Texas Flyfishing - Pedernales River


	TEXAS FLYFISHING

Pedernales River

View large map of western portion of Pedernales River

Western Portion of the Pedernales River

1. Fielder Road crosses the first traces of the Pedernales River here. The owner strictly forbids fishing here. I was allowed to walk along the river for photographs, and saw nothing worth begging for fishing privileges.

2. The Friedrich Road crossing is similar to the previous Fielder Road crossing in both permission and fishing potential.

3. Pump Station Road off of FM 2093 is easily missed. Parking near the crossing is easy and there are no posted signs. This is the first fishing potential along the river.
The downstream side holds a few small bass and sunfish along with easy fishing from the bank and challenging casting opportunities under the overhanging trees along the far bank. The upstream side is much deeper and slower, but there are fewer (smarter?) fish.

4. This is the crossing at White Oak Road off of Morris Ranch Road. An old low water crossing has fallen into the river and the road to it provides easy access from the south side of the new bridge. Large schools of small bass and sunfish inhabit the deep pools on both sides of the low water crossing.

5. Morris-Tivydale Road off of 2093, or Alfred Petsch Road if your coming from the Morris Ranch direction, offers good access to the river here.
Wading is easy both up and downstream, but the fish are still small in this portion of the river. Floating downstream covers some very shallow water and is not recommended for anything heavier than a small kayak.

6. SH 16 crosses high above the river here. It appears that the owner of the ajoining property fenced the government property under the bridge. This fence is usually down due to floods and local use. Fishing is said to be good here, but a confrontation with the land owner would be possible and not worth the effort.

7. Pfiester Road, off of SH 16, crosses the river here. Parking is good near the bridge, but stay off of the road since traffic is heavier than it would appear to be.
The upstream side of the bridge is very sandy with small pools and backwaters as the river twists about. A maneuverable floatation device would be handy for getting upstream where the best fishing occurs. The downstream side is fast and shallow. Wade about 100 yards downstream to find the best fishing opportunities. Wading to the next point is not all that difficult.

8. Center Point Road, just off of SH 16, crosses the river here. Parking is good near the bridge but the close proximity to SH 16 makes this area quite noisy at times.
There is a nice, shallow pool on the upstream side of the bridge that is good for small sunfish. The downstream side would require floatation due to water depth and steep banks. There is a deep pool about 200 yards downstream that contains the first sizeable bass on the river.

9. Old Kerrville Road, also just off of SH 16, crosses the river here. Parking is available next to the bridge.
Floatation is a must on the upstream side. Downstream is good wading for a high concentration of sunnies for about 100 yards, at which point the river is too deep. This is a great float to the next point once past the shallow area near the bridge.

10. This is the Boss Road crossing to the southwest of Fredericksburg. This bridge is a good pickup from the previous point.
The upstream side is usually slightly deep for wading, but always worth trying. I regularly catch or spook a good bass in this area. The downstream side is shallow and fast, but good wading is available about 100 yards downstream. There are lots of small perch in this area.

11. US 87 crosses high above the river here south of Fredericksburg. Access to the area is tough and the water is deep. However, fishing from the bank is easy, if you don't mind the noise from the bridge.

12. The crossing here at Old San Antonio Road brings two things to my mind: big bass and big snakes. The upstream side is usually too deep to wade. A float tube is the ideal craft here since the bridge is high and portability of your craft is a factor. The flotsam that piles up at the bridge holds large bass and is a snake playground. Meusbach Creek joins the Pedernales at the bridge and is a great wade for carp and small cruising bass.

13. US 290 crosses high above the river here. Access is poor and the bridge is noisy.

14. The low water crossing at Goehmann Lane is a serene area southeast of Fredericksburg. The water here is a bit murky, but holds some good bass upstream. The downstream side starts shallow but gets deep. Floatation is recommended both up and downstream.

15. This is a low water crossing at Jung Lane. The river is shallow here, holding at a uniform 6 inches or so for 100 yards in each direction. The fish in the area tend to be stunted. Felt soles are a must in the warmer months.

16. This low water crossing at Gellermann Road would like to hold clear water, but the hoards of carp in the area won't allow it. There are some stocky bass and sunfish in the area, but the carp are the main attraction. There is plenty of wading to be had both up and downstream, and even though the water is somewhat muddied, sight casting is not a problem. Parking here is not a problem.

View large map eastern portion of Pedernales River

Eastern Portion of the Pedernales River

17. FM 1623 crosses high above the river at this point. This is a nice stretch of water with lots of shallow areas and deep pools. There is a junction of a small creek upstream on the north side of the river that is consistent for sunfish. Before fishing the area, walk across the bridge and spy on the carp below. I have seen some real monsters down there.
Another area worth fishing is off of North River Road, which intersects FM 1623 just north of the bridge. Head west on North River Road until you reach the dam. This is great public access. Though I haven't had any luck here, I did see a kid catch a nice bass on live bait.

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