Tag Archives: fly fishing

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

Spring Rains & The Big 3 That Got Away

charlie_redfish_copyright

Bright and sunny this fish was right where we thought she would be!

Mike-redfish-running-copyright

Hooked up to a redfish on fly and West Coast Mike hangin on!

Summer Availability:  Last summer the winds died out July 1st and the bay went flat as glass and you could see tails to the horizon. And so it begins, we switch to super small patterns with short stealthy casts to target tailing redfish. Multiple fish days exist in July and August and the tailing redfish action is red hot just like the sunshine! Give me a call now to reserve your spot on the bow of the boat! Capt Ken 361-500-2552

 

Spring Report:  This year has been incredible including last winter. Many fish on the flats and then up super shallow early. There were some very nice sized ones to boot. All the rains we have been getting this year (seems they really started way back in January) are producing some great fly fishing action. In between the cloudy and windy days are bursts of sunshine, usually with a T-head looming somewhere on the horizon. The fishing under overcast skies and stiff breezes is also decent and 2 recent clients, both named Mike, hooked fish that got the best of them. West Coast Mike stuck out 3 days of grueling winds and while we had trouble finding good numbers of fish the first day he just wouldn’t quit. On the first day we got well adjusted and felt a tight team had been formed between angler and guide. Calling the shots from the platform is no easy task, especially for the angler when truckloads of mullets to 3 lbs are rampaging the flats scarfing up the freshly grown green algae and grasses. Day two with W Coaster Mike was a bit more mellow and the twitches began to subside, partially from casting fatigue, and also from getting a good grade on Day 1. One shot is all we got on each school of reds that we found. If they spooked the school would split and then scatter. Then we found a huge tailer along a reef with its broad fat tail flopping size to side as the fish was cruising up onto the top of the reef with the extremely high tides.

WC Mike redfish

Sweet Serenity in rough conditions!

Mike made the perfect cast and when the fish ate I felt the boat jump as West Coast Mike drove the permeable Tiemco hook deep into the fish’s tough maw. But that fish was smart, and got down in dirty and cut-off Mike on the oysters. A quick retie of the trusted chartreuse mullet fly and wouldn’t you know on the other side of the reef was another big fish with its tail up and getting busy! Mike hooked up to this fish too but with the powerful hookset the fish shook its massive head violently and parted the 15-lb tippet. Back to back, and all in two casts.

Mike Flounder

Bonus Species, mark that one off the bucket list!

Dean with a redfish

“Sight casting” can be done in cloudy weather too! Its just a little harder!

Not long after Mike nails a respectable southern flounder out of a pothole then later took a shot at a bull-rushing redfish and intercepted the fish with a well placed 70′ cast at which point it nailed the fly and ran upwind!

This one we landed and the sense of accomplishment and pride was almost overwhelming us both!

And so on for several more days we find a few fish that eat, but any mistakes are taken advantage of by the fish. East Coast Mike will attest to that, his only goal was to catch 1 fish but that make for a tough order sometimes!

All in all it was a thrill fishing with both of these fellas and while the sunshine is unpredictable and is good for sight fishing, fly fishing under less than gorgeous conditions can also be fun and rewarding!

 

 

Changes in the Seasons

redfish, fly fishing, texas, coast, flats, guide

Come to Poppa!

Old Man Winter threw us a fastball this year and it delivered several North Blows that have lasted 4-6 days long. I normally prefer a more moderate change in seasons but each year is different. This year our weather patterns have shifted to prevailing northerlies a little early and when there is a battle between frontal systems (warm vs. cold) the nice weather only gets to hang around one day maybe two. On each flip between systems, we are getting some very nice blue bird days with light winds allowing us to stalk some red in the shallows.

With the north winds prevailing the schools of redfish that were way up on the flats that I was seeing in the last month have moved into deeper holes near the edges of the flats. Up in the shallows we are still seeing lots of single redfish laid up or cruising for some shrimp, and it has been fun to watch the single fish cruising around and suddenly run into another fish making a pair.

redfish, fly fishing, port aransas, guide, texas, coast

Chris nailed this one right at the boat!

This past weekend was fun with returning angler Chris, who is quickly becoming a sharp saltwater fly fisherman. Chris has done very well taking shot after shot at these reds and has been rewarded with some very nice fish. He is beginning to understand well the challenges of sight casting to redfish in crystal clear water. Learning how to look into the grass underwater and find that redfish that is hiding so well lying motionless hovering only half an inch over the top of the grass. Their colors shimmering in the light, each scale sends out hues of gold, copper, amber, and bronze to make it blend into their surroundings. These fish are definitely very colorful this time of year. When the winds have been low and the skies clear, sight casting opportunities exist in good numbers and following the lines on the flats will help you locate fish to which you can sight cast.

redfishing, catch, release, fly fishing, texas, gulf, coast, guide

Let’em Go Dammit!

Move slow so as to not spook the fish in the distance and move even slower to give yourself more time to methodically scan a short radius around you in search of that glimmering tail passing by. For those times when the wind has kicked up a slight chop on the flat, try putting the sun and wind to your back and look through the backsides of the waves to get a clear view of what is lurking below the surface.

As we move into the winter fishing patterns, not all winter hotspots are holding fish yet. Alot of fish are staging between their summer/fall haunts slowly making their way to deep water flats and troughs where dragging the bottom with big ugly flies produces consistent fishing of quality sized reds. These redfish schools will surely grow larger in the coming weeks and in a month or two the giant black drum will also begin to appear offering multiple sight casting opportunities each day.

redfish, fly fishing, texas, gulf, coast, guideKeep the hooks sharp!
Captain Ken Jones 361-500-2552

Redfish Schooling

This time of year a well rounded fly angler can find themselves in quite the predicament. To fish inside the bay or to hit the beaches or jetties? That is the question.

The question for you now is what “fly fishing goal” do you want to accomplish today? You pretty much cant go wrong with either decision. You have to go to know. Fishing is still fishing and sometimes its hot, sometimes not. But our imaginations of that hot bite happens all the time, even while we are fishing and we usually think it is just over there, only 10ft further than your maximum cast or on that jetty, not this one. And that is another reason why we fly fish. To be in such a happy place that we feel like we are living our dreams. And in a reality of sorts, we are living our dreams every time we go fishing.

redfish, slot limit, fly fishing, port aransas, guide, corpus christi

Nice redfish just over slot

On the super skinny crystal clear grass flats you can stalk upper slot redfish and have quite a few legit shots at over slot redfish. It can be tense and intimidating for anyone.

Rest assured this time of year it is very likely that you will get many more shots at redfish throughout the day and that is what makes it so much fun. Observing the fish behavior in the clear waters of Port Aransas makes fly fishing for redfish here such a visually stimulating activity. It is thriller to be able to see every last detail of the fish’s scales and every blade of grass hanging from your fly just when that big ‘ole redfish snubs his nose at your fly. To see the fish turn on your fly, or casually glide up to your fly seeming to inspect every last hair for imperfections and then if you do everything right, the Redfish EATS!

sea grass, redfish, fly, fishing, port aransas, corpus christi

Thick grass beds are the perfect hunting grounds for fall redfish

Light tippets are most important this time of the year, and a tapered leader is very useful to avoid the floating widgeon grass. Weedless is a misnomer too, the word simply means “less” grass on the fly, it certainly doesn’t mean “grass proof”! This is why getting locked and loaded and staying on point scanning the water while ready to cast to a fish once spotted is the way to go. Keep 10′ of fly line out past the rod tip and hold the fly by the tail in your free hand. Keep the rod low but pointing away from the direction you are fishing so not to spook a fish before you get a chance to see it when a 10 second burst of sunlight illuminates the flat for you briefly. And when the sunlight bursts through the clouds that is when you need to search frantically for your fish. Take that opportunity to locate a fish nearby if you are not chasing one down already.

While scanning for laid up or cruising fish try and you think you see what might be a redfish wait to cast until you can get a positive identification so not to make a cast to a horse mullet and risk the chance of spooking a redfish nearby. Stay vigilant in keeping an eye on the distance as well, Schools of tailing redfish can often be seen a ways away.

redfish, fly fishing, port aransas, texas, coast, guide

Tails UP!

Lately the redfish schools have been pushing the 30″ mark with the bigger fish tailing and smaller fish working the edges of the school. Be careful of your cast though because on the outside edges of the tailing school there are other redfish that are not tailing. Make your first cast to a school of redfish 5-10 feet from the edge. Its almost a guarantee that one will peel off from the pack to nail your fly. And if one doesn’t, you haven’t spooked the school with your line and you can make another cast to get a little closer.

So get out on the water. Don’t be discouraged by rain. Our weather patterns change faster than the forecasts can be updated and sometimes it doesn’t hurt to have a little cloud cover or wind chop on the water. Those things can help conceal your presence on the flat and can also give the fish some added security.

redfish, fall, season, fly fishing, port aransas, corpus christi

Fall Colors

There are secret ways of spotting a redfish on the flat that is also full of big mullet. Learn to distinguish between the disturbances on the surface that a mullet make and the disturbances that redfish make.

Move along the flat slower than cold molasses and it will help you learn these things and ultimately help you locate more redfish. Remember to read the water  and move into position to take the shot and you will be rewarded with a nice fish.

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

South Jetty Fishing is Red Hot

FISH ON! FISH OFF!!!

Despite the howling winds and punishing 3-4′ seas crashing into the jetties, the chance to do battle with a chrome magnum torpedo wielding a head full of the sharpest serrated razor-like teeth imaginable is a real possibility right now.

 

The king mackerel is a fearless flesh shredder and will slice most any lines. Stories of sea turtles getting cut in half in one swipe can be heard on a distant rock out there. Normally I fish a 30-lb leader with a 1ft section of 50-lb bite tippet but with so many king mackerel around I’ve switched to 100-lb mono for the time being. It works pretty well as bite tippet but the kings can be so fierce that they will even slice 100-lb leader more easily than you can imagine. Just recently I went 0 for 6 on big kings, 2 of them pulled the hook and the other 4? well… they got the best of me for not using wire. There was one 41-incher though the day before that didn’t get away. My retrieve method at the moment it hit may have played a role in hooking the fish in the corner of the mouth. Certainly the best spot to help keep your line free of those gnarly teeth.

kingfish, mackerel, fly ishing, eye

Eye of King Mackerel

To be a successful jetty fly guy or gal, one must be sure to put in their T.O.W. (time on the water). You might even get to see a sneaky tarpon roll behind a wave eyeballing you like it is devising some sinister plan to torture you for chasing them. I’ve come to believe that the tarpon roll above the surface of the water to tease the angler, setting forth the churning and burning of every ounce of ambition. For some it instantly becomes priority. And while you continue to fling hundreds of fly patterns over time at these torturous fish over thousands of casts, you body will instantly cringe at the sight of a tarpon. Every time.

Then, in excitement, the grunting, moaning, and pleading usually follow along with the flailing away in a desperate attempt to place the fly where it needs to be. We fumble with the line trying impart the perfect action to the fly during the one handed and two handed retrieves and hoping that the bejeweled tarpon cannot resist. But many times, something catastrophic happens to reduce your odds and increase the shakes. The fish strikes while trying to get a grip on the line or the hit is so hard and fast that we simply cannot close our hands around the line fast enough to bury the hook. Or, just as you shoot line at the end of your cast, a beautifully complex knot forms in the running line and your cast falls short of a school of bait getting rampaged by an assortment of gamefish.

Don’t worry though! Just recover your line and make another cast! These are the laws of fly fishing; some casts dont make the cut, nonetheless, fish it anyway and try & try again. Never give up the endless pursuit of a fly fishing goal. These failing moments are bound to happen to everyone and usually right alongside the moments of success when you hook up and the fish clears your line without your help. It is always good to have a fishing partner to help you land the fish too and cheer for you when you hook up.

king mackerel, fly fishing, texas, coast, jetty, port aransas, corpus christi

This one measured 41 inches, 2nd to hand this year.

AND, if you want to learn how to cast a fly rod well, spend every possible waking moment casting a flyrod. Technique and form will always need improvement but by spending 30 minutes a day just practice casting, it will quickly build the muscle stamina and muscle memory necessary to cast well from the jetty or anywhere else for that matter. On the water, in the field, at the city pond and on your lunch break at work in the grass, take 15 minutes to string up your rod and reel and let a few casts fly. You can tie a piece of yarn on the end of your leader to act as the fly and is important to have on your line for it to cast properly. Last but not least, never cast a fly line over pavement, gravel or bare dirt. Do it once and you will clearly see the damage these surfaces can do to your fly line. And then, you might as well have lost it in the rocks to a big jack crevalle or some other creature!

