New Access to Trout Fishing the Guadalupe River

For years, TPWD (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department) has been stocking trout in a stretch of the Guadalupe River just downstream from Canyon Lake.  Other than some objections I have and my mixed emotions to the stocking of trout in this river (or anywhere in Texas for that matter), I did not like the fact that there was not much public access to fish this water.  You basically were required to be a member of Trout Unlimited if you wanted to fish there.  Pretty much restricting access to those anglers.

Although I am still mostly opposed to the trout stocking and the introduction of non-native species (Destroying Our Natives), and I understand that this stretch of water is probably too cold for many native species, and supposedly these trout can't migrate and live in other streches and would die if the water warmed up (but that is all for another post that I will write sometime), I am glad to see this water gaining some access.  TPWD has just obtained leases for anglers to access this stretch of water.  The more access you open to anglers, the more opportunity you have to bring new anglers into the fold.  Just as I wrote in Restricting is Not Protecting, in the long run, this will be good for fishing and for the protection of the environment.

True, this new access and the new anglers that come with it might bring some unwanted mess to the river, but in the long run many, if not most, of these new anglers will been a boon for the economy and more voices for the protection of the environment.  It also creates more opportunity for those anglers who don't have the money to join Trout Unlimited to enjoy fishing for these trout.

Anyway, here is the News Release from TPWD:

Media Contact: Tim Birdsong, (512) 389-4744, Timothy.Birdsong@tpwd.state.tx.us
Sept. 4, 2012

Three New Public Fishing Access Areas Open on the Guadalupe River
AUSTIN—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has signed temporary leased access agreements with three Guadalupe River property owners to expand public fishing access to the trout fishery downstream of Canyon Lake.

Access is now available through Mountain Breeze Campground, Rio Raft and Resort, and Whitewater Sports.

Recognized as one of the top 100 trout streams in America and the southernmost trout stream in the United States, this segment of the Guadalupe River is managed through special fishing regulations (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/action/fishregs2.php?water=1244)  and is stocked in the winter months by TPWD (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/guadalupe.phtml) and the Guadalupe River Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

The new leases will provide anglers with free access to the Guadalupe River at the three properties from 30 minutes before daylight until 30 minutes after dusk from now until the end of February 2013.  Anglers will be able to use the properties for bank fishing and to launch non-motorized watercraft such as rafts, kayaks and canoes for the purpose of fishing.  The three leases were made possible with grant funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program.

For additional information or directions to the leased access areas, call or visit the following websites.

Mountain Breeze Campground (http://mountainbreezecamp.com/site/)
201 Mountain Breeze Camp, New Braunfels, TX 78132, (830) 964-2484
Rio Raft and Resort (http://rioraft.com/index.php)
14130 River Road, New Braunfels, TX 78132, (830) 964-3613
Whitewater Sports (http://www.floattheguadalupe.com/)
11860 Farm to Market 306, New Braunfels, TX 78132, (830) 964-3800