Camping & Fishing in Central Texas
If you have ever driven through the juniper hills and valleys of central Texas, you know it's a scenic place. But you'll never know the true wonder of the Texas Hill Country until you park the car and spend some time outdoors by a sparkling lake or stream, preferably with a fishing pole and a tent. If you want to fish, you'll need a Texas fishing license, and you'll likely be fishing for bass, crappie and sunfish, or catfish.
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State Parks
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Parks operated by the state of Texas offer a wide variety of camping and fishing options. Bastrop, Colorado Bend, Garner, Inks Lake, Llano River, Kerrville, and Pedernales Falls State Parks are just a few of the state facilities that offer camp sites from the most primitive to rental cabins and RV sites with hookups. Most of the parks are along rivers or lakes and have access to boat ramps.
River Authority Parks
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Many of Texas' rivers and lakes are controlled by quasi-public river authorities such as the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) & the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority (GBRA). LCRA manages a series of beautiful parks along the Colorado River west of Austin, including the Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park, where you can catch a glimpse of a bald eagle on Lake Buchanan, or Pace Bend Park where you can launch your boat in Lake Travis or camp. GBRA also operates parks along the Blanco, Comal, Guadalupe, and San Marcos Rivers. Some stretches of the Guadalupe River offer great rainbow trout fishing.
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Private Parks
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Central Texas also has many beautiful parks operated by private entities. One of the best-kept secrets is the cold and crystalline Krause Springs near Spicewood, a perfect spot for camping and swimming. Private camp sites are everywhere along River Road, near New Braunfels, which follows the cypress-lined Guadalupe River as it winds magically through the limestone hills. Private parks along the Frio River offer cabins, primitive camping, and great places to swim and fish. Also, some of the best fishing in Texas can be found at power plant lakes such as Fayette County Lake.
RV Parks
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KOA operates parks near Fredericksburg, Junction, Kerrville, and Leander, all of which offer spots for RVs, cabins, and tents. RV parks operated by other private entities dot the Hill Country, many of them adjacent to rivers teeming with crappie and bass.
When to Go
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The best time to fish in central Texas is in spring, when the fish are spawning, and spring is a great time for camping, too. But if you're camping outdoors, there's nothing better than waking up by a central Texas river or lake on a crisp, autumn morning. Summer days can be brutally hot, but central Texas weather is usually mild enough that you can enjoy camping and fishing most of the year.
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References
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- Photo Credit fishing toddler image by stagewestphoto from Fotolia.com
