Calaveras Lake Reds

[big_smith]

I always wanted to catch freshwater reds. Booked a trip and took my youngest son to Calaveras Lake outside San Antonio. Trip was $300 for 4 hours, which I thought was reasonable. Captain Brian worked his tail off getting us on the fish. This is a cooling lake for a power plant and TPWD stocks it with redfish. I have fished reds on the coast for years and I can say these fight just as hard. I would say they are as good if not better table fare than the salt water version. Had a blast. Caught about 6/8 each and boxed 5. My son had the two biggest 26" and 27", mine were 22"-24".

[HUNTNETIME]

That's awesome! Nice haul!

[Mexico]

Very cool!

[dbaio1]

Red fish on the half shell. Nice haul

[Gumbo Man]

Nice trip. What fishing methods did y’all use?

[bowhunterhelm]

Cool trip, I did that several years ago. Pretty neat trip.

[68rustbucket]

I always heard you weren’t supposed to them due to the heavy metals in the water.

[big_smith]

We trolled with downriggers and gold spoons. Very relaxing. No one told us not to eat them and there are sure a bunch getting cleaned at the tables.

[dustoffer]

I've caught a few in Calaveras but way more in Braunig. Been a bunch of years though. We'd fish the rip-rap in Braunig with crankbaits and watch over our shoulder for the reds to bust a school of shad and then head at 'em and cast into the fracas. Always thought it felt like someone had tied my line to a dragster and it was taking off!!!

[Henry]

Awesome! I catch them from a kayak. The fight is much different than catching flats reds, these lake reds have a lot of water to swim in.

[Man]

There must be A LOT of redfish in that lake to be able to target them with 100% success.

[Lincoln Hawk]

As a fit 16 y/o, we'd take a jonboat to the jetty in the middle of Braunig and slay them with crawfish on the bottom. Good times...

[DUKFVR]

Congrats to yall!

[Clintk]

Congrats

[bowhunterhelm]

We trolled with downriggers and gold spoons. Very relaxing. No one told us not to eat them and there are sure a bunch getting cleaned at the tables.

I ate mine and I'm still here, I think you are good.