Port Aransas or Padre info needed

Looking to spend the weekend at one of these areas shortly. I haven't fished saltwater in years and will probably just hit a few jetties..... Anyone got any reports, suggestions, or anything to help me catch some fish??

all the fishing reports i read say live shrimp and a popping cork

The jetties is a good option. Take some tackle there's lots of rocks= lots of hang ups. You can free line live croaker or pin perch or even piggy perch right now and catch trout and reds. Shrimp catches em all (even things you don't want to catch like hardheads). Cut crab also works well for reds and drum.

If you know how to read the surf and find the guts the surf can be excellent for trout right now as long as the waves aren't too high. For the surf a silver 3/4 oz spoon will work fine. Soft plastics (paddle tails) also work well. For soft plastics use minimum 1/4 oz jig head. If the current is bad you'll need 3/8 oz or even 1/2 oz.

do you use a poppin cork from the jetties?

Port Arkansas has good fishing from the bank at this time of year. You can fish the surf, jetty, and sea wall at several locations. Main species will be trout, redfish, ladyfish, hardhead catfish, and possibly jack crevalle and Spanish mackerel. You can also go out of Dolphindocks for a half day bay or close offshore trip. Gold spoons or surface lures early. Shrimp, squid, and cut bait under corks and on the bottom.

Yep... surf during the day with spoons.. fish bites on the bottom for kids. Free line live shrimp at night under pier lights