Amazing Places for Fly Fishing in Texas [Recommended]

There are many fly fishing spots in Texas with a lot of different kinds of fish to catch. It is not difficult to find lakes or rivers for fly fishing. But you don’t want to go to a river or lake where you can’t find very many fish to catch.

The beautiful scenery of the fly fishing spots makes the fly fishing experience more amazing and memorable.

In this article, I will provide you valuable info about the best spots in Texas, where you can fly fish while enjoying the fantastic beauty of the lakes or river’s surroundings.

Of course, there is no shortage of fly fishing spots in Texas, but here I will mention only the best for fly fishing.

Quick List: Best Places For Fly Fishing In Texas

The Guadalupe River

When it comes to choosing a spot for fly fishing, Guadalupe will be on top.

This river is in the middle of the beautiful scenery. You can easily spend a day enjoying fly fishing in this beautiful river. Fly Fisher usually visit this place to catch trout, you can find rainbow and brown trout in this river.

There are also many Bass fishes in the river, but Guadalupe is famous for trout.

Types of Fish in Guadalupe River

The riverbank is surrounded by a lot of trees, which adds an extra sense of peace into the environment. This place is must visit to experience the beauty of the river while fly fishing.

Blanco River

Blanco River is famous for its lot of swimming spots families come here for a picnic and to enjoy their weekends.

There are also many spots where you can find fish. This river is only an hour ride away from Austin and San Antonio.

There is no shortage of fish as well as beautiful places to enjoy.

Visit this place for fly fishing, and you will find many types of beautiful fish in this river, this is an ideal place for the fly fisher who likes gorgeous scenery while fly fishing.

Types of Fish in Blanco River

This river isn’t famous for trout fly fishing, there are only a few trout available in this river, so if you are looking for trouts, then this isn’t the spot for you.

Llano River

Llano River is famous for several types of fish it has to offer, fly fisher loves this place because it has not only different kinds of fish to catch but also the scenery and the views are breathtaking, you will love this place.

Water flow is comfortable and calm, and most importantly, you will not see anyone around, this is one of the most remote rivers in Texas.

LLano is the best place to go away from the crowd of people to enjoy the wilderness and calmness of the river while Fly Fishing.

Types of Fish in Llano River

Llano River is not known for any particular type of fish; most days, it will have different types of fish mixed.

Lampasas River

This River is known for many kinds of fish I will mention those fish in the list. Lampasas River is in the middle of beautiful scenery and amazing landscapes.

This River isn’t very smooth, so choosing a fly fishing rod will be challenging. You can fly fish in this River whenever you want, and a large amount of fish here will make any fly fisher come here again and again.

Types of Fish in Lampasas River

There are some narrow pools filled with shallow and dead water; This could prove to be an excellent place for beginners to start with fly fishing.

Some Essential Fly Fishing Tools

Someone who is just getting started in this art, I will help you out with the gear that you are going to need moving forward.

The fact is we have all been there; we all started at the beginning. We wasted a lot of money and a lot of time trying to research what kind of gear I need, what’s essential what not necessary.

I will help you to get started on the right foot forward. If you have already got a rod, reel, line, and flies, but where do you need to go going forward, I will help you with that.

1. Nippers

This one is a very important tool for fly fishing, these are basically a lot like nail clippers, that’s just a small cutting instrument great for cutting your monofilament fluorocarbon your tippet all that kind of stuff, and they are absolutely essential.

You could use nail clippers, but they are missing a few important parts, for example, little spike on the clipper lets you poke out the glue on the fly. Also with clippers, you can get a nice 45 degrees cut, that will help you fit the tippet through the tiny eyelets on small flies.

You can get one in 10 Dollars, or you can get some for a lot more; what’s the difference?

The cheap nipper is right for you if you are a beginner, the other can be useful for keeping track of them as they have a retractor.

2. Pliers

Plier looks a lot like medical hemostats; it’s basically what they are, we use these for many reasons.

So the first reason is your hooks, flattening the barbs we do advocate flattening barbs on our flies. It’s easier on the fish, and it’s easier when they have to come out of your skin.

If you are a beginner; this is going to happen fairly often. On top of that, if you have got a toothy critter, something like pike with sharp teeth if you want to get that fly out using pliers is much safer and more comfortable.

You can reach in grab the shank and pop it out, even on trout. If you find your fly is a little bit deeper hooked, you don’t want to be ramming your fingers down their mouth, trying to get things out.

Some of these have cutter blades on if you want to cut something substantial for example, a deeply hooked fish, you need to clip that fly off or break off that hook shank something like that can even do that.

3. Polarized Sunglasses

One of the most important and overlooked pieces of gear on the water is a good pair of polarized sunglasses; you are going to need these. If you are going to spend a little bit of money on fly fishing, this is an excellent place to do, because they have so many benefits.

4. Fishing Net

This is a tricky topic because a lot of people think they don’t need to use a net, and that’s fine Other People often like using a net. There are some real benefits are using a net.

First, off thing we got remember catching these fish the most important thing is getting them back in the water as healthy as quickly as possible, so what I like about the net is it can end the fight sooner which better for the fish but also this rubberized coating is really protective on their slime coating.

When fish is in the net, you can keep it in the water; it’s much better than handling them certainly as a beginner; you do not want to be squeezing the fish any way that can do some serious internal damages.

