Fly Fishing & Culture Deep in the Heart of Texas
This begins a series of posts about fly fishing lakes west-northwest of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. We will be starting from Montague County and branch out from there. I’M SURE SOME LATE BREAKING fly fishing opportunities will show up between posts, so keep checking back to complete the picture of this part of Texas.
FLY FISHING IN AND AROUND MONTAGUE COUNTY TEXAS
You’ve heard the song that goes, “The stars at night are big and bright – deep in the heart of Texas” before. Funny thing is, if you think you are in the heart of Texas, you aren’t alone. Texas is a big state and big states have big hearts, or at least widespread claims on the heart of their state. Hearts do come in all sizes and shapes after all.
Chances are, if you are in the vicinity of the heart of Texas, the stars aren’t bright very much anymore. Texas, along with all its other types of pollution, has an epidemic of light pollution. Growth once again inserts and twists a double-edged knife.
In North Central Texas, we are flush with water. Lakes are full and frothing like a warm beer in a cold glass. Creeks are calming and clearing, but still running, and the ground is saturated. However, you would be surprised to go just slightly west of the Metroplex along highway 287 that runs toward the panhandle. As you head northwest, you will hit Montague County, a county experiencing a modern boom that makes those Spindletop photographs make sense.
You will also find some interesting lakes that are far enough away from large population concentrations to be healthy and populated with fish that haven’t seen many flies pass their way. Lakes I have fished out here include Amon G. Carter and Lake Nocona. While there’s no shortage of Texas crude in Montague County, there is still a serious drought hanging so close to DFW’s abundance that it’s absolutely amazing. Lakes on the list to seriously fish include Arrowhead and Moss Lake (not in Montague County).
I documented some of my lake explorations last summer, July 2011, the summer from hell – a time when drought was widespread, and no matter where you went that’s what you expected to find. Now, due to the good fortunes of being back in the oil fields, I have a chance to explore those lakes again under much more favorable calendar and weather conditions.
I am hopeful that you will enjoy and benefit from these upcoming posts, and find them more rounded – with information and ideas for non fly fishers as well as up-to-date technical information on where and how to catch fish on the fly in these lakes. There is plenty of history to be found in this part of Texas – Native American culture, the Chisolm Trail and so much more. If you have any more ideas on search and fish opportunities, feel free to suggest. If you want to go fish with me on these lakes, let me know while this unique opportunity still exists.
Category: Culture on the Skids, Destination Fly Fishing, Eating and Drinking, Fishing Reports, Fly Fishing for Largemouth Bass, Life Observed, North Texas, On The Road
