Tag Archives: fishing

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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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!

Captains Annual Fishing Update

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Blind in one Eye?

Ladies and Gents! To any and all with whom I haven’t spoken in a while, I want to wish you all a Happy New Years, Merry Christmas and HappyThanksgiving! I pray that all has been well with you and yours! It has been quite some time having posted anything so it is certainly time to give everyone a Captains Annual Fishing Update!

Fishing the Fall Run of ’23

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Last minute trips can prove to be productive too

 

The fishing during the fall run of 2023 was pretty great. There were plenty of days to struggle finding fish, but there were quite a few days when we were astonished at having seen so many in one place. The key was finding the niche places that the numbers tend to hold this time of year. Not as many places held decent populations of fish but we pressed on each time, locating fish, getting shots and making catches. That’s just the name of the game in sight fishing with a fly in the salt..

Personal Update from Capt Kenjo

Some of you are aware that I have been planning to take some time off from guiding in order to have some surgeries. Unfortunately these plans have now changed no thanks to some failed handshakes in the healthcare industry. So, back to square 1 in regards to starting this process all over again. If any of you readers have a great spine surgeon referral in Texas please don’t hesitate to share!

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The Most Excellent News

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Glass on Glass

As this news goes, the most excellent news is that I get to keep guiding this year! Or at least until I can find another surgeon. Spring is approaching fast. But don’t forget! The captains annual fishing update says, “We are not done with our winter fishing yet!” Next week forecast looks rained out but the last few days of January forecast can been great! And February still has promise too! What is certain right now is that the fish are hungry after this cold front and if we can get out there to hunt them, we will have a good chance trying to feed them if we can adapt!

Last Minute Trips

We all now how it goes, we wake up one morning with no plans to go fishing, look outside, see the blue skies with no wind and say, “Dang it! I should have gone fishing today!” Well, stop right there and give me a call at 7am if you want to hop on the boat for last minute trips typically starting at 9am this time of year! Half day trips are $600 this year. Please note: Payment in full is required for last minute trips and for late night calls! -Capt Kenjo 361-500-2552

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Prevailing Optimism

Prevailing

The Summer of ’23 is certainly one to remember, with loads of sunshine and fair winds. With prevailing optimism we managed to find redfish many days as well as some individual slot fish cruising around, backing and mudding, floating and crab crushing on the mangrove roots. One lucky angler witnessed a possible world-record speckled trout swim away from us rather calmly. You can ask me on the boat soon about that story!

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This guy just wont smile :-)

Some guests got to see some well above average fish too. We even had some blacktip and bull shark action in the flats where many like to wade.

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Flounder are best to taste!

One 5ft Bull Shark in particular demonstrated prevailing optimism. While in only 2ft of water it gave us time to change rods (from redfish to jack rod) and as we polled alongside, the Angler hit it on the head 10x with the fly at least. Finally! It ate the fly as it landed across its head right next to its mouth. That shark rolled on it’s side and engulfed the 6/0 jack popper. HA! Perfect hook placement too, even though 50-lb flouro does not stand a chance. The angler was so surprised though that he never set the hook. That is good enough of a game for me! Our optimism is prevailing again!

Optimism

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First Timer Joe Sight casting Texas Redfish on Light Tackle

September and October are perfect times to sight fish because we tend to see larger than average redfish on the flats because the spawning age fish begin to move to the inlets to reproduce. We are already seeing a handful of over slot redfish each day when we are working the right areas. Tailing schools of smaller redfish are showing up again too as our tides come up a little. Soon the fall tides will have the fish crawling the edges like crazy! I expect to see a good run of bigger than normal fish this Fall Season! d

Hopefulness

Therefore, have hopefulness! Come get your next fly fishing experience with Kenjo Fly on the saltwater flats of Port Aransas, fly fishing & sight casting Mustang and St Joe islands! Maybe we will even run into schooling bulls, blitzing jacks, blood thirsty sharks, or prehistoric tarpon in the Wild Blue Yonder!

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Redfish on foot defeats the wind and wins the prize

Sharpen Ye Hooks & Call NOW!!! 361-500-2552

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Glamorous Ladyfish Skipjack on the Fly

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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first redfish ever
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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Fleet Week Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing fleet week was at its best recently. All other anglers were also very kind. Uncommonly we fished in the fleet as “easy” catching was too good to pass up. Several of our Guest Anglers capitalized on the action while it lasted! Many thanks to the friendly local bay guides who invited us to fish the same area. Sharing the tight space kindly brought tons of laughs for everyone.

fleet of fishing boats
Only Fly

Stroll out of the marina early morning in Port Aransas. In order to peak the anglers curiosity before joining the fleet, fabled stories of yesterday floated across new ears.

Only minutes later, Captain Kenjo eased the fly fishing skiff off plane and jumped onto the platform with manual pole power. He asked the guests of the day if they would like to try to catch the schooling redfish for some “fleet week fly fishing”. They of course respond with a definitive, “Yes”!

RL Winston Alpha+ 9wt fly rod fully bent for fly fishing fleet week
Hands on for guests John & Scott and they wore themselves out early!

The skiff slid silently into position as we flanked the fleet of 20 bay boats. Intermediate lines let us help the fly sink deep. Then only a few strips were needed to get the bite and set the hook.

We caught and released close to a dozen mid to upper slot Texas redfish. Our anglers were worn out quick! Next, we move on to another place with less boat wakes to take in the serenity of the Texas marsh before the next isolated storm pushed us off the water. You know it too though, fly fishing the Texas Gulf Coast always has its adventures!

There many ways to fish the saltwater. I was happy to see respect from the other bay guides and recreational anglers in such a situation. We are all from around Port Aransas, Rockport, Corpus, and Aransas Pass areas. Happily, everyone was sharing the space and the redfish too. Courtesy on the water certainly is the best way to go.

Despite fishing among so many boats we had tons of fun fishing the fleets for a few days. Mostly we focus on isolated areas of the San Jose, Mustang Island marshes. This time exceptions had to be made.

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Fly Fishing Guide KenjoFly with Guests on board
Another bay guide shared this photo with us

Texas Redfish Adventures

Really cool fly fishing trips have been happening on our Texas Redfish Adventures recently and George and Laura got in on several moments!

Fly Guide Capt Kenjo holds rescued redfish. Take your Texas Redfish Fly Fishing Adventures with KenjoFly!
Capt Kenjo dove into the water to untangle this Port Aransas redfish from behind the boat.

It was near end of day after catching more than a handful of wonderfully colored Texas redfish and black drum. The excitement grew again exponentially when we found the motherload! It was a school of maybe 300 redfish in 4 feet of water. All of them were in the 25 to 32 inch age class and swimming in tight formation. We maneuvered the skiff into position and began poling onto the fish with George casting strong and hooking up immediately.

The 26 inch redfish managed to get the best of George boat side when it got the line tangled in the back. The redfish had wrapped all around the trim tabs and (manual) power pole! Without hesitation, I jumped off the platform into the chest deep water. Alongside my Beavertail Strike skiff, I quickly untangled the line from the back of the skiff. Everyone was cheering for our shared success while Mrs. Laura snapped some photos.

doubled up redfish rockport texas fly fishing adventures
Even the guide gets to whack a fish every once in a while
2 upper slot redfish in the net
A really good day means two 27inch redfish in the net together

Quickly back on the poling platform I scanned surrounding water for the large school of middle to upper slots. Sure enough, there they were again. It only took a couple minutes to pole into position and George was ready. George & Laura’s Texas Redfish Adventures continued as we hooked up again on the next cast!

I wanted Laura to get to pull one of these fish in so I decided to grab a rod to hook a fish for her. But she didn’t want to fight any fish as she was having too much fun heckling George and cheering for us! So I hooked a nice fish and George and I landed them both simultaneously.

redfish in the rain
Texas red drum don’t care if it is raining and this one took a topwater gurgler with reckless abandon

NOW is the time of year to get in on some great redfish schooling action and there are several appearances each day of bull redfish as well. Book your next few Texas Redfish Adventures with Kenjo Fly and you’ll be hooked and planning your return trip before you even finish the day on the skiff!

October is a very exciting time to fly fish the middle Texas Coast. Don’t miss out on your next Texas Fly Fishing Trip! Call NOW or use the button below to see Capt Kenjo calendar of availability!

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guest angler first tailing black drum on the fly
Thumbs Up for this happy Guest Angler (Looks like I have finally worn out my Duck Camp Bamboo Lightweight Hoodie too!

October Redfish

Fall is in the air in Port Aransas Texas with the light northerly winds cooling off our waters and the October Redfish are responding well. The tides are shaping up nicely now while the redfish begin to move into the shallows in much more favorable numbers. There are still some dates available to fly fish for October Redfish! Call NOW to get on the Books with Capt Kenjo (361) 500-2552

first time redfish caught near Rockport Tx
First Redfish on the Fly

This time of year brings about so many beautiful colors in the marsh. The blue in a redfish tail comes from the blue-green algae in their diet. There are also some larger fish in the pods too and as we encounter more schooling pumpkin redfish you will want to look closely for the larger fish. The last few we spied that were top slot reds were on on the edges of the school of under slot redfish. A well placed cast for tailing red drum is still important when the fish are in pods or tailing. Using a clean and soft gentle cast will be sure to keep from spooking the tailing redfish. Rockport and Corpus Christi guests can also be accommodated easily!

