Tag Archives: beavertail

First Texas Redfish on the Fly

Not everyone catches their first Texas redfish on the fly, but we did catch a poor man’s tarpon (a.k.a. ladyfish) while working on casting skills! Nonetheless, we got shots at backing redfish in the thick matted grass beds. We also found some floating redfish. And with these fish you have to get the fly in front of them ASAP before the sink back down out of sight! It was an amazing day where these Gents were able to learn a lot of new skills and adapt quickly.

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first, time, saltwater, beavertail, texas, fly, fishing, rockport, aransas, pass, port, bay, fly fishing, sight, casting, lessons, airflo, hatch, temple fork outfitters, tfo, lines, redfish, black drum, corpus, christi, ladyfish, on fly, — Poor Mans Tarpon on Fly

There was this pod of about 20 tailing redfish, which we only thought to be less than 5 fish, but when they flushed from the cast we could easily see about two dozen reds.

Congrats to Jonny and Andrew for enduring the heat and learning their cast so fast. Their willingness to return this fall to give it another go is awesome! See ya soon, fellas! Kudos to you for taking that first saltwater leap of faith! The sky is the new limit! Soon enough though we will get Jonny and Andrew their First Texas Redfish on the fly!

Recommended startup gear for entry level anglers is as follows:

Fly Rod: TFO Mangrove Coast 7wt | Reel (put your investment here for longevity): Hatch Iconic 5wt or 7wt | Fly Lines (for finesse and distance): Airflo Fly Lines: Flats Technical Taper (formerly known as the Bonefish Taper, in 7wt size). This recommended gear is intended for year round use in most all situations. It is preferred for its close and long range accuracy, as well as for its stealth. The Gulf Coast fly Line is very good for applications where the fish are eating larger flies or when you can hit the fish on the head and they still still eat instead of spooking.

Practicing your casts with this equipment can certainly help you get better shots at your first Texas redfish on the fly.

Get it ASAP, and lets go fly fishing!

Muddy Drum in Texas Fog

Texas Fog rolls in off the gulf during warm fronts in the Winter. Along the Texas Coast, muddy drum can be found in various areas when deep water meets shallow oyster beds. In winter the southerly warm fronts jockey for position with the cold Northers, the fog sets in. It can stay for a few days. not to worry though, clear water and solid cloud cover still lets us sight-fish from the skiff!

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Tough to Beat, Andrews first redfish ever was so big! Congrats Colorado!

There are still dates in Jan Feb open so pick your day quickly and prepare for either blue and grey skies! The fishing in Winter is some of the best of the year!

The Texas Fog

On those foggy days when the water is chilly, redfish and black drum will float on the surface warming themselves. When they do fish are usually easily visible even though there is low light and you will get shots at your fish.

When the fog stays put all day, sight fishing can still work out well. While the water may be cool (44 degrees F in some cases) muddy drum in Texas Fog can be very productive.

Sometimes we got to use the boots to get through a stretch where the fish are lurking and these Simms boots stay in the boat 24/7 for just that reason.

texas redfish winter 2022 — Top Slot belly crawler

used wading boots — on and off 6 times in one day

fishing in the fog Texas marsh — Upper Slot Port Aransas Bad Weather Redfish

The solution is simple and the trick is to not look out too far from the boat. Anglers need to only scan 10-30ft from the boat. Many Anglers are surprised when they realize they can see that upper-slot redfish or oversized black drum only 10ft away. Calm casts with minimal body movement is necessary. You will want to be able to present the fly to such a close fish without spooking it.

big ugly black drum Texas coast — Catching a giant Black drum on the fly can be your best chances in winter on the Texas Coast!

Some days the giant black drum don’t want to eat as seen in the drone videos. But on other days, the eat the fly like a champ! Do you want to hook into and hug a Big Ugly black drum? Winter-time can be the best time to have chances at big redfish and black drum!

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Slow down and smell the fish

slow, down, smell, fish, big ugly, over slot, redfish, texas, port, aransas, corpus, bay, christi, beavertail, guide, trips, adventure, red, drum, lighthouse, lakes, fly, fishing, port, laguna, madre, rockport — Wade fishing Texas middle coast can make this drum your 4th fish in your Grand Slam (redfish, trout, flounder to round it out)

We got to slow down and smell the fish recently. This day did not disappoint. We had a lot of shots at fish like this surprisingly and we caught one each…

This big black drum was one that got the hook. It is quite a cumbersome ordeal to wrangle these big lethargic drum to hand. Oftentimes though, I too have to remind myself to slow down and smell the fish. Unfortunately these fish don’t smell like roses but the principal goes further than just enjoying the moment as the saying implies.

