Tag Archives: jetty

Spring Tarpon

Got a little time on the rocks this afternoon and managed to land 2 tarpon back to back. It was quite the luck of the draw and it felt great to get my hands on these silver kings even if they were only 3-ft in size. A lot of variables have to come together and the forthcoming days over the course of this next week should really produce some fun action on the fly! Paying attention to each individual variable in the environment leads to educated decisions. One must ask themselves questions like what type of bait is present, which bait is most prolific at the moment and other things like where is the strike zone and how long can I keep my fly in it before I loose it to the rocks, or a better question is can I even get my fly into what “i think” is the strike zone?

While your standard daytime fly colors are great, such as red/white, chartreuse, yellow, pink, and white… today seemed to be a little different in the way the sunlight was playing with color of objects in the water. So after throwing a chartreuse fly and a white fly (breaking off a 30lb jack in the crushing surf off the tip of the jetty) I decided to change it up and go with black since the raging tide has the water color off a bit although there were good clean pockets of water to be found.

So I moved back in a bit, took a better reading on the tides and setup in a good spot for that particular tides to make some short casts with long sink rates. Counting down my fly into the strike zone slowly I begin my retrieve, varying my technique I feel a rock hit my line and it moved! Sure enough I am hooked up and landing my first tarpon of the 2015 season, in the month of MAY!!! YEAH!

flies, fly, fishing, tarpon, texas, coast, gulf, mexico, guide, charter

Black is a daytime color too

And then, after collecting a few scale samples, I step back in the hole, and cast again, and tap tap, I set the hook into the upper lip of a second tarpon. Unsure of the hooked species initially, I notice that it doesn’t jump but heads deep for the rocks and I feel the line against a rock. The fish shakes his head left and right saying, “No No No!” and then I would shake the rod back saying, “Come on, YESSSS! Get off that rock!” Keeping steady pressure and teasing the fish by shaking the rod and a minute or two later tarpon #2 decided to change its direction of travel and freed my line from the rock that had snared our connection. I quickly release the fish without removing it from the water and as soon as I set it loose the brilliant fish dipped its head and pointed its gaping lower jaw downward and slipped off into the murkiness that obscures our two worlds.

And then it all seems to stop… and I’ll just call this one a quickie! Confidence in fishing comes from constantly changing technique and method until a pattern can be established. Sometimes that involves a few fly changes, other times more tweaking of the variables is necessary. And sometimes after hours of changing everything we are doing, we are surprised when a fish hits our hook and in all the excitement instantly forget exactly what we were doing to entice that fish! And that is the thrill, the numerous challenges of our mental and physical capacity, stretching our limitations beyond the common knowledge.

tarpon-1So next time you get out there, dont just cast and retrieve… Make every cast and every retrieve different until you find the cadence where the fish are dancing and then jump right on in!

Keep your hooks sharp, Capt Kenjo

Texas Tarpon Rodeo

TARPON!

tarpon, gulf, mexico, port aransas, texas, coast, fly, fishing, guide, charters

Perma-Grins after 3 days of Fly Fishing for Tarpon

…the word alone sends chills down most people’s spine and makes the hair on their neck stand at attention. For me, a wide range of emotions flood me like an Autumn tide at just the thought of tarpon all the way from excitement to anxiety.

This is one fish that can make people weak in the knees, jump for joy and cringe in fear all in the same day. Knowing the odds are not in your favor when fly fishing for these beasts is textbook and is certainly the wide range of emotions you experience that keeps one coming back for more and more.

Most humans strive daily to find a sense of accomplishment, but the mighty tarpon always feels accomplished. Standard units of measure seem not apply to this fish, as it is constantly exceeding expectations and absolutely fascinating its audience simply upon appearance.

Lady luck doesn’t discriminate either, and oftentimes her attraction is not always towards the experienced but she is certainly attracted to skill. And this is where last week’s client, Adrian, enters the scene stage left on a referral from a trusted fly fishing contact in Dallas. Adrian and I talk extensively for months leading up to the trip and I tell Adrian how to prepare himself physically and mentally and he booked without hesitation a multi-day trip tarpon trip with me hoping to scratch this species off his bucket-list.

bull redfish on fly

Hooked Up

One day just isn’t enough when fishing for tarpon and even with Lady Luck in your shirt pocket you might only need one day, but come on, this is Monsieur Tarpon we are talking about here! Multiple days is not only what it takes, but it is what you need even if you succeed to land your first tarpon the first day, there is no doubt you are going to twitch uncontrollably until you get another. And, Adrian did just that. Coming from the West Coast and being used to casting heavily forward weighted shooting heads Adrian was comfortable with my 11wt Beulah Fly Rod in hand and I instantly knew after his first cast that he had good chances of hooking his first tarpon with acceptable odds of landing it.

