doesn’t take much to convince me that some shiny object to replace my perfectly good “older” shiny object is a must have for an upcoming trip (I’ve got a few coming).  If you look at clothing as “gear” than it’s easy to justify a couple outfits for the elements.  Rationally speaking it makes absolute sense to wear clothing that will keep you in the game longer whether it’s the trip of a lifetime or an afternoon on the Lower Colorado River with us.

See ya on the water!

AWG

Jet Sled version 2

A little while ago I bought a project and I'm about to start the process again.  Last time I had a lot of requests to write a build report and not having the platform to do so I used FB which was me just posting a lot of pictures with out much reporting or content.  This time around I plan to use this site and as this begins to take shape write about it.

So…the last project was a Jon or John boat with an outboard jet drive.  From now on I’m just going to refer to these boats as Jet-Sleds.  My first Jet-Sled (V1) was a riveted Alumacraft 1432 (14 feet long and 32” on the bottom) with an old Evinrude 25 hp. 

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Somewhere on I-35 Fueling up on a Double Quarter pounder

I really was Just buying the engine for another boat so I really didn’t care if the boat leaked (it did) or what condition it was in (rough).  If I could get it for the right price (I did) the engine wouldn't even need to run (it didn’t).  I had done enough research and talked to mechanics, friends and who ever would listen. We were confidant that if it didn't run 800 bucks would fix that (it did).  The boat was reborn, used for a while with friends then sold when I ruptured my Achilles tendon, which was fine, I wasn’t in love with the boat.  She was a handful on the water and in no way conducive to guiding.  She did however run like a scalded dog and had a unique look.  I plan to fix the “handful” problem with waterline and will most likely shoot for the same look and outfit the V2 Jet-sled in the same manner.

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I really enjoyed the last project and tolerated (very well I must say) all the “dude, when ya gonna be done so "WE" can go fish in it” or “dude, your OCD”.  This project will most likely take longer.  Jet-sled V1 came as a package deal…Boat, Motor and trailer, at present time I have none of what I need accept a clearer understanding of what worked and what didn’t, that and a line on a 40/30 Yamadog. 

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Poppy supervising while I work,  She's 18 months now so this wont work.

Stay tuned sports fans I’m looking forward to this project and sharing it on this web sites blog

Enjoy,  tight lines and shallow running boats.

Winston