Texas Drift Co.

Where to fish

Texas waters, from tank to tide.

Stock Ponds & Tanks in Texas

Water 01

Stock Ponds & Tanks

Where most Texans catch their first fish on a fly.

Every ranch road in Texas leads to a tank. Small, warm and full of bluegill and largemouth, they are the best classroom in the state. Fish the shady bank, the cattail edge and the deep end near the dam.

Rod
4–6 wt, 8′6″–9′
Line
Weight-forward floating
Leader
7.5′ 3X–4X

Go-to flies

  • Foam spider
  • Popper
  • Woolly Bugger
  • Clouser Minnow (small)

Where

  • East Texas piney woods
  • Post Oak Savannah
  • Hill Country ranches
  • City park ponds (TPWD Neighborhood Fishin')
At first light, fish a popper along the bank and wait. Let the rings fade before you twitch it.

What you’ll catch

Largemouth BassBluegillRedear SunfishWhite CrappieCommon Carp
Lakes & Reservoirs in Texas

Water 02

Lakes & Reservoirs

Big water, flooded timber, and schooling fish.

From Toledo Bend to Lake Amistad, Texas reservoirs hold big largemouth, white bass blowing up bait, and crappie in the brush. Look for points, creek mouths and birds working over shad.

Rod
7–8 wt, 9′
Line
Floating + intermediate or sink-tip
Leader
9′ 0X–2X

Go-to flies

  • Shad pattern
  • Game Changer
  • Frog popper
  • Clouser Minnow

Where

  • Lake Fork
  • Sam Rayburn
  • Lake Travis
  • Lake Amistad
  • Caddo Lake
In late summer, sand bass push shad to the top at dawn. Keep a sinking-tip rod rigged and ready.

What you’ll catch

Largemouth BassSpotted BassBluegillRedear SunfishWhite BassWhite CrappieLongnose GarCommon Carp
Hill Country Creeks in Texas

Water 03

Hill Country Creeks

Gin-clear spring water over white limestone.

Spring-fed creeks are home to our state fish, the Guadalupe bass, plus longear and redbreast sunfish that look painted on. Wet-wade, stay low and fish the seams under the cypress roots.

Rod
3–5 wt, 7′6″–8′6″
Line
Floating, delicate taper
Leader
9′ 4X–5X

Go-to flies

  • Damsel nymph
  • Crawfish
  • Small Clouser
  • Chernobyl Ant

Where

  • Pedernales tributaries
  • Upper Blanco
  • Onion Creek
  • Devils River backcountry
  • Frio headwaters
Clear water spooks fish. Make your cast from the riffle above the pool and drift into it.

What you’ll catch

Guadalupe BassLargemouth BassBluegillLongear SunfishRio Grande Cichlid
Rivers in Texas

Water 04

Rivers

Cypress-lined runs, ledges, and winter trout.

The Guadalupe, Llano, San Marcos, Brazos and Colorado offer everything from Guadalupe bass on ledges to one of the southernmost trout tailwaters in the country below Canyon Dam. Float it, or wade the shoals.

Rod
5–6 wt, 9′
Line
Floating
Leader
9′ 3X–5X

Go-to flies

  • Zebra Midge
  • Pheasant Tail
  • Crawfish
  • Popper-dropper

Where

  • Guadalupe River (Canyon tailwater)
  • Llano River
  • San Marcos River
  • Brazos below Possum Kingdom
  • Colorado below Austin
Winter on the Guad means stocked rainbows and nymphing. In summer, swing streamers along the ledges for bass.

What you’ll catch

Guadalupe BassLargemouth BassSpotted BassBluegillLongear SunfishWhite BassRio Grande CichlidLongnose GarCommon CarpRainbow Trout
Coastal Waters in Texas

Water 05

Coastal Waters

Jetties, surf, passes, and lighted docks.

Three hundred and sixty-seven miles of Gulf coast. Jack crevalle crash bait off the jetties, speckled trout stack up under dock lights at night, and tarpon roll in the passes in late summer.

Rod
8–10 wt, 9′
Line
Intermediate or floating saltwater
Leader
9′ 16–20 lb fluoro

Go-to flies

  • Clouser Minnow
  • Lefty's Deceiver
  • Gurgler
  • Glass Minnow

Where

  • Port Aransas jetties
  • Galveston surf
  • Port O'Connor
  • Surfside
  • South Padre Island
When the wind lies down and the surf goes "trout green", walk the first gut with a Clouser.

What you’ll catch

RedfishSpeckled TroutBlack DrumSouthern FlounderJack CrevalleTarponCommon Snook
Coastal Flats in Texas

Water 06

Coastal Flats

Tailing redfish in water barely deep enough to float.

The Laguna Madre, Aransas Bay and the back lakes of Port Mansfield are some of the best sight-fishing water in the world. Pole or wade the grass, look for nervous water, wakes and copper tails in the sun.

Rod
8 wt, 9′
Line
Weight-forward floating, tropical
Leader
9′ 12–16 lb

Go-to flies

  • Spoon fly
  • Kwan
  • Crab pattern
  • Redfish Toad

Where

  • Upper & Lower Laguna Madre
  • Aransas Bay & Rockport
  • Port Mansfield
  • Matagorda back lakes
  • Christmas Bay
Lead a tailing red by two feet and let the fly drop. Strip once when it looks. Never pull it away from the fish.

What you’ll catch

RedfishSpeckled TroutBlack DrumSouthern FlounderJack CrevalleCommon Snook