The creators of a new kayak launch on the Middle Bosque River hope it will bring new anglers and paddlers to a spot previously known mostly to insiders.
The launch opened earlier this month at the end of Barrett Road in a wildlife management area owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, east of Speegleville Road and north of Highway 84. Corps officials at Lake Waco collaborated with Texas Parks and Wildlife, the city of Waco and various groups and businesses to create a gravel parking lot and ramp down to the water.
From there, small watercraft can go downstream and explore the South Bosque River and Lake Waco, or upstream a mile or more in wetter seasons on the Middle Bosque River.
The stretch of river is popular among longtime anglers in the area as an ideal spot to catch white bass as they make their spring run this time of year. It is also a popular starting point for hunters of deer and duck.
“It was already popular, but once we opened it up, that gave it more parking, and we cleared out a lot of briars to make it better for bank fishing,” Corps lake manager Mike Champagne said. “We wanted to get it open for spring so people have the opportunity to use it. Even though the water is low, there’s great bank fishing and it’s a great place to put in your kayak.”
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Lake Waco Park Ranger Taylor Christian walks through the the launch that opened this month on the Middle Bosque River.
Officials with the project said signs and solar-powered lights will be added in the near future, though supply chain issues have made light poles hard to come by, said John Botros, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department river access coordinator.
The project cost $48,000, funded through in-kind donations and a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Habitat and Angler Access program, which is funded by a surcharge on fishing licenses. State funding has also been approved for a project to improve fish habitat at Lake Waco.
Other partners in the project included the city of Waco Parks and Recreation Department, which hauled the gravel, as well as Keep Waco Beautiful, Group W Bench Litter Patrol, Waco Fly Fishing Club, Waco Paddle Club and Central Crushed Concrete.
Paddle club member Lloyd Lund said the group has used the river access point for years but will use it more now that it is more convenient.
“It’s nice, because if the water is low, you can head out to Lake Waco or you can go upstream,” he said. “A lot of people go there to fish. It was nice of them to put the gravel down. It would get really muddy if you tried to park.”
Lake Waco Park Ranger Taylor Christian walks through the the launch that opened this month on the Middle Bosque River.
Several of the partners in this project worked together to open another kayak launch at Bosque Park in 2020, also using gravel. Champagne said paddling is becoming increasingly popular, both for fishing and for its own enjoyment.
“We’re seeing a lot more people out there with kayaks and canoes,” he said.
The launch point is across the Middle Bosque River from the Twin Rivers Golf Course but without access from that side. A tall concrete pier remains from a bridge that once spanned the river, but Corps officials said they believe the bridge was removed in the mid-1960s when the current lake dam was constructed.
To get to the launch, turn east from Speegleville Road onto McLennan Crossing Road, then go about 2 miles down Barrett Road, a gravel road.
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