We just returned from spring break in New Braunfels, and team Bandit absolutely smashed the trout. 42 fish with a max size of 24 inches, a little shy of my biggest ever. Nobody around to take a pic of me with the big one in the net, so there's a 16 incher in another pic for comparison. Wasn't going to gill it for a selfie, as that's tough on fish, especially softies like rainbows. All the little bandits caught fish, and Mrs. Bandit had one but lost it (I think because she didn't want to touch it for a pic). Absolutely beautiful fish, super fun. New Braunfels wading the Guadalupe for trophy trout just might be my all time favorite fishing experience.
I'm no fly fisherman, I've got enough expensive hobbies. So it was all spinning gear for the Bandits. I've learned some interesting things about how to catch them, starting with some great info from another member here. Learned a few new interesting bits this time. Bandit4 was losing a number of expensive lures by breaking the light leader off fighting big fish too aggressively (cranking as hard as he could to horse them in). Determined not to lose any more of my sweet beauties, I switched him from an 8 lb leader to a 15. I thought it would decrease the bites, but it didn't, like at all. So my lures were saved and he landed more fish. Hopefully he's learning to finesse those big ones a bit more.
Next item learned, its a myth that trout only feed when fishing up river. Or down river, or whichever myth you happen to adhere to. We caught them casting all different angles, up, down, and sideways, just had to change how you worked the lures. They like sideways the least though, just fyi. The best? Casting down and working back up, slowwwwwllllyyyyy.
We were busting most of the fish in deeper water with sweet crankbaits, but that bite slowed. I noticed tons of fish rolling through very shallow riffles, one foot of water or less. So I said, even if I snag a bunch, I'll just wade over and pull loose. But worked properly, we didn't snag much and those fish in a foot or less of water were the most aggressive. I'm pretty sure its almost all reaction bite, and fish in shallow fast water just don't have much time to make a decision.
Final thing learned, I got tired of cranks so I poke through my gear, came across a small old spoon that I had found in the river the previous year. Worked slowly casting down stream and letting current spin it as I retrieved, the fish went berserk. My hook percentage wasn't great, but I got hits every cast for the last couple hours of the last day doing this. It was pretty wild.
Final thought, eat these fish. They are delicious. One of the best eating fish there is. Meat looks almost like salmon with a cool orange tint, is firm yet tender, and has really good flavor. God put fish here for us to eat, and made that stretch of the Guad a unique Texas experience.
I'm no fly fisherman, I've got enough expensive hobbies. So it was all spinning gear for the Bandits. I've learned some interesting things about how to catch them, starting with some great info from another member here. Learned a few new interesting bits this time. Bandit4 was losing a number of expensive lures by breaking the light leader off fighting big fish too aggressively (cranking as hard as he could to horse them in). Determined not to lose any more of my sweet beauties, I switched him from an 8 lb leader to a 15. I thought it would decrease the bites, but it didn't, like at all. So my lures were saved and he landed more fish. Hopefully he's learning to finesse those big ones a bit more.
Next item learned, its a myth that trout only feed when fishing up river. Or down river, or whichever myth you happen to adhere to. We caught them casting all different angles, up, down, and sideways, just had to change how you worked the lures. They like sideways the least though, just fyi. The best? Casting down and working back up, slowwwwwllllyyyyy.
We were busting most of the fish in deeper water with sweet crankbaits, but that bite slowed. I noticed tons of fish rolling through very shallow riffles, one foot of water or less. So I said, even if I snag a bunch, I'll just wade over and pull loose. But worked properly, we didn't snag much and those fish in a foot or less of water were the most aggressive. I'm pretty sure its almost all reaction bite, and fish in shallow fast water just don't have much time to make a decision.
Final thing learned, I got tired of cranks so I poke through my gear, came across a small old spoon that I had found in the river the previous year. Worked slowly casting down stream and letting current spin it as I retrieved, the fish went berserk. My hook percentage wasn't great, but I got hits every cast for the last couple hours of the last day doing this. It was pretty wild.
Final thought, eat these fish. They are delicious. One of the best eating fish there is. Meat looks almost like salmon with a cool orange tint, is firm yet tender, and has really good flavor. God put fish here for us to eat, and made that stretch of the Guad a unique Texas experience.
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