Fly Fishing Austin

Fly Fishing Austin & Central Texas

It may be a “best-kept secret,” but central Texas has some of the best spots for fly fishing in America. With Texas native and fly fishing expert Aaron Reed as your guide, enjoy dozens of wades and paddles, all within easy reach of Austin. Discover secluded spring creeks braced by soaring limestone cliffs. Wade in broad pools dotted with lily pads and stands of water willow. Fish in neighborhood ponds and float deep, slow rivers. Easy-to-follow narrative, detailed maps, and gorgeous color photographs make it easy to “Go fishing now!” even if you have only a few hours to spare.

There’s something for every angler in central Texas. Visit the nation’s southernmost trout fishery in the Canyon Lake tailwaters. Find seven species in a single day, including the native Guadalupe bass and the Rio Grande cichlid. Fly Fishing Austin and Central Texas is your passport to the challenges and rewards of angling in this unique and beautiful region.
***Winner of the 2020 National Outdoor Book Award***
***GOLD Winner of the 2021 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award in Sports & Recreation.***

A look inside:
* 49 detailed on-the-water route descriptions, referred to as “wades,” on 12 featured streams
* Directions to more than 100 legal access points on 19 rivers and creeks in Central Texas
* Full-color maps showing stream access points
* More than 300 full-color photographs
* Dozens of local angler-friendly hangouts
* Successful local fly patterns created by expert tyers
* Local and natural history: Alligators, jaguars, and at least one dinosaur
* Descriptions of common flora and fauna found along central Texas streams
* Comprehensive Texas river law primer
* Tips for taking kids fishing.
* Advice for selecting rods, reels, and line for local conditions and species
* Local fly shops and guide services
* The mysterious story of Round Rock’s “Hairy Man”
* Where to find and how to catch trophy rainbow trout
… And much, much more!

* Updates from the publisher of Aaron’s book can be found on The Local Angler series home site here.

 

 

 

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Aaron Reed is an award-winning outdoor writer and Army veteran. He currently splits his time between his native Texas Gulf coast, where he drives a tugboat, and his home near the banks of the San Gabriel River in Georgetown, Texas. He is a founding member of the Texas Streams Coalition and has worked for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. In 2020, he was awarded the prestigious FFI Roderick Haig-Brown Award. When he is not working, chances are you can find him knee-deep in a stream somewhere around Austin, often with his wife and one or more of his three boys, trying like heck to become a better fly fisherman. Additional information about gear, recipes, events and all things related to fly fishing around Central Texas can be found on Aaron’s BlueCollarFlyFishing site.
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The Local Angler Fly Fishing Austin and Central Texas  is available for purchase now!

Praise for Aaron’s book:

“He covers more than 100 legal fishing accesses, most within 50 miles of Austin and others within a 90 mile radius. Besides being a first rate writer, he’s a darn good photographer, and his color photographs are the perfect supplement to this well designed and thoroughly useful guide.”—National Outdoor Book Award Winner, (11/12/2020)

“Aaron Reed is a darn fine writer with a great eye for detail. The book is is wonderfully produced with color imagery, directions, and advice for all skill levels and ages. It is one of the best region-focused resources on fly fishing I’ve seen in a long time”—Kirk Deeter, Trout Unlimited Magazine, (Summer 2020)

“The book is full of beautiful photographs — whether it be the luscious images of rivers and creeks, the smooth skin of the Guadalupe bass or the shining scales of the golden river carpsucker. The book isn’t all fishing. Reed peppers in some fun facts by recounting old river legends like the Hairy Man of Brushy Creek. Whether you’re a first-time fly fisher or veteran angler, you’re certain to leave this book with new knowledge and hopeful surprises.” Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, (07/29/20)

“Everything from general fly fishing information like lingo, gear, and ethics, to fish identification and tips for getting children out on the water. There is also an abundance of high-quality photos. He ranks the best ways to access the water, includes info on the best local brewery to hit after fishing, suggests a good song for that particular stretch, and other fun tidbits. This is a great read to have on your shelf.”—Katie Burgert, Fish Untamed (03/21/20)

“He talks about music to listen to, beers to drink, bbq joints to stop at, techniques, locations, history, entomology, culture, includes detailed area maps, and the wonder and importance of taking a kid fishing.”—Chris Barclay, cbarclayflyrods.com, (05/02/20)

“Aaron provides good advice about local watering holes, some on the water and others not. This book is the Bible of Central Texas Fly Fihing”—Jim Gephart, On the Fly Magazine, (05/12/20)

“It is basically a treasure map that gives you the tools and knowledge you need to fish on your own in Central Texas. I really enjoyed Part 5 of Aaron’s book called “Ankle Bitters and Other Wildlife.” Along with proper gear for the little ones, chapter 16 talks about how to approach getting your kids into the sport we love and how we need to make sure it is what they want it to be not what we wish it to be. To make sure they are having fun, not just fishing, but exploring flipping rocks, and swimming. Also, his recommendations on music and nearby watering holes gives you a glimpse into Aaron’s mind and is a fun way to walk in his soggy river shoes.”—Davin Topel, Whiskey River Chronicles, (05/01/20)

