We hardly had a chance to recover from 2011 and now as Fiesta kicks into full swing the news is Stage 2 will be on us within the week.
Ready, Set, Here we go again.....
WOAI New Article
Friday, April 27, 2012
2012 Fishing Forecast (TPWD)
Read a good little article on the 2012 fishing forecast that some of you may enjoy.
Drought Brings a Mixed Bag of Effects This Year
"It's no secret that fish populations, like all natural resources, are being affected by the drought. West Texas and Panhandle lakes have been hit hard......"Head on over the main article on the TPWD website by clicking the link below.
Drought Brings a Mixed Bag of Effects This Year
Thursday, April 26, 2012
How I Rate Restroom/Shower Facilities
As I have said many times before I rate based off of what I consider to be the best SP facilities I have seen at Inks Lake but I think its time to put an official # scale to this.
Its a 5 star system
* Cleanliness - Self explainable.
* Smell - Is there a funky smell.
* Privacy - Showers and restrooms.
* Maintenance - of sinks, showers, doors, etc.
* Structural - Condition of the overall building.
I think that's a relatively fair set of points to rate a restroom facility on but if you have any ideas please feel free to comment.
Its a 5 star system
* Cleanliness - Self explainable.
* Smell - Is there a funky smell.
* Privacy - Showers and restrooms.
* Maintenance - of sinks, showers, doors, etc.
* Structural - Condition of the overall building.
I think that's a relatively fair set of points to rate a restroom facility on but if you have any ideas please feel free to comment.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Garner State park - Review
Garner State Park
234 RR 1050
Concan, TX 78838
830-232-6132
Main Website
Google Maps
Brief Description/Location of Park
Garner SP is a beautiful park located 92 miles west of downtown San Antonio and about 30 miles North of Uvalde in Concan Texas. Garner is one of the busiest State Parks in Texas no doubt due to the beautiful, crystal clear waters of the Frio River, the excellent hiking and multitude of other activities that we will talk about in this review.
Main Attraction
There are many activities at Garner but the #1 draw is the 3 mile stretch of the Frio River that runs through the park. The only words that I can use to describe the Frio are Emerald, Crystal, Cool and Clear but in reality a picture says so much more.
The busiest part of the Frio River is in old Garner where the dam is located. Here you will find kayak and paddle boat rentals, rope swings volleyball courts, concessions, and the day use areas. I have heard that when it is quit this area is even good for fishing as the TPWD stocks trout in this area.
Like I mentioned earlier there are 3 miles of riverfront in Garner so for campers finding a good swimming or fishing spot may be just a short walk away from your camp loop. Our site was located in the Rio Frio loop of New Garner and an excellent swimming area was only a short hike away.
Besides fishing one may also enjoy hiking, mountain biking or birding and Garner offers and extensive system of trails to satisfy just about any level of proficiency. I can not speak much to the trails on this review because about 1 mile into my mountain bike ride I had a catastrophic tube blow out and I had forgotten my spare... sorry. One of the most popular hikes is to the top of Old Baldy but care must be taken as accidents have happened in this area in the past. The views from atop Old Baldy are nothing short of spectacular.
The fishing at Garner is a little unique in that the water is so clear the fish can see the bait/lure perfectly and if its not what they want then they are not interested. I personally managed to catch a few small and medium Perch but what I saw had me moving up and down the bank of the river begging for a bite. I saw Brown Bass as long as my forearm and a school of 8 Catfish just loitering in the clear waters. Come prepared with light and ultralight tackle and be prepared to change up your presentation, and good luck. **The park host (my cousin) mentioned that trout in the park LOVE corn. I didn’t try this but it may be good to know.**
Day Use
I described the day use area above so all I can really add is that this area can become very very crowded during peak hours especially during the summer months.
Camping Facilities
Garner has A LOT of camping areas, more than any State Park I have ever been too. Garner is broken into 2 sections, Old Garner and New Garner. From the main entrance anything to the right is Old Garner, this is where you will find the camp store, pavilion, restaurant and dam. To the left after the park entrance is New Garner newer sites but farther away from all the amenities of the Park.
Our site (pictured above) was located in New Garner about 2 miles away from the day use area and all the goodies mentioned above in Old Garner but the site was level and the restrooms were close by while a nice swimming area was only a short walk away.
All campsites have a vehicle pad, picnic table, lantern post and fire ring. The campsites at Garner are what you would expect from a State Park and we had no complaints. Garner had far too many sites for me to offer any recommendations on what sites are best so I would recommend heading to the website and checking out a Park map.
