Tag Archives: fly lines

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.

The Perfect Times

sheepshead, goat, fly, rod, fishing, rl, winston, bull, red, drum, fish, guide, trips, charters, texas, gulf, coast, mexico, beavertail, hatch, outdoors, airflo, smith, optics, trout, hunter, tippet, leader, spool, — MEGA Sheepshead on Fly (Tom is 6 foot 4 inches tall)

Oftentimes, I get asked, “What tides are best? What are your favorite water temps? What is your favorite time of year to fish?” And I always tell them, “Right NOW!” (they’re usually already on the boat with me) and that is true for several reasons. Now is your time to fish, Now is the time you have put aside to do some fly fishing, and NOW is where we are, doing what we are doing! The best time to go fishing is when you have given yourself the time… Why not learn something new about how to find and catch fish during whatever time and weather conditions you get for the day? Why not learn how to cast better? Why not learn some trick casts for catching those more “difficult” fish? Why not enjoy the moment and the experience and the serenity that you are really looking for? And conversely, Why do most people want that “film tour” type of day and only book if you promise them the stairway to heaven, mecca?

Hell, I have been fly fishing personally for 26 years exclusively and guiding many fine people for 10 years in saltwater. Even still, I too dream of those “cherry days” when the fish just hook up on every cast or those days when you get multiple shots (or even one shot) at a trophy or “personal best” fish. You know how every single awesome fishing story starts with, “You should have been here yesterday”… but I always have thought to myself and tell everyone, “Yesterday could be your tomorrow and you better be there [tomorrow]!!!” How many times is the weatherman wrong? What do they know about fishing anyways?

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While I guide folks in all sorts of environment variables with all levels of skill and abilities, as your guide I certainly work my butt off starting early and/or finishing late just trying to use what assets you brought to the boat so I can show you the fish you want to hunt and if Lady Luck is on our side and you can keep Murphy from jumping on your back, then we will get to play hooky with some of the coolest fish the Texas Coast has to offer.

Our water temps are just now getting into the PRIME RANGE, and while the onset of the next cold front might chill the water a bit the fish still have to eat. The bluebird skies forecast after this next front are looking fabulous and consecutive. Massive amounts of redfish, trout, drum and sheepshead are going to blitz the shallows all thru next week. Give me a call direct or book anything online using the button below! I look forward to exercising your fly fishing skills and stretching you to be the best you can be for the day with me. Certainly, I will do everything humanly possibly to get you the “fish of your life”! Every cast counts, every opportunity can be seized even in tough conditions unless you stay on the couch watching the weather all pissed off because it was foggy or windy or cloudy.

BOOK NOW

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Emerald Summers and Endless Sunrises

Port Aransas Texas, fly fishing, rockport, corpus christi, red, drum, redfish, sight casting, guide, charters, adventure, things to do in, flats, hatch outdoors, airflo, fly lines, beavertail skiffs, bull, red, record

Oooooo-OUI!

Emerald green waters from offshore in the Gulf of Mexico are moving against the beaches now pushing new life into the bays and large predator fish follow suit. The bay is absolutely teeming with wildlife, with false albacore making an appearance in the channels and wolf packs of jacks in the wide open bays. The weather has been phenomenal this last month and provided us some opportunities to work the deeper edges of the flat and has been producing some nice fat trout and even a few big bull redfish have been caught. This 38 inch redfish is currently holding the new all-time boat record, with a 32 inch red drum to hand just the day before. Yesterday’s jack may also hold the boat record for its species although we have broken off bigger crevelle in some sickening fights on the 11wt already.

“Stay Tight Charlie!!!”

Rhett & Kathleen love fly fishing the saltwater flats of the Texas Coast

At sunrise, way back in the saltwater lakes of the marsh many pods of tailing redfish are chowing down on crabs and shrimp and are willing eaters for everyone who remains quiet and stealthy.

Shhhhh! Just listen to the sounds of nature surrounding you. Be Here NOW. (TURN UP THE VOLUME)

26 inch Red Drum on the fly

Bright skies and a patiently determined fly fisherman can put some nice fish in the boat!

Sunrise and Sunset trips are also available NOW! Don’t hesitate! Give me a call to book your next saltwater fly fishing adventure in Port Aransas Texas. Capt Kenjo 361-500-2552

See ya tomorrow!

Port Aransas South Texas Jetty Fly Fishing

South Texas Fly Fishing is heating up as expected…

While I await the arrival of my new flats boat from Ankona on April 12th, the fly fishing action at the jetty in Port Aransas is getting the blood pumping from the fantastic fly fishing action!

Colorful Critter

No need for spin gear and it is not necessary to carry loads of gear with you out there. When the jack crevelle show, they are in close to the rocks and any 9/10wt intermediate line with 2-3inch sink rate will be more than sufficient. Fly selection should be fairly large, in the 4-7 inch range as these powerful jack’s are feeding predominately on finger mullet and shad. The main factor in a successful day on the jetty is that the water must be clean, not stirred up with sediment from the bay if it is an outgoing tide and windy.

jack attack, sea habit fly, port aransas south jetty

Got color!

While this fish was not cast to nor hooked from the location shown on these rocks, Korkers are essential and mandatory for safely getting into a good landing position so that unnecessary injury to yourself and to the fish can be avoided. On this particular day the surf was low and wave sets relatively even and constant. Take note that very little time is spent down low on these rocks even during good conditions. At any given time a larger than average wave could roll in and knock a person off their feet. Keeping a vigilant watch and timing is crucial requiring excellent judgement of the wave sets is critical to staying safe. If you don’t feel comfortable in a particular moment, then that is the best indicator to get to higher ground and safety immediately.

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On Point

Scouting from higher vantage points gives the safety needed and sight advantage to determine where along the low underwater rock ledges these fish are cruising and chasing bait. Locate a good casting rock, preferably one that is fairly level and where the waves are not breaking over the rock and usually it can be a rewarding perch for a fly angler with keen eyesight.

Having gone through many different fly patterns in the last week trying to figure out which fly these fish simply cannot resist, I decided to tie up some of Trey Combs’ Sea Habits using yak hair in a 5inch size range.

sea habit, trey combs, kenjo flies, yak hair

Sea Habit tied by Capt Kenjo

Color schemes include the ever popular chartreuse over white, red over white, and green over white. Many other patterns are effective such as 4 inch grey over white mullet patterns which can be found in most local fly shops.

jack crevelle, port aransas, south jetty, fly fishing, texas

Persistence pays off with a large jack crevalle

Finally, if the conditions don’t seem good and you are especially hungry to eat some fish, the Spanish mackerel are great table fare in limited quantities and especially feisty on the fly. They will eat any Clouser thrown in front of them and will continue to hit it even after it has been shredded by their gnarly and razor sharp teeth. Be sure to use at least twelve inches of 50-lb bite tippet when attaching the fly because they will certainly chew through anything smaller before you can get them to hand.

Kenjo Fly Fishing Charters

Texas Saltwater Flats Fishing Charters