Welcome to the General Info page! This page will provide you with additional information about the guided fishing trips offered by GMc Guide Services.

Directions
Most of our out-of-town customers fly into Houston and drive here in a rental car--the drive is about two hours from Houston Intercontinental Airport, or two and a half hours from the William P. Hobby Airport. Other customers prefer to drive directly in. Either way, you can use one of the İMapquest.com maps below to arrive at Big Sam!

• Click here for a map from the Houston Intercontinental Airport.
• Click here for a map from the William P. Hobby Airport.
• If you plan to drive the entire trip, fill in your departure address below for door-to-door directions.
  

  Street address: City: State: Zip:

• Of course, you can always call me directly and I'll guide you in myself. I can be reached at (936) 897-8324.

Necessary Equipment
No matter what your experience level is, your trip with me will be worth the time. I can provide instruction for the beginner, and information for the experienced angler. You will receive personalized instruction and attention directly from me. I have equipment suited for every skill level and will supply all of the equipment, or you are welcome to bring your own.

Lake Information
Sam Rayburn Reservoir, with over 114K surface acres, is one of the healthiest fisheries in the State of Texas and one of the most popular fishing destinations in the country. The fertile and forested river bottom that was inundated over thirty years ago has created the perfect ecosystem for fish production. The numerous, high-quality and well-distributed launch sites around the lake, along with the multitude of creek channels, protected coves, moss beds, brushy shoreline, and standing timber have created an ideal environment for the fisherman!

The fishing at Sam Rayburn Reservoir is by any standards exceptional. On any fishing trip, the opportunity is there to catch most any fish in the State of Texas. Of course, the number one fish of interest here on Big Sam is the largemouth bass. Big Sam currently holds the 9'th largest bass taken out of Texas waters at 16.80 pounds, and fish in the 10-13 pound range are not scarce. The lake is on most fishing tournament trails, including pro tournaments such as Bassmasters (with up to 300 contestants), amateur big bass events such as the McDonald's Big Bass Splash (with up to 6,000 contestants), as well as the local tournament scene with anywhere from 10-100 entrants per tournament. For the last few years, the project office at Sam Rayburn has processed permits for up to 300 tournaments per year. Even with all this pressure on the resource, Sam Rayburn continues to produce some of the best bass fishing in the nation.

Local Activities
Feel free to bring the family along for the trip. If fishing isn't what everyone has in mind, rest assured that there are plenty of other activities available. The following attractions are all close by:

• Ellen Trout Park and Zoo, telephone (936) 633-0399. Hours are: summer 9 a.m. - 6 p.m; winter 9: a.m. - 5 p.m. Ellen Trout was rated as one of the finest small-city zoos in the state, if not the nation. This zoo attracts over 100,000 visitors annually. They currently have a major expansion underway. The zoo is home to animals from around the world and the Z & OO miniature train, which is open for passengers on weekend afternoons.
• Sawmill Hiking Trail, telephone (936) 639-8620. Angelina National Forest Trail head at Bouton Lake Recreation Area - from Zavalla take Texas 63 eight miles southeast, turn right, (south) on Forest Service Road 303 for 7 miles. The trail is 5 ½ miles long, with 3/4 mile spur to the abandoned Aldridge Sawmill Site. The main trail ends at the Boykin Springs Recreation Area. The trail is marked with white-painted rectangular markings, about head high, and passes through primarily second-growth pine forest, with areas of several other timber types.
• Texas Forestry Museum, telephone (936) 632-9535. Hours are: Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p. m.; Sunday 1 - 5 p.m. This museum is operated by the Texas Forestry Association. It is the only museum devoted entirely to the history of the Forest Industry in Texas, and one of largest Forestry Museums in the nation. Collections of tools of logging and production of wood products can be found here. Also available is a self-guided auto tour brochure to important logging industry sites in Angelina County.