Sloan Creek suburbanite

[mickfly]

Recently relocated from the shores of the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country to the DFW metroplex, where the only saving grace is a creek running through the backyard. A creek with fish in it that will take a fly.

[gusstrand]

Welcome, Mick! Glad to see you here.

I just got back from camping with my 8 year old ~10 miles from Marble Falls on the lake. :)

You have new access!

[mickfly]

That's right, literally! When we moved here, the creek was about 30 feet across and ten feet below the level of our property, in a tree-canopied little canyon. I had our landscape guys add a set of railroad ties as steps down the near side, to a little esplanade that runs upstream 100 feet or so. The water is quite deep near us (2-6ft), thanks to an old abandoned water crossing downstream that creates a small lake for 200 yards upstream. It's full of sunfish, bass, catfish, and even the occasional gar. Wood ducks, a beaver, kingfishers, turtles and other assorted wildlife (like copperheads and water moccasins) round out the local ecology. Downstream below the old water crossing is a cute little waterfall around the roots of a large cottonwood tree. Good fishing down there, too, in well aerated water.

[Danny S]

Gotta love those copperheads and mocs. Had several very such encounters on the Lower Mountain Fork. Those mocs can be aggressive. Sounds like your creek is doing well, the moisture lately has probably helped it out a lot..

[mickfly]

Our rain in north Texas has been at or above average since we moved here in mid 2007. In fact, the creek was out of its banks twice since then, which means an 8-10 foot rise above normal. Good flows for the last two months. Can't wait for it to warm up.

We have zero horizon pool in the backyard with a "moat" that sits at the upper end of a long ravine leading to the creek. We get all kinds of critters in it -- mice, rats, frogs, armadillos, and the aforementioned snakes. I know that when my wife is gardening and she gives me a call, there is some sort of varmint to capture or retrieve.