June. The kind of Texas heat that makes you question every life choice—except renting a cabin on Lake Cisco with its own floating dock. That part? Zero regrets.
Bret (@13.13.photography) and Denise (@woman_of_miscellany) spent two evenings posted up on that dock, rods in hand, cold drinks never far away. Carp were the main players, cruising in like golden torpedoes. A few took the bait, bent the rods, and ended up in hand—Denise in one swimsuit, then another, proving you can look effortlessly cool while wrangling a common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in 90-degree humidity.
Between the carp, Denise added a bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) to the tally—because who doesn’t love a sunfish? Meanwhile, Bret worked the dock like a man on a mission, pulling in carp of his own and probably thinking about the next morning’s assault on Cisco’s other famous water feature.
Yes. The World’s Largest Swimming Pool. Or at least the ruins of it. Once the crown jewel of Cisco, now a sprawling relic with enough water left to tempt carp and bass alike. Bret fished it for the carp ladder—because if there’s a bizarre urban water feature with fish in it, he’s going to find a way to make it a thing. A few carp fell for his efforts. A few largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) did too, because why not?
The rest of their time in Cisco was spent like pros: exploring the small town’s quirks, grabbing beers at the local brewery, and turning out epic meals back at the cabin—because nothing pairs with golden hour dock fishing like a skillet full of something sizzling.
Two evenings. One morning. Carp, bass, sunfish, cold beer, and a slice of Texas history crumbling back into nature. Classic IFITSWIMS.
For more tales of bizarre waters, beautiful fish, and fishing trips fueled by local brews, hit up the IFITSWIMS podcast.