Cold Clear Spring Water...

With the hot summer temps we cruised to Boykin Springs to cool off today. There is a small lake which I estimate about a quarter of has sanded in by the flow of a spring fed creek since the late 70s and I did not check to see if the lake was flowing to the downstream creek. The artesian springs are flowing as there is just the right amount of colder than normal for East Texas water to sit in.  

Old sharp eyes spotted a rattle trap type lure imbedded in the creek bank. It's in very good condition but lacked hooks leading me to believe it had been owned by a person, kind of like old sharp eyes, not always trusted to be casting large treble hooks in the presence of innocent bystanders.     

Cathy is not a huge cold water fan and I thank her for putting up with today's adventure. Maybe we can make the trip as the summer, God forbid, gets hotter. Back in the camp ground the metal animal proof trash receptacles were almost too hot to touch for opening. 

There were several groups of tent campers in the park. I know you guys that think you are tough will want to try this.  

Old guy on a creek. 

Can you spot the Texas Spiny Lizard? The creek itself was quite an ecosystem. I'm sure in the deeper holes you might find bid redhorse shiners or small sunfish. In the shallow run where we played we spotted tadpole madtoms and other small minnows. Luca found one hidden under a rock that was probably 3-4 inches long. Most were smaller, Cathy saved one stranded in a puddle and I think they looked very much like the Gulp Alive minnows I used to catch a mess of bream on the other day.

Back in the late 70s Texas Parks and Wildlife stocked rainbow trout in the creek late each winter continuing into the spring and you could walk this trail and at every deep pool catch a few trout with corn on a cane pole. They soon stopped stocking the creek and lake stocking continued sporadically into the 90s. Now a days most trout stocking is in urban areas to give those not rural a chance to catch fish. There is a park in Nacogdoches where they stock trout each winter.    

Cathy is testing a technology we have under development right now. It's a bigfoot spotter. It's complicated to explain but essentially the forest is blocked out so you only see the bigfoot. She said she say one on today's hike.  

A shady trail and cool wet clothes make summer activity comfortable. 

Cathy did not need the spotter device to see this juvenile bigfoot crossing a short bridge. They will do that you know.