Happy Fly Fishing Angler Cameron holds a Texas pumpkin redfish
Pumpkin Time!

If you are novice to fly fishing the saltwater, you can easily book a fly casting lesson. Prior to your trip book the casting lesson in order to get your cast in shape before your trip! Book your Fly Casting Lesson HERE!

Do not hesitate to book your next fly fishing trip with Kenjo Fly for October Redfish! To book your fly fishing trip simply give Capt Kenjo a call NOW. 361 500-2552. Or pick a trip through the online calendar at your convenience and book online. BUT DONT MISS OUT! This fall fly fishing season is already excellent shape and underway, making way!

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September Fly Fishing Rockport Redfish
Another pumpkin from a school of tailing red drum

Upcoming Fall Fly Fishing Season

Pumpkin colored redfish have already begun to show with the upcoming fall fly fishing season! Schooling pods are becoming more prevalent and more consistent day to day. Late summer rains roll off the gulf occasionally this time of year. This gives the land and bays a much needed break from the scorching heat. The scattered rainfall is also helping to cool the waters are the redfish are responding well. Fly Fishing Trips are NOW available for September, October and November.

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Doubled Up

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Texas sees redfish schooling and tailing again

Some anglers who coordinate their efforts are able to pull doubles from schools of tailing red drum. For new sight-casting anglers, this Fall is an excellent time to catch your first (and other) redfish.

While the Texas heat wont relinquish its warm grip on the coast for a bit longer, the fishing continues to get better and better. The tides are continuing to signal to the fish that it is time to get a move on. The feed is going on getting heavier and heavier everyday.

Saltwater Casting Lessons

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Casting Lessons are already paying dividends for Patrick

There are also Fly Casting Lessons available off the water for those that want to come learn to cast cleanly, efficiently and with some accuracy to these redfish. And then get to utilize what you learned the next day on the skiff. So don’t hesitate to book your fly fishing trip and schedule some casting lessons for the day before! It never hurts to brush up on fly casting skills and techniques then put them to good work afterwards!

Sight casting isn’t just for fly fishers either. Some enjoy using conventional spin or casting tackle and if you have any kind of accuracy then it is still a great game of hide and seek for the cats and mice. We are still going to use my flies though on your spin gear because they work!

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When your 2nd guest shows up with a spin rod and no tackle, you put a Kenjo Fly on it and he will catch a sheepshead on a fly with spin gear.

Traditionally I am a fly only guide. But that basically just means that I don’t have any other kind of gear except fly fishing gear. Nonetheless, you’re welcome to bring your own casting tackle and I can advise on lures and soft plastics for you to use too.

Specializing in sight-casting techniques there are several types of equipment can be utilized. Tell me what are your fishing goals for the upcoming fall fly fishing season and help you achieve them!

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Texas Fall Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing the Texas Coast in the Fall is an amazing time. Recent offshore rains have really gotten the fish in the bays feeding aggressively. We are experiencing some of the most awesome eats from redfish in the shallows now, thanks to the cooling effect of the rain!

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12yo Ella getting to play tug o’ war with some Texas redfish

Olive green crabs in size 2 and 4 are working well and small 2inch shrimp patterns in black/chartreuse or copper/tan color combos also working well. During low light conditions, we put on our Smith Optics Igniter Lenses to really turn the lights on.

In the low light conditions

We will adapt our strategies in the low light conditions by shortening the leader to 6ft. And use a larger 1/0 unweighted fly like crab or mullet imitations. These flies will usually have brighter colors like chartreuse green or red/white. This is so that the angler can see the fly better and the fish can also see the flies from a greater distance. Keeping our casts short and precise can make all the difference in the game. Topwater bites are also on the rise. During early morning hours and continue into the day if cloud cover and wind persist.

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Creepin the skiff through dead mangrove sloughs in low light conditions. You can bet we used Smith’s low light Igniter lenses!

On random days in the fall the wind may persist. And so we need to stay prepared to adapt our strategies even more and hop out of the boat for a quick wade in the “Longest Mile”.

September dates are available NOW! Use the Book Now button to view availability. More and more red drum, speckled trout, and black drum are going to be pushing up into the shallows. You should be there to get in the action!

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Marks first over-slot red

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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.

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Deep Sea Smiles