Tag Archives: texas

Redfish Schooling

This time of year a well rounded fly angler can find themselves in quite the predicament. To fish inside the bay or to hit the beaches or jetties? That is the question.

The question for you now is what “fly fishing goal” do you want to accomplish today? You pretty much cant go wrong with either decision. You have to go to know. Fishing is still fishing and sometimes its hot, sometimes not. But our imaginations of that hot bite happens all the time, even while we are fishing and we usually think it is just over there, only 10ft further than your maximum cast or on that jetty, not this one. And that is another reason why we fly fish. To be in such a happy place that we feel like we are living our dreams. And in a reality of sorts, we are living our dreams every time we go fishing.

redfish, slot limit, fly fishing, port aransas, guide, corpus christi

Nice redfish just over slot

On the super skinny crystal clear grass flats you can stalk upper slot redfish and have quite a few legit shots at over slot redfish. It can be tense and intimidating for anyone.

Rest assured this time of year it is very likely that you will get many more shots at redfish throughout the day and that is what makes it so much fun. Observing the fish behavior in the clear waters of Port Aransas makes fly fishing for redfish here such a visually stimulating activity. It is thriller to be able to see every last detail of the fish’s scales and every blade of grass hanging from your fly just when that big ‘ole redfish snubs his nose at your fly. To see the fish turn on your fly, or casually glide up to your fly seeming to inspect every last hair for imperfections and then if you do everything right, the Redfish EATS!

sea grass, redfish, fly, fishing, port aransas, corpus christi

Thick grass beds are the perfect hunting grounds for fall redfish

Light tippets are most important this time of the year, and a tapered leader is very useful to avoid the floating widgeon grass. Weedless is a misnomer too, the word simply means “less” grass on the fly, it certainly doesn’t mean “grass proof”! This is why getting locked and loaded and staying on point scanning the water while ready to cast to a fish once spotted is the way to go. Keep 10′ of fly line out past the rod tip and hold the fly by the tail in your free hand. Keep the rod low but pointing away from the direction you are fishing so not to spook a fish before you get a chance to see it when a 10 second burst of sunlight illuminates the flat for you briefly. And when the sunlight bursts through the clouds that is when you need to search frantically for your fish. Take that opportunity to locate a fish nearby if you are not chasing one down already.

While scanning for laid up or cruising fish try and you think you see what might be a redfish wait to cast until you can get a positive identification so not to make a cast to a horse mullet and risk the chance of spooking a redfish nearby. Stay vigilant in keeping an eye on the distance as well, Schools of tailing redfish can often be seen a ways away.

redfish, fly fishing, port aransas, texas, coast, guide

Tails UP!

Lately the redfish schools have been pushing the 30″ mark with the bigger fish tailing and smaller fish working the edges of the school. Be careful of your cast though because on the outside edges of the tailing school there are other redfish that are not tailing. Make your first cast to a school of redfish 5-10 feet from the edge. Its almost a guarantee that one will peel off from the pack to nail your fly. And if one doesn’t, you haven’t spooked the school with your line and you can make another cast to get a little closer.

So get out on the water. Don’t be discouraged by rain. Our weather patterns change faster than the forecasts can be updated and sometimes it doesn’t hurt to have a little cloud cover or wind chop on the water. Those things can help conceal your presence on the flat and can also give the fish some added security.

redfish, fall, season, fly fishing, port aransas, corpus christi

Fall Colors

There are secret ways of spotting a redfish on the flat that is also full of big mullet. Learn to distinguish between the disturbances on the surface that a mullet make and the disturbances that redfish make.

Move along the flat slower than cold molasses and it will help you learn these things and ultimately help you locate more redfish. Remember to read the water  and move into position to take the shot and you will be rewarded with a nice fish.

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

South Jetty Fishing is Red Hot

FISH ON! FISH OFF!!!

Despite the howling winds and punishing 3-4′ seas crashing into the jetties, the chance to do battle with a chrome magnum torpedo wielding a head full of the sharpest serrated razor-like teeth imaginable is a real possibility right now.

 

The king mackerel is a fearless flesh shredder and will slice most any lines. Stories of sea turtles getting cut in half in one swipe can be heard on a distant rock out there. Normally I fish a 30-lb leader with a 1ft section of 50-lb bite tippet but with so many king mackerel around I’ve switched to 100-lb mono for the time being. It works pretty well as bite tippet but the kings can be so fierce that they will even slice 100-lb leader more easily than you can imagine. Just recently I went 0 for 6 on big kings, 2 of them pulled the hook and the other 4? well… they got the best of me for not using wire. There was one 41-incher though the day before that didn’t get away. My retrieve method at the moment it hit may have played a role in hooking the fish in the corner of the mouth. Certainly the best spot to help keep your line free of those gnarly teeth.

kingfish, mackerel, fly ishing, eye

Eye of King Mackerel

To be a successful jetty fly guy or gal, one must be sure to put in their T.O.W. (time on the water). You might even get to see a sneaky tarpon roll behind a wave eyeballing you like it is devising some sinister plan to torture you for chasing them. I’ve come to believe that the tarpon roll above the surface of the water to tease the angler, setting forth the churning and burning of every ounce of ambition. For some it instantly becomes priority. And while you continue to fling hundreds of fly patterns over time at these torturous fish over thousands of casts, you body will instantly cringe at the sight of a tarpon. Every time.

Then, in excitement, the grunting, moaning, and pleading usually follow along with the flailing away in a desperate attempt to place the fly where it needs to be. We fumble with the line trying impart the perfect action to the fly during the one handed and two handed retrieves and hoping that the bejeweled tarpon cannot resist. But many times, something catastrophic happens to reduce your odds and increase the shakes. The fish strikes while trying to get a grip on the line or the hit is so hard and fast that we simply cannot close our hands around the line fast enough to bury the hook. Or, just as you shoot line at the end of your cast, a beautifully complex knot forms in the running line and your cast falls short of a school of bait getting rampaged by an assortment of gamefish.

Don’t worry though! Just recover your line and make another cast! These are the laws of fly fishing; some casts dont make the cut, nonetheless, fish it anyway and try & try again. Never give up the endless pursuit of a fly fishing goal. These failing moments are bound to happen to everyone and usually right alongside the moments of success when you hook up and the fish clears your line without your help. It is always good to have a fishing partner to help you land the fish too and cheer for you when you hook up.

king mackerel, fly fishing, texas, coast, jetty, port aransas, corpus christi

This one measured 41 inches, 2nd to hand this year.

AND, if you want to learn how to cast a fly rod well, spend every possible waking moment casting a flyrod. Technique and form will always need improvement but by spending 30 minutes a day just practice casting, it will quickly build the muscle stamina and muscle memory necessary to cast well from the jetty or anywhere else for that matter. On the water, in the field, at the city pond and on your lunch break at work in the grass, take 15 minutes to string up your rod and reel and let a few casts fly. You can tie a piece of yarn on the end of your leader to act as the fly and is important to have on your line for it to cast properly. Last but not least, never cast a fly line over pavement, gravel or bare dirt. Do it once and you will clearly see the damage these surfaces can do to your fly line. And then, you might as well have lost it in the rocks to a big jack crevalle or some other creature!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

Texas Tarpon Rodeo

TARPON!

tarpon, gulf, mexico, port aransas, texas, coast, fly, fishing, guide, charters

Perma-Grins after 3 days of Fly Fishing for Tarpon

…the word alone sends chills down most people’s spine and makes the hair on their neck stand at attention. For me, a wide range of emotions flood me like an Autumn tide at just the thought of tarpon all the way from excitement to anxiety.

This is one fish that can make people weak in the knees, jump for joy and cringe in fear all in the same day. Knowing the odds are not in your favor when fly fishing for these beasts is textbook and is certainly the wide range of emotions you experience that keeps one coming back for more and more.

Most humans strive daily to find a sense of accomplishment, but the mighty tarpon always feels accomplished. Standard units of measure seem not apply to this fish, as it is constantly exceeding expectations and absolutely fascinating its audience simply upon appearance.

Lady luck doesn’t discriminate either, and oftentimes her attraction is not always towards the experienced but she is certainly attracted to skill. And this is where last week’s client, Adrian, enters the scene stage left on a referral from a trusted fly fishing contact in Dallas. Adrian and I talk extensively for months leading up to the trip and I tell Adrian how to prepare himself physically and mentally and he booked without hesitation a multi-day trip tarpon trip with me hoping to scratch this species off his bucket-list.

bull redfish on fly

Hooked Up

One day just isn’t enough when fishing for tarpon and even with Lady Luck in your shirt pocket you might only need one day, but come on, this is Monsieur Tarpon we are talking about here! Multiple days is not only what it takes, but it is what you need even if you succeed to land your first tarpon the first day, there is no doubt you are going to twitch uncontrollably until you get another. And, Adrian did just that. Coming from the West Coast and being used to casting heavily forward weighted shooting heads Adrian was comfortable with my 11wt Beulah Fly Rod in hand and I instantly knew after his first cast that he had good chances of hooking his first tarpon with acceptable odds of landing it.

We spent the morning warming up the brain and getting into position we stop in a few likely spots, nail some fun lady fish and by the afternoon we were strapped into our Korker’s CastTrax. Sure-footed we ventured out on the rocks really warmed up and ready to put a hurtin’ on some fish. At one point standing on the highest rock I can find to get a good view far out into the water I notice a large sandy brown spot the size of a pickup truck and it appears to be moving left to right.

redfish, fly fishing, texas, coast

First redfish on fly for Adrian and its a beauty!

I holler down to Adrian who is lower to the water that there is a big school of redfish out there and have him cast straight out as far as he can. His fly lands 5-feet short and just behind the leading fish when suddenly one peels off from the school and snatches his fly. “SET SET SET” I shout and instinctively Adrian does, coming tight to a nice 29-30 inch redfish.

Having knocked this one off his list we move farther out into the macro-chasm of granite and begin scouting intently straining our eyes to see rolling tarpon that might not even be there.

Then it happened. That magic witching hour fell upon us and tarpon began to appear in a place where the moderately stiff wind direction was not exactly in our favor but the tide had just turned and the presence of bait was right. So, this is where skill came into play, and Adrian adapted to the wind angles nicely, adjusting his stance and casting stroke to make it safe to cast a 3/0 tarpon fly. Before long he had his first strike, just below the water’s surface but shallow enough to see 3 feet of flashy silver flanks. “Oooohhh! What was that?” Adrian asks… “Tarpon!!!” I exclaim. Another cast goes out, and in just a few strips of the fly Adrian grunts and instantly a 10 pound tarpon leaps into the air cartwheeling and back flipping multiple times.

silver, king, tarpon, texas, gulf, coast, fly, fishing

20-25lb Silver King

He hoots and holler’s aloud and I have Adrian move into a good landing position so I can avoid the 2ft surf washing against the rocks so the fish doesnt get injured so much and where I can leader and unhook the fish returning its freedom without hesitation.

Night falls quickly when you’re having fun jumping tarpon and we continue to fish. Tensions build as our eyes adjust to the last of sunlight and then Adrian hooks another fish. This time it is a 4 foot tarpon close to 60-pounds and only 20 feet from the rod tip. Instantly it leaps directly away from us with lightning fast reflexes on the hook-set. Unfortunately this fish comes unbuttoned and back to casting we go still hootin’ and hollerin and throwing out high-fives with glee. A little while later and as the tide peaks we move around to the other side and Adrian sets the hook on another tarpon, a respectable 3 footer which we land and take a quick photo.

Then as the tides change again the bite dies off, we decide to retire for the night and hit it again in the morning hoping the tide will turn’em on again but this time the tide wasn’t exactly the same. So we spent the 2nd morning casting blind in all the likely spots but the tarpon were just not there and probably had moved farther out with the falling tide. This is “fishing” of course, so we turn our sights to other species and continue fishing hoping to tie into a redfish or another species.

snook, texas, fly, fishing, gulf, mexico,

South Texas Snook on Fly

As Adrian is working a productive hole, he gets a massive strike from a fish we cannot see, and it pulls down the 11wt rod with a considerable bend but there is no jumping from the fish. As Adrian fights to keep the fish out of the rocks, the creature surfaces and we see right away that it is a snook! Now that’s a nice and rare fish and another species stricken from his bucket list.  We spend the afternoon changing locations and resting up and refueling our bodies, we talk about the final day’s plans.

On the morning of the 3rd day, I call Adrian an hour early and tell him that our plans to fish for redfish on the flats have changed and that we need to scramble to get in on another tarpon bite going off. Having literally 200+ tarpon flies in the box, there only seemed to be one or two tarpon fly patterns that the silver king wanted to eat that week and after two days of hardcore fly fishing I had run out of copies losing them to the unforgiving rocks and tearing them up to hungry fish.

fly tying, tarpon, flies, fishing, texas, gulf, coast, guide

20 minutes to GO TIME!!!

Luckily I tie all my own flies and I had tied a few more copies of the pattern at 5am earlier that morning to make sure we had what we needed to get the job done on the final day. Again, and without hesitation, Adrian said “Hell yeah! Let’s go!” and we geared up with red bull and donuts heading to the next tarpon spot with our tackle and enough food and water to get us through a potential 12-hour day. As we arrive on the scene, our eyes turn to the water, scanning to-and-fro looking for the tell-tale sign of Poon-anny.

Not seeing much at first, I explain to Adrian that tarpon do not have to “roll or gulp air” and that they certainly do this in areas with low oxygen levels but that they may also roll just for fun, or to look for humans to torture above the water’s surface. Additionally, some of their rolls are aggressive and obviously intended to kill their food. I continue to give hope and explain that even though we may not see any tarpon, there is good chance that they are there and it is only a matter of time before we get bitten. As the sun finishes freeing itself of the cloudy horizon we begin to see some tarpon roll. Occasionally we see a tarpon make an aggressive roll and this jump-starts the twitch in us again and we make a short move down and to the side where I can see another pod of fish rolling. Adrian begins casting and retrieving with faith the special fly that had worked so well over the previous two days.

By the time Adrian had made his 5th cast in this other spot, Adrian yells “FISH ON!!!” and BOOOM!!! the line goes tight while an absolute beast emerges from the water shaking his head back and forth so violently that water is spraying 30 feet out to the sides.

fly, fishing, guide, texas, coast, tarpon, leader, port aransas

Guess I need to beef it up to 50-lb leader with 30-turn bimini twist and a 100-lb bite tippet!!!

The creature’s massive mouth was agape and big enough to fit a 5-gallon bucket. I could see the freshly tied fly firmly planted in the top right lip near the corner. In the same nano-second the fish ejects its entire body from the water and flies through the air in the direction of the horizon, Adrian holds on tight and does a phenomenal job of clearing the fly line to get the fish on the Hatch 9+ reel and then clearing his hands from the blazing fast 50-lb backing as it peels off the reel faster than a super sonic jet! The lassoed GIANT Tarpon leaps 3 more times as it covers one hundred yards in the blink of an eye with our line in tow and on the 3rd jump she lands on the leader and shreds the 30-lb bimini twisted tippet separating our connection. Having just witnessed this and getting several good looks at it, I conservatively estimated this fish at 6+ feet and over 150-lbs and actually closer to 7-feet and weighing nearly 200-lbs.

Reeling in the slack line we exchanged several high-fives, handshakes and even a hug or two with enormous memories flooding our mind’s eye as the adrenaline continued to course through our veins. Under my breath I think to myself… “Well!!! That is it! Certainly this fish cannot be topped today!. Yet, with shaking hands and knees, we continue to fish non-stop for another 4 hours in an attempt to connect with another tarpon but in fact, this gigantic fish had taken the very last copy of that magic fly which had worked so well. The Airflo Tropical Tarpon Lines performed flawlessly and gave solid hooksets on every fish!

hatch, outdoors, fly, fishing, reels, texas, gulf, coast, mexico

Hatch Reels withstand all the abuse you can dish out

Retiring for the late afternoon, Adrian and I visit a local watering hole to have a really ice cold beer and reminisce about the last 3-days of fishing. I congratulate Adrian on a job well done and that he is a seriously lucky fisherman for having hooked such as massive tarpon on his 3rd and final day of fishing with me.

Immensely proud of Adrian, it is a true privilege to be able to work as a professional fly fishing guide who not only gets to take people fishing but that I am able to witness so many “firsts” for my clients such as their first redfish, first tarpon, first snook, and first GIANT Tarpon. To experience the rarest of rare moments with them is pure ecstasy and sharing in their enthusiasm, joy and excitement gives me the sense of accomplishment that I spent so long to find.

Thank You Adrian for being such a great fisherman and fantastic guest and a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to you for all of your exceptional catches while fishing with me! I cannot wait to see you again next year for the next Fall Migration of our Gulf of Mexico Tarpon!!!

P.S. Everyone… The first week of November is available for another multi-day tarpon trip. Call me ASAP to get in on this action before the run is over!!!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

 

 

The Den of Bud

One day last week I received an invitation to head South on a short scouting mission for Mr. Tarpon and jumped at the chance to test some flies and equipment and perform some checks in order to prepare myself for some very cool clients coming into town soon to fish with me.

tarpon, texas, coast, guide, jetty, fly fishing,

6+ Foot Tarpon was here

In the process I was fortunate enough to meet and spend some quality time with the great & legendary fly fisherman, Bud Rowland. His home is riddled with artifacts of grand proportion. A plethora of fly rods and reels, all with lines strung, flies tied to their leaders and ready to cast. They are strapped to the ceiling and walls like a high-grade weapons arsenal. Fiberglass replicas of colorfully massive fish jump out at you from every corner, some with long pointy harpoon-like bills, others baring fangs protruding from yellow mouths. Feeling like a kid in a candy shop, every miniscule item seemed to catch my attention.

Of course, with me being deprived of sleep, I didn’t prepare any questions for Bud in advance and thought that Bud might even be relieved if I did not bombard him with the same 20 questions he hears most frequently about his world record speckled trout which he bravely released. I also failed to even take a picture with Bud and myself… Lack of sleep can make things skip the mind. Nonetheless, it was an honor to hear some of his other stories and see many of the saltwater fly fishing relics and artifacts in his home, but the coolest part was just sitting quietly and listening to Bud talk about all the knowledge he has gained over the 40 years of fly fishing along the South Texas Coast.

bud rowland, mud, minnow, fly fishing, texas, coast, port aransas, guide

Bud Rowland’s Mud Minnow getting it done for Chris between storms passing in the distance

Truly amazed, I did manage to ask him a few squid-like questions, like how he got into fly fishing, and how he ended up calling South Texas his home. A bamboo fly rod was his first fishing rod ever, and when it came for him to pull up his Wyoming/Kansas roots, he told me it was either Texas where he had family, or Australia. I was pleased to learn that he chose Texas and that the fishing and outdoor activities here rival those that can be found in the Outback.

He even called the South Texas Gulf Coast a “fly fisherman’s paradise”, bringing another big smile across my face which I tried to hold back to no avail. Upwards and onwards, I think to myself, that is the same reason why I moved to Port Aransas. It is a legendary fishing port, formerly known for its enormous runs of tarpon and many other species and even today quality fishing experiences can be had most any day of the year.

Then, suddenly, in the blink of an eye, I was back on the Texas Highways pavement heading back to Port Aransas with a few of Bud’s flies in my shirt pocket. I consider myself to be truly lucky for having met Bud, and I hope to see him again soon, either on my turf, or his.

bud rowland, saltwater, flies, mud, minnow, fly fishing

Bud’s Mud Minnows… Top and right are actually tied by Bud.

The time is nigh, as tarpon are congregating outside the inlets and passes of the gulf, laying in wait to scarf down the next baker’s dozen of mullet as they run from the bulls. In October I have one set of dates left for prime-time tarpon fishing. This is one experience you should jump on like a PBR Cowboy and it is one that you will never forget as it takes a good amount of fortitude to battle these Silver Kings (and win).

Give me a call directly asap to get on the books and make sure to leave a message if I don’t answer! The phone stays on vibrate most of the day to keep from waking the family!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

 

Lucky Foot Dirty Hats

Speaking to a few local fly-flinging friends the other day the conversation turns to the topic of luck. Time and time again I wonder just how much luck we really have… and just how much of what seems like luck was good simply decision making and skill. Luck doesn’t seem to follow us every time we fish together, but I know how that can be… I usually only catch those coolest of fish when no-one is around to bear witness and there is no camera! And those are some of my favorite moments. Without the camera or witness it seems that the details of the catch are highlighted and stand out more vividly. Like the time a native Northeast Coast striped bass flew out of the back-side of a wave and smashed a white bucktail deceiver out of the air then slipped back into the water in an instant.

tarpon, catch, release, repeat, fly fishing, texas, gulf coast,

Coming into hand for the release

Then there have been some epic tarpon moments too… And just about anytime you get a strike from the Silver King it is monumental. One moment in particular was when it was absolute gang-busters and three of us guys fishing together had lassoed 3 very respectable tarpon with estimated weights of 40-lb, 60-lb and 80 pounds. AT NIGHT. On the rocks. I can assure you we didn’t just stand in one place to fight these fish! There was tons of jumping and running, playing jump rope with our lines dancing with mayhem in out boots.

Sometimes I intentionally fish alone and leave the photo bomber in the truck to add to the mystery of what might come. But most of us have those lucky items which for some strange reason we think it helps us achieve our goals to catch more fish, win the lottery, or get the best parking spot in the lot. This usually comes in the form of some article of clothing or something you can carry in your pocket like a coin or stone. We have all heard stories of lucky socks, lucky hats, and even lucky underwear. But not being much of a superstitious person, I began thinking to myself about whether or not I had any items like this. Hats don’t normally last long, since the sun and salt bleach them white in a matter of days and then they get blown off my head while underway and sink like rocks. I wont comment on my underwear to keep it PG, but I remembered one of my favorite hats that had been hung on my fly tying desk to rest although it was given to me only months prior. While on hiatus, I had failed to clean it since taking possession even though it is a well-fitting ball cap. It was given to me by Travis Smith and Rance Rathie while visiting their bad-ass lodge, Patagonia River Guides in Trevelin Argentina. But before I could even think of wearing it again, it needed to be sprayed with some serious laundry cleaner juice and a splash of fresh tap water. Once thoroughly soaked, I threw it in a trusty old plastic grocery sack. “This hat is going to need to soak for a few days.” I quite thought aloud.

PRG, jack, crevalle, fly fishing, port aransas, texas, coast, guide

Lucky PRG Hat!

So when I returned from South Padre Island I rinsed it off after a good scrubbin’ and set it to dry in the handlebars of Sarah’s beach bike. Then I found this picture from earlier in the year when I was fishing locked drags and straight 50-lb leaders for big jack crevalle on the North Jetty in Port Aransas,

And wouldn’t you know it, there was my lucky PRG hat on my head and severely faded by the scorching Texas sun. The hyper-salty water, bleaching sun, and loads of fish slime had caused it to fade 20 shades lighter in only a few months but it still fit well and seems as though the luck in it is still kicking. I call it mojo, you call it whatever you like, but I am going back to wearing this hat day in and day out again!

So, now that it is past midnight I will leave you with one final picture of a fish with which I have had beef since February. The score isn’t settled yet by far and honestly this beast won as I had to forfeit my win due to a poorly placed hook. While working a nook and cranny near Port Aransas and time ticking fast I saw this big ugly black drum cruising lazily near the water’s surface and I ran to grab my fly rod, knowing it had just the right fly already tied-on to get this guy to eat! I quickly stripped line from the reel of the Hatch 9+ and placed the fly within a foot or two as the beast turned slowly away and began moving left to right. Again, the fly lands close to the fish’s “business” end but I just could not seem to illicit a strike! Then finally the fly landed super close to the fish but still far enough ahead to allow it time enough to sink into the beasts lair, I thought I saw its gill plates flare and BAM! I set the hook.

black drum, fly fishing, port aransas, guide

Huggin the Big Ugly

We came tight but the fish gingerly swam left, then right causally, as if my sharp hook had only slightly irritated it. In short order the giant black drum came right to hand and as I lifted it from the water I discovered that the hook had caught the fish just behind the lips on its right cheek, confirming it to be an unofficial catch. So, I gave the Big Ugly a big ugly hug and back into the water it went where it lazily and seemingly blindly, swam away as if we had never met. “See you again soon my friend, until next time” I said.

There are some dates open in September for sight-casting to redfish on the flats and I expect to see some big bull reds there too as they prepare for their annual fall migration by fattening up on the tail-ends of all the finger mullet that have been taking whatever refuge they can in the bay but also getting ready to head out into the gulf and then South.

Give me a call directly asap to get on the books and make sure to leave a message if I don’t answer! The phone stays on vibrate most of the day to keep from waking the family!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

Good Times Fly Fishing

Tomjo at 2 months!

Tomjo at 2 months!

Things have been shakin and bakin ’round the Jones’ house lately and especially with the addition of our newborn son, Thomas. He is already growing so fast this little man will be double-haulin a fly soon enough. Sarah and I could not be more excited to have him in our lives! With all that has been going on around the domicile, I haven’t gotten out on the water much at all except for a short hour here and there and in between diaper changes and all the jazz that comes with that! Just like now, putting this blog together at 11:52pm… Thankfully the boy went to sleep!

fly fishing, trout, texas, coast, guide, port aransas

‘Ole Clouser getting it done on a 22inch sea trout

Two day ago when I arrived at a favorite Port Aransas spot that usually produces a nice table fish (such as grouper, trout or flounder), the water looked great but when I checked off in the distance I couldn’t help but notice a large tanker ship bearing down on the inlet getting ready to head into Corpus Christi Bay to do its dirty deeds. I thought to myself, well, there goes the fishing, and sure enough, as the ship passed the water muddied up nicely against the rocks. But I persisted, and methodically worked the fly from up current letting it swing to and fro… Finally I got the bite I had hoped for, and without even knowing what kind of fish had hit the fly, a large smile crossed my face as if I hadn’t caught any fish in a long time. Then something large appeared under my fish as it came to the surface, instantly thinking to myself, SHARK! But then, a 30-lb jack crevalle came busting out of the water hot on the tail of my trout, and I had to take evasive maneuvers to keep the fish from eating my catch! Definitely a fun experience to observe, but I told Mr. Jack “Not this time!” and quickly plucked my catch from its reach.

There are some dates open in September for sight-casting to redfish on the flats and I expect to see some big bull reds there too. I also have a few days available in October for Prime-time tarpon fishing. Give me a call directly asap to get on the books and make sure to leave a message if I don’t answer! The phone stays on vibrate most of the day to keep from waking the family!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

 

 

 

Redfish going strong in Port Aransas

red, fish, port aransas, guide, saltwater

Bowed-up redfish

Got out yesterday for a quick 1 hour reconnaissance trip, and with the ulterior motive of setting a couple crab traps to soak… So after the dirty deeds of baiting the traps was complete I picked up my 8wt paired with my new Hatch 5+ Finatic for a chance to break it in for the first time. Turning the tiller to the nearest flat where i could get a good 30 minute drift along a narrow portion within minutes I was setup to drift across the flat and sure enough, there the redfish were. Cruising against the wind in only 7inches of water the redfish were going across or heading straight at me and I took a few shots at them and got one to eat almost right away. The casts where i didn’t get a bite were the ones where the fly landed too far away from the fish. One very large spotted trout even cruised into casting range but my fly landed right on its shoulders and what did it do? Exactly what most anyone would do if you dropped a bug on their shoulders… SPOOK!  And that’s just why I keep coming back for more! Getting multiple chances to place the fly in the “perfect zone” and the continuous opportunities to make it happen all over again is why!

Feel free to give me a call to book your next chance at some skinny water redfish!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

Ken Jones

Hot Tail Continues

tailing, redfish, fly. fishing, saltwater, guide, port aransas, texas, gulf, coast,

There were too many of these to count!

The redfish has been more than cooperative and even with the extreme dead low tides we are still able to get into the skinny water with my skiff and put a hurtin’ on the large numbers of tailing red fish.

Justin fished with me recently and we absolutely had a blast trying to get him his first redfish on the fly! Not surprisingly the degree of difficulty in taking shots at these fish can be compared the technical difficulty found when bonefishing.

refish on fly, red, fish, fly, fishing, texas, gulf, coast, port aransas, guide

Optical Illusion! A 24inch redfish looks like 19inches up against Justin’s stature!

Undaunted and full of energy, Justin stuck it out and adapted well. His initiative that he took a week in advance to practice his casting accuracy by taking shots at paper plates in the yard at random distances certainly gave him he edge he needed to get the job done when taking shots at tailing redfish in only 8 inches of water! His exercise in patience paid off as well and for the first time he was able to sight-cast, hookup, and land this nice slot redfish. Of course he let it swim away, as it is only right and good karma to set free the first fish!

The weather has been more than cooperative, and the few passing clouds are nice and offer great reprieve from the scorching sunshine! I have some lat minute dates available and early August and late August are also open!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

Hot Tailing Reds on the Fly

fly fishing, redfish, texas, gulf, coast

Waiting for the fish to come to us… Staying on point with fly in hand.

Well it seems like we have been waiting all year for it to happen and I am happy to say that the last few weeks has been HOT for redfish on the fly on the flats near Port Aransas. While the fishing was good earlier in the year, the colder than normal winter kept the fish from moving up super skinny for quiet a bit longer than we all hoped for. And while there were decent numbers of redfish on the flats in May and June, they just were not in the mood to put their tails up. Now it’s just head down and ass up for them all and I am finding excellent numbers of redfish in every direction and there are several times a day when we encounter schools of 5-10 tailers in 6-8inches of water. This allows for plenty of shots at fish and as long as you can place the fly gently within 1 foot of the fish’s business end (the mouth) they are willing to eat and will blow a hole in the water when hooked taking you to the backing in short order. Additionally there are still some big broom-tailed redfish that I am seeing each time I got out, Its only a matter of time before one of those tails pops up within a decent distance and someone will get to take their shot at a 30+ inch bull red.

On short notice Dylan came down from Austin for a quickie this past weekend and even though the boat ramp was busy we only shared the huge flat with one other skiff. Dylan was able to take tons of shots at cruising and tailing fish and the times that he got the fly right where it needed to be, it got eaten.

redfish, port aransas, guide, fly fishing

Patience and Persistence brought this fine redfish to hand

If you are planning to come down to fly fish for these redfish in this super skinny water I strongly suggest spending some time in the yard doing some target practice at distances between 30-50feet. Tie a piece of yarn on the end of the tippet and take 4 or 5 paper plates out onto the lawn and spread them out at various angles and distances. Then stand back and take shots at each plate without rocking your body and making a few false casts as possible. Placing the plates at random distances and staggering them off to one side and the other will hone your targeting skills as you hit each plate and instantly move onto the next target. Keeping your false casts to a minimum is important because a single false cast in the air over the top of a redfish will most certainly spook the fish from the noise the line makes as it travels through the air. Spend 15-30 minutes a day casting at these paper plates and with a little time on the lawn you will find your targeting skills will become more accurate and each cast will have a better chance at getting an eat from the fish.

I have only a few days available left in July for guided trips. Give me a call ASAP to get in on this action with a fly rod!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
361-500-2552
Port Aransas, TX
USCG Licensed
Certified Tourism Ambassador
Certified Wildlife Guide

Redfish Numbers on the Rise

“Look there! 12 O’clock, 200 yds!” What’s that? Oh man! Its a coyote!” We watched in amazement as a coyote seemed to be swimming towards a short oyster reef, which was on the edge of the middle of nowhere… He must has swum quite a long distance to reach that reef. The squawking shorebirds of several varieties protested the coyote while coming ashore but it seemed unfazed by their annoying calls and cries intent on reaching drier land.  How cool it is to be on the flats and observe wildlife roaming free, unhindered, and most of the time… uninterrupted? Pretty damned cool if you ask me.

The last few days was great for fishing the flats and with persistence and a sharp eye there were plenty of fun shots at slot-sized redfish. A 36 inch redfish graced us with its presence on Tuesday and young angler Cole from Ft. Worth took quite a few heroic shots at that bull red but it showed no interest in the fly we had been using to sight fish the pocket water. On top of that we tracked along with that fish only 15 feet off the port side  for a few minutes and Cole didn’t flinch and stayed cool the whole time!

redfish, fly fishing, charters, port aransas, texas, gulf, guide, flats

nice under slot size redfish specimen safely released

As the week progressed the skies and winds improved and for the last couple days the small and scattered clouds eased over us, sending shadows over the flat but the clouds would pass by after only 30 seconds and the sunshine would illuminate the flat again well enough to see good numbers of fish over the course of the day. Matter of fact, my guest today landed his first keeper redfish of the day within 15 minutes of working the flat with me on the platform… On a popper too no less. Then the second fish came on a shrimp/crab hybrid fly and it too was also a nice slot fish. The third fish was big enough to be in the upper end of the slot but popped off when some tippets go tight and possibly brush against an oyster shell.

Here is a shot of a wild sea creature we encountered today. Who can guess the species?

DSCN3131 copyright-sea-cucumberThe fish are filing onto the flats when the tides allow, and each day it seems like more and more redfish are slipping up out of the deeper waters and even holding on the flat longer as the tides fall. The sea grasses are looking nice, plush and green now too. Quite possibly it is this weekend’s full moon that is turning on the fish. It has certainly caused an interesting tide cycle this past week. Nonetheless, as I sit here and type this tall tail I ask if you would imagine a pair of tailing upper slot redfish in 8inches of water. And while at least the thought wont escape me, I am debating within myself whether or not I should hunt for tarpon tomorrow morning 4am to sunrise… Sounds crazy I know… But that is just how I like it.

I’ve got a few dates left in June for flats charters and a few dates towards the end of July. Weekdays are highly recommended. Call for details. 361-500-2552

Also here is a short clip I took a while back with notable Outdoor Writer, Phil Shook, of some cool dolphin laying down tricks in the wake of a tanker ship at Charlies Pasture.

-Keeping the hooks sharp, Capt Ken Jones