Going this weekend.

I'm sure they'll hit anything, but was wondering if anyone has a bate of choice?

Please tell me about this trip when you get back. I have been wanting to arrange a paddle of this river for a long time.

Smallmouth:

Crawfish crankbaits
Baby bass/bluegill crankbaits
Plastic jigs, curltail and crawfish, in green, brown colors.
Roostertain spinnerbaits

Always had lots of success with crawdad colored and white 3-4" tube jigs too if you have time to work slower baits.

Sean - where did you get that GSP? I'm wanting a female of that same color.

Billy, he's a mutt. 1/2 wiemeraner, 1/2 GSP.

nice looking dog. i'm looking for an all liver female to go with my spotting 3 yr old male.

I said spotting because its funny.

Are you paddling? Is there enough water in the river right now?

Mastur works best.

we are paddling and its my first time..

water level we want is between 2 to 3 feet. Per below. Me. And they are getting some good rain this week

http://ahps.srh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=ewx&gage=bkct2

[This message has been edited by BillyZane (edited 9/23/2009 12:56p).]

I went on a guided trip there years ago, and I think that all the bait suggestions above would work well. We used crawdad colored tube jigs mostly. I'm sure that you've already looked into it, but if you're going to paddle, make sure you budget your time well because I understand that the public access points are pretty far apart. And I'm pretty sure that unlike many rivers in the state, the riverbanks are private property, and landowners there are supposed to be very proprietary about it. Good luck, and please post a report and some pics when you get back.

The property laws aren't any different on the Devil's River, the property owners are jus much more zealous in the belief of what they own.

most riverbanks are private property.

Riverbanks, yes. Sandbars, no.

even riverbanks may be technically public in MOST cases (at low/normal water levels).

"Texas courts have adopted the “gradient boundary” as the usual dividing line between public ownership of a stream’s bed and lower bank area, and private ownership of the higher bank area and the uplands beyond. Thus, there is generally no question as to the public’s right to use the bank area up to the gradient boundary. Sometimes called the “mean” gradient boundary, it is located midway between the lower level of the flowing water that just reaches the so-called “cut bank,” and the higher level of the flowing water that just does not overtop the cut bank. The cut bank is located at the outer edge of a stream’s bed, separating the bed from the adjacent upland and confining the waters to a definite channel. Surveying the gradient boundary is a complex task performable only by specially trained persons."

However, in a place where law enforcement would take hours to reach you, a 12 guage pointed at your ass probably tells you that you're in the wrong reguardless of the law...





[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 9/24/2009 9:38a).]

i believe we will be sleeping on an island/sandbar as to not test Rancher Joe's jurisdiction.

However, in the event we get shot at, i will blindly return fire with my M9, kidnap meryl streep, and run a river wild Kevin Bacon style

The devils is up some and running better than it was, i was just there monday. Fishing should be pretty good. you are allowed to be on the floodplains, but don't go any further than that. Have fun and be safe.

Thanks for the clarification on the riverbank laws.

I hope you get good weather, you should slaughter them. You'll be fine, but one thing you may want to do just to be on the safe side is google contact info for Gerald Bailey at Devils River Outfitters. I've heard that he will offer help for floaters that get into jams. And I don't know this for sure, but I've heard that he's willing to give reports/tips to people even when they're not using his services.

I read an article on the Devils in South West Fly Fishing. It looks awesome. However, when I checked out the State Park, it looked pretty inaccessible. You can only put in in the park and take out down stream - most take out points are privately owned. The only other option is Amistad 35 miles away. PLEASE let us know how it goes and give a detailed photo essay with the name of your guide etc.

Just did that trip two weeks ago. Put in at Baker Crossing on Friday morning and floated 9 miles to an island where we camped. Went 6 miles to the State Natural Area on Sat. Sun went 5 miles to a private take out. Wrapped the canoe on Sunday which stole about 30 minutes of fishing time.

I hit most of mine with a green crawfish Zoom plastic Texas rigged and also on a 1/16th oz jighead. Also hit a few on spinner baits. Other folks were doing well on Skitterwalks and beetle spins. We probably caught 200 bass (large, guad spotted, smallies) between the 4 of us with one guy just on a fly rod. Lots of small fish with a few couple pounders mixed in. Largest fish was a smallmouth caught 30 minutes into the day 1 float.

Most fish caught in moderate moving current after rapids while drifting. Lots of sight casting and seeing the fish hit.

Day 1 I was on 6lb test and mine line would get frayed on rock and vegetation. I was losing 8 inch fish to line breaks and yes I had the drag set low.

Great trip to clear your mind as your only thoughts are making it through the rapids and then getting in fishing position.

Did you see many other people?

Day 1 - None other than Marlene (owner of the Who Cares! Bed & Breakfast) and the crazy guy (who we named Meth Man) who owned the put in spot and charged us $10 per person. He also raised a caiman and wore a tceh T shirt since his cousins go there. He makes you sign a waiver which I thought was strange.

Day 2 - 1 mountain biker in the SNA was fishing

Day 3 - nobody until we got to Marlene

When you're staying in the SNA paddle down a little past it and cut back into a cove. You can see the cove if you climb up the peak next to the river. This is a great view of the river. I'll try to post a pic when I get home. The cove is overgrown with vegetation, but I caught about 10 largemouths flipping and jigging the openings with small crappie jigs. You watch them hit.

View from cliff top at Devil's River SNA looking downriver


Some of the rapids are slim and there are trees and plants you have to go through. Critters like these sometimes come for a ride.


One of the more decent sized fish caught right between two rapids.


Trespassing signs have lead to increased log snake sightings......



Sunset from Rock Island (day 1). I slept on Snake Ledge.


[This message has been edited by cheezag03 (edited 9/24/2009 11:05p).]

[This message has been edited by cheezag03 (edited 9/24/2009 11:07p).]