Shonto Ranch

This year in January(2004), Jim and I went to the beautiful Shonto Ranch in west Texas. It is a very large ranch with 10 lakes and streams to fish. They stock trophy rainbow trout up to 8 pounds, from November till May and bass year around. They have exotic wild game to hunt as well as so many white tail deer they are were every where you look. They have zebra, fallow deer, axis deer, turkeys, emu and reia. It was like being in Africa seeing all the wildlife. We saw antelope and black buck, oryx and springbok as well as Gazelle. We both caught lots of fish but Jim got 2 trout over 4 pounds. By far the best trip I have ever had and I will be going back soon.

We got to the Ranch at 9:00am on Thursday morning after a 5 hour trip from North West Houston. Upon entering the security gate We met our guide, C.D. McGehee and I noticed a long limestone bluff on the left side of the road. In front of the bluff was a stream called Turtle creek. It is a meandering stream that travels around the ranch. The water was blue and very clear with green covered bottom. We went across the creek several times by way of over flow damn's and stopped at the office of the Resident Biologist, C.D. McGehee. After getting some information about the ranch and some fishing advice we were off to the first fishing hole. It was a long section of creek about 50 to 75 feet wide. Since Jim and I were fly fishing we chose to fish the open side of the creek. It is big with an easy slope to the waters edge, prefect for a handicapped or wheel chair bound fisherman. The opposite bank was rock and cliffs from 4 to 10 feet down to the water. We had been told about some of the large trout they stock each year and given a long handled net for catch and release. You can keep fish as this is a put and take fishery, but Jim and I were their for the fun not the meat or trophies.

A cold front was on its way through  Texas so we drove in the rain most of the way. It was cool and cloudy when I got my first fish. I was using a dry fly (an ant) when I felt the hit. I had started with my Orvis 1 weight fly rod as we had very little wind.

Fishing a spring creek at the Shonto Ranch with my 1 wt. rod.

The fish was a healthy 18 inch rainbow trout. One of the prettiest fish I have caught since my trips to Colorado 7 years before, but all were much heavier than the mountain fish. I got 2 more about the same size when I heard Jim yell, FISH ON. He was using a conservation 3 weight rod and was having a great time with a 18 inch fish. At around noon Jim's friend, Chris came by to see how we were doing. Just as he pulled up Jim had hooked a large fish on an olive wooly bugger. Chris helped Jim land the 24 inch fish with the net and release it. After a quick picture we weighed the monster fish at over 4.6 pounds. Jim had never caught a trout that big. Chris said to celebrate we should go to the pavilion and he would cook up some wild boar sausage and pork chops. He went on to get the food cooking and we kept fishing. After a few more small fish we heard Chris's truck, suddenly Jim screams, FISH ON. I quickly went for the net and watched as the huge trout went deep and started peeling off line. Chris jumped out of the truck and got his camera ready Jim caught another 4 pounder although it was a bit skinner than the first, it was 24 inches of pure power.

After lunch we went to a different pond. It was the next one down stream and we fished from the other side. We could see very large trout mixed with small 12 to 14 inchers. The bluff on the other bank was bubbling with fresh spring water. I caught several trout on a small size 14 nymph. Jim caught  some more on his bead head wooly bugger. It was a beautiful section of the creek on a bend we fished from the inside edge. This section had a stone picnic table on the easy slope side of the stream.  

At around 4:00 we went up to the back pond, where the big fish are. Because it is a high valley with a damn at one end the fish won't be washed down stream if they have a flood. C.D. puts 40% of the big trout up their for that reason. We saw some rising trout so we went at it. I caught the first fish at about 16 inches. It was the fattest trout I have ever caught. Then Jim had one. It went like that till about 6 when C.D. came to escort us out of the ranch. Their are many different gravel roads and we would have gotten lost if not for a guide. On our way we saw dozens of white tail deer as well as 11 different exotics they have on the property. We even saw a zebra. What thrilling day ending with almost a dozen different animals, some I have only seen on Animal Planet. We each caught over 14 fish and had a great day.

It was a 10 minute trip to Kerrville, a small Texas town North West of San Antonio. We checked in to the Y O hotel and went out to dinner for a stake. Then back to the Y O for some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow. Of course we spent an hour each tying some flies, mostly the bead head wooly buggers, bigger  and heavier than before.

On Friday we woke up at 5:30 and got packed up. After a quick stop at the MC Donald's we were back at the ranch. We started the day at the high lake as it has the bigger fish. Unfortunately the cold front went by and it got windy. I started with my 3 weight Orvis rod and Jim went up to his 5 weight. I got 3 in a row then Jim got one. My biggest was 19 inches.

A nice 19 inch rainbow trout at the Shonto Ranch near Kerrville.

I got tired of fighting the wind and went to my 8 foot 6 inch micro lite rod. I used a bubble float and a wooly bugger fly and hooked 2 fish. I was looking for that 8 pounder so I borrowed one of Jim's large gold spoons. On the first cast I got an 18 inch fighter. Then I heard Jim call out that he got a fish. He had a bass on that was about 2 pounds on a spinner. We also caught several blue gill in the 1 pound range.

Caught on a wooly bugger and my 3 wt. rod.

On the way into the ranch we again saw a herd of fallow deer, one was white. We also saw the largest deer spices. Later while fishing we heard what sounded like a horse. It turned out to be that big deer looking for a drink. At about 8:30 a flock of wild turkeys came to the pond to drink. As I was going for the camera I got another trout. Luckily Jim had his camera ready so we got a picture.

By 11:00 we heard C. D.'s truck and headed back to the first creek we fished the day before. The wind had picked up to about 15 MPH so we had a little trouble with the 3 weight rods and went heavier. I used a 6 weight Orvis rod with a big bead head wooly bugger. We caught several in the 15 to 18 inch range but no real big fish. I can say that but it makes me laugh. Around Houston the Texas Department of Fish and Game stock trout from January to February. The fish run from 6 inches to about 12 inches. A 12 inch fish gets most of the people fishing to come and have a look at the "Lunker" we caught.

Here is my daughter Jessica with a nice Rainbow Jan. of 2002. This is about average for the lakes that get stocked around town.

Our first golden trout January 2000

The Shonto Ranch has Golden Trout as well as Rainbows. Of course they are much bigger then the one Jessica caught in Houston. We did not get to see the big golden trout in the lake because the wind was up but they have some very large fish.

     Elbow to elbow trout fishing
                                                                                                                                     in Houston

Here is a picture of a couple of nice fish caught at the ranch.

At about 1:00 we went down stream to the second section of Turtle creek. Again we caught fish and had chances to present flies to some large trout. Jim had on a couple of large fish on but lost them. That's why they call it fishing and not catching. At 3:00 it was time for the 5 hour drive home. We said good by to the best fishing trip I have had in years and went back to dreaming about the next trip to the Shonto Ranch.... Maybe I should take up hunting?

Mark Harper

For more information on fishing or hunting at the Shonto Ranch click the link below.

Fly Fishing or Conventional Rainbow Trout Fishing Largemouth Bass Fishing State Record Rainbow Trout Trophy Whitetail and Exotic Hunts