Today I joined Marcus Rodriguez (above) for a short float on the San Marcos River, and yesterday I took my 16' canoe out to two other Texas rivers. I first floated to top end of the Comal River and then jumped over to the Guadalupe near Berghiem (below). The San Marcos was flowing well between Pecan Park and Martindale. This is the stretch that Marcus and I did. We caught a bunch of little bass and I introduced Marcus to my ultralite spinning rod. This is the spinning rod built on the 3 weight fly rod blank. I think he wants one now. For the Comal float I took the G. Loomis spinning rod and left the fly rod in the car. Lately I’ve gone back to using both fly and spinning gear. This is due to a few trips out where I only took the fly rods and ended up wishing I had brought both. At the time I was just trying to prove the point that the fly can do it all. Then I came to the conclusion that,“what’s the point?” I once met Flip Pallot after a presentation he had just given at a local fly shop. I told him that I try to practice a principal of his by using all types of equipment (casting, spinning, and fly). He hushed me by saying, “It’s just about being out there.” In other words, I am finished answering theoretical and technical questions for the day... I just want a taco and a beer... Please don’t bother me. I’m sure he is a fine fellow, so I try not to be annoyed about that day I was mistaken for a person that doesn’t know what it’s about.
I got a few chunky Comal River bass on light spinning gear, but I was looking forward to a secluded float down a stretch of wilderness river. On the Guadalupe float I brought my camera box, a sandwich to eat, and a few rods. I ended up throwing the fly a lot more. There was enough action on the foam hopper to stick with it. This was the most beautiful day to be on the water. The temperature was perfect, there was not a cloud in the sky, and do you know what? It was just about being out there. Ha ha!
