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PostPosted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 3:23 pm • # 1 
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Larry is making noises over on the fiberglass fly rodders forum about a joint glass conclave/ultralight meetup in Central Texas, maybe early June. He and I are going to talk this afternoon so I can find out what he is plotting.

Any interest from the members here? Glass or carbon.

Various ideas for locations are being kicked around by the glass guys, including stuff farther west (than the Austin area) in the Hill Country ... here's my (edited) pitch, below. BTW, maybe this is a second chance for some of you guys who missed the last one? One thing I can safely say is that (if you are relying on me for info, and you should probably have other sources as well!) I'm finding terrific new access points and stretches of water every week!

If folks are most interested in Rio Grande cichlids and Guadalupe bass -- Central Texas, using Georgetown, Austin, or one of the nearby state parks (Pedernales Falls SP, Colorado Bend SP, Blanco SP) is an option. The Lampasas River, which I've been exploring lately, is nearly unfished, can accomodate three or four walking anglers easily, and has some easy access about 25 minutes from Georgetown -- also incredible diversity (Guadalupe bass, LMB, carp, white bass, freshwater drum, channel cats). Pure strain Guadalupe bass in Brushy Creek, parts of the San Gabriel River, and in Onion Creek. Rios in the Gabe, Brushy and Onion.

Also of note: Living Waters Fly Fishing is a world-class shop in Round Rock, and The Well (60+ whiskeys) in Georgetown is slated to be open by then. Chris Barclay is rumored to be coming to the Round Rock area in early June. ;-)

A Brushy Creek Guadalupe bass from last week (carbon rod, but a 2 wt!) and a Rio from Onion Creek earlier in the year shown below.

I'll talk to Larry this afternoon (after he is done preaching and going to Luby's, ya know), see what he has in mind!

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Onion Creek LMB (oh, hey ... a glass rod!):

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Onion Creek Guadalupe bass:

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Lampasas River greenie:

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Lampasas River channel cat:

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Brushy Creek scenery (last week):

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San Gabriel River scenery:

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Lampasas scenery:

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Onion Creek scenery:

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All of the above within a 60-mile radius, most much closer. Plus, Orvis company store in Austin, another fly shop (Sportsman's Finest) on the southwest side of town, and both Cabelas and Bass Pro. And two FFI clubs for local participation.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 4:07 pm • # 2 
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So ... about all that stuff above? Larry wants to hit the South Llano. FIne by me ... I'm along for the ride. I'll let him post more.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:25 pm • # 3 
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I don't know what to envy more: the beautiful surroundings, or the fact that you're still fishing in late November!
Very nice photos.
brent


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:39 pm • # 4 
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Being a foreigner from Oklahoma, I don't really know the Hill Country all that well. A group of glass guys went down there in April of 2015. We stayed in the city park in Mason and fished the Llano and the San Saba. I have Phil Shook's book on Flyfishing Texas and Kevin Hutchinson's book on Flyfishing the Texas Hill Country, and I've looked at everything I can find online. From what I can find, some of the rivers pose a problem with limited access and some are very popular with the tubers and kayakers. The Llano seems to have the best access at many places. The San Saba is nearby and also offers good access. From either Mason or South Llano River State Park, the Neuces, Frio, and Sabinal are also within an hour to an hour and a half away. Aaron spoke of early June. In the past we have done most of our conclaves earlier than that because school is out in early May, and most of the campgrounds are very crowded by May and June. One of our group also has a band, and he is trying to set up his schedule for next year. I usually wait 'til January to start setting dates, but it might be better to start now. So the question I am posing at this time, is WHEN and WHERE. My proposal is that Mason or Junction are fairly central to the Hill Country and offer a lot of potential places to fish, and that sometime in April would be warm enough for good fishing, not too hot, and would avoid the avalanche of campers once school is out.

Larry


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 9:02 pm • # 5 
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Larry, I think Junction -- South Llano River SP -- is a good bet, and concur with your assessment of the waters and nearby options. Though the San Saba has been having some issues lately between Menard and Mason due to illegal pumping. The section above Menard, below Fort McKavett, is my favorite and should be fine.

And as I mentioned when we spoke, the South Llano is chock-full of pure-strain Guadalupe bass again. There are some potential state records in there (but there are some potential state records in Brushy, the Gabe and the Colorado as well) per the fisheries biologists who electrofish the area from time to time.

Brent, I'll gladly pick you up at the airport.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:23 am • # 6 
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Wow! Generous offer, my friend. I'd love to, but I'm committed (wife says it should have happened years ago ;) ) to helping my son with a major addition to his house because of an other type of 'addition' arriving early in the new year :applause . We finally got things weather tight on the weekend, and now the interior tear-down begins. More snow predicted this week.
Anyway, have a great time, and post lots more of those great photos so those of us in the Great White North can fish vicariously through you lads. Our water gets awfully hard this time of year.
brent


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 9:17 am • # 7 
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Brent, Congrats!


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 1:50 pm • # 8 
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I thoroughly enjoyed the previous outing; I got to fish some beautiful water with some great company, and I even caught a few fish. I'm up for another one.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 6:31 pm • # 9 
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Jim,
Did you ever get that Proof rod built from the kit you bought from me? You might need a bigger rod than that 1/2 weight.

Larry


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:28 pm • # 10 
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Man, I can whup whales with that half weight (grin). No, I have been trying to set aside some time for the build (got all the tools & supplies) but stuff keeps coming at me..... I have a couple of close friends who are dying, and I'm trying to devote more time to them along with everything else (and there's a lot) coming at me. My friends always come before a rod........

But never fear Larry; although I never needed to unsheath it on our trip, I brought along a 2 weight for those behemoths that I wouldn't have been able to handle with the half weight. And I can always bring one of my 5 weights if they get bigger than the boat.....


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 11:17 pm • # 11 
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You're right Jim; friends always come first. Good thing you have those heftier rods; you might hook up with a 5# quadalupe bass up on the Llano. :eek

Larry


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 12:54 am • # 12 
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Good Lord, Larry! I've never seen a 5# guad. Do they even get that big? If they do, I'd love to stick one with the half weight!


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 12:31 pm • # 13 
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Jim, there might be a little hyperbole there, but who knows, almost anything can happen.

Larry


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 12:44 pm • # 14 
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I am going to offer three alternatives: If we can go in April and hopefully beat much of the summer vacation rush, we could set up in Lost Maples Natural Area on the Sabinal or Garner State Park on the Frio. In my usual group from the glass board we have a guy who usually goes with us and he has a band and has already set up play dates over much of next year. He could make it to the outing on the weekends of April 13-14 or April 27-28. This is not meant as a bribe or anything, but Carl is known as the Gumbo King, and he feels it is his obligation to whomp up a big pot of gumbo at any outing he attends. From either of these locations we could fairly easily fish the Frio, the Sabinal, and the Nueces. There might be one advantage to Garner State Park. Garner has screened shelters that can accomodate up to 8 campers. This would mean that tent campers could leave their tents at home and just set up in the shelter. The shelters have lights and electrical hook ups.

If we choose to go later, maybe in May, I would recommend the city park in Mason for the meet up. It has facilities for RV's and tent campers in a small clean campground. There are shower facilities. The camp hosts are truly hospitable. The last time we stayed there, they insisted we come by for breakfast. Mason is a good central location from which we could fan out to several fishing sites. I know Aaron would like to set up at South Llano State Park and it is a little closer to the more southern rivers as well as the Llano and San Saba. What say you?

Larry


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 12:56 am • # 15 
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Is this the intersection or the union (for you math geeks) of the glass and UL crowds? The former could make for a lonely event but the latter might be a 2-dimensional culture clash... I don't care either way. I fish everything. Really it's just an excuse to make a stupid joke, but maybe some people will have expectations?


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:51 am • # 16 
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Randy,
What's this about "culture clash"? Are you trying to imply that I'm a cultured individual? Anybody that knows me would never say that. The only expectation is that if you show up, you should have a good time. So, be there or be square.

Larry


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:32 am • # 17 
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Oops. I didn't mean to implicate you Larry. It'll never happen again...


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