He later learned how to fly fish on his own, and by 2006, he started working as a fly fishing guide. Johnson decided to open his business, Living Waters Fly Fishing, in 2008 in Round Rock.
Johnson and his staff help customers during each stage of fly fishing, from preparing lines to guiding them on trips. Living Waters Fly Fishing offers guided trips through Brushy Creek and the Llano, San Marcos, San Gabriel and Salado rivers.
At the retail shop—located near downtown Round Rock—Living Waters Fly Fishing offers an array of fly fishing gear, including rods, lines, hooks, feathers, reels and clothing accessories.
Johnson said the shop also offers free training courses for beginners that include learning how to tie knots, the process of fly tying and how to properly fly fish in local rivers.
“You come to learn how to cast; you learn your tackle; you learn your knots; you learn where to fish and what fish species are out there,” Johnson said.
He said Living Waters focuses on three pillars for its business model: conservation, community and education. “We want people to feel like family when they walk in here; that’s what our goal is,” Johnson said.
The business also wants people to love fly fishing and keep doing it.
“We’re going to tell you where to go; we want to be there to help you; and if you have a great time and enjoy the fishery in our backyard, then we’ve got another advocate for it, where you’re enjoying it, and you want to protect it,” Johnson said.
Fall fishing
Christopher Johnson said fall is a great time to try fly fishing due to the metabolic rates slowing down in fish, causing them to feed a lot before winter. Types of fish to catch in the fall include:
• Bass
• Sunfish
• Rio Grande cichlid
• Crappie
Living Waters Fly Fishing
103 N. Brown St., Round Rock
512-828-3474 | www.livingwatersflyfishing.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Sun.
