Tag Archives: coast

Muddy Drum in Texas Fog

Texas Fog rolls in off the gulf during warm fronts in the Winter. Along the Texas Coast, muddy drum can be found in various areas when deep water meets shallow oyster beds. In winter the southerly warm fronts jockey for position with the cold Northers, the fog sets in. It can stay for a few days. not to worry though, clear water and solid cloud cover still lets us sight-fish from the skiff!

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first redfish ever
Tough to Beat, Andrews first redfish ever was so big! Congrats Colorado!

There are still dates in Jan Feb open so pick your day quickly and prepare for either blue and grey skies! The fishing in Winter is some of the best of the year!

The Texas Fog

On those foggy days when the water is chilly, redfish and black drum will float on the surface warming themselves. When they do fish are usually easily visible even though there is low light and you will get shots at your fish.

When the fog stays put all day, sight fishing can still work out well. While the water may be cool (44 degrees F in some cases) muddy drum in Texas Fog can be very productive.

Sometimes we got to use the boots to get through a stretch where the fish are lurking and these Simms boots stay in the boat 24/7 for just that reason.

texas redfish winter 2022
Top Slot belly crawler
used wading boots
on and off 6 times in one day

fishing in the fog Texas marsh
Upper Slot Port Aransas Bad Weather Redfish

The solution is simple and the trick is to not look out too far from the boat. Anglers need to only scan 10-30ft from the boat. Many Anglers are surprised when they realize they can see that upper-slot redfish or oversized black drum only 10ft away. Calm casts with minimal body movement is necessary. You will want to be able to present the fly to such a close fish without spooking it.

big ugly black drum Texas coast
Catching a giant Black drum on the fly can be your best chances in winter on the Texas Coast!

Some days the giant black drum don’t want to eat as seen in the drone videos. But on other days, the eat the fly like a champ! Do you want to hook into and hug a Big Ugly black drum? Winter-time can be the best time to have chances at big redfish and black drum!

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Fleet Week Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing fleet week was at its best recently. All other anglers were also very kind. Uncommonly we fished in the fleet as “easy” catching was too good to pass up. Several of our Guest Anglers capitalized on the action while it lasted! Many thanks to the friendly local bay guides who invited us to fish the same area. Sharing the tight space kindly brought tons of laughs for everyone.

fleet of fishing boats
Only Fly

Stroll out of the marina early morning in Port Aransas. In order to peak the anglers curiosity before joining the fleet, fabled stories of yesterday floated across new ears.

Only minutes later, Captain Kenjo eased the fly fishing skiff off plane and jumped onto the platform with manual pole power. He asked the guests of the day if they would like to try to catch the schooling redfish for some “fleet week fly fishing”. They of course respond with a definitive, “Yes”!

RL Winston Alpha+ 9wt fly rod fully bent for fly fishing fleet week
Hands on for guests John & Scott and they wore themselves out early!

The skiff slid silently into position as we flanked the fleet of 20 bay boats. Intermediate lines let us help the fly sink deep. Then only a few strips were needed to get the bite and set the hook.

We caught and released close to a dozen mid to upper slot Texas redfish. Our anglers were worn out quick! Next, we move on to another place with less boat wakes to take in the serenity of the Texas marsh before the next isolated storm pushed us off the water. You know it too though, fly fishing the Texas Gulf Coast always has its adventures!

There many ways to fish the saltwater. I was happy to see respect from the other bay guides and recreational anglers in such a situation. We are all from around Port Aransas, Rockport, Corpus, and Aransas Pass areas. Happily, everyone was sharing the space and the redfish too. Courtesy on the water certainly is the best way to go.

Despite fishing among so many boats we had tons of fun fishing the fleets for a few days. Mostly we focus on isolated areas of the San Jose, Mustang Island marshes. This time exceptions had to be made.

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Fly Fishing Guide KenjoFly with Guests on board
Another bay guide shared this photo with us

Texas Redfish Adventures

Really cool fly fishing trips have been happening on our Texas Redfish Adventures recently and George and Laura got in on several moments!

Fly Guide Capt Kenjo holds rescued redfish. Take your Texas Redfish Fly Fishing Adventures with KenjoFly!
Capt Kenjo dove into the water to untangle this Port Aransas redfish from behind the boat.

It was near end of day after catching more than a handful of wonderfully colored Texas redfish and black drum. The excitement grew again exponentially when we found the motherload! It was a school of maybe 300 redfish in 4 feet of water. All of them were in the 25 to 32 inch age class and swimming in tight formation. We maneuvered the skiff into position and began poling onto the fish with George casting strong and hooking up immediately.

The 26 inch redfish managed to get the best of George boat side when it got the line tangled in the back. The redfish had wrapped all around the trim tabs and (manual) power pole! Without hesitation, I jumped off the platform into the chest deep water. Alongside my Beavertail Strike skiff, I quickly untangled the line from the back of the skiff. Everyone was cheering for our shared success while Mrs. Laura snapped some photos.

doubled up redfish rockport texas fly fishing adventures
Even the guide gets to whack a fish every once in a while
2 upper slot redfish in the net
A really good day means two 27inch redfish in the net together

Quickly back on the poling platform I scanned surrounding water for the large school of middle to upper slots. Sure enough, there they were again. It only took a couple minutes to pole into position and George was ready. George & Laura’s Texas Redfish Adventures continued as we hooked up again on the next cast!

I wanted Laura to get to pull one of these fish in so I decided to grab a rod to hook a fish for her. But she didn’t want to fight any fish as she was having too much fun heckling George and cheering for us! So I hooked a nice fish and George and I landed them both simultaneously.

redfish in the rain
Texas red drum don’t care if it is raining and this one took a topwater gurgler with reckless abandon

NOW is the time of year to get in on some great redfish schooling action and there are several appearances each day of bull redfish as well. Book your next few Texas Redfish Adventures with Kenjo Fly and you’ll be hooked and planning your return trip before you even finish the day on the skiff!

October is a very exciting time to fly fish the middle Texas Coast. Don’t miss out on your next Texas Fly Fishing Trip! Call NOW or use the button below to see Capt Kenjo calendar of availability!

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guest angler first tailing black drum on the fly
Thumbs Up for this happy Guest Angler (Looks like I have finally worn out my Duck Camp Bamboo Lightweight Hoodie too!

October Redfish

Fall is in the air in Port Aransas Texas with the light northerly winds cooling off our waters and the October Redfish are responding well. The tides are shaping up nicely now while the redfish begin to move into the shallows in much more favorable numbers. There are still some dates available to fly fish for October Redfish! Call NOW to get on the Books with Capt Kenjo (361) 500-2552

first time redfish caught near Rockport Tx
First Redfish on the Fly

This time of year brings about so many beautiful colors in the marsh. The blue in a redfish tail comes from the blue-green algae in their diet. There are also some larger fish in the pods too and as we encounter more schooling pumpkin redfish you will want to look closely for the larger fish. The last few we spied that were top slot reds were on on the edges of the school of under slot redfish. A well placed cast for tailing red drum is still important when the fish are in pods or tailing. Using a clean and soft gentle cast will be sure to keep from spooking the tailing redfish. Rockport and Corpus Christi guests can also be accommodated easily!

Happy Fly Fishing Angler Cameron holds a Texas pumpkin redfish
Pumpkin Time!

If you are novice to fly fishing the saltwater, you can easily book a fly casting lesson. Prior to your trip book the casting lesson in order to get your cast in shape before your trip! Book your Fly Casting Lesson HERE!

Do not hesitate to book your next fly fishing trip with Kenjo Fly for October Redfish! To book your fly fishing trip simply give Capt Kenjo a call NOW. 361 500-2552. Or pick a trip through the online calendar at your convenience and book online. BUT DONT MISS OUT! This fall fly fishing season is already excellent shape and underway, making way!

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September Fly Fishing Rockport Redfish
Another pumpkin from a school of tailing red drum

Slow down and smell the fish

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Wade fishing Texas middle coast can make this drum your 4th fish in your Grand Slam (redfish, trout, flounder to round it out)

We got to slow down and smell the fish recently. This day did not disappoint. We had a lot of shots at fish like this surprisingly and we caught one each…

This big black drum was one that got the hook. It is quite a cumbersome ordeal to wrangle these big lethargic drum to hand. Oftentimes though, I too have to remind myself to slow down and smell the fish. Unfortunately these fish don’t smell like roses but the principal goes further than just enjoying the moment as the saying implies.

Wade fish the Texas Marsh to Slow down

It has its merits, and during the right time of year you could even land a grand slam of redfish, black drum, flounder, and trout on the fly or spinning tackle. Slow down and smell the fish is not all that bad of an idea if you’re a keen outdoorsman.

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Texas Coast wade fishing provides the low and slow angles needed to put flounder in hand

Certain bait species produce slicks and or oily residue on the surface of the water which can unique scents. When mullet are concentrated and being fed heavily upon, the wind will waft the odors of the mullet downwind and if you have a sharp nose, you can pickup on some of these locations. The menhaden and speckled trout are also two of the sweeter smelling odors. Some even say the trout slicks will smell like watermelon! Have you ever experienced the watermelon smells on the water?

Dates available for September, October and November!

You can book a trip now by calling Capt Kenjo direct at 361-500-2552, or shoot him a text message with your name and preferred fishing date and/or send an email ASAP…

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Fly fishing for redfish near Rockport Texas

OR… simply use the blue button below for express and convenient booking! Then don’t forget to slow down and smell the fish!

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Jacks in Town

Jack is back in town and these busters will test your angling skills. May dates are available NOW! With jacks in town, the excitement grows!

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We got a nice day out front and went on a scouting mission. Within just a few hours we had raised 3 from the deep and one managed to swipe the half-and-half fly aggressively from below the surface. Within 10 minutes later the jack crevelle succumbed to our game of tug and war.

Take note of the “down and dirty” fighting technique with the 11wt fly rod.

The extremely low rod angles fight the fish with the butt section of the rod which applies maximum pressure to these brutal jack fish. You’ve got to put the hurting on the jacks in town, or they will certainly put one on you!

Jack Trip Exceptions: when the weather is too rough to search open water comfortably, we may default to the flats and do some wade fishing for redfish and black drum. These are great backup plans for a day. Often times though even a standard redfish trip gets interrupted by these jackfish! So either way, book a trip anytime this summer and Capt Kenjo will be certain to put you on some fish. And with emphasis on the fish of your dreams! There are also chances to locate and target big bull redfish but please note that these big redfish are not males (as the name Bull implies). The large redfish are actually most likely females as the male red drum do not grow as big.

Adults redfish mature by 3 – 5 years of age; approximate length at maturity: males – 28 inches, females – 33 inches. Red Drum can also grow to incredible sizes. At least historically they have. The largest redfish ever recorded was caught in the waters around Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. That redfish weighed an amazing 94 pounds and 2 ounces.

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Deep Sea Smiles

Whether the Weather

The weather forecast looks amazing! Come on down and get in on the prime winter days before they elapse! Call Capt Kenjo NOW to get on board.

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Guest Photo: A Texas red drum glistens in the backlit winter sunshine

Whether the weather, or not, winter-time is some of the best sight-fishing of the year.

Once the skies go bluebird after a cold front passes through, high pressures kill the wind and warm the shallow waters. Now is the time to strike! The fish wont be everywhere but usually this time of year you will find greater quantities of fish in an area and often times, greater quality of redfish as well.

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Focus on niche areas in these seasons as extreme weather ebbs and floods and learn why fish are where they are when they are there.

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Best fishing trip of the year? Yes, we got it done in 40 mph gusting winds and caught a lot of quality redfish, on foot.

All the different bottom types such as sand, grass beds, bars, mud, shell, back waters, and main shorelines all have potential to have fish at different times. The tide levels and weather patterns all dictate how and where we find the fish. It can be a slow feed on the fish’s part because when they are cold. Just don’t make them chase the fly down too far or too fast otherwise they will turn off.

Nonetheless, a slow feed does not mean the fish are not hungry because they certainly are. Miniscule strips timed perfectly with well placed and gently laid out casts will most likely get those cold but hungry redfish to eat the fly for you. Just think, this time of year, they cannot afford to pass up a meal either. Sight fishing is exceptional on the Texas Coast during the Winter months. Go outside and look up at the sky if you are nearby. Then call me ASAP to get on flats and catch some winter time redfish! Capt Kenjo can be reached directly at 361-500-2552.

Fall Seasons on the Texas Coast

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Robert came back for a second helping and nailed quite a few redfish in Port Aransas Texas

Prime-Time is here on the Texas Coast for fly fishing redfish with the fly rod. We had a great last few weeks on the skiff in the bay and got offshore a time or two but the weather window barely cooperated out front. Good redfish drum and speckled trout catches were had in the bay and we got to tangle with tons of ladyfish and blacktip sharks out front. The tarpon evaded us on the one day we saw some. And with that, there is still much to look forward to as the fall seasons on the Texas coast transpire.

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Chris caught this 22inch speckled trout while casting to a school of tailing redfish!

The water is looking great and all of the bait species are abundant. This means that the fishing will become greater and greater and it has already been pretty exceptional the last two weeks. Looking at the forecast, the fall seasons on the Texas coast are about to get kick started into high gear! This will incite great runs of redfish, black drum, trout, and flounder. Dates for September and October are still available!

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It took Bill a few tries and had a few bull red heartaches a couple more times but we got him a big Texas Jack Crevalle offshore Port Aransas

The cooler water and air temperatures will really turn them on too. The last few weeks helped cool the water already. So get yourself on the books ASAP for fast approaching dates! Use the Book Now button to avoid delays in booking! Don’t miss this awesome run for 2021 as Fall Seasons on the Texas Coast. we’ll be sure to get you on fish so you can take your shots at some sight casted saltwater fish!

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Chef Adam got some black drum for dinner!

Dates for November 2021 are also available. Shoot me an email if you have any questions or simply use the button below! I am looking forward to taking you all fly fishing the fall season on the Texas Middle Coast!

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Connor revives another big Texas Jack Crevalle

Fly Fishing the Texas Coast

Fly Fishing the Texas Coast in September, October and November is some of the best times to fly fish the Texas Coast. We will likely see larger than average redfish cruising the fats, and in between we expect to find schools of redfish and drum too. Dates are available! Book Online Now or call Capt Kenjo direct for prime dates.

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Bobby got his redfish on the Redington Minnow Rod

Summer Summary: The summer months on the Texas Coast this year was exceptional again. In regards to the weather, well, lets just say we got wet like the fish and we hunkered down every now and then to wait out a fast moving isolated storm, or two… or three. Before I move on with the Summer Summary, my heart goes out to those in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Help them out any way you feel you can help.

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We picked two red drum out of a single school in the thunderstorm. The multi-spotted redfish was Sam’s 1st on the fly.
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We won 1st and 2nd place in the Fly Fishing Division

In and around Port Aransas, fly fishing through June and July was productive but difficult in a few ways. Low light, heavy rainfall quite amounting to 3 years work of annual rainfall caused the water to turn off the fish for a short period. There were times when the water looked like someone had mixed cranberry juice with coffee and there were also small and isolated pockets of better water. Nonetheless, we got it done and found fish every time. A short time later the water returned to normal and began producing the fish we all desired. I use Wunderground and FishWeather apps for my weather forecasts.

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The Winston Alpha Plus Super Bend! The camera played a bit of a trick while filming the fight with a 5ft blacktip shark. This is the moment in which I was in the process of “letting go” of everything! The surge of that blacktip was awesome fast!
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Working with sharks can be exciting!

Fly Fishing the Texas Coast in August was also great when some stability in the weather arrived. The fishing accelerated then and the numbers of redfish schools are growing daily. We also got offshore and chased tarpon and shark in the surf zone on the fairest of days. We managed to hook one tarpon right away and break it off immediately but later we had another 4-5 foot tarpon take a swipe at our shark fly but did not commit.

September fish activity will continue to improve and remain very consistent through November. You can find an available date by using the Book Now button, choose the type of trip you are looking for and the calendar will be displayed for you to select a date that works best for you.

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There are many more pics and stories to share so we will save those for another time. Get on the books to experience fly fishing the Texas Coast and lets ramp up the fall run early while the waters and weather is fairly quite again!

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I love sight fishing black skies!