One of the most interesting things I noticed about Garner was the number of tent campers. Usually at a SP you see the water/electric sites dominated by travel trailers, 5th wheels and Pop Ups but not this time. There were without a doubt more people camping in tents than anywhere I had seen in some time.
Restroom/Shower Facilities
The facilities were adequate in cleanliness though not as clean as the Inks Lake facilities (standard for rating SP restrooms) and it did not help that there seemed to be an outbreak of crane flies that seemed to all migrate and become trapped in the lighted restrooms. The showers had a wet and a dry section and a curtain for privacy in some while other facilities has separate rooms with lockable doors (we had the prior). I will have to give the facilities a 3.5 out of 5, without faulting the bugs the restroom did have a “smell” and the curtained showers may put some people off.
Conclusion
Garner is a must visit park for everyone in the State of Texas and if you have not been its about time you go. I highly recommend this Park for camping just be aware that it can get very crowded so if your intention is to escape the crowds this may not be the Park for you.
234 RR 1050
Concan, TX 78838
830-232-6132
Main Website
Google Maps
Brief Description/Location of Park
Garner SP is a beautiful park located 92 miles west of downtown San Antonio and about 30 miles North of Uvalde in Concan Texas. Garner is one of the busiest State Parks in Texas no doubt due to the beautiful, crystal clear waters of the Frio River, the excellent hiking and multitude of other activities that we will talk about in this review.
Main Attraction
There are many activities at Garner but the #1 draw is the 3 mile stretch of the Frio River that runs through the park. The only words that I can use to describe the Frio are Emerald, Crystal, Cool and Clear but in reality a picture says so much more.
The busiest part of the Frio River is in old Garner where the dam is located. Here you will find kayak and paddle boat rentals, rope swings volleyball courts, concessions, and the day use areas. I have heard that when it is quit this area is even good for fishing as the TPWD stocks trout in this area.
 |  |
Like I mentioned earlier there are 3 miles of riverfront in Garner so for campers finding a good swimming or fishing spot may be just a short walk away from your camp loop. Our site was located in the Rio Frio loop of New Garner and an excellent swimming area was only a short hike away.
Besides fishing one may also enjoy hiking, mountain biking or birding and Garner offers and extensive system of trails to satisfy just about any level of proficiency. I can not speak much to the trails on this review because about 1 mile into my mountain bike ride I had a catastrophic tube blow out and I had forgotten my spare... sorry. One of the most popular hikes is to the top of Old Baldy but care must be taken as accidents have happened in this area in the past. The views from atop Old Baldy are nothing short of spectacular.
The fishing at Garner is a little unique in that the water is so clear the fish can see the bait/lure perfectly and if its not what they want then they are not interested. I personally managed to catch a few small and medium Perch but what I saw had me moving up and down the bank of the river begging for a bite. I saw Brown Bass as long as my forearm and a school of 8 Catfish just loitering in the clear waters. Come prepared with light and ultralight tackle and be prepared to change up your presentation, and good luck. **The park host (my cousin) mentioned that trout in the park LOVE corn. I didn’t try this but it may be good to know.**
Day Use
I described the day use area above so all I can really add is that this area can become very very crowded during peak hours especially during the summer months.
Camping Facilities
Garner has A LOT of camping areas, more than any State Park I have ever been too. Garner is broken into 2 sections, Old Garner and New Garner. From the main entrance anything to the right is Old Garner, this is where you will find the camp store, pavilion, restaurant and dam. To the left after the park entrance is New Garner newer sites but farther away from all the amenities of the Park.
Our site (pictured above) was located in New Garner about 2 miles away from the day use area and all the goodies mentioned above in Old Garner but the site was level and the restrooms were close by while a nice swimming area was only a short walk away.
 |  |
All campsites have a vehicle pad, picnic table, lantern post and fire ring. The campsites at Garner are what you would expect from a State Park and we had no complaints. Garner had far too many sites for me to offer any recommendations on what sites are best so I would recommend heading to the website and checking out a Park map.
One of the most interesting things I noticed about Garner was the number of tent campers. Usually at a SP you see the water/electric sites dominated by travel trailers, 5th wheels and Pop Ups but not this time. There were without a doubt more people camping in tents than anywhere I had seen in some time.
Restroom/Shower Facilities
The facilities were adequate in cleanliness though not as clean as the Inks Lake facilities (standard for rating SP restrooms) and it did not help that there seemed to be an outbreak of crane flies that seemed to all migrate and become trapped in the lighted restrooms. The showers had a wet and a dry section and a curtain for privacy in some while other facilities has separate rooms with lockable doors (we had the prior). I will have to give the facilities a 3.5 out of 5, without faulting the bugs the restroom did have a “smell” and the curtained showers may put some people off.
