GUADALUPE RIVER OF TEXAS

Guadalupe River of Texas



Guadalupe River of Texas

Introduction

The Guadalupe River tail water, located halfway between Austin and San Antonio, Texas, runs through a beautiful canyon with high limestone bluffs covered with ash juniper, pecan, and live oak, and the river itself is lined with towering bald cypress (Albert, 2003). The Guadalupe River fishes much like the San Juan River in New Mexico -- the requisite flies are similar, although the Guadalupe River trout are often less discerning than the San Juan trout. We also fly fish other Texas Hill Country waters, including some private spring-fed water for 1lb to 6lb trout, bass, and perch.

History

The Guadalupe River was one of the earliest-explored rivers in Texas, and was named for Our Lady of Guadalupe by Spanish explorer Alonzo de Leon in 1689. During 1691-93, Domingo Teran de loss Rios, the Spanish Governor of Texas, maintained a colony on the river, and an early Anglo-American settlement, with thirty to forty families living along the banks, formed the boundary of the Power-Hewitson Irish Colony. Near the mouth of the river, historic Victoria was founded (Armand, 2002). Sixty miles above the headwaters is Gonzales, where the first shot for Texas freedom was fired on October 2, 1835. The Guadalupe River is 250 miles long and supports some of the finest recreation spots in Central Texas.

River Road is a 10.6-mile scenic drive between Loop 337 in New Braunfels and Canyon Lake Dam which crosses the Guadalupe River four times. There is no stopping or parking allowed on the road, so the best way to see this area is from an inner tube on the river (Michael, 2003). Millions of people float this 20-mile stretch of the river between Sattler and New Braunfels every summer. The river flows from Canyon Dam toward the coast, and is extremely popular. There are over two dozen outfitters along the shore where you can rent tubes and canoes and buy concessions. Most outfitters offer a shuttle service to bring you back to your point of entry. Styrofoam and glass are prohibited on the river, and officers patrol the waters for safety. White-water rafting, canoeing, and kayaking are also popular, but tubing seems to be the mode of choice. The river cuts through tall limestone bluffs and towering cypress trees (Vertical Files, 2004). There are occasional rapids, but for the most part the river flows along lazily. The riverfront property is all privately owned, and there are many places to camp and spend the night, as well as restaurants.

In the late 70's the Guadalupe delta area was identified by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife as a wetlands area that needed to be preserved to protect the wildlife habitat. Guadalupe Delta WMA consists of four units, Mission Lake Unit (4,447.62 acres), Hynes Bay Unit (1007.72 acres), Guadalupe River Unit (1138 acres) and the San Antonio Unit (818 acres) (Albert, 2003). The Guadalupe Delta WMA units are located in Calhoun, Victoria and Refugio Counties within the ...