Catching is just a bonus.

[Kevin Nicholls]

Nice work Chum. Those are some cool pictures

[TXXpress]

Great post Chum! And it's not about the catching. Wait until you have grandkids.... You'll see it even more!

[Sharkchum]

I wasn't gonna fish Sunday because I needed to leave to get to my nephews birthday party, but I just couldn't help myself. It was overcast and the water was a little off colored, so I knew it would be great. I tied on a size 12 olive wooly bugger and started smoking them. As I was fishing I kept seeing huge trout rising to pluck tiny bugs off the surface, but they would completely ignore my wooly bugger. I finally had enough and tied on a peice of 6x fluorocarbon tippet with a microscopic size 20 elk hair caddis. I made a perfect cast up stream where I knew the current would carry my fly right when all the big trout were rising. There was no explosive hole blown in the water, just a gentle ripple on the surface as I watched my fly disappear. I set the hook as fast and as gentle as I could, knowing that my hair thin tippet would break any second. When I felt the weight on the rod, I knew my tiny hook point had found it's mark, and I knew I just hooked a trophy. Everytime she flew through the air, flipping end over end while shaking her head nonstop, I knew the tiny hook would dislodge, and when she dove to the bottom down current, I knew my tippet was about to be cut on a rock. I don't think I've ever fought a fish so hard and so easy at the same time. Every time I would get her close to the net, she would take off again. Finally after what seemed like a eternity, she laid on her side and I was able to guide her into my undersized net. I laid her on my rod for a quick measurement, 20 1/4". I had just joined the 20/20 club. The 20/20 club is catching a trout over 20" on a size 20 or smaller dry fly. There are people who have done this their entire lives and have never accomplished it. After a quick picture, I slowly worked her back and forth in the water to get her rejuvenated, and with a quick flick of her tail, she was off to fight another day. Now it's back to nonstop work and my 5wt fly rod will sit in it's case until next fall, but the memories will last a lifetime.

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[Sharkchum]

Here you can see the tiny fly in the corner of her mouth.

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[SGrem]

Congrats dude. Very very cool. I love fishing with my 3wt catch or not. That rod just comes alive in my hands.

[Sharkchum]

Here's some more pictures from yesterday.

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[Kevin Nicholls]

That's a big bow. That's so cool.

[Mac1528]

Beautiful fish and photos....@$30/lb those snappas are a grand each!

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[Matt]

That's a big bow. That's so cool.

Heck yeah that is, looks like a holdover, if that is possible.

[Bandit1]

It is possible there. Cold water from the bottom of the lake keeps the river cool, and the pool right below the dam is supposed to be deep. So long as we don't get bad drought in that area, a number of trout are supposed to be able to make it. I do wonder if they cluster in that deep pool in the height of summer, or if the whole stretch of river remains cool enough for them to spread out. I do know that they will be all over the river through at least early June. Its a lot of fun and one of my all time favorite fisheries.

[Sponxx]

Amazing pictures and stellar write up! Indeed, catching is a bonus, albeit a very welcomed and desired one. Whether fishing or hunting, it is the excuse to be out and free our minds, and if it is passing along to the next generations that blessing on how to enjoy the outdoors, even better

[Kenny Powers]

Great report Chum. I'm heading up again Sunday to take 5 teens through Thursday. If you're around come say hi and I'll show you some cooler places to fly fish.

It is possible there. Cold water from the bottom of the lake keeps the river cool, and the pool right below the dam is supposed to be deep. So long as we don't get bad drought in that area, a number of trout are supposed to be able to make it. I do wonder if they cluster in that deep pool in the height of summer, or if the whole stretch of river remains cool enough for them to spread out. I do know that they will be all over the river through at least early June. Its a lot of fun and one of my all time favorite fisheries.

They hold over miles from the dam, including down past where Chum is fishing there. It is widely encouraged to not target trout when water temps exceed 75 degrees. Most fishing late in season will strap a thermometer to their shoes and fish early morning.
As a side note- I have a property I look forward to building on and retiring to that is in that ample holdover zone and about a 1/2 mile upstream of where Sharkchum has been fishing.
My existing place @GuadalupeLodge is 11.5 miles from the dam if memory serves. It's on the Chute. I don't go in summer much- water gets silted up and tubers are loud, but my son who holds the Texas junior trout fly fishing record dives the chute in summer and finds lost goods. He swears he sees holdovers down in the chute while diving.

Let's fish!

[KWeber]

is the Guad just rainbows or there browns, too?

[older 37]

Nice snappers and great eating