TRIP REPORT
PACK LLANO RIVER TRIP
JULY 25-27, 2008
When the weather gods learned PACK was having an outing they promptly ordered up a hurricane. However, this time PACK won the weather game. As hurricane Dolly and its 100 mph winds and rain pounded the South Texas coast, the PACK outing paddlers were enjoying clear skies and nice weather calmly paddling and fishing the South Llano River in the Texas Hill Country.
With 14 participants, everyone seemed to enjoy the trip. On Friday as we arrived in the State Park there standing on the entry bridge over the South Llano River was none other than Dean “Slowride” Thomas. I thought I was seeing a mirage or that Dean was very lost. However, as it turned out, Dean was camping at the Park and would be paddling the river with a group of Boy Scouts. So, not only is Dean a fine guide and outfitter on the Texas Gulf Coast, he is also encouraging young men to learn about and enjoy the outdoors. Good job Dean.
On Friday as we set up camp in the State Park, Ron, Buzz and Gus came by the camp site. They had all made the trip up a day early and had spent Friday paddling a section of the river. They told us about the good time they had and stayed to enjoy the mild weather, some refreshments and fellowship. They then headed back to Junction where they were staying in a motel.
Friday night was a great night to sleep as most of us were tired from the proceeding week. Temperatures were around 70 degrees and the sky was clear with beautiful stars. Also, the bugs stayed away so we all had a nice night’s sleep.
Saturday morning we were all up and on the river by 8:30 a.m. Jerry Blose, past PACK President and good friend, made the trip from his new home in Georgetown and it was good to have him back in the pack. The day was spent making an 8 mile paddle at a slow pace and everyone caught fish-mainly bluegill and Guadalupe bass. We had a nice shore lunch and then launched back into the river near some up-coming rapids to finish the float. Some of us made it through the rapids and some did not. Rather than name names, I will leave it to those who crashed in the rapids to provide those details. The river provided a nice current push and did have rapids to negotiate at times. There were also some areas of flat water and plenty of fish for everyone.
At the end of the day Saturday, most everyone traveled into town for dinner and then returned to either their hotel room or camp site. Again the weather for the night was very comfortable. I had a light sleeping bag and was glad to have it.
Sunday morning some of the participants headed back to Houston and others prepared to paddle another section of the river. Buzz had to get back and prepare for a trip to Montana in two days where he would be fishing some of the finest rivers in the country.
Those who stayed to paddle Sunday morning had a fine time. We moved up river from the section of the river paddled on Saturday and made a 2.6 mile drift down the river. This particular section was more narrow and had more rapids and less flat water. Again, we witnessed spectacular scenery and caught plenty of fish. The group was joined on Sunday morning by Jim “Double dip” Dolan and his wife Sally who were in the Hill Country celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. Again, congratulations to Jim and Sally.
After arriving at the take-out spot everyone headed back to camp and were soon on their way back to Houston.
A couple of items of mention are: that the drift on Saturday was the first kayak outing for Sandy Guice who was there with her husband Robert and who did a fine job of handling her kayak throughout the day; Tom Anderson strained his back after arriving at the Park and was unable to paddle but, nevertheless, helped the group shuttle the cars up and down the river; three wives made the trip with their husbands; Will Henderson’s wife, Sheryl, successfully paddled the 8 mile section of the river on Saturday in a very short (8 foot?) sit inside kayak; and, Gary Zulko caught a very large Rio Grande Perch which could have been a Texas State Record. Below is a link with a couple of Gary’s Llano river pictures. They are the last 7 pictures. Texas Parks & Wildlife says the Texas state record Rio Grande Perch was caught on the South Llano River in 2001 and weighed 1.59 pounds. Gary says his was all of 1.60.
See you guys at the next outing or meeting.
Jim Richards
Trip Leader
South Llano River