Wade fish the Texas Marsh to Slow down

It has its merits, and during the right time of year you could even land a grand slam of redfish, black drum, flounder, and trout on the fly or spinning tackle. Slow down and smell the fish is not all that bad of an idea if you’re a keen outdoorsman.

flounder, over slot, redfish, texas, port, aransas, corpus, bay, christi, beavertail, guide, trips, adventure, red, drum, lighthouse, lakes, fly, fishing, port, laguna, madre, rockport — Texas Coast wade fishing provides the low and slow angles needed to put flounder in hand

Certain bait species produce slicks and or oily residue on the surface of the water which can unique scents. When mullet are concentrated and being fed heavily upon, the wind will waft the odors of the mullet downwind and if you have a sharp nose, you can pickup on some of these locations. The menhaden and speckled trout are also two of the sweeter smelling odors. Some even say the trout slicks will smell like watermelon! Have you ever experienced the watermelon smells on the water?

Dates available for September, October and November!

You can book a trip now by calling Capt Kenjo direct at 361-500-2552, or shoot him a text message with your name and preferred fishing date and/or send an email ASAP…

over slot, redfish, texas, port, aransas, corpus, bay, christi, beavertail, guide, trips, adventure, red, drum, lighthouse, lakes, fly, fishing, port, laguna, madre, rockport, abel, reels, — Fly fishing for redfish near Rockport Texas

OR… simply use the blue button below for express and convenient booking! Then don’t forget to slow down and smell the fish!

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Jacks in Town

Jack is back in town and these busters will test your angling skills. May dates are available NOW! With jacks in town, the excitement grows!

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We got a nice day out front and went on a scouting mission. Within just a few hours we had raised 3 from the deep and one managed to swipe the half-and-half fly aggressively from below the surface. Within 10 minutes later the jack crevelle succumbed to our game of tug and war.

Take note of the “down and dirty” fighting technique with the 11wt fly rod.

The extremely low rod angles fight the fish with the butt section of the rod which applies maximum pressure to these brutal jack fish. You’ve got to put the hurting on the jacks in town, or they will certainly put one on you!

Jack Trip Exceptions: when the weather is too rough to search open water comfortably, we may default to the flats and do some wade fishing for redfish and black drum. These are great backup plans for a day. Often times though even a standard redfish trip gets interrupted by these jackfish! So either way, book a trip anytime this summer and Capt Kenjo will be certain to put you on some fish. And with emphasis on the fish of your dreams! There are also chances to locate and target big bull redfish but please note that these big redfish are not males (as the name Bull implies). The large redfish are actually most likely females as the male red drum do not grow as big.

Adults redfish mature by 3 – 5 years of age; approximate length at maturity: males – 28 inches, females – 33 inches. Red Drum can also grow to incredible sizes. At least historically they have. The largest redfish ever recorded was caught in the waters around Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. That redfish weighed an amazing 94 pounds and 2 ounces.

jacks, crevelle, crevalle, texas, port, aransas, fly, fishing, guide, adventures, things to do, fishing, beavertail, skiff, strike, offshore, in, town — Deep Sea Smiles

Gentle Casts

How to fly cast gently.

One fly casting technique that proves itself very valuable in the saltwater world is learning how to lay down the fly and line gently. Producing gentle casts can mean great catching and less spooking of the fish you are stalking.

The real challenge though is performing these gentle casts while your eyeballs are popping out of your own head in your excitement! Staying calm and not rushing the cast produces more hookups than trying to rush and hitting the fish too hard.

Here in this clip you can see David does a great job maintaining his composure. This pod of redfish are tailing along the spartina grass edges. You can hear us whispering to each other as he makes 3 casts in order to get the crab fly in the right spot.

On such a calm day you can be sure those fish would have spooked had the fly been too heavy or if he had cast “down” at the fish. Communication on the skiff in the moment is also key to our success.

