The south fork of the river begins in the “Country of 1100 Springs”. The springs almost guarantee adequate flow year round over beds of limestone and gravel. The fishing here is incredible. Guadalupes, largemouths, spotties, cichlids, catfish, gar and sunnies mean lots of fish action, with the BIG ONE lurking in the hole just around the next set of rapids. You’ll experience a semi-arid, rocky and beautifully rugged landscape consisting of Cretaceous limestone where Chihuahuan Desert species have a great influence on the Edwards Plateau. Cliffs carved out by the river oppose flats with large Pecan and Oak stands and accent the rugged beauty of this body of water. Wildlife is abundant.
The south fork meets the north fork of the Llano River just northeast of the town of Junction. This section of the river begins its flow over Cretaceous limestones and crosses the Llano Uplift (which should be considered an individual ecosystem) flowing over Ordovician, Cambrian and Precambrian rocks. The first 50 miles of the Llano is loaded with vegetation including Pecans, Oaks, Junipers, Mesquites, Willows, various grasses and wildflowers. The next 30 miles of river travel over Cambrian and Precambrian rocks which are over a billion years old. Oaks and Mesquites dominate the scenery with colorful wildflowers and abundant grasses. Wildlife is plentiful and so are the fish. Largemouths, spotties and Guadalupes make for great bass fishing all day long. You’ll catch sunnies, catfish and spotted gar along the way as well. The scenery is beautiful and extremely noteworthy. {Day trips & overnighters}
I grew up in the Texas Hill Country and spent most of my time hunting and fishing in this area. My first experiences on the Llano River involved fishing for catfish with a Zebco 33 and hand-dug worms.
Contents
Map of Llano River Fishing
Fly Fishing Guide in the Texas Hill Country
As with many things in life, you never know how well you had it until “it” is gone. This proved true for me when I moved away from the Texas Hill Country to attend college. Throughout my time at Texas A&M I visited the area to fish and hunt and – as quite often put it-“preserve my sanity.”
I returned to the Texas Hill Country in early 2001, fly rod in hand, and have spent over 100 days a year fishing the Llano, Upper and Lower Guadalupe, Blanco, Colorado and other Texas Hill Country Rivers. And for those sport fisherman out there are no better high speed trolling lures then these ones.
While I have switched from a Zebco to a fly rod, I am still drawn to the rivers of the Texas Hill Country and take great pleasure in introducing others to this unique resource.
How To Find Llano River Fishing
On the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country 19 miles west of Llano Ranch Road 152.
From Austin: Take TX Hwy 71 w. to Llano. At the courthouse, take a left onto Main St. (RR152 W) and proceed 19 miles.
From Dallas: Take IH 35 S. to Georgetown and exit onto TX Hwy 29 W. Once you reach Llano, take a left onto TX Hwy 71 E. and cross the bridge. Take a right onto Main St. (RR 152 W) and proceed 19 miles.
From San Antonio: Take US 281 N. to Hwy 71 and go west into Llano. At the Courthouse, take a left onto Main St. (RR 152 W) and proceed 19 miles.
What To Bring
Fly Rod (3-6 wt) & Gear (we can outfit upon request)
A Valid Texas Fishing License with a Freshwater Stamp
River Shoes (No flip flops)
Sunglasses (Polarized)
A Hat & Suncreen
Extra Cloths & Raingear
A Camera
Waders in Winter
Llano River Fishing Guides
All Water Guides
512-571-3073
We offer full day wade trips to several access points along the Llano River conveniently located near Castell and Mason. On wade trips, expect to fish at least 2 locations. When the flows are high enough we float several stretches of the Llano River. We have 3 stretches near the town of Mason and 2 near the town of Castell. All float trips are done in comfortable, stable whitewater rafts. Both wade and float trips are full day trips only, and multi-day trips are a great option. – allwaterguides.com
Living Waters Fly Fishing
103 North Brown Street
Round Rock, Texas 78664
(512) 828-3474
The Llano River is one of central Texas premiere fly fishing destinations. At Living Waters Fly Fishing we primarily focus on fishing the lower stretches of the river around Mason, Llano, and Kingsland. We primarily target the bass and sunfish that swim in the crystal clear water of the Llano but we always keep an eye open for other species that can add some diversity to the daily catch. – livingwatersflyfishing.com
Expedition Outfitter
9751 River Road # B
New Braunfels, TX 78132
210-602-9284
Our Llano float trips are conducted near Mason, Texas. There are two different sections we fish; one section is about 4 river miles and the other is about 7 river miles. We float and fish the Llano in 14 foot custom whitewater rafts. It’s the best way to access these remote waters. – expedition-outfitters.net
Castell Guide Service
325-423-0045
Castell Guide Service
325-423-0045
The Castell Guide Service has been providing quality fly fishing guidance and instruction in the Texas Hill Country since 2002. It is our mission to provide the best guiding and instruction to both new and experienced anglers looking to explore the diverse fishing opportunities available in the Texas Hill Country. We specialize in the winter months on Guadalupe River fly fishing for rainbow trout, and in the spring and fall on fly fishing the Llano River, San Marcos, and Colorado Rivers for warm water species such as Guadalupe Bass, Rio Grande Cichlids and Carp. – castellguideservice.com
Lone Star Fly Fishing LLC
From an early age, I’ve always been attracted to the water and the creatures that inhabit it. I grew up fishing conventional tackle on the Texas coast and spent extensive time fly-fishing for Bass and Trout on the Guadalupe River. Throughout the years I have fished all over the United States and internationally in Mexico and Belize. My first experience with fly-fishing came when I was 12 years old. – lonestarflyfishing.com
Hill Country Flyfishers
(512) 589-3474
At Hill Country Flyfishers, we strive to make every fishing trip unique. Each trip is individually tailored to meet your needs so that you experience the best fishing action possible. As a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor, I take great pride in my casting workshops. My goal is to teach you the theory behind fly casting, show you the basic movements of the cast and help you to understand how theory and movement work together to form the perfect cast. – hillcountryflyfishers.com