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Podcasts:
Mark Hopley, host of Fly Fishing 97. Lots of intriguing information about Austin and fly fishing insider information. (05/22/20)

Travel Itch Radio, hosted by Dan Schlossberg and Kita Roberts. (05/21/20)

Itinerant Angler Podcast (04/29/20)

So Fly Fishing (03/25/20)

Jeff Troutman host of Remote No. Pressure (02/23/20)

Tejas Angler Podcast (02/12/20)
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“Reed’s first forty pages are informative while thought-provoking, even essential, which audiences of all skill levels will acknowledge and reflect upon frequently. Reed progresses logically through his Hill Country hot spots moving from north to south (broken down further into Northern, Central and Southern waters), basically starting with Lampasas and wrapping up in New Braunfels. From the beginning, it’s as if Reed intimately knows every tree, plant, stone and fish in the water. His welcoming patience is revealed in his writing style, never rushed or forced yet utterly deliberate with each word, and to the point. I found it to be a mesmerizing manifesto on sampling all the good things in life in the heart of the Lone Star State – yes fishing, but also local cuisine, backcountry hiking, communing with comrades, canoeing/kayaking, bird-watching, fossil-finding, gator-gawking, history learning, craft beer sampling, art appreciation, playlist-swapping, and conservationist riverkeeping.”—Chad McPhail, author of 49 Trout Streams of Southern Colorado, Between Fact and Fishin’,

“The book is extremely rich in photography, creatively designed and organized, and keyed nicely with design elements (icons) to call attention to details about waters, and just as important – your musical soundtrack. This book will change your plans for 2020 and beyond.”—Shannon Drawe, Texas Fly Caster, (04/26/20)

“Reading the introduction is a fly fisherman’s joy. Aaron’s use of quotes from other fly fishing writers, his general narrative style, and his inclusion of appropriate pictures make it entertaining and informative for novices to the experienced angler.”—Robert Gieringer, Goodreads.com (04/12/20)

“I think every reader will connect with different chapters based on their individuality, but no doubt there are remarkable fisheries in the book for everyone – from expert to newbie, from children to the elderly, from guys to gals – the fish are here for all of us to enjoy.”— texansonthefly.com (01/23/20)

“This book is an impressive recruitment tool for exploring some of the most enchanting and remote waters of Texas. Even if you don’t intend to apply what you learn from Reed, you will enjoy his sometimes-reflective prose and sincere passion for fishing and conservation.”—David Sikes, Port Aransas South Jetty, (04/08/20)

“Fly Fishing Austin & Central Texas is a must for the dash or console of every fly-angler’s truck or SUV.”—Craig Nyhus, Lone-Star Outdoor News, (02/14/20)

“An insider’s guide to local craft breweries and hole in the wall joints where you can take in live music or grab a bite to eat. More than a “how-to” guide; the book is an introduction to the fly fishing community and culture in Austin that will inspire you to go there and experience it.”—Larry Littrell, TailerTrash.com (02/28/20)

“A wealth of knowledge. There’s a ton of streams. It really makes you open your eyes to Central Texas as a fishing destination.”—Aldo Pescatore-Tardioli, SoFly.ca (03/25/20)

“I am fly fisherman who has never been fishing in Texas, but because of this book, my first impression is that it is beautiful. The waterways are highly variable and there are a tremendous variety of fish to catch. This is all represented in the book using beautiful photography, which makes the book attractive to all users. In my opinion, one should not go fly fishing in Central Texas without this book in hand. Even if you don’t fish but are a naturalist looking for beautiful areas to sit, walk or wade this is still the book for you. I highly recommend this book.”—Rick Butts, Goodreads.com, (02/07/20).

“Austin TX is celebrated for its music scene, tech corridor and things Longhorn. But it is also a gateway to a magical world of fly fishing. Aaron Reed brings a jeweler’s eye for detail, a keen sense of place and the meditative skills of a tug boat captain. Anglers will be rewarded not only with access to new waters but the proper playlist and bank-side restaurant to seal the deal”—Phil Shook, author of Flyfisher’s Guide to Texas and Flyfishers Guide to the Northeast Coast.

“Fly Fishing Austin & Central Texas is a must for the dash or console of every fly-angler’s truck or SUV.”—Craig Nyhus, Lone-Star Outdoor News, (02/14/20)

“A complete guide to fishing in the heart of Texas. From the locations to the tunes to the local BBQ and brews to the wildlife history of the area, Aaron knows his stuff and writes well about it. This is an engaging book and is sure to be a staple on every Texas fly anglers resource shelf.”—Chris Barclay, C. Barclay Fly Rod Co.

“The author, Aaron Reed, has created a valuable resource for anyone wanting to fly fish in central Texas. The amount of time and passion he has put into this book is amazing”—Alvin Dedeaux, AllWatersGuides.com

“This book is a literal wealth of knowledge to fly anglers of every skill level! Aaron does a spectacular job of immersing you in some of Central Texas’ finest fly fisheries, all while giving you a look into their history as well. He also accomplishes the difficult task of being concise while remaining incredibly thorough in regard to access, fish species, and local attractions. I consider this book a necessary tool for anyone looking to fly fish the heart of the Lone Star State!”.—Chris Johnson, LivingWatersFlyFishing.com