Posted By: Neumie
Port Aransas en Fuego (2/14 - 2/15 Report) - 02/17/15 01:30 PM
Thanks to the holiday weekend I decided to make the drive back down to Rockport for a some fishing action. Saturday was shaping up to be an absolutely gorgeous day, Sunday was looking solid too, and I'll just ignore that Monday even happened. As usual I loaded my truck down Friday morning before heading to work so that I could get as quick a jump south as possible. I researched tides and weather a bit more decided I was going to launch from Island Moorings Marina for a couple reasons: 1) It being a holiday weekend I knew there would be little to no crowds; 2) the adjust flats should give me an opportunity for fly casting to reds.
I arrived at the cabin just a few minutes before midnight and had my traditional "I made it down safely" Lone Star Light while I reviewed the wind forecast, tides (I knew they were going to be low), and aerial map of where I was going to be fishing. I set my alarm for 4:30 and hit the sack around 1.
I rolled out of the cabin a little after 5 to fetch my kayak and gear from our boat storage. So far the forecasts were spot on with no winds and foggy; I was giddy. After crossing the ferry I arrived at the boat ramp at IM and noticed the tides looked suspiciously lower than I had anticipated.
I launched at 6:45 and made my way to the first flat. With tide being so low (though incoming all morning) I had only one option to access the flat. When I arrived my suspicions were confirmed and the large flat I had drifted last fall was a shell of its self. But, with an incoming tide I, soon to be sunny day (the morning fog/haze had yet to burn off), and zero wind I felt like today was going to be a fun day. More positive signs was the amount of bait activity in the entrance for the flat. I only made it a few yards up the flat before a red exposed here back to me. I was a bit rusty with the fly rod since it had been a couple years since I fly fished for reds. My 4th or 5th cast found the sweet spot and at 7:15 I landed my first slot red.
From there on with the sun out and tide creeping up the flat was on fire. The reds were absolutely hammering my pink Crazy Charlie. I ended the day with a 9 slot reds and 2 unders all on the fly. I swear my best fly fishing days have always come in February.
I was off the water a little before 11 am. What a fun day with the fly rod on a gorgeous day. It was one of those days where you had to drive with the windows down and Stevie Ray Vaughan blasting on the radio. I got back to the cabin and after cleaning fish I sat back at the picnic table, cracked open a cold one, and lit up a cigar.
Fresh redfish was certainly on the menu for dinner so I quick trip to HEB for the necessary supplies. Tonight's menu would consist of pan seared redfish served over a bed of crab meat & parmesan risotto adjoined with a spring salad; might tasty.
Desert would be a glass (or two) of rye whiskey and another cigar. By early evening I was running on fumes after less than 4 hours of sleep, so I was in bed by 8:30.
I arrived at the cabin just a few minutes before midnight and had my traditional "I made it down safely" Lone Star Light while I reviewed the wind forecast, tides (I knew they were going to be low), and aerial map of where I was going to be fishing. I set my alarm for 4:30 and hit the sack around 1.
I rolled out of the cabin a little after 5 to fetch my kayak and gear from our boat storage. So far the forecasts were spot on with no winds and foggy; I was giddy. After crossing the ferry I arrived at the boat ramp at IM and noticed the tides looked suspiciously lower than I had anticipated.
I launched at 6:45 and made my way to the first flat. With tide being so low (though incoming all morning) I had only one option to access the flat. When I arrived my suspicions were confirmed and the large flat I had drifted last fall was a shell of its self. But, with an incoming tide I, soon to be sunny day (the morning fog/haze had yet to burn off), and zero wind I felt like today was going to be a fun day. More positive signs was the amount of bait activity in the entrance for the flat. I only made it a few yards up the flat before a red exposed here back to me. I was a bit rusty with the fly rod since it had been a couple years since I fly fished for reds. My 4th or 5th cast found the sweet spot and at 7:15 I landed my first slot red.
From there on with the sun out and tide creeping up the flat was on fire. The reds were absolutely hammering my pink Crazy Charlie. I ended the day with a 9 slot reds and 2 unders all on the fly. I swear my best fly fishing days have always come in February.
I was off the water a little before 11 am. What a fun day with the fly rod on a gorgeous day. It was one of those days where you had to drive with the windows down and Stevie Ray Vaughan blasting on the radio. I got back to the cabin and after cleaning fish I sat back at the picnic table, cracked open a cold one, and lit up a cigar.
Fresh redfish was certainly on the menu for dinner so I quick trip to HEB for the necessary supplies. Tonight's menu would consist of pan seared redfish served over a bed of crab meat & parmesan risotto adjoined with a spring salad; might tasty.
Desert would be a glass (or two) of rye whiskey and another cigar. By early evening I was running on fumes after less than 4 hours of sleep, so I was in bed by 8:30.