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 Port Aransas
#7544073
05/18/12 02:00 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640
crappie-mark
OP
TFF Guru
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OP
TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640 |
Ok fellas, got a date with Port A the 25th-31st! Wanting to get into some reds and specks. Where can i find them and what bait to use? I don't have too much experience with saltwater fishing. We are thinking about renting some kayaks during the week. Also going to take a deep sea party charter one of the days. Any help would be much appreciated!
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: crappie-mark]
#7544143
05/18/12 02:18 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,871
Bullet20XrD
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,871 |
For reds and specks, get you some Gulp! Shrimp 3" in New Penny, Get a weighted screw-lock 3/0 or 4/0 hook and texpose the hook in the shrimp. If you rent a kayak, any of the flats behind St Joe, Lydia Ann, Hog Island can produce lots of fish.
If you like topwater, try throwing a skitterwalk in the baby trout color over flats from 1-4 feet of water.
Main thing is to find sandy holes in the grass, and look for birds and nervous bait. Try to fish around inlets dumping water from flats into the main bays or channels during tide changes, especially outgoing.
Bass Assassins worked on a 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, or 1/4 oz Norton screwlock jighead can be really good for trout too. Calcaseui Brew and Pumpkin/Chart are good. Use as light a jig-head as you can get away with.
The light-house lakes can be good too if you are in a kayak. They'll hold lots of redfish.
Hope that helps.
Last edited by Bullet20XrD; 05/18/12 02:20 PM.
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: crappie-mark]
#7544168
05/18/12 02:24 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640
crappie-mark
OP
TFF Guru
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OP
TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640 |
hey bullet, if you could take a satellite image of those areas and post them for me that would be awesome. i don't have a clue where all those places are except for St. Joe island. if not its cool, i will figure it out. thanks a lot though!
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: crappie-mark]
#7544245
05/18/12 02:42 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,343
LandPirate
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,343 |
Hey CM, get a Hook & Line map at Port A Outfitters or other bait/tackle stand down there. All of those spots are well marked on most good maps.
With that said, St. Jo, Mud Island, Lydia Ann Channel are all across the CC Ship Channel from Port A. There are very strong currents, winds and rough conditions at times, depending on tides. That's also the confluence of all the major shipping/boating channels for the area. The Aransas Pass Shrimper Channel, Lydia Ann, CC Ship Channel and the pass (through the jetties), to the open Gulf. Lots of boat, barge and ship traffic. I'd be hesitant to cross that body of water in a 'yak.
There are lots of good calm waters with easy access from Wilson's Cut to Shamrock Island and Shamrock Cove and East Flats. Wilson's Cut is on the backside of island, opposite Mustang Island State Park, south of Port A.
There's lots of access points and great fishing off of the causeway between Port A and Aransas Pass. Lighthouse Lakes Kayak Trails is great for 'yaks. Hog Island is to the north of the causeway, just over the tall bridge, out of Aransas Pass. Any of those spoils islands to the north or south of the causeway are good fishing and easily accessible by 'yak.
Get out there early, before sun up. Throw topwaters in 1-4' of water early. Then switch to soft plastics, live bait, popping corks, free lined, carolina rigged baits.
Mike
Buda/Port Aransas, TX
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: crappie-mark]
#7544407
05/18/12 03:08 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 153
Aggeek
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 153 |
Lighthouse lakes is nice, but it can be kind of a pain to get there if the conditions aren't perfect. Especially because you have to paddle across that deep water channel which has many other types of boat traffic, and the currents can be a challenge for an inexperienced paddler. If you are new to saltwater fishing, and want to rent some kayaks, I would say try mustang island paddling trail first. It's just as close to port A, if not closer, the launch points are more convenient, i.e. Wilson's cut, and you can take out where you put in. The fishing at shamrock cove is excellent, and I think there is better shelter from the wind. Here is a chart of the mustang island paddling trail. if you google it, I believe you can find all the coords for the trail markers. Mustang Island paddling trail http://www.stxmaps.com/go/img/must-trl.pdf
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: crappie-mark]
#7544410
05/18/12 03:09 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640
crappie-mark
OP
TFF Guru
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OP
TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640 |
i've fished Wilson's Cut a few times. nice area to wade and should be good for kayaks too.
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: LandPirate]
#7545281
05/18/12 05:57 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,871
Bullet20XrD
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,871 |
Hey CM, get a Hook & Line map at Port A Outfitters or other bait/tackle stand down there. All of those spots are well marked on most good maps.
With that said, St. Jo, Mud Island, Lydia Ann Channel are all across the CC Ship Channel from Port A. There are very strong currents, winds and rough conditions at times, depending on tides. That's also the confluence of all the major shipping/boating channels for the area. The Aransas Pass Shrimper Channel, Lydia Ann, CC Ship Channel and the pass (through the jetties), to the open Gulf. Lots of boat, barge and ship traffic. I'd be hesitant to cross that body of water in a 'yak.
There are lots of good calm waters with easy access from Wilson's Cut to Shamrock Island and Shamrock Cove and East Flats. Wilson's Cut is on the backside of island, opposite Mustang Island State Park, south of Port A.
There's lots of access points and great fishing off of the causeway between Port A and Aransas Pass. Lighthouse Lakes Kayak Trails is great for 'yaks. Hog Island is to the north of the causeway, just over the tall bridge, out of Aransas Pass. Any of those spoils islands to the north or south of the causeway are good fishing and easily accessible by 'yak.
Get out there early, before sun up. Throw topwaters in 1-4' of water early. Then switch to soft plastics, live bait, popping corks, free lined, carolina rigged baits. That's a good point Mike. Crossing those waters in a kayak can be dangerous for sure if you are inexperienced in a kayak. They also rent johnboats, which a a little more seaworthy and will allow you to access the waters behind St.Joe for wadefishing. I prefer to wadefish rather than fish out of a kayak anyway. I would think it would be fairly safe crossing from Fin and Feather to Hog island, which would open up all kinds of fishable water. Shamrock has some really good water, but its such a long way to the holes I fish on that side of the bay, I usually go there in a boat and wade. Really there's a ton of good water down there, and I've found some of my most productive spots just exploring and fishing. The Gulp! will assist in making sure if there are any fish around that they will bite... that stuff is amazing on reds.
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: crappie-mark]
#7547800
05/19/12 02:42 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640
crappie-mark
OP
TFF Guru
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OP
TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 12,640 |
Ok went to bps and bought:
50 lb EconoScale
Gulp Alive New Penny Shrimp
Gulp 4" Mullet in Chartreuse and Pumpkinseed
Norton Lock 1/16 & 1/4 shad heads
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Re: Port Aransas
[Re: crappie-mark]
#7548671
05/19/12 09:47 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,871
Bullet20XrD
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,871 |
You should be good to go. Those screwlocks will save alot of money on baits. Most times, I can catch 8-10 fish on a single Gulp shrimp.
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