Conclusion
Garner is a must visit park for everyone in the State of Texas and if you have not been its about time you go. I highly recommend this Park for camping just be aware that it can get very crowded so if your intention is to escape the crowds this may not be the Park for you.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Guadalupe River North @ Rebecca Creek - Bass Fishing
Jon boat fishing on the Guadalupe River early Saturday morning. We motored about 2.5 miles upstream and started fishing back with the current.
I am a pretty novice fisherman so I had some coaching from my friend Brian who was fly fishing while I used a spinning rod/reel with rooster tails and plastics worms.
We put in at Boat Ramp #11 on Rebecca Creek just West of Canyon Lake where the Guadalupe River starts backing up as it enters the lake. We where in my friends 14ft V jon boat pushed by an 8hp outboard with a 30# thrust trolling motor.
The river in this area is pretty deep and wide with many submerged trees that outlined the original bank of the river. These submerged trees offer the shelter that many game fish tend to migrate to (or so I have been told).
There are also many areas where the grassy shore roles right up and into the river (one of the fish was caught casting and keeping the lure about 3 feet off the shore line).
Numerous rocky outcrops also dot the way, here I caught a 6 inch Guadalupe Bass on a Plastic worm.
All in all I had a great time here. While fishing is something I have not done seriously in the 15ish years prior to this I have to admit it felt good and was coming back pretty quick (kinda like riding a bike). Now I know you’re asking where are the pictures of the fish.. well I’ll post the 2 that didn't get away as soon as my friend sends me the pictures. Rest assure this was no fish tail we did catch something!
So if you have a small boat, canoe or kayak I would highly recommend giving this area a shot, just remember to stay on the river because you are flanked by private property on each side.
I am a pretty novice fisherman so I had some coaching from my friend Brian who was fly fishing while I used a spinning rod/reel with rooster tails and plastics worms.
We put in at Boat Ramp #11 on Rebecca Creek just West of Canyon Lake where the Guadalupe River starts backing up as it enters the lake. We where in my friends 14ft V jon boat pushed by an 8hp outboard with a 30# thrust trolling motor.
The river in this area is pretty deep and wide with many submerged trees that outlined the original bank of the river. These submerged trees offer the shelter that many game fish tend to migrate to (or so I have been told).
There are also many areas where the grassy shore roles right up and into the river (one of the fish was caught casting and keeping the lure about 3 feet off the shore line).
Numerous rocky outcrops also dot the way, here I caught a 6 inch Guadalupe Bass on a Plastic worm.
All in all I had a great time here. While fishing is something I have not done seriously in the 15ish years prior to this I have to admit it felt good and was coming back pretty quick (kinda like riding a bike). Now I know you’re asking where are the pictures of the fish.. well I’ll post the 2 that didn't get away as soon as my friend sends me the pictures. Rest assure this was no fish tail we did catch something!
So if you have a small boat, canoe or kayak I would highly recommend giving this area a shot, just remember to stay on the river because you are flanked by private property on each side.
Upcoming Review - Garner State Park
It's been a long time since I have been to Garner and on the weekend of 4-20-12 we will be going back. Expect a new review format, better information, and more pictures.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Guadalupe River South Trail Below Canyon Lake
On an late March morning before the sun had a chance to clear up the morning fog a couple friends of mine took me to a new place that had been right under my nose this hole time. I have been to Canyon Lake more times than I can count and I have walked the Dam itself about half as many times as that but I never knew there was another park less than 500 yards away and visible from the top of the Dam.
View Guadalupe River South Trail in a larger map
At the time I did not have a fishing license so did not participate in the fishing however I did have my tablet and plenty time to take a few pictures. This first picture is from when we first arrived looking out to where the water from Canyon Lake becomes what is commonly referred to as Guadalupe River South. We are on the opposite side of the river from the trail proper where a small fishing area is set up.
To the left (looking down stream) a small feeder creek also joins the river. The creek is shallow but clear.
Probably my favorite picture from this trip.
My friends waded out to a small island to try their luck.
On the trail side of the small park the first thing you will encounter is this sign at the trailhead.
The main trail is wide and well maintained however getting to the river can be a little tricky as there are no maintained trails that make the short transition. We found a path and managed to make it down without slipping
Several small overlooks along the river offer nice views
The pictures below are of a rocky out crop about 80 yards long and this is where we fished for the rest of the day (you can click on them to make the larger).
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This last set of pictures dose not really need further description beyond noting that at this point the sun was either out or nearly out.
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All in all it was a very nice spot. We did not see many people on our visit but because it is a free area with river access I am sure it gets rather busy at times so your experience may differ significantly.
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