You know something? Those of us who fish the waters of the Texas Hill Country can count our lucky stars.
Not only do we have world-class angling for warm-water species like largemouth black bass, stripers, catfish and crappie — we also get a chance at a great sport fish from those cold-water streams up in Yankee land. For us Central Texas anglers Christmas arrives early! Not long after Jack Frost comes calling from the arctic, we get a visit from our own Santa Claus. Forget about sleighs and reindeer — our guy drives a hatchery truck and our gifts have fins. We're talking about rainbow trout!
Virtually all public waters in the Hill Country are too warm in the summer to support trout on a year-round basis. (The only exception I know of is the Guadalupe River below Canyon Dam where most summers, water released from the bottom of the 125-foot deep reservoir remains frigid enough to sustain a cold-water fish population.) But thanks to annual stocking programs by the Texas Parks & Wildlife department and other entities, there is a season when Lone Star anglers can fish for trout. And that season is now!
Last time I visited the Parks & Wildlife website I saw at least 16 Hill Country venues that offer good fishing for rainbows: Bandera, Blanco, Georgetown, Austin, New Braunfels, Copperas Cove, Kerrville, Leakey, Fredericksburg, Llano, Vanderpool, Belton, Brady, Junction, Utopia, and Lampasas. For stocking dates and directions take a look at this website: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/trout_stocking.phtml
But the place I hope to visit soon is Castell. This old German settlement on the Llano River would make an interesting destination, even without good trout fishing. I recently spent a Sunday afternoon talking with Marc Leifeste, whose German ancestors settled here back in the early 1850s. Marc and his father Randy run the Castell General Store, which is more or less the activity center for the area.
I had come for the trout fishing which I heard was very good. Unfortunately I had jumped the gun by a week or two – this year's stockings hadn't begun yet. Luckily Marc had a few photos from last year that he generously lent me for this article. But it turned out that Sunday was a very good day to visit. If I'd been busy fighting rainbow trout, I wouldn't have had time to drive around the area, hang out at the store, taste test the brisket, and talk to Marc about the area's colorful history.
The store itself — formerly a blacksmith shop, built in 1927 — is worth a visit. On a hot summer day, I think I'd very much enjoy a cool one in the shade of the large liveoak tree out front. The barbecue is good anytime of the year. The Sunday I visited I'd already eaten lunch, so there was no room for more than a small sample. I'm eager to try the beef and pork ribs as well as some more brisket.
Another thing I look forward to is spending more time with Marc and his father who know a great deal about the area's history. Marc told me that back in the early days, one of his ancestors dodged a thunder storm by crawling inside a hollow tree. It was a good thing he did, because while he was waiting out the deluge, a group of Comanches stole his horse.
Not so lucky was Adolph Korn. The 10-year-old boy was captured on New Year's Day 1870 by Indians and spent the next three years riding with a Comanche band. Apparently the boy grew to love the nomadic life and never readjusted to civilization. (If you'd like to know more about his story, you can look for "The Captured: A True Story of Abduction by Indians of the Texas Frontier," written by local author Scott Zesch. I found it fascinating when I read it a few years back.) The incident occurred in Llano County only three miles from the Leifeste family ranch.
This is scenic country, a great place to motor around exploring the wide open spaces. But a word of caution: if you're new to this area, you may not be used to driving on public roads through unfenced grazing land. Of course the ranches and their various pastures are separated by barbed wire fences and cattle guards, but there's absolutely nothing to keep cattle from wandering across the pavement. (By the way — when I was a kid I heard some of the old timers call cattle guards "roll-over gates." I guess that's a good description. And here's a funny thing I heard in the cattle country of Alberta up in Canada. There on the Northern prairies they call them "Texas Gates.") At any rate, keep your eyes open for loose livestock when you're driving. Angus and other dark breeds are especially hard to see at night.
When you come here for the trout fishing, I recommend you bring your lightest tackle. Llano River water is as clear as a glass of Tito's Handmade Vodka so heavy lines may spook the fish. Fly rods can be very effective. On the Guadalupe River near New Braunfels, I've caught a number of stocked rainbows dry fly fishing with #12 and #14 elk hair caddis flies. I bet nymphs would work well too. But for most anglers, light or ultra-light spinning tackle is the way to go. If you have small crappie jigs or in-line spinners like a Rooster Tail or Mepps, you should do well. I've seen bait anglers catch their 5-fish limit on earthworms, small marshmallows, Velveeta cheese, or kernels of corn. For more tips about catching Texas winter trout, visit this website: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_t3200_1692.pdf
Most visitors find the Llano River to be one of the most beautiful in Texas. And Castell is a great place just to kick back and shake off some big city stress. I hope to see you there. So hang your hip boots by the chimney with care. For trout fishermen, Christmas comes early!
