BACK AT THE RANCH
Dr. Del Williams casting at his favorite fishing spot.
Angling for Something More The stocked lakes at Boot Ranch reeled in Dr. Del Williams, and now he’s looking towards the future.
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hen Dr. Del Williams and his wife, Mary Ann, first toured Boot Ranch, he recalls, “Everyone was looking at the houses, and I was looking at the lakes.” The retired general surgeon has spent a lifetime ensuring that his next big cast is only a few steps away. Before being lured to the stocked ponds of Boot Ranch, Williams—or “Doc” as he is affectionately known—owned and maintained a 1,200-acre ranch in the Guadalupe River delta—home to alligators, deer, cattle, migrating birds and, of course, fish. His undergraduate studies in biology served a dual purpose, forming a foundation for his 35-year medical career and informing his hands-on approach to
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raising fish. “I stay up with the literature and all that business, but I don’t do it exactly like everyone else,” he comments, noting his use of locally sourced, natural bait and other repurposed items. Laughing, Doc recalls his thrifty use of one hundred army surplus commodes for fish houses, sunk on the bottom of his lakes. “I’ve often wondered, one hundred years from now when those lakes dry up, what the archeologists are going to think—what kind of culture we had.” When Doc was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he and Mary Ann sought to find a home where he could enjoy nature more recreationally. Recognizing the potential of the property’s spring-fed lakes, as well as the lack of natural threats to fish populations, Doc knew that he had found his new home. “All my life I’ve taken care of fish and ponds, built ponds, stocked them. And this is the perfect place to do this. I’m going to be the fish master.” Doc’s future plans include adding structures, such as sunken logs, where
fish can hide to the lake’s otherwise smooth bottom; building additional piers; stocking and monitoring a variety of fish such as largemouth bass, catfish, and blue gill; and raising natural feed. “I never feed commercial food to my fish,” he says, then outlines his plans to install an underwater light system that knocks bugs into the water. “The fish get more protein that way.” Developing successful, natural habitats for fish takes time, and all good fishermen know the value of patience. “It will take a couple of years to get all of this off the ground,” he says. “You have to let Mother Nature take her course.” Until then, you’ll likely see Doc exploring the two-thousand-plus acres at Boot Ranch, working out at the gym, or checking in on the stock ponds with his grandchildren. “It’s gonna be great,” he says. “I can see it. I think it will be a fisherman’s paradise.” — STORY BY K AREN KR A JCER