We spent the morning warming up the brain and getting into position we stop in a few likely spots, nail some fun lady fish and by the afternoon we were strapped into our Korker’s CastTrax. Sure-footed we ventured out on the rocks really warmed up and ready to put a hurtin’ on some fish. At one point standing on the highest rock I can find to get a good view far out into the water I notice a large sandy brown spot the size of a pickup truck and it appears to be moving left to right.

redfish, fly fishing, texas, coast

First redfish on fly for Adrian and its a beauty!

I holler down to Adrian who is lower to the water that there is a big school of redfish out there and have him cast straight out as far as he can. His fly lands 5-feet short and just behind the leading fish when suddenly one peels off from the school and snatches his fly. “SET SET SET” I shout and instinctively Adrian does, coming tight to a nice 29-30 inch redfish.

Having knocked this one off his list we move farther out into the macro-chasm of granite and begin scouting intently straining our eyes to see rolling tarpon that might not even be there.

Then it happened. That magic witching hour fell upon us and tarpon began to appear in a place where the moderately stiff wind direction was not exactly in our favor but the tide had just turned and the presence of bait was right. So, this is where skill came into play, and Adrian adapted to the wind angles nicely, adjusting his stance and casting stroke to make it safe to cast a 3/0 tarpon fly. Before long he had his first strike, just below the water’s surface but shallow enough to see 3 feet of flashy silver flanks. “Oooohhh! What was that?” Adrian asks… “Tarpon!!!” I exclaim. Another cast goes out, and in just a few strips of the fly Adrian grunts and instantly a 10 pound tarpon leaps into the air cartwheeling and back flipping multiple times.

silver, king, tarpon, texas, gulf, coast, fly, fishing

20-25lb Silver King

He hoots and holler’s aloud and I have Adrian move into a good landing position so I can avoid the 2ft surf washing against the rocks so the fish doesnt get injured so much and where I can leader and unhook the fish returning its freedom without hesitation.

Night falls quickly when you’re having fun jumping tarpon and we continue to fish. Tensions build as our eyes adjust to the last of sunlight and then Adrian hooks another fish. This time it is a 4 foot tarpon close to 60-pounds and only 20 feet from the rod tip. Instantly it leaps directly away from us with lightning fast reflexes on the hook-set. Unfortunately this fish comes unbuttoned and back to casting we go still hootin’ and hollerin and throwing out high-fives with glee. A little while later and as the tide peaks we move around to the other side and Adrian sets the hook on another tarpon, a respectable 3 footer which we land and take a quick photo.

Then as the tides change again the bite dies off, we decide to retire for the night and hit it again in the morning hoping the tide will turn’em on again but this time the tide wasn’t exactly the same. So we spent the 2nd morning casting blind in all the likely spots but the tarpon were just not there and probably had moved farther out with the falling tide. This is “fishing” of course, so we turn our sights to other species and continue fishing hoping to tie into a redfish or another species.

snook, texas, fly, fishing, gulf, mexico,

South Texas Snook on Fly

As Adrian is working a productive hole, he gets a massive strike from a fish we cannot see, and it pulls down the 11wt rod with a considerable bend but there is no jumping from the fish. As Adrian fights to keep the fish out of the rocks, the creature surfaces and we see right away that it is a snook! Now that’s a nice and rare fish and another species stricken from his bucket list.  We spend the afternoon changing locations and resting up and refueling our bodies, we talk about the final day’s plans.

On the morning of the 3rd day, I call Adrian an hour early and tell him that our plans to fish for redfish on the flats have changed and that we need to scramble to get in on another tarpon bite going off. Having literally 200+ tarpon flies in the box, there only seemed to be one or two tarpon fly patterns that the silver king wanted to eat that week and after two days of hardcore fly fishing I had run out of copies losing them to the unforgiving rocks and tearing them up to hungry fish.

fly tying, tarpon, flies, fishing, texas, gulf, coast, guide

20 minutes to GO TIME!!!

Luckily I tie all my own flies and I had tied a few more copies of the pattern at 5am earlier that morning to make sure we had what we needed to get the job done on the final day. Again, and without hesitation, Adrian said “Hell yeah! Let’s go!” and we geared up with red bull and donuts heading to the next tarpon spot with our tackle and enough food and water to get us through a potential 12-hour day. As we arrive on the scene, our eyes turn to the water, scanning to-and-fro looking for the tell-tale sign of Poon-anny.

Not seeing much at first, I explain to Adrian that tarpon do not have to “roll or gulp air” and that they certainly do this in areas with low oxygen levels but that they may also roll just for fun, or to look for humans to torture above the water’s surface. Additionally, some of their rolls are aggressive and obviously intended to kill their food. I continue to give hope and explain that even though we may not see any tarpon, there is good chance that they are there and it is only a matter of time before we get bitten. As the sun finishes freeing itself of the cloudy horizon we begin to see some tarpon roll. Occasionally we see a tarpon make an aggressive roll and this jump-starts the twitch in us again and we make a short move down and to the side where I can see another pod of fish rolling. Adrian begins casting and retrieving with faith the special fly that had worked so well over the previous two days.

By the time Adrian had made his 5th cast in this other spot, Adrian yells “FISH ON!!!” and BOOOM!!! the line goes tight while an absolute beast emerges from the water shaking his head back and forth so violently that water is spraying 30 feet out to the sides.

fly, fishing, guide, texas, coast, tarpon, leader, port aransas

Guess I need to beef it up to 50-lb leader with 30-turn bimini twist and a 100-lb bite tippet!!!

The creature’s massive mouth was agape and big enough to fit a 5-gallon bucket. I could see the freshly tied fly firmly planted in the top right lip near the corner. In the same nano-second the fish ejects its entire body from the water and flies through the air in the direction of the horizon, Adrian holds on tight and does a phenomenal job of clearing the fly line to get the fish on the Hatch 9+ reel and then clearing his hands from the blazing fast 50-lb backing as it peels off the reel faster than a super sonic jet! The lassoed GIANT Tarpon leaps 3 more times as it covers one hundred yards in the blink of an eye with our line in tow and on the 3rd jump she lands on the leader and shreds the 30-lb bimini twisted tippet separating our connection. Having just witnessed this and getting several good looks at it, I conservatively estimated this fish at 6+ feet and over 150-lbs and actually closer to 7-feet and weighing nearly 200-lbs.

Reeling in the slack line we exchanged several high-fives, handshakes and even a hug or two with enormous memories flooding our mind’s eye as the adrenaline continued to course through our veins. Under my breath I think to myself… “Well!!! That is it! Certainly this fish cannot be topped today!. Yet, with shaking hands and knees, we continue to fish non-stop for another 4 hours in an attempt to connect with another tarpon but in fact, this gigantic fish had taken the very last copy of that magic fly which had worked so well. The Airflo Tropical Tarpon Lines performed flawlessly and gave solid hooksets on every fish!

hatch, outdoors, fly, fishing, reels, texas, gulf, coast, mexico

Hatch Reels withstand all the abuse you can dish out

Retiring for the late afternoon, Adrian and I visit a local watering hole to have a really ice cold beer and reminisce about the last 3-days of fishing. I congratulate Adrian on a job well done and that he is a seriously lucky fisherman for having hooked such as massive tarpon on his 3rd and final day of fishing with me.

Immensely proud of Adrian, it is a true privilege to be able to work as a professional fly fishing guide who not only gets to take people fishing but that I am able to witness so many “firsts” for my clients such as their first redfish, first tarpon, first snook, and first GIANT Tarpon. To experience the rarest of rare moments with them is pure ecstasy and sharing in their enthusiasm, joy and excitement gives me the sense of accomplishment that I spent so long to find.

Thank You Adrian for being such a great fisherman and fantastic guest and a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to you for all of your exceptional catches while fishing with me! I cannot wait to see you again next year for the next Fall Migration of our Gulf of Mexico Tarpon!!!

P.S. Everyone… The first week of November is available for another multi-day tarpon trip. Call me ASAP to get in on this action before the run is over!!!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

 

 

Max Jacks And King Macks

“Boy am I going to miss that fly!” I thought to myself seconds after that big boy jack crevalle finally found the rock that would part the 20-lb leader. This came after a 10 minute dog fight where the brute nailed the red/white fly on the swing and instantly headed for the bottom of the channel. Into the backing, but only barely. I cant imagine who doesn’t love the stopping power of a Hatch Reel.

Fish pumping hard against the Beulah Bluewater 11wt rod, I cleared fly line and then suddenly watched the splice between fly line and backing smoothly exit the rod guides but the fish stopped short by the infamous 9+ Pulse Reel. Its no wonder though, all 9 of it’s bad-ass discs were working perfectly in unison and applied maximum force against the beast.

Back and forth, from one side of the jetty to another, down deep. I wasn’t worried about the fish finding that one rock that sticks out further than all the others until I saw my leader and some flashy white coffee table sized fish below it. Hues of green, blue and silver radiated up from 6 feet below the water’s glistening surface, and then, just as I felt the line begin to scrape against that invisible rock, the drag was backed off and very little pressure was applied to the rod in an attempt to let Max Jack swim out but the fish was straight down, tail still thumping. Trying different angles, and reaching out over the water failed to free the line from it’s snare, suddenly I felt a little pop just as the line went slack. Raising my rod tip I found a keenly abraded tag end to the leader, roughed up but severed in two.

Goodbye Mr. Crevalle. I shall call you Max Jack from now on.

As the excitement subsided, I realized that fly worked like magic, but I had just lost my only one in that pattern. So, I headed to the truck and drove home to fashion two more while the tying recipe was still fresh in my mind.

Within an hour, a turkey sandwich fell victim along with a few handfuls of Fritos corn chips, I was back on the rocks with two new freshly tied red/white flies in my shirt pocket.

As I walked along the stony path, the sea conditions were not as favorable as I had hoped for but as I continued, I decided that the exercise was worth the walk even if I didn’t make a cast. Then sure enough, I noticed cleaner water on one side of the jetty than the other. Taking plenty of time to study the wave patterns, the easterly swell proved that while the waves sets looked small, the sea retained its powerful rhythms.  So, I found a familiar perch, and stripped out a lot of line onto the rock, then fed it back into my stripping basket to prepare for the first cast.

One cast… a little short based on my idea of the where is the strike zone.

Strip off a bit more line… recast for #2… Agh, but the wind caught the line as it descended on the water and put a big bend in the belly.

Recast again, looks good, and fly is in the zone… letting the line and fly sink a bit I worked the fly within a depth where the fly remained barely visible… Waves continue crushing the line of rocks as I setup for cast #3…

Good distance made here, the line zipped out of the casting basket during a brief lull in the wind and laid out nicely in front of me. Counting to 5 (one 1 thousand, two 1 thousand, three 1 thousand ect…) I began the retrieve…

king mackerel, texas, coast, port aransas, corpus christi, guide

Extreme Angles with a King on a Leash

Then it struck like lightning! 50 feet of line in the water, and 30 feet of line in the stripping basket, I pulled tight to set the hook with Airflo’s low stretch Tropical Intermediate line and on the second strip-set the fish’s adrenaline demanded even more line clearing all slack in the basket in half a heartbeat. I cheered for my fluorocarbon leader, as if encouraging the 30-lb tippet to hold fast, I checked the drag and found it nice and tight yet smooth as butter on Texas Toast.

She headed for the end, where I knew my odds of even seeing the fish were minus five to one, I jumped from my perch to the next, gaining as much line as possible and recovering the 30 feet of backing as well as some fly line that it had taken before the fly reel forced the fish to turn on its initial run. It turned sharply, and ran to the right, parallel to the rocks but still 40 feet out of sight. Jumping between perches, constantly changing angles and pulling low and hard to the sides, the fish finally succumbed to the relentless pressure that this fly gear was meant to serve to its opponents.

fly fishing, port aransas, jetties, guide, charters, king mackerel

Surf’s Up for King Mack!

And then, as if time was standing still, the waves sets calmed and aligned with my attempts to land the fish in a safety zone. One the second wave, I coerced the fish up onto a kind rock relatively safe from escape. This fish weighed in on certified scales at 21.8lbs and measured 50″ total length. 30-lb leader was used with 50-lb bite tippet.

fly fishing, guide, port aransas, jetty, charters, king, mackerel, texas, coast

GUITAR SOLO!!!!

Reflect on a few things here with me if you will…

Your equipment must be in perfect working condition. Inspecting your setup frequently helps identify flaws in the system. Your rod should match the quarry you seek. Your reel must have super smooth drags and your leaders tied with properly formed knots.

Your level of preparedness dictates your success. And… the best way to gain confidence in a fly pattern is to fish the hell out of it.

IT IS ON FOLKS!  Sharpen your skills as well as your hooks. Practice makes perfect. That’s why I fish in even the terrible conditions. Even if I don’t catch something I will have at least practiced the art of fly fishing. And that my friends, is what makes it all worthwhile. Train yourself in tough conditions, and you’ll be more than ready in excellent conditions. Every athlete knows this routine all too well.

Custom jetty trips can be arranged and dates in June on the flats for redfish are filling fast.

-Kenjo (361) 500-2552

fly fishing, extreme, king, mackerel, texas, coast, port aransas

Maximum tension and a quick hook-set kept this mouthful of razors from slicing the 50-lb bite tippet.

 

 

Fly fishing Tarpon in Texas Winter Storms

IT’S GO TIME!

The phone rings while sitting in the truck at the airport fully loaded with enough fly fishing gear, food and water rations for two people for four days. The restless ringer on the phone indicates that a fishing buddy has landed at Corpus Christi International Airport. “You ready for this?” I ask and Captain Natereplies, “READY AS EVER!”

4x4 off road

Heading to Fly Fishing Heaven

First things first! Get to Wal-Mart and purchase a non-resident fishing license for the tourista. “You better get the annual, you WILL be back!” We promise each other there are no doubts. If this winter’s fishing season is as good as it has been lately, it would be a good idea to change your return flight now and stay a few more days to be able to enjoy some decent weather after these gale force winds and small craft advisories lift. Good luck with surviving that cold front!

Nonetheless, we were going NOW, before the North storm hits with 30-knot winds freezing anything wet and we are running out of daylight since the flight landed around noon. Hot on the throttle of the old Chevrolet, all 4 wheels engaged and spinning like mad men, we head off-road in search of tarpon on foot in the South Texas Coastal Bend area.

There is nothing like rigging rods and leaders in the truck as it barrels down the dirt road leading to a dead end like most fishing trips, it is a rough road going nowhere and makes tying knots a true challenge of any skilled fly-angler.

“What are they eating?” he says with courage. “Baitfish in 3-6 inch sizes,” I tell him. “Here, use this, tie it on good, and it wouldn’t hurt to add a bimini twist to the class tippet.”

As we arrive and park, we scramble to find stripping baskets and then he turns to me and I see him grab a medium weight spin rod. I protest necessarily and inform him that if he’s going to use a spin rod, “You’re going to want a bigger rod!” Laughs are exchanged with a wink or two and we start to lace up, strap on, and close any open zippers with grueling anticipation of the approaching storm which could shut down our world-class fishing spot faster than an American Banker can foreclose a delinquent home-owner in America.

“Where do we start casting?” I am asked as we head in the direction of the rocky terrain most people call the jetty.  “Hold your fire!” I respond with encouraging patience, “We are almost to the honey hole!”

Fly Fishing South Texas Jetties

City of Granite – South Texas Jetty

Within minutes of arriving on that special granite rock which would become our perch and our shelter from the tormenting winds and rain we see fishy stuff going on and the excitement builds. It is soon to be learned that those giant granite rocks will also become our refuge for the next four days. Our eyes are already stinging as the winds grow and white water spray begins coming over the jetty showering us, we scan the water surface for all 360 degrees looking for the tell-tail sign of megalops.

Almost covertly, a soft plastic flies from its 7’6″ cannon of a spin rod rigged with 30-lb braid and lands in the water with a big splash. “Are you sure this lure isn’t too big?” Nate says.

“Hell no! Keep it in the water, work it good and hold on when you snag a rock,” I respond.

“What rock? OH DAMN! That rock just moved!” Set the hook, wait for the screaming drag to slow to a dull roar and try your best to reclaim the long length of line that was just stolen from the spool minutes ago. “Done!”

conventional redfish

Howdy!

First fish landed, a respectable red fish measuring just inside the slot limit. We release the fish quickly back into the water which is beginning to churn like a butter bucket strapped into the tea cup ride at Disney world.

Then it happens again, another nice redfish takes the soft plastic yummy bunny and this time the redfish is just over slot limit. Back it goes like 99.99% of all fish we catch. The sense of urgency increases and our motions begin to accelerate as we hop over a few more granite obstacles searching for another safe spot to stand with advantageous positioning.

Then I hear someone familiar scream. “TARPON! It just rolled! There! Quick! CAST! CAST! CAST!” we yell to each other. “Damn! No takers.” Cast again, this time with a little bit of frustration. “What are they eating?” our eyes strain to try to identify any visible bait in the water.

Telling myself to keep calm, I prepare for another cast of the fly line and launch it out into the open water as if it were a hot grenade with only a second remaining before detonation.

Count to 15 while recovering from a small bird’s nest in the running line. Stripping line in slowly, the last of the slack is removed from the 80 feet of fly line in the water and contact is made with the fly. Slow long pulls, short strips, and toss in a few A.D.D. twitches, a tap is felt in the line, however slight, I set the hook and immediately the silver king erupts from the water like a government missile sent on its one-way mission. “TARPON!” I scream at Nate, “You should have grabbed your fly rod! HAHAHAHA!”

Estimated at 50 inches of Pure Rock Fury

As the first school tarpon is released into its watery lair, the sun begins to set on our environment and we notice that the tarpon are feeding more actively and the pressure is building. Suddenly we see a large shark in the distance also get airborne and the image of a 200-300 pound shark is burned into our minds as we imagine it trying to eat a tarpon from our hands rock-side. I hand the fly rod to Nate and say, “Here! Use this! It’s your turn homey”.

Off it goes the 3/0 tarpon fly flings about and lands in the water. Strip, strip, strip, And SET! Nate’s virgin tarpon launches itself into the air in desperate attempts to throw the razor-sharp Tiemco hook to no avail and soon Nate has landed his first tarpon on the fly. Snap some pics and off it goes quickly before Mr. Shark decided to join us on the rocks for a cocktail!

So as night falls and the tarpon continue feeding at our feet, Nate and I take turns with the fly rod and we land a total of three more poons, once of which took its rightful place as my personal best and Nate was lucky enough to mark two more species (the tarpon and redfish) off his bucket list. We retire for the night not wanting to wear out the fish too much, and of course, allow them to continue to feed on their own uninterrupted.

Nate's first tarpon on fly

Fly Fishing Tarpon into the night in the South Texas Coastal Bend

With the flower of sugar cane made into a welcoming beverage, we shed our saltwater soaked clothes and prepare a sandy dinner of steak and hot chili peppers on an open fire. We recount our experience from the evening and strategize ourselves into a stupor while we dance around the fire with Clutch for our evening tunes.

When we awoke the following morning we notice that the Winter Storm had not arrived and we begin preparing our gear to go knock on Mr. Tarpon’s door again. But just minutes later, gale force winds with gusts over 30+ knots set down on us hard and we move the truck into what little lee can be found on the beach and watch the sandstorm ensue. “There goes our morning fishing session” we say to each other.

By the afternoon we couldn’t stand to watch any longer with hopes of diminishing winds, we reluctantly venture out into the granite city of rocks and hope for the best even though the winds have not dropped below 20mph. Low and behold we find some tarpon still feeding and are able to land three more teenage tarpon and jump just as many more. Time to retire, day 2 seemed to take forever but ended so fast. The third day conditions had not improved and no sign of weather change coming in the future for day 4, we decide to fish the morning and head home late afternoon with little fuel and a luckily low tide to lick our wounds, regroup and try to target some other species a little more local to my house where fresh water showers and dry clothes await.

In retrospect it is always good to break a personal fish record and to do it on foot brings such enjoyment in our sport and why we do it regardless of the weather. We claw our way around exposed to elements regardless of how horrible the conditions are. Bearing our teeth and with true grit setting ourselves up for a single moment of excellence, or pure accidental catch, it is truly the fish themselves that makes our efforts worthwhile however invaluable the experiences are priceless. In any other case, our determination would be unnecessary and futile if the fish were not a more determined individual than we.

In search of specks

Early Morning Colors

As we head back to the airport to bid my fishing buddy farewell, comrades reflect, and we realize that our concrete passions are shared. Not only as mere mortals, hard-core sportsmen, personal conservationists and obsessive about the next time Mother Nature deals us some brutal fun but also filling us with vibrancy for life as we know it.

 

I’d rather not be in any other place than where my mind lives, my body resides and where flies are eaten eagerly by the next awesome creature that fills our thoughts by day and dreams by night.

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
USCG OUPV-6 Licensed
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, Texas

 

 

New Waters – Texas Coastal Bend

Many things in life change; like leaders, tippets, flies, fly lines and Destinations.

Looking East at Port Aransas Jetties

Early morning sunrise flyfishing in the South Texas Coastal Bend

Some of them unexpectedly and even sometimes unplanned and hopefully things turn out more rosy than imagined. After working the grindstones of New York City for what 6 years seemed to have been 12 and for the most exciting times of my life, day in and day out, non-stop action on and off the water, I recently have found myself settled in South Texas after a grueling past year with some seriously pinched nerves. Warm climate seems to be the best medicine for this country boy, aside from actually being able to see the stars at night.

Quite literally, having run out of road in Port Aransas, Texas, a place twice visited by President Roosevelt to fish for Tarpon, the little piece of Mustang Island north of the Laguna Madre is a nice spit of sand and hopefully is here to stay for a while.

Upon arrival I immediately began scouting the local waters and found many excellent fishing scenarios available.

red fish wetlands

Redfish habitat

Whether on foot or from some sort of watercraft of your choice, the rich biodiversity of the marine ecosystems in the South Texas Coastal Bend area will get you hooked and keep you coming back for more. Truly, this place is prime and the fish are eager.

To get up to speed, I’ve compiled short bit of notes on the fly fishing opportunities available in this area from boat and on foot (sand, mud, rocks, beaches, rip-raps, jetties, bulkheads, cuts, guts, swaths, piers and docks), and will continue to track fish patterns based on seasons and other relevant environmental conditions.

Fly fishing Corpus Christi

Hooked up!

In October, the redfish are running hard and is prime time for bull reds. I feverishly attempted to intercept these big bulls on fly, although it may take some more time to nail them consistently.

Port Aransas Texas Coastal Bend Tarpon

Fly Fishing juvie tarpon in South Texas

At the jetties, multiple shots from juvenile tarpon exist with a good chance of hooking up.

 

Even during the North blows, the Spanish mackerel even respond well. The larger tarpon in the 60-80lb class have also been sighted with a keen eye. I have yet to hook into a tarpon in this size range but they do visit Port Aransas during certain times of the year.

Gulf of Mexico King Mackerel

Speed Demons like this make smoking hot drags!

King Mackerel also come in close to shore and are a serious test of your tackle and fish fighting skills. A lone 30-lb king mack like this one can take 175yds of line off the spool in about 10-seconds flat.

During November, the redfish continue to haunt the flats, while the speckled trout are lurking around the edges keenly out of sight. Bird variety and populations begin to explode in the marshes, flats, and along every 50 yard stretch of mangroves. Spoonbills are a treat to sight with their pink colored plumage and odd head/neck behavior when feeding. They are truly marvelous animals! Seagulls and terns take flight all along the beaches and fight every morning for their next meal. When times are tough the terns will even sit on the backs of the pelicans immediately after the pelican dive-bomb some bait and the tern will pick scraps from the pelicans beak as it drains the bucket-loads of seawater from its pouch filtering the bait fish it had caught.

mangrove cays

Mangrove cays such as these are excellent fish attractors

Load of mullet in all sizes keep the water shaken but not stirred unless a over slot red fish cruises nearby. Nervous water appears on every turn in the shoreline, and with the multitude of mangrove islands the next trophy red could be ahead. Top water flies are good game this time of year and can produce some exciting takes from redfish on the flats.

Mangrove snapper are also plentiful and can fill up a 5-gallon bucket quickly with small pieces of shrimp dangled around the rocks. Or you could simply tie on a small clouser and nymph-fish it around the rocks as well although you don’t need boobers. Sometimes anglers get lucky and bag a nice Gag Grouper from the rocks.

grouper from the rocks

Nice Gag Grouper from the rocks at Port Aransas

For now it seems the variety of species is dwindling but the redfish, trout, and flounder are still abundant and should hold average population levels to keep fisherman busy throughout the winter down here in South Texas. There are always rumors of snook lurking and can be a tough challenge on fly given their rare but confirmed presence in the coastal waters of the Laguna Madre.

The one secret I can really tell you is you gotta go (fishing) to know (fishing).

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
 
Spotted some redfish

Popular redfish hang-out