The 2021-22 trout season on the Guadalupe is in full swing. As of this writing, GRTU is halfway through our annual stocking program and TPWD is about 40% of the way through theirs. This is in addition to the above-average holdover population that the colder than average water temperatures helped sustain through this past summer. Even with the below-average flows on the Guadalupe this past summer, the river temperatures remained in the low to mid-60s throughout the peak summer months in large part due to the deep freeze we all experienced last February.
One pleasant surprise for most of the anglers on the Guadalupe this season has been their introduction to one of our newest game wardens. Samuel Padgett was assigned to Comal County this past spring after assignments in Nueces and Llano Counties and has been a strong presence on the river this season, not only by the normal vehicle patrols we are accused to but with additional patrols via kayak. The additional patrols by kayak open up new waters that are being more effectively patrolled as well as a surprise for some of those anglers that had become accustomed to being able to avoid and thereby harvest trout that should otherwise have been released. If you happen to meet him, or any of the other three wardens on the river, please make sure to thank them for their service.
For those who follow the water temperature monitors, or those who don’t but might like to, the GRTU.org/flows page has links to four temperature monitors with the furthest upstream monitor being about one mile from Canyon Dam and the furthest downstream being almost nine miles from the dam. There are an additional three monitors that GRTU is working to bring back online by this spring. The critical times for watching the temperatures is from late spring into the fall. Any time you see temperatures at of above 68 degrees, it is advisable to refrain from fishing for trout.
For the LAP members that ran the gauntlet of signup this year, I would like to thank you for your patience and understanding surrounding the signup process. It continues to amaze me at the interest and excitement that has seemed to grow exponentially over the past few years; especially with the arrival of many younger and more diverse groups of anglers we are seeing each year. It is something that TU National talks about but has struggled to implement while we are seeing it change organically on our water.
Also for LAP members, if you have been having trouble with the forum, please be patient, we have a new site and forum platform coming soon that should make life easier.
As a final thought, I would encourage everyone on the water to fish friendly, especially on the busy days, keep your fish wet, and remember that it’s just fishing.
Dan Cone
GRTU VP of Fisheries
