Port Aransas

Headed down to Port Aransas June 11th for offshore Red Snapper trip. Gonna head down a couple days early from Fort Worth and try to find some interesting stuff to do. Would like to take my Outback and get into some redfish, trout, whatever else from the Kayak. will be staying at a Vacation Rental close to the fishermans wharf.

Anybody have any recommendations for places to Launch a kayak with good fishing possibilities (marsh/flats/bay) no offshore stuff. I've seen there are some paddling trails at Mustang Island and Lighthouse lakes that I could try. I have very limited experience with this type of fishing and I have zero experience with Port A. so any suggestions are appreciated. Fishing tips, restaurants, sightseeing, etc...

Thanks guys

Look up Wilsons Cut on Google maps. Good place to launch and fish that time of year. Make sure you clean your truck out and only leave items in your truck you don't mind getting stolen and leave your doors unlocked. This area is known for thieves. There's also a bunch of good areas to fish between Aransas Pass and Port A along 361. Dozens of places to pull of the road and launch a kayak. Thieves aren't as bad there but you'd have to cross the ferry to get there.

Jerry, good to know, I will make sure to leave anything I am not taking on the kayak at the vacation rental. Thanks for the suggestions sir, I will let you know If I have any luck after the trip.

Like Jerry said, Wilson's Cut, and further south almost to Padre Is. there's a church called Island in the Son. About 200 more yards and there's a turn to Wolf's View Park, which fronts Kate's Hole and other fishing marshes. Going across the ferry(which is no problem except northbound after 4 PM), you've got Lighthouse Lakes and Brown & Root Flats across the highway. Google Lighthouse Lakes map and find Neumie's map on the texaskayakfisherman forum post. On into Aransas Pass, you can turn left and go to the Aquatic Park. Even if it's howling, you can kayak fish the flats out toward the ICW. All these are visible on Google maps. Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce has a map of Aransas County's seventeen kayak launches. It's online, but I'm sure they would mail you one. Your problem isn't somewhere to fish, but picking among dozens! Catch 'em up! IslandJim

Jim, great advice and spots, thank you sir, it looks like the lighthouse lakes area is really close to the place I will be staying. I have a couple extra days so I will try to hit a few different spots. Cheers

Launched from here years ago (Palm Harbor RV park).. might check to see if they still have launch... beautiful area close to where you'll be staying just off ICW lots of grass back then, spoil islands recommended to me by local kayak guide.. fishing Estes Flats. Trout and redfish.

https://goo.gl/maps/LeK733uEHJHm3dH9A

Lconn, that looks like a nice easy access point to a lot of good fishing waters, I will check it out, Thank you for the suggestion

Palm harbor launch is still allowing kayaks to launch. Think it's like 5 bucks to launch there not a big deal. There's a lot of boat traffic to contend with over there that's the biggest down side.

I highly recommend Bakery cafe in aransas pass, it’s across from the HEB-
Pretty good home cooking type food-

Choose your parking area in such a way that it would be difficult to get your catalytic converter, as it only takes a few minutes to remove it! Or maybe there are gadgets that can block access to it?

At Wilson's Cut or at most places I know of where you would park to launch a kayak around Port A it will be pretty much impossible to do. Shoot at Wilsons Cut I had a friend once doing some wade fishing there. He was several hundred yards from his truck (but his truck was still in plain view) in knee deep water and thieves pulled up, broke his window and grabbed all they could and were gone within a minute or so. Buddy was screaming at them but the thieves knew he couldn't get to them in time.

There are lots of gadgets. Here's one I saw not too long ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfm-UnwYuJI

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the recommendations. Looking forward to getting down to the coast as its been a few years and I am ready for a break from the Metroplex for a few days.

Hopefully I wont have any issues with thieves, I don't typically keep stuff in my vehicle anyways, but it sounds like I will just leave it empty and unlocked and hope for the best. I would think it would be really hard to get to the catalytic converter on my little SUV as it has a skid plate that covers 95% of the undercarriage, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised with the lengths people will go to steal stuff.

Ray