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Garner state park - rainbow trout

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:00 pm
by dmanars
Curious, are there hold over trout in the Frio river?
Water seems pretty cold year around, thought there would be a population like Guadalupe river.

Re: Garner state park - rainbow trout

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 6:44 am
by Ron Mc
If any, you will find them in the deeper pools (impoundments) where there also cold springs - usually below tall bluffs.
As far as targeting holdover rainbows - well, it would be blind luck to find one.

Here was a surprise July rainbow in the Guadalupe N. fork a about a quarter-mile above the confluence.
This fish probably migrated down from Bear Creek winter stocking by Hill Country FFF, which was about a 10-mi move.

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This was another surprise - my buddy Alex landed a 22-inch rainbow at Mueller Falls - this fish most likely migrated down from Joshua Creek, which is quite a haul.

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A friend who lived on Lake McQueeny frequently caught rainbows from his boat dock - they moved down from state and GRTU stockings in the tailwater and Landa Park.
The state record brown came from Lake Dunlap - same thing.

I can think of several holdover spring pools in the Guadalupe tailwater below mile 10
(and, of course, many more above mile 10).

"Mystery Pool" - you could hide a pickup truck between those submerged rocks
This is a place to target holdover rainbows (maybe the best place)
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October holdover - one of many this day.
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Re: Garner state park - rainbow trout

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 5:08 pm
by dmanars
Thanks for the posts, Im going this weekend and was thinking to target them if they were there.
But Ill stick to bass and catfish. Just fishing for fun.
I have a lot of experience finding trout on the Guadalupe, but stay away from them during the hotter months. I caught a couple one year and releasing them was pretty sketchy even when I kept them in the water.
If anyone has tips for fishing Garner state park around this time of year please chime in. could use tips. Might hangout with friends and also do some late night fishing. Not sure what soaking baits to use.

Re: Garner state park - rainbow trout

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:00 pm
by Neumie
I fish the Hill Country quite often with fly and conventional.

On light or med-light power rods here's what I throw on rivers:
Bass Pro Hellgrammite in Black/Red Flake
Bass Pro Wacky Stik-O Worm in Watermelon/Red
Bass Pro 3" Speed Shad in Sight Fish
Zman TRD CrawZ in Drew's Craw
Zman Finesse FrogZ in Mud Minnow
1/4 oz Roadrunner in White
Heddon Zara Puppy Clear or Bone
Zman Chatterbait Micro in White
Strike King 1.0 KVD Square Bill Silent Crankbait in Clearwater Minnow and Natural Bream
Worm Hooks in 2/0 & 3/0
Bass Pro 1/8oz Hook Weights

Fly Fishing
Llanobug or Llanolope in Yellow
Whooly Bugger in Olive and Black
Clouser in Chartreuse/White

Re: Garner state park - rainbow trout

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:27 pm
by Ron Mc
Josh, you've fished with me, and know in warmwater I'm using Teeny line with cats whisker 100% - a lifetime of culling flies.
Bottom bouncing this line and lure came from white bass fishing, and takes everything from rainbows to stripers.
Even black buffalo, gaspergou, catfish, and sight-fishes gar.
I fish it down-and-across swings in riffle and pocketwater (fall-bite killer), suspended and countdown in still water, and a slow crawl on the flagstone for bottom bouncing.

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here's my loaner box for friends who want to spin-fish the Guadalupe tailwater (single barbless hooks) - this would work all over the hill country for river bass and the random rainbow.

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Re: Garner state park - rainbow trout

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:36 pm
by dmanars
Nice. thanks for the info guys more than enough for me to go on. Im not on this forum as much as I was years ago, but Im glad there is still helpful people