Medina River Fishing Guides
A clear cypress-lined Hill Country river through Bandera with wild Guadalupe bass, easy wading and short accessible floats within an hour of San Antonio.
Guides on the Medina River
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About the Medina River
The Medina above Bandera is one of the prettiest reaches of river in Texas and one of the easiest to fish well without a boat. It comes out of the steep canyon country in western Bandera County, runs east through a corridor of bald cypress and limestone bluff, and passes the town of Bandera before slowing into Medina Lake. The water is clear enough that on a good day an angler can pick individual fish out of the gravel runs, and the wading is straightforward on firm limestone rather than the slick basalt of western rivers.
This is Guadalupe bass water, and that is the draw. The native black bass of the Texas Hill Country holds in the fast riffle seams and the current tongues below the gravel bars, and it takes small poppers, crayfish patterns and light spinning lures with real aggression. Largemouth sit in the deeper cypress pools, Rio Grande cichlids come out of the ledges in warm weather, and sunfish are everywhere and will keep a beginner busy all day. Guides run wade trips and short kayak floats out of Bandera, and the whole fishery is within about an hour of San Antonio.
Flow is the constraint. The gauge at Bandera reads the reach that people actually fish, which is unusually helpful, but the Medina is a flashy Hill Country river that can rise very fast in a thunderstorm and can go to a string of disconnected pools in a dry summer. There is no temperature sensor on this station. The other thing to plan around is access: a great deal of the bank is private and posted, and the public crossings and the state natural area carry all of the pressure on a good weekend.
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Access
Bandera city park - the main public access and the standard launch on the middle river.
Hill Country State Natural Area - walk-in access to the upper river and its tributaries.
The Highway 16 crossing above Bandera - a common wade-in point on the clear upper water.
English Crossing near Pipe Creek - low-water bridge access on the lower river.
Medina River county road crossings near Medina - limited upstream access, park carefully.
Medina Lake public ramps near Lakehills - powerboat access to the impoundment below.
Medina River Natural Area near San Antonio - developed access on the lowest reach.
Seasons
Spring: the best flows and the most aggressive Guadalupe bass fishing of the year.
Summer: low, clear and warm, with good early and late wading and heavy weekend tubing traffic.
Fall: falling flows, cooler water and the cleanest wading conditions on the river.
Winter: cold and low, slow fishing in the deep cypress pools, and almost no pressure.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Medina River?
As of Sep 17, 6:45 am, the USGS gauge Medina Rv at Bandera, TX reads 17 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Medina River?
Anglers target Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Guadalupe Bass, Largemouth Bass, Longnose Gar, Redear Sunfish, Rio Grande Cichlid, Smallmouth Bass on the Medina River in Texas.
Where can you access the Medina River?
Bandera city park - the main public access and the standard launch on the middle river. Hill Country State Natural Area - walk-in access to the upper river and its tributaries. The Highway 16 crossing above Bandera - a common wade-in point on the clear upper water. English Crossing near Pipe Creek - low-water bridge access on the lower river. Medina River county road crossings near Medina - limited upstream access, park carefully. Medina Lake public ramps near Lakehills - powerboat access to the impoundment below. Medina River Natural Area near San Antonio - developed access on the lowest reac...
When is the best time to fish the Medina River?
Spring: the best flows and the most aggressive Guadalupe bass fishing of the year. Summer: low, clear and warm, with good early and late wading and heavy weekend tubing traffic. Fall: falling flows, cooler water and the cleanest wading conditions on the river. Winter: cold and low, slow fishing in the deep cypress pools, and almost no pressure.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Medina River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Texas agency site: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing