Tag Archives: port aransas

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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Whether the Weather

The weather forecast looks amazing! Come on down and get in on the prime winter days before they elapse! Call Capt Kenjo NOW to get on board.

redfish, photography, texas, coast, guide, on the fly, saltwater, fly fishing, drum, backlit, weather, whether — Guest Photo: A Texas red drum glistens in the backlit winter sunshine

Whether the weather, or not, winter-time is some of the best sight-fishing of the year.

Once the skies go bluebird after a cold front passes through, high pressures kill the wind and warm the shallow waters. Now is the time to strike! The fish wont be everywhere but usually this time of year you will find greater quantities of fish in an area and often times, greater quality of redfish as well.

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Focus on niche areas in these seasons as extreme weather ebbs and floods and learn why fish are where they are when they are there.

fly fishing, wind, redfish, gale force, beavertail, skiffs, strike, wade, fishing, wading, wet, red drum, corpus christi, port, aransas, texas, rockport — Best fishing trip of the year? Yes, we got it done in 40 mph gusting winds and caught a lot of quality redfish, on foot.

All the different bottom types such as sand, grass beds, bars, mud, shell, back waters, and main shorelines all have potential to have fish at different times. The tide levels and weather patterns all dictate how and where we find the fish. It can be a slow feed on the fish’s part because when they are cold. Just don’t make them chase the fly down too far or too fast otherwise they will turn off.

Nonetheless, a slow feed does not mean the fish are not hungry because they certainly are. Miniscule strips timed perfectly with well placed and gently laid out casts will most likely get those cold but hungry redfish to eat the fly for you. Just think, this time of year, they cannot afford to pass up a meal either. Sight fishing is exceptional on the Texas Coast during the Winter months. Go outside and look up at the sky if you are nearby. Then call me ASAP to get on flats and catch some winter time redfish! Capt Kenjo can be reached directly at 361-500-2552.

Pulling on Hard Fish

We got lucky a few times recently and got to search offshore for tarpon and sharks on the beaches recently. Pulling on hard fish is one thing but not pulling too hard is another. On one occasion we got to take a few shots at some 4-5ft Texas Tarpon and Blacktip Sharks! We managed to hook into one and break it off right away and the sharks gave us a damn good run as well. Just look at the size of the hole in the water.

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tailing, school, redfish, red, drum, r.l., winston, fly, rods, airflo, lines, beach, leader, blacktip, shark, fly, fishing, beavertail, skiffs, texas, port, aransas, hatch, outdoors, redfish, sight, casting, saltwater, black, drum, aransas, bay, corpus, christi, laguna, madre, guide, speckled, trout, sea — The Winston Alpha Plus Super Bend! The camera played a bit of a trick while filming the fight with a 5ft blacktip shark. This is the moment in which I am in the process of “letting go” of everything!

The @winstonrods Alpha 9wt is in this shot, and as you can see, it was taking a beating! I’m not intentionally holding onto the rod but this shot was a screen grab of film and the fish surged so fast and hard while I was leadering the 5footer, the beast pulled the rod through my hands “as” I was letting go of the leader. Note: the rod did not break under this strain!

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duck, camp, winston, fly, rods, airflo, lines, beach, leader, blacktip, shark, fly, fishing, beavertail, skiffs, texas, port, aransas, hatch, outdoors, redfish, sight, casting, saltwater, black, drum, aransas, bay, corpus, christi, laguna, madre, guide, speckled, trout, sea — Working with sharks can be exciting!

SIDE NOTES: If you want to book an offshore trip for September, October or November let’s go catch’em up! Do it, get on the books. The weather window is hard to predict but there is pretty good hope this time of year for very calm seas. It is my preference that you fish as a single angler because the boat can get quite crowded when we are working out front with more than one angler. Having a strong double haul in your cast also helps incredibly well. We hope to find bonita out there soon too along with tarpon, sharks ladyfish redfish and sometimes trout. If the seas are tooo rough we will stay in the bay and fish the flats for redfish drum and trout.

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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

Texas Jacks on the Fly

Mighty Texas Jack Crevelle

There are times where the weather shifts the voracious activities of the mighty Texas jack crevelle. It can go from Off to Wide Open in an instant. That is when we need to be ready to strike. Then it can go from On back to Off again just like that! As the weather changes dramatically and frequently during the late spring season, it can move the fish around but they still have to eat.

jack, crevalle, port, aransas, fly, guide, corpus, christi, fly, fish, rockport, bay, trip, beavertail, skiffs, on the fly, popper — Mighty Texas Jacks

One thing is certain, if they disappear from one area, they will reappear in another at any time. In full force, when it is time, they will put on the feed-bag! Variables continue to evolve and all of these get the fish staged and worked up to put on a grand ole show! So get on the books now for your chance at catching one of these Texas Jack Crevelle! The last few dates open are June 14-17 and this particular week could prove to be very exciting!

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Rob and I hunted high and low for the jacks but didn’t track them down immediately. So we detoured to the flat, picked off his first redfish on fly then heading back out into another area to scout for the jack crevelle and sure enough, we found them, off the beaten path and Rob crushed 3 of these fish on his first saltwater fly trip ever! Knowing how to double haul absolutely helped Rob throw the 11-wt the first time and get that big popper fly where it needed to be!

Here is a short video of a big Texas jack that I had hooked up with while scouting before a client trip. Sorry for the rough work but I was working the skiff solo! I was using the R.L. Winston 11wt B3 Plus paired with Hatch Finatic 9 Plus with the drag rather tight. The Winston Alpha Series is latest and greatest and I’ll be adding the 12wt Alpha to the skiff soon!

Fishing Spring Break

spring break fly fishing texas port aransas corpus christi red drum redfish beavertail skiff flats saltwater rockport bay guide charter hatch outdoors airflo simms howler fishpond winston rods yeti — #33 for the day (sorry the other hand was occupied) for return Guest Angler Omar

As your Texas Saltwater Fly Fishing Guide, I would advise you to go ahead and book that March fly fishing trip. Regardless of the weather, enduring the elements is part of the excitement of the game. And last year, March was a very good month for Fishing Spring Break. Putting yourself out there in the salt is the best way to learn to succeed on the fly.

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Now that March is underway, I am confident to say that our weather pattern will be shifting dramatically any day now. It should become warm and sunny for most of the month of March. Fingers crossed! There is no telling when the winds will pickup and start honking. But if the weather in March last year is any indication, you should book a trip online right freaking now for this weekend, next week, and the following weeks of March!

Fishing Spring Break can be great with loads of fish on the flats. If I were to try to guess our weather patterns for the forth-coming year, I would apply last years weather to this year as the pattern so far now that March has begun is very similar.

January 2021 saw some exceptionally great weather and the fishing was excellent. Returning Guest Omar was one who got to enjoy a day of quantity in January where every cast in any place produced a redfish on the fly. There was just so many fish to work with that it was more difficult to try to be selective. Mr. Omar keeps a personal catch log of his saltwater exploits, and that fine day in January he broke quite a few personal records, in particular, landing 33 redfish in a single day even though the moon wasn’t in our favor. Despite the moon that day, the winds, tides, bait and redfish were definitely in our favor for catching.

fly fishing texas port aransas corpus christi red drum redfish beavertail skiff flats saltwater rockport bay guide charter hatch outdoors airflo simms howler fishpond winston rods yeti — Bill got him a good one! O’Yeah!

We caught the redfish tailing, cruising, floating and laid-up already this year. Looking at what February was like this year, it was very similar to last years weather pattern in February. Cold, cloudy, rainy and windy… That was the month of February in a nutshell. But March will be another great time to fly fish the Texas Coast!

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.

Fly Fishing Texas Redfish

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Redfish colors are just golden! — October Gold with 7 spots (2 on the other side)

Fly fishing Texas Redfish is spectacular during the Fall Run in Port Aransas. You can imagine witnessing a school of redfish hump it down the shoreline whopping mullet. Redfish will be schooling throwing wakes and tailing as the falling tides move crabs shrimp and mullet out of the grass. As they do, redfish explode viscously on mullet and shrimp. Because of this classic behavior, this is a perfect time to utilize top-water flies.

My favorite months for sight fishing redfish on the fly is in September October November and even December. As the water cools it thins out the seagrass from its thick summer haircut and signals the bait to begin leaving the marsh areas because winter is coming. Click the link to read more about Fall Fly Fishing Trips.

black, drum, fly, fishing, port, aransas, texas, coast, corpus, christi, beavertail, skiff, flies, skinny, water, saltwater, guide, charter, trip, hatch, outdoors, covid, open, redfish, red, trout, speck, speckled, seatrout, tx, PA, surf, marsh, wade, spot, stalk, sight, cast, school, crab, shrimp, mullet, topwater, popper, winston, airflo, lines, reel, crack, pattern, bull, fiberglass, moonlit, hurricane, laura, hanna, surge, storm, jack, crevalle, tailing, rockport, baffin, laguna, madre, conner, poc — Wade Fishing the Longest Mile

As a result of the falling tides the next few months is the best time for fly fishing Texas Redfish. Give me a call to inquire about wade fishing trips on the fly. Most of the time only a good comfortable set of flats boots are needed to protect your feet. I use the Simms Zipit Flats Booties in one size bigger and replace the insoles with some that have great arch support for additional comfort. Waders are not needed most of the time.

We recommend wade fishing in strong winds. The Fall tides provide excellent sight-fishing with a fly guide. Excellent numbers of redfish will come out of the woodwork. You do not want to miss your chance to experience the classic Fall Run along the Texas Gulf Coast

You want to be in Port Aransas during the Fall Run to catch your next personal best sight casted Texas red drum on the fly. Call Captain Kenjo direct ASAP 361-500-2552 or BOOK NOW online!

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?

sea,mustard, mouth, speckled, trout, speck, gator, fang, 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, — Fangs for Days Yellow Mouth Speckled Trout

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.

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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, — We catch them well in low-light conditions too!

Kenjo Fly Fishing Charters

Texas Saltwater Flats Fishing Charters

Tag Archives: port aransas

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.

Whether the Weather

Focus on niche areas in these seasons as extreme weather ebbs and floods and learn why fish are where they are when they are there.

Pulling on Hard Fish

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

Texas Jacks on the Fly

Mighty Texas Jack Crevelle

Fishing Spring Break

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

Fly Fishing Texas Redfish

The Perfect Times