The red fishing in Port O’ Connor Texas can be amazing and on this day it was unbelievable. So many fish were caught that we lost count before noon, and the afternoon saw even better action from countless schools of tailing and podding Texas redfish. Fly fishing redfish in POC can be special and Capt Kenjo is here to take you sight-fishing on fly!
If you have ever wanted to get into saltwater fly fishing, now is a great time, and the year 2025 is expected to be a great boost in populations due to the fairly wet winter we are experiencing. The rain is beneficial to the ecosystem.
Bent Winston Fly Rod on Texas Marsh redfish in Port O Connor.
If you are a seasoned saltwater sight-fishing fly angler, then now is the perfect time to hire a guide! Capt Kenjo guides in Port Aransas, Rockport, Corpus Christi, Port O’ Connor and the Upper Laguna.
Perfect redfish specimen caught by guest angler in POC Texas
You can fish any of these destinations with Capt Ken. It is certain we will get in front of as many fish that you can see!
BOOK NOW!!! Or call direct: 361-500-2552
Capt Kenjo soaks up the sunshine on a cool winter day while fly fishing redfish in POC with a favorite guest angler.
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
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!
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
That morning everyone at the dock an hour before sunrise was jovial. As we cast off our dock lines in the Port Aransas Harbor for another optimistic day we joked about how the flats are over-run by summer boating crowds.
Sploosh!
Plying the shallow salt waters of Corpus, Redfish and Aransas Bays can be busy. Dreaming big while remembering the rarity of tarpon in our Texas Bays. Laughing a bit more knowing that it was only Thursday.
Do you ever hear that little voice on your shoulder, horns and halos mistaken, telling you its gonna be a great or horrible day, but maybe not? Pay no mind, its just you’re fly guide talking himself out of and into it. Over and over again, he knows that there is a good hunt ahead of us. And he’s got some awesome folks onboard to keep it real and ever so “reary reary” fun!
Neighbors that brushed us off the beaten path to find the road less travelled and behemoths along the way. Thank you!
Aside from the mundane order of events, the first decision of the morning was to abandon all hope and strategy. Throw caution to the wind.
Regardless of our new found fishing buddies we turned our attention to the wide open spaces. What we expected for a summery Thursday sunrise did not come close to what we witnessed. “There, I saw something super big and super fishy.” Off in the distance we could see a fleeting glimpse of dolphin sized activity (excluding the dorsal fins).This was another rarity of tarpon. “Let’s go find out!” we all seemed to say at once. We motored slowly away from the flats hoop-la and setup on what would become one of the best days we had experienced yet.
Splooosh!
“What was that?” someone asked quietly… Then we saw the 12-ft hole in the water just outside of casting range open up. Was it jack crevelle? Was it sharks? Or was it Tarpon? “Naw! Not tarpon in the bay here! That ‘NEVER’ happens!” Our hopes were on the moon. We were sure that we didn’t know exactly what huge fish species was about us. Nonetheless, we suspected all 3.
Quietly shaking, the crew slid their rods out and the guys started prospecting the area. One angler with his 15-lb spin rod hooks a ladyfish on a quick steady retrieve. Then the fly angler gets a nice hit from a good sized skippy. “Hell yeahs” and high-fives were already being exchanged. Quickly the first ladyfish went off the hook. On releasing the second ladyfish a 5ft bull shark swims up from depths and nails the ladyfish! SPLOOOSH!!!
Glamorous Ladyfish Skipjack on the Fly
Now our nerves were on fire and the guys started stuttering their “holly hell” gibberish. As any good guide knows, this is time to keep the boat calm and get back to fishing… Out comes the another tarpon leader. And another ladyfish hits the gunnels. There! A fin! Is that tarpon?” someone whispers stressfully. Yes, and then, we hookup another ladyfish on the fly, and just as we are landing it, the spin angler’s jig gets hammered boat-side just out of sight.
SPLOOOOSH!!!
A giant 12-15ft hole in the water just opened up next to the skiff. “TARPON!” we all yelled! Water sprayed all over the crew as the reel started screaming. I look over and the shimano spin reel was getting smoked! Captain laid a waypoint, cranked the engine to give chase. The beast fought us for 5 minutes peeling line hardly giving any back. Over a half mile we followed, helpless with the tiny flats pole.
Shortly after it turned and ran right for us. When it came tight one last time, it shook out the hook. That folks, is all about the rarity of tarpon. Even if you get a chance, there is a better chance to loose. But, in doing so, we win, because we cannot give up!
Now, this story may seem impossible. Some even consider it to be embellished. But you can be sure it happened. Right here in Port Aransas Texas!
Bent by a Blