I have spent over 15 years offering a comprehensive, non-commercial guide to Montana fishing. (www.glaciertoyellowstone.com) Now I am hoping someone will help me. I hope to drive down to Corpus Christy in a camper pulling a small 13' river pram with small outboard. My target month is March. I can not afford guides, and I will be on the cheap. Where along the South Texas coastline could I find protected waters for a small drift boat that needs 10" of water with oars and two feet with motor? I know it is a lot to ask, but I am hoping someone will email me at archdave @ gmail .com.
I am not after trophy fish nor any risk taking. I am 67 and have bad shoulders. I would like to target redfish and sea trout. Here are some general questions. I plan on a full two or three weeks.
1. Could you recommend a guide book.
2. I am looking for short distances to motor to with the idea that I will probably be fishing an area with more fishing pressure and smaller fish. This is ok.
3. I understand the flats are impacted by tides, so to avoid problems, what type of water should I be looking for with such a small boat?
4. Does anyone know of a State Park where I could camp and launch?
5. Finally, I hope to fish for freshwater bass as well.
I know it is a lot to ask, but even answering one question will help me out. I am excited!

Hooksetter map
Estes Flats at Rockport
Back Bay areas at Aransas Pass
Back lakes and bays.
No parks but public ramps
Go to choke canyon.

Unless your trailer is aluminum or galvanized I wouldn't dunk it in the salt. Your boat's electrical connections will suffer corrosion unless they're sealed. Even if they are sealed they'll still corrode. The problem with saltwater is that it's saltwater.

Now, to address your questions. Lake Corpus Christi has a state park, as does Choke Canyon.

On the coast there's Goose Island State Park. It's on the protected bay so would be fine to launch you small boat. Just avoid the open waters of the bay.

Mustand Island State Park is on the outer barrier island. You can launch into the bay at a number of locations nearby.

There are gobs of private RV parks in the area. Some on the island and some on the mainland but close to the bay. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a decent RV park that time of year. Many of the snowbirds will have pulled out to go home and the summer crowds haven't arrived yet.

Spring Break is usually in March in Texas and the beaches of Port Aransas and South Padre Island are party destinations for college and high school kids.

The worst part about March is the winds. There is always strong on-shore wind flow that time of year. So finding protected coves and areas behind spoil islands that hold fish will be the ticket.

As mentioned earlier, get a Hooksetter Map, or something similar at a local baitshop. If temps are cool (below 50) then target fish deeper (3-6ft). Once the sun comes out and warms the flats then you can try shallow (1-3ft).

Fresh bait is key. An assortment of soft plastics, gold and silver Johnson Sprite spoons, Redfish Magic spinnerbaits, topwaters (Rapala Skitterwalk and Mirro-Lures) will work well. You don't need steel leaders for trout and reds.

Thank you so much for the info. What a cool looking boat! What type of conversion was made to the engine regarding the water intake? I have never seen such a design. What a fishing machine!

Mike, thank you for the detailed information. Yeah, my trailer is steel, and I would never have thought of electrical connections. I knew the engine has to be flushed. I am sorry that I misspelled Corpus Christi. Going to the Texas coast has been a pipe dream for some time. Then we refinanced our home and they dropped the February house payment. I told my wife that would pay for one-way fuel costs. To my surprise she said let's go! Wow! I have been scrambling trying to figure out where to go. I have an 18' skiff with a four-stroke 90, but I am too intimidated taking the bigger boat down into shallow waters. Thanks again for the detailed information.

Scooters are designed for a couple of tasks. No sides give two benifits, much easier getting your fat bu** on and off for a wade, and much lower profile when drifting so you don't look like an empty sack of potato chips across the bay.

Mine is a jet, so it's capable of running in really *REALLY* shallow water, and more important, getting back out. My hull weighs in at 310 lbs, which means even when it's slid up on a mud bank, you can push it off fairly easy. Bottom line, the ability to sneak around into water the prop guys can't get to, and being able to put your dad on over slot reds in 11" of water is pretty cool.

Dave-- I will be in Aransas Pass Feb-Apr chasin reds and trout on the fly. Been doin this for 3 yrs from Colo. and hit both sides of 361+ copanobay and st charles bay. Last year I landed 11 trout over 25" with the PB at 28.5" all on the fly. The reds are tougher in the winter but doable. I have a 12' portaboat with a 6hp and have had no problems gettin to whereever. If you would like to hook-up a day or 2 let me know. I'll always check the site.

Tightlines Dave

Hello and welcome to the forum, Mr. Archer. It's already been said, but if you're coming "on the cheap" as you put it, I would definitely recommend Goose Island State Park for close access to salt water and Choke Canyon for TX sized black bass. You'll want to book both places ASAP. I'll be at either (if not both) over spring break (3/10-18). I know close to nothing about salt water fishing, but if our paths cross at Choke, I'd be happy to show you a few places. Good luck and welcome to Texas and the TFF.

Flydoc, I am intrigued that you use a Portaboat. You just answered a second post where I asked if I should bring my small pram or my 18' skiff. If this trip comes to fruition, I'll post a message to you so that I could phone you for information or perhaps join you. I could follow you in my pram. I can no longer double-haul due to three failed shoulder surgeries, but I can still get out a 45 foot cast on an 8-weight. I generally switch back and forth with a bait casting reel when the pain level rises. At 67 I feel that I need to get in some exotic fishing as soon as possible. If you plan on fishing western Montana, be sure to get in touch with me.
Dave Archer

(evolution 44) Thank you for the names of the state parks, and yes I am a bass angler as well as a trout angler on the fly. How exciting about going to an area that one can fish for salt water species as well as black bass!
Dave Archer

If your going to be here a month, it would be much cheaper to stay at a rv park. State Parks are $25-30 a day with no breaks whereas Redfish Bay RV resort is $250 a month which includes cable and wi-fi and is also close to the ramps which are free. No matter which way the wind blows, there is always a area to hunker down and fish. Your drift boat should do ya fine. Someday I will fish Montana but Yellowstone is as far north I've been. We also got pretty good trouts in Colo. I'm in Fl .right now but Texas has the better fishin. Come on down

Google this map...


Port Bay Road, Rockport, TX

Thanks again. I never even thought of a monthly rate. I tend to shy away from paying anything when I am on the back roads of Montana with just my dog. But I want my wife to be comfortable and have fun, and in a camper that isn't always easy. Yes, it would be nice having cable. Good suggestion. Just this evening she asked when are we hitting the road? I promised her that I would search the Internet for quilt shops and quilt clubs for her to visit. I pulled out my Scott 8-weight. Tomorrow I'll start casting on the snow to limber up my shoulder, and I will be after Northern Pike in the Clark Fork. Should be on the road at the end of February. I am really excited.

Dave--If you decide to rough it you can camp anywhere along 361 between AP and PA next to the water for free.It does get quite sloppy if it rains and don't know how safe that would be, but another option.

We crossed the ferry to Port A a couple days ago. There were no less than 6 RVs on that old road point on Harbor Island. Nueces County is currently working on expanding the Light House Lakes project. This will limit ability to park next to the water on portions of Aransas Channel.

There are a couple rivers, Aransas and Mission that feed into Copano Bay. These both have decent landings. Not sure I would camp there tho, even if TPWD will let you. You can fish salt water near the bay, or travel upstream for fresh water fishing. I haven't seen any, but have been told by local fishermen that the Mission has gators, and the Aransas has lots of gators. A small boat is ideal for fishing these rivers.