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

Good Times Fly Fishing

Tomjo at 2 months!

Tomjo at 2 months!

Things have been shakin and bakin ’round the Jones’ house lately and especially with the addition of our newborn son, Thomas. He is already growing so fast this little man will be double-haulin a fly soon enough. Sarah and I could not be more excited to have him in our lives! With all that has been going on around the domicile, I haven’t gotten out on the water much at all except for a short hour here and there and in between diaper changes and all the jazz that comes with that! Just like now, putting this blog together at 11:52pm… Thankfully the boy went to sleep!

fly fishing, trout, texas, coast, guide, port aransas

‘Ole Clouser getting it done on a 22inch sea trout

Two day ago when I arrived at a favorite Port Aransas spot that usually produces a nice table fish (such as grouper, trout or flounder), the water looked great but when I checked off in the distance I couldn’t help but notice a large tanker ship bearing down on the inlet getting ready to head into Corpus Christi Bay to do its dirty deeds. I thought to myself, well, there goes the fishing, and sure enough, as the ship passed the water muddied up nicely against the rocks. But I persisted, and methodically worked the fly from up current letting it swing to and fro… Finally I got the bite I had hoped for, and without even knowing what kind of fish had hit the fly, a large smile crossed my face as if I hadn’t caught any fish in a long time. Then something large appeared under my fish as it came to the surface, instantly thinking to myself, SHARK! But then, a 30-lb jack crevalle came busting out of the water hot on the tail of my trout, and I had to take evasive maneuvers to keep the fish from eating my catch! Definitely a fun experience to observe, but I told Mr. Jack “Not this time!” and quickly plucked my catch from its reach.

There are some dates open in September for sight-casting to redfish on the flats and I expect to see some big bull reds there too. I also have a few days available in October for Prime-time tarpon fishing. Give me a call directly asap to get on the books and make sure to leave a message if I don’t answer! The phone stays on vibrate most of the day to keep from waking the family!

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

 

 

 

Redfish going strong in Port Aransas

red, fish, port aransas, guide, saltwater

Bowed-up redfish

Got out yesterday for a quick 1 hour reconnaissance trip, and with the ulterior motive of setting a couple crab traps to soak… So after the dirty deeds of baiting the traps was complete I picked up my 8wt paired with my new Hatch 5+ Finatic for a chance to break it in for the first time. Turning the tiller to the nearest flat where i could get a good 30 minute drift along a narrow portion within minutes I was setup to drift across the flat and sure enough, there the redfish were. Cruising against the wind in only 7inches of water the redfish were going across or heading straight at me and I took a few shots at them and got one to eat almost right away. The casts where i didn’t get a bite were the ones where the fly landed too far away from the fish. One very large spotted trout even cruised into casting range but my fly landed right on its shoulders and what did it do? Exactly what most anyone would do if you dropped a bug on their shoulders… SPOOK!  And that’s just why I keep coming back for more! Getting multiple chances to place the fly in the “perfect zone” and the continuous opportunities to make it happen all over again is why!

Feel free to give me a call to book your next chance at some skinny water redfish!

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

Ken Jones

Hot Tailing Reds on the Fly

fly fishing, redfish, texas, gulf, coast

Waiting for the fish to come to us… Staying on point with fly in hand.

Well it seems like we have been waiting all year for it to happen and I am happy to say that the last few weeks has been HOT for redfish on the fly on the flats near Port Aransas. While the fishing was good earlier in the year, the colder than normal winter kept the fish from moving up super skinny for quiet a bit longer than we all hoped for. And while there were decent numbers of redfish on the flats in May and June, they just were not in the mood to put their tails up. Now it’s just head down and ass up for them all and I am finding excellent numbers of redfish in every direction and there are several times a day when we encounter schools of 5-10 tailers in 6-8inches of water. This allows for plenty of shots at fish and as long as you can place the fly gently within 1 foot of the fish’s business end (the mouth) they are willing to eat and will blow a hole in the water when hooked taking you to the backing in short order. Additionally there are still some big broom-tailed redfish that I am seeing each time I got out, Its only a matter of time before one of those tails pops up within a decent distance and someone will get to take their shot at a 30+ inch bull red.

On short notice Dylan came down from Austin for a quickie this past weekend and even though the boat ramp was busy we only shared the huge flat with one other skiff. Dylan was able to take tons of shots at cruising and tailing fish and the times that he got the fly right where it needed to be, it got eaten.

redfish, port aransas, guide, fly fishing

Patience and Persistence brought this fine redfish to hand

If you are planning to come down to fly fish for these redfish in this super skinny water I strongly suggest spending some time in the yard doing some target practice at distances between 30-50feet. Tie a piece of yarn on the end of the tippet and take 4 or 5 paper plates out onto the lawn and spread them out at various angles and distances. Then stand back and take shots at each plate without rocking your body and making a few false casts as possible. Placing the plates at random distances and staggering them off to one side and the other will hone your targeting skills as you hit each plate and instantly move onto the next target. Keeping your false casts to a minimum is important because a single false cast in the air over the top of a redfish will most certainly spook the fish from the noise the line makes as it travels through the air. Spend 15-30 minutes a day casting at these paper plates and with a little time on the lawn you will find your targeting skills will become more accurate and each cast will have a better chance at getting an eat from the fish.

I have only a few days available left in July for guided trips. Give me a call ASAP to get in on this action with a fly rod!

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

Redfish Numbers on the Rise

“Look there! 12 O’clock, 200 yds!” What’s that? Oh man! Its a coyote!” We watched in amazement as a coyote seemed to be swimming towards a short oyster reef, which was on the edge of the middle of nowhere… He must has swum quite a long distance to reach that reef. The squawking shorebirds of several varieties protested the coyote while coming ashore but it seemed unfazed by their annoying calls and cries intent on reaching drier land.  How cool it is to be on the flats and observe wildlife roaming free, unhindered, and most of the time… uninterrupted? Pretty damned cool if you ask me.

The last few days was great for fishing the flats and with persistence and a sharp eye there were plenty of fun shots at slot-sized redfish. A 36 inch redfish graced us with its presence on Tuesday and young angler Cole from Ft. Worth took quite a few heroic shots at that bull red but it showed no interest in the fly we had been using to sight fish the pocket water. On top of that we tracked along with that fish only 15 feet off the port side  for a few minutes and Cole didn’t flinch and stayed cool the whole time!

redfish, fly fishing, charters, port aransas, texas, gulf, guide, flats

nice under slot size redfish specimen safely released

As the week progressed the skies and winds improved and for the last couple days the small and scattered clouds eased over us, sending shadows over the flat but the clouds would pass by after only 30 seconds and the sunshine would illuminate the flat again well enough to see good numbers of fish over the course of the day. Matter of fact, my guest today landed his first keeper redfish of the day within 15 minutes of working the flat with me on the platform… On a popper too no less. Then the second fish came on a shrimp/crab hybrid fly and it too was also a nice slot fish. The third fish was big enough to be in the upper end of the slot but popped off when some tippets go tight and possibly brush against an oyster shell.

Here is a shot of a wild sea creature we encountered today. Who can guess the species?

DSCN3131 copyright-sea-cucumberThe fish are filing onto the flats when the tides allow, and each day it seems like more and more redfish are slipping up out of the deeper waters and even holding on the flat longer as the tides fall. The sea grasses are looking nice, plush and green now too. Quite possibly it is this weekend’s full moon that is turning on the fish. It has certainly caused an interesting tide cycle this past week. Nonetheless, as I sit here and type this tall tail I ask if you would imagine a pair of tailing upper slot redfish in 8inches of water. And while at least the thought wont escape me, I am debating within myself whether or not I should hunt for tarpon tomorrow morning 4am to sunrise… Sounds crazy I know… But that is just how I like it.

I’ve got a few dates left in June for flats charters and a few dates towards the end of July. Weekdays are highly recommended. Call for details. 361-500-2552

Also here is a short clip I took a while back with notable Outdoor Writer, Phil Shook, of some cool dolphin laying down tricks in the wake of a tanker ship at Charlies Pasture.

-Keeping the hooks sharp, Capt Ken Jones

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.