Hey guys,
Just catching up on all of this. Larry is correct that the group campsite is about 300 feet from the parking area (and vault toilets). It's not much of a hill to climb, but a bit of a walk. The North Fork of the Gabe is about 300 feet and a bit downhill in the other direction. There is a trail, the Goodwater Loop (26 miles, it circles Lake Georgetown and connects with the San Gabriel River Trail that continues into Georgetown proper), that provides easy access to the river from either the north or south bank. Water is middling low right now, so wading is super easy. Even if we get some rain, much of the upper portion around CR 258 (30.6963, -97.82882) will be wadeable. It's a good limestone and gravel bottom.
As Larry pointed out, there's a lot of access on both the North and South Forks, and the mainstem San Gabriel River within about 20 minutes of the campground. There is additional access on Berry Creek, miles of access on Brushy Creek, and the Lampasas River is about 35 minutes away.
Living Waters Fly Fishing (
http://livingwatersflyfishing.com/) is the local shop, about 35 minutes from the campground.
My book, Fly Fishing Austin & Central Texas (
https://flyfishingaustin.thelocalangler.com/) will be out everywhere May 1, but I'll probably have some copies available for you guys if anyone wants to pick it up early. Also, I'll be presenting at San Gabriel Fly Fishers(
http://www.sgflyfishers.com/) Tuesday, the 21st, if anyone is here early and would like to join us.
We usually hang up the waders by mid-March down here, so you should be fine to wet wade late April. On the North Gabe, you can find all the sunfish, LMB, carp, and redhorse suckers. The white bass run will be done by then, but there will surely be some stragglers in the upper end of the lake/lower part of the river. Farther upstream, and also on the South Gabe and on the mainstem, you can find Guadalupe bass. The South San Gabriel River, the main stem in town, and Brushy will be your go-to places for Rio Grande cichlids. You could always email Matt Bennett (
https://www.flygeek.net/) for an assortment of Lunch/Brunch Monies, Carp-it Bombs, and Rio Getters. That would cover most everything. Oh ... hoppers and poppers, too. Living Waters may or may not have Matt's flies in stock, depending on traffic.
There are a couple of "locals only" spots on the North Gabe, well upstream of Tejas Camp, I might be convinced to share. ;-
Finally, there's a brewery here (
https://goo.gl/maps/z1UnGCFuR4A45n3k8) and here (
https://goo.gl/maps/5ezFafQGipWvLozJ9) and here (
https://goo.gl/maps/aB2FSU274Af3f6qt9) and a distillery here (
https://goo.gl/maps/REWZRvCe6mdpZWB58).
I look forward to seeing y'all.
Aaron
https://bluecollarflyfishing.com