My feet, wrapped in two pairs of thick wool socks, still feel frozen.
It’s 20-ish degrees, I’m freezing, and just generally not having a fantastic time. I lie back down, grab my kindle, and try to rig it so I can read with as little of my body exposed as possible. Unfortunately, the cold weather and lack of fire (no fires allowed in hike-in campsites at Lost Maples) had led to us crawling into our tent as soon as darkness fell. This was our first solo camping trip as a couple - my first hike-in camping experience - and both of us were excited to celebrate the new year under the stars. It was New Year’s Eve 2015 and we were visiting Lost Maples State Natural Area for the first time. The unnatural squealing echoes again in the distance followed by deeper, guttural grunts. If you live in the Lone Star State, or find yourself vacationing this direction, bring your favorite tenkara rod and flies to Lost Maples State Natural Area.“Sounds like a hog,” Taylor says. (Be sure to check the regulations when you come.) The bass fishing is catch-and-release only. As an added bonus, right now Texas State Parks and Natural Areas do not require you to have a fishing license-your entry permit is all the permission you’ll need. This is one of the few areas in the world that supports the pure strain Guadalupe bass, which are just the right size for tenkara fishing. The park rangers are accommodating and encouraging to fly fisherman, and you’ll often have the streams to yourself. The developed campground is fairly small, and often there will be church groups or Boy Scout troops. If you plan to overnight camp, especially on a weekend, reservations are a must. I often will sneak up to a little pool with a Shimotsuke Kiyotaki 18 and catch half a dozen long ears before the fish take cover. This is a great area for micro-fishing the little sunfish, too. My favorite “go-to rod” at Lost Maples is a Nissin Fine Mode 270, which I purchased from Chris Stewart at Tenkarabum. Also, because of overhanging brush, a fairly short pole is handy. Stay safe!īecause you never know what you might hook, I’d recommend a tenkara rod with a sensitive tip but some backbone. A creek that appears to only be six-inches deep because of how clear it is will often be chest high. Just be aware that the water is often deceptively deep.
LOST MAPLES STATE PARK PLUS
At first you may not see the fish, but they are there! A real bonus at Lost Maples is that you will often hook a three-inch sunfish only to have it swallowed by a three-pound bass as you’re pulling it in! (I don’t know why that happens so frequently here, but it does.) The creeks also support some truly large, aggressive green sunfish in the half-pound plus category. Use a stealthy approach and pinpoint your casts to the rocks and scattered vegetation. Lightly-weighted killer bugs and traditional kebari-style flies work just fine. The fish are often spooky in the glassy-clear water, but that just adds to the challenge and excitement. The pools and runs hold more fish than most people realize. Instead, I would encourage you to try the feeder creeks around the low water crossings that feed into the Sabinal River. Most of the anglers who do come to Lost Maples concentrate on the two large ponds that are located in the high country. In fact, I have never (repeat, NEVER) seen another tenkara fisherman, though you will see the occasional western-style fly fisherman.
Plus, Lost Maples is not known for its fishing. During the rest of the year, however, Lost Maples is not as heavily visited as many state parks and natural areas. Lost Maples is best known for its spectacular fall colors, and the area can be very crowded on the weekends during November and December. This 2,174 acre natural area is located in some of the prettiest country in Bandera and Real counties. Would you enjoy testing your tenkara skills in a pristine, Texas Hill Country setting that boasts spectacular views but receives little fishing pressure? Do you like to catch largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass (the state fish that is often called “Texas trout” because it favors swifter waters), channel catfish, trophy-size green sunfish, bluegills, and colorful long ear sunfish? If so, I’d recommend that you give Lost Maples State Natural area, outside of Vanderpool, TX, a try.
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