5. Keep Dry Fly – Dry

When you use a dry Fly, you want it to float on water, this is the kind of fly that we fish on the surface of the water, and we want the fish to see it and come up and get it.

The key thing with these flies is they have to float nicely on the surface of the water. The problem is when you start casting into pools little waterfall and dips; they are going to get soaking wet; they are not going to float anymore.

6. Leaders and Tippet Material

The nine-foot tapered leader is all you need to get started, and it is just that it’s tapered, so it starts thick, and it tapers down gradually to its thinner diameter.

This taper is what helps the fly to turn over naturally and land on the water appropriately. They have numbers and then X on the packaging, So something like 0 X is going to be the heaviest diameter, it’s got solid breaking strength, and it’s very quick diameter line, so it meant to turn over bigger heavier flies like streamers and nymph rigs that kind of stuff.

As we go to different numbers like 1X, 2X, 3X, and so on, it starts to get thinner and thinner in diameters. We do lose breaking strength as well, but it is not about that your tapered leader and power involved is really what kind of fly you want to cast. We will use something like 4X or 5X leaders with their thinner diameters and suppleness to turn over smaller flies like little dry flies.

Whereas if I am fishing something like a nymph, I might go to something like heavier like 3X or 2X to get that to turn over naturally. The leader is the key thing that’s going to attach to the end of your line. Still, as you start fishing throughout the day changing your flies or losing flies.

You are always going to be cutting that leader back, that means you are cutting that taper, so it’s going to get thicker and thicker again it’s not going to behave the way you want it to, so that’s when you get tippet material.

7. Storage

What I am going to talk about next is storage, how we are going to carry all of these flies and gears I am mentioning that you need to have.

The storage bag depends on your intentions. You have to ask yourself a question about what kind of fishing you are going to do. If you want to go out fishing for multiple days out in the woods where you will need food, water, and clothing.

Or is it just a day hike, or half-day hike, or even just an hour out on the water. In the end, you probably end up with a lot of different bags and gears, but let’s give you the basics.

Backpack

A backpack is perfect for a multi-day trip, or you need to carry a whole bunch of stuff along with your fly fishing gear. The only downside with a backpack frankly is when you want to get to your stuff. You generally have to take the backpack off and get things out of it; it is not very easy to access; that’s why I like small packs.

Small Pack

Whether its a sling bag or handbag or a hip back, these are great because they let you carry a little bit of food and water, certainly all your fly boxes and gear, but it’s easy to access.

Fly Fishing Vest

While we are talking about the easy access fly fishing vest is still a great choice. This put everything right on your chest, lots of pockets easy access it makes it very simple, and some people prefer straight old necklace and just dangling all their boxes from that. You will have to decide how much gear you need to take with you.

Fly Boxes

When it comes to fly boxes again lots of personal choice,

We can have a compartment style fly box. They can be helpful because you can easily see all of your different files. But If you got a steady wind, it would blow them away; that’s why we like magnet inside.

Silicon Fly Box – This is everyone’s favorite; basically, it grips on to the hooks really nicely hold them secure and keep everything organized so that you can see them clearly.

8. Boots and Waders

Let’s talk about boots and waders, but this is not something that you have to run out and get as a beginner, this might be something you work toward.

Waders

All they really do is keep you dry in the water, but if you have got a really rainy day or if you want to fish something other than just a beautiful summer day, ff you are going to get into fall, winter, or spring fishing, you need to have these.

There are two different types of waders. There are the breathable kind and the neoprene. Most people use breathable waders, but if it is a cold day you might want the neoprene waders to help keep you warm.

There are also stocking style waders and boot style waders. You really have to stay dry and comfortable; if you are comfortable you are going to enjoy more of your time fly fishing, you are going to get the more out of that day. So these are definitely something you will wanna work towards.

Wading Boots

These boots are specifically designed for wet wading. Those rocks can get really slippery, and if you keep using hiking boots or running shoes eventually going to hurt your ankle or have a fall and it’s not going to be good.

These wading boots are designed specifically to keep you safe. This isn’t something you have to worry about right away, but you are definitely going to move into it eventually.

Wrap Up

I hope you liked all the information. I know it was a lot of information, thanks for sticking in there. You know you got into fly fishing you hear a lot of opinions, people are going to say this is the best, this is the way to do it, but the most fun thing is to find out what works best for you.

The only way you are going to learn is to get time on the water, so get out for fishing, and you will see the challenges you come across and buy gears that will let you overcome those challenges.

As a beginner, you just have to learn, so learn the knots you need o know, make your casting better and make your fishing technique better as well. The best way to catch fish is to get a proper presentation with those flies, whether you are streamer fishing, dry fishing, or nymph fishing, learn how to present those flies accurately.

Appropriate Times for Fly Fishing in Texas

The most appropriate time for fly fishing in Texas is going to be the winter. But you can vouch for fly fishing all year long, and there are no restrictions whatsoever.

Why winter would be the best time should you ask?

Because in the summer, it gets unbearably hot, with the sun always standing atop and burning everything out. The only suitable time with conditions for fly fishing can only be found in the evening.

Plus, there would be more boats, canoes, and other things in the water than fish during crowded times.

That is why you should stick with winter if going for fly fishing in Texas because it would be less crowded, with more appropriate conditions, and most important of them all, the fish would be easier to spot and wrestle out of water.