Fish and Fishing in and Around Cordillera Ranch By Mick McCorcle
 

Cordillera Ranch has several natural and manmade bodies of water within its borders. They include the community park lake, Swede Creek, Swede Creek Lake, Spring Creek, and the Guadalupe River. They are a wonderful yet fragile resource we hope to preserve for our grandchildren, so enjoy them with care. For that reason, all waters but the Guadalupe River are “Catch and Release Only” fisheries.

Our Community Lake

Recently underwent renovation with a permanent lining and continuous water supply. This lovely lake is already home to various waterfowl.

Cordillera Streams

Though the stream levels fluctuate widely depending on rainfall, they host a variety of species, some native only to the Texas Hill Country. Observers have noted healthy populations of sunfish, bass, catfish, shad, suckers, and Rio Grande cichlids. As warm water species, they are most active in the spring, summer, and fall. Take care, if wading the streams, not to walk through the redds, or spawning beds, of the fish, which appear as circular sections of streambed, usually in shallow water, that have been cleared of mud and debris and are usually guarded by one or more fish.

Spring Creek Pond: Photo by Betty G. Burton

Swede Creek Lake
The lake is a beautiful oxbow of water flanked on the near side by gently sloping, mowed fields and on the far side by steep bluffs, dead cypress trees, and lush vegetation. It is a gorgeous setting in which to picnic or bring the kids or grandkids out to fish. It contains largemouth bass, sunfish, catfish, and suckers. Spring and fall are especially productive times to fish. If you’d rather watch than fish, head upstream to see if you can spot the black-bellied whistling ducks that have taken up residence in the marshy area at the upper end of the lake. Their gorgeous plumage, distinctive call, and unusual behavior (like roosting in the tops of the cypress trees) make them a joy for birders and non-birders alike.

Guadalupe River

The Guadalupe offers lots of fishing and floating options. The Cordillera River Park offers access to put in or take out watercraft, so you can wade, fish from shore, or you can float from HWY 474 Bridge downstream to the park or from the park downstream to the Bergheim Campground or Guadalupe Falls State Park. These are long floats and can take you through potentially treacherous water, so seek the advice of experts and check the river flow rates before attempting an outing. The river hosts many of the same fish as the Cordillera lakes and streams, as well as carp, flathead catfish, gar, and other species. Of special note is the Guadalupe Bass, our state fish, which is found only in Hill Country watersheds. They are small, brightly marked bass found in clean, swift water and susceptible to a small fly or lure that resembles a minnow. You may keep fish caught from the Guadalupe, but consult the Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Outdoor Annual regarding limits and regulations.

Guadalupe Bass (Micropterus treculi)
Catch and Release Fishing

In order to preserve the fragile ecosystems of our own Hill Country streams, we ask that you practice catch and release fishing, returning the fish immediately to the water once they are caught. We also encourage using single, barbless hooks on your flies or lures to reduce the chance of injury to the fish and to facilitate a swift release. Bait fishing, while allowed, markedly increases the chances of fish mortality, so please minimize its use and land and release bait caught fish quickly and carefully. In no circumstance should baited hooks be left in the water unattended, since that raises the probability the bait will be swallowed and the fish killed.

Resources

Chilton, Earl W. II. Freshwater Fishes of Texas. Austin: Texas Parks & Wildlife Press, Inland Fisheries Division, 1997. Large color plates and detailed identifications of each Texas species.

Priddy, Bud. Flyfishing the Texas Hill Country (3rd edition). Barksdale, TX: W. Thomas Taylor, 2000. See especially the chapter on the Guadalupe River by Bob Turbeville, owner of Hill Country Outfitters in Fredericksburg.

Tinsley, Russell. Fishing Texas: An Angler’s Guide. Fredericksburg, TX: Shearer Publishing, 1988. The bulk of this book, despite its name, is devoted to species by species pictures and descriptions.

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