Kayak Fishing the San Marcos River

The San Marcos River is home to some of the biggest bass in Texas and as January approaches, it’s time to prepare because this is the time the biggest, baddest, bass will be out and about in an all out feeding frenzy. Kayak fishing the San Marcos River will be sure to knock your socks off!

Smallmouth, largemouth, Guadalupe Bass and Guadalupe/Smallmouth hybrids can be found all over this part of the San Marcos and the best way to catch them is from a kayak. The San Marcos River rises from the San Marcos Springs, the location of Aquarena Springs, in San Marcos, TX. The springs are home to several threatened or endangered species, including the Texas Blind Salamander, Fountain Darter, and Texas Wild Rice.

Some of the best fishing we’ve found is the span of the river below the Martindale Dam, a fair distance away from the hundreds of college coeds tubing, all the way down through Martindale. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has signed lease agreements with property owners to improve fishing access to rivers and streams.

It is a good idea to be respectful of people’s property and environment when fishing these areas and make sure that you are in the proper put in and take out points when fishing the river. Leave your fly rods at home and bring your normal tackle for these big bass. It won’t be long before you have one on the line. We caught quite a few Guadalupe Bass, also  known as “the Texas brook trout, that day, which have smaller diamond marks scattered on the back and are less distinguished than the ones on the diamond shaped lateral line. Its physical traits are very similar to the spotted bass. The Guadalupe bass prefer flowing waters of streams and use covers like large rocks, cypress trees or stumps for refuge, and is where we had the most luck. It’s important than when fishing these beautiful creatures to “Free the Fighter” as they say. This will help with maintain a strong population as well as good fishing for all to enjoy.