Landing the fly softly is achieved by aiming your casting loop about eye level above the fish. When presenting the fly, be a little more gentle on the final forward stroke.

fly, fishing, port, aransas, beavertail, skiffs, tfo, bvk, fly, rods, hatch, outdoors, finatic, airflo, redfish, red, drum, rockport, corpus, christi, guide, laguna, madre, texas, vacation, flyfishing, adventures, things to do, beach, gulf, coast, gulf of mexico, smith, optics, r.l. winston, winston, yeti, sight, fishing, sight-fishing, on the fly, how to, gentle, casts — David learned to keep his feet quite and got to work with several schools of healthy reds

To do this, stop the rod tip early in your forward cast. Leave it up a bit longer than usual as you let the weight of the fly line gently pull the rod down. It would go from the 1 or 2 o’clock position down in front to the horizontal position.

With a little routine practice, you can use your line hand to feather it all down slowly. This will help the fly line lay out straight and gentle. That way the fly lands right and softly. For those redfish, you want to be able to move the fly on the first strip. Then you will be able to set the hook properly. And that hungry redfish will then gulp down your crab fly. Fish on!

Book your fly casting lesson (off water) and then lets take it to the fish and put what you learned to the test!

Book NOW with Capt Kenjo! Great weather is in the forecast!

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Coastal Texas Spring Rains

Fresh [rain] water is the Elixir of Life to a marine ecosystem.

redfish, fly, fishing, red, drum, texas, fly, fishing, texas, coast, beavertail, hatch, outdoors, r.l. winston, airflo, line, reels, rods, fly, port aransas, corpus, christi, rockport, aransas, pass, redfish, drum, red, black, jacks, wade, fishing, jack, crevalle, crevelle, — Wade fishing Texas Reds during Spring Rains

Texas fly fishing for reds & drum is solid right now. As the Coastal Texas Spring Rains return, quite a few fish have returned to the marsh as well. And as expected, the marine life has shaped up nicely although it took a little time to balance. The fish are showing themselves up in the shallows now where there is an abundance of crabs and shrimp and a plethora of tiny fish. There are a few remaining dates open in June and July! Hit the button below to choose your next saltwater fly fishing trip!

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Tailing Black Drum and Backing Redfish are both prevalent in select wading areas surrounding Port Aransas TX.

black, drum, red, texas, fly, fishing, guide, trip, port aransas, charter, things to do, corpus, christi, bay, redfish, wade, fishing, wet, beavertail, r.l. winston, rods, hatch, outdoors, reel, airflo, lines — Congrats Bill on your first black drum on fly!

And in rainy conditions like this, the best way to deal with these variables in my opinion is to wade fish. This allows the fish to reveal themselves to us without detecting us as easily and we can take more shots at more fish without dislocating the majority of fish in the area.

jack, crevalle, crevelle, texas, fly, fishing, texas, coast, beavertail, hatch, outdoors, r.l. winston, airflo, line, reels, rods, fly, port aransas, corpus, christi, rockport, aransas, pass, redfish, drum, red, black, jacks, wade, fishing — This storm passed quick and we found the redfish backing in the grass and black drum tailing in the mud right after

In regards to rain systems like this one shown on Weather Underground Radar and Maps, Coastal Texas Spring Rains usually move in fast sweeping systems and in only a couple hours this one had passed and the winds laid down. Soon enough we found ourselves on the flat in calm conditions casting practically non-stop at backing redfish and tailing black drum with our fly fishing gear. So there are times when we might have a rain delay and occasionally a reschedule, but more importantly, you may miss out on some great fishing! My favorite part about the great outdoors is that it is not climate controlled.

We will adapt to our conditions and get on the fish despite the average weather. The fresh water that the rain introduces to our system is critical for healthy marine habitat and abundance of food for the fishes with target! Good news everyone!

Wade Fishing the Texas Marsh

Granted, wading the Texas Marsh is not for everyone. It is highly recommended you be in decent physical shape. With sharp eyes and a good clean quiet cast you can also raise your odds of hooking up! Because it will most likely forever become known as the Longest Mile you’ve ever walked. Frankly, it can require someone with a strong spirit and will power, to not stop or give up. Fine tuning yourself into a fish stalking son of a gun isn’t the worst goal you could have! Rudy never gave up and in very tough conditions got to work on a handful of foraging redfish. Because of this, our catches are very rewarding in mind and spirit.

sheepshead, redfish, fly, fishing, red, drum, texas, fly, fishing, texas, coast, beavertail, hatch, outdoors, r.l. winston, airflo, line, reels, rods, fly, port aransas, corpus, christi, rockport, aransas, pass, redfish, drum, red, black, jacks, wade, fishing, jack, crevalle, crevelle, — Bonus Sheepshead on the Fly

Fall Floaters Rolling Redfish

It is the beginning of the Fall Run and everything looks like a red drum target to me… “There they are! Hold your cast… Wait… Wait… OK! Now! Cast!” The Fall Floaters Rolling Redfish are certainly busting their guts with shrimp crabs and finger mullet right now!

fly fishing redfish texas trip guide port aransas rockport drum sight cast spot n stalk corpus christi simms beavertail airflo hatch outdoors adventure nature tour — 10 spots wins the pot!

NOTICE: Last minute cancellation for next week (Nov 10-12)! Book immediately and get $100 off each day of fishing when you book all 3 days! Call Capt Kenjo TODAY to make your reservation. 361-500-2552

Meanwhile, as soon as we hooked up to a redfish, the other fish in the vicinity started coming right for us! I try to zoom my $150 smart phone to “capture” the moment just as the redfish are right in front of us. To truly admire nature for all its pricelessness it is best to be there, in the moment. It is so cool just to see them doing their thing. Sometimes schools of redfish will push along a shoreline whopping any and all bait in their paths.

Redfish schools doing all sorts of tricks are abundant during the Fall Run. Floaters are when the redfish will hover just below the surface or swim by casually cruising. They are easy to see even in bad light. And if the red drum are not doing that you can expect the redfish to be tailing on crabs in the grass. Other times they are popping, whopping, and even have their backs out of the water belly crawling over the mud. Here is an archived article showing our catches of Fall Floaters & Rolling Redfish Tails. In a few days I will post a recent video of “backing” redfish in the mud right after a cold front and the water temps dropped to 56 degrees Fahrenheit!

Call now or BOOK NOW online for your express convenience! Capt Kenjo 361-500-2552

Fly Fishing Texas Forever

I will be Fly Fishing Texas Forever… It is January and water temps are 50F. Chums has commissioned us to endure filming during a frigid Texas Winter. The water is muddy but that is just from how many redfish are stirring it up. The calm morning is welcome with full sun but strong wind gusts kick up before noon. Tides are so low that TxDOT wouldn’t let us on the ferry with the skiff… This is what fly fishing the Texas coast in Winter can deliver. This is why. We fished in 3 locations and filmed in 4 locations over 2 very long days. Was it worth all the numb hands, noses and toes? Was it worth the physical pain and psychological angst to bring this all together? You bet your ass it was!

The camaraderie of guiding great sportsmen and anglers is what makes it all priceless to me. That is how and why this film was named “Texas Forever“. Thank you Chums for seeing my passion and choosing me to share it through your products which are also just as passionate.

fly fishing, texas, forever, winter, foot warmers, redfish, guide, charters, trip, port, aransas, texas, red drum, beavertail, duck camp, lone star, beer — One way to keep your bare feet warm in a Texas winter.

Its not about the money. God knows fly fishing guides don’t make enough of that for a vacation. Do what you love. Period. Nothing else matters. We live in our own version of paradise already, working our asses off to help you reach your fly fishing goals. Our true reward is the smile on your faces, the aura of relaxation as you finally catch your first sight-cast redfish. Helping you achieve your personal best, or your first, “on the fly”. That is where a fly fishing guides sense of accomplishment stems from. Its not about getting rich. It is about helping people see the true beauty and art of nature through the many fly fishing challenges of the saltwater environment. Fly Fishing Texas Forever is for me and for you too if you want it bad enough. Creating success in the face of constant adversity.

duck camp, fly fishing, film, tour, beavertail, port aransas, guide, charters, trip, winter, production, — Texas Redfish make muddy waters

There are many hardships an angler must endure in fly fishing the Texas Coast. Wind is probably the most prevalent. That will require skill and determination. Extreme temps of the water and air are also a big swing between winter and summer patterns. You would be surprised though how much you can observe and how many fish you can see even under poor visibility and cloudy conditions. You just have to know how to observe and not just look.

Additionally, any fly fishing angler on the Texas Coast worth his weight in salt has learned how to overcome the difficult casts required when it is windy, and the super stealthy casts demanded by intelligent redfish when it is dead calm. Overcast skies present another sight challenge. Fishing through all of these ever changing conditions will certainly make you become a better angler and fly fisherman. Many have said after sight casting the Texas Coast on the fly, that if you can do it here successfully, you can fly fish just about anywhere.

Drain Games – The Texas Fall Redfish Run

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STAR DATE: October 31, 2019 PLANET: Earth COORDINATES: 27.8339° N, 97.0611° W

FIELD NOTES: The redfish are displaying the following characteristics and behaviors; Crawling, mudding, tailing, schooling, popping, whopping, backing, crushing, pouncing, hounding. Its GO Time in Port Aransas! Lock and Load! Load and Go! (pics below)

Some of the most heart pounding sight-casting to red drum on the fly will be happening over the course of the next few weeks/month! The apex of the fall season is hitting us Now in full swing and underway making way! Sure as frozen fire, the tidal drain-game begins again as Texas redfish, trout, flounder and black drum turn face first into the winds and outpouring of bay water moving “en masse” to feed shallower and shallower. As the migration of shrimp, crabs and baitfish flush out of the estuaries the fish are there and feeding heavily in preparation for the onset of winter. As the fourth significant cold front of the year hits the Coastal Bend right now, strong windy conditions will prevail for the next 24 hours as the dry cool air sweeps across the countryside colliding with the warm moist air of the coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico the the the winds become more tame and best for fishing!

The redfish have already shown up in very strong numbers up to 30 inches after the previous cold front and it is likely that the next few weeks will see some of the best Texas sight casting to have been done all year. Game on! These next 2-3 weeks may just become noted as “Peak Weeks” for the Fall Run. Time will tell. Needless to say the fly fishing is excellent NOW. Get in touch with your local preferred guide to coordinate ASAP!

My immediate forthcoming availability is THIS WEEKEND starting Sunday as well as Monday Tuesday and Thursday (Nov 3-5 & 7th)…

Call Captain Ken today (while I am prepping for the next 2 weeks of hardcore redfishing) or plan your next trip online at your convenience! Call 361-500-2552

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Low Tide Summers

fly fishing, beavertail, hatch outdoors, fly, port, aransas, bay, guide, charters, trips, red, drum, black, redfish, airflo, lines, yamaha, engine, skiff, flats, fishing, saltwater, texas, coast, gulf, rockport, corpus, christi, simms — Slicked Out over-slot Texas Redfish

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The fishing has been good this late summer, with just about everyone getting to take a few shots at some big fish! Adam nailed this thick 28.25inch redfish on a slicked out day.

Quite a few anglers got in on some good fun with consistent tailing redfish pods. The winds kicked back up last week for a few days but have subsided again (as of last night) and the forecast for the next week or so is certainly favorable.

Call Capt Kenjo ASAP to book a trip, or just “Book Now”. Dates are immediately available!

Kenjo Fly Fishing Charters

Texas Saltwater Flats Fishing Charters

Tag Archives: beavertail

First Texas Redfish on the Fly

Recommended startup gear for entry level anglers is as follows:

Muddy Drum in Texas Fog

The Texas Fog

Slow down and smell the fish

Wade fish the Texas Marsh to Slow down

Dates available for September, October and November!

Jacks in Town

Take note of the “down and dirty” fighting technique with the 11wt fly rod.

Gentle Casts

How to fly cast gently.

One fly casting technique that proves itself very valuable in the saltwater world is learning how to lay down the fly and line gently. Producing gentle casts can mean great catching and less spooking of the fish you are stalking.

Landing the fly softly is achieved by aiming your casting loop about eye level above the fish. When presenting the fly, be a little more gentle on the final forward stroke.

Coastal Texas Spring Rains

Fresh [rain] water is the Elixir of Life to a marine ecosystem.

Tailing Black Drum and Backing Redfish are both prevalent in select wading areas surrounding Port Aransas TX.

Wade Fishing the Texas Marsh

Fall Floaters Rolling Redfish

It is the beginning of the Fall Run and everything looks like a red drum target to me… “There they are! Hold your cast… Wait… Wait… OK! Now! Cast!” The Fall Floaters Rolling Redfish are certainly busting their guts with shrimp crabs and finger mullet right now!

Fly Fishing Texas Forever

Drain Games – The Texas Fall Redfish Run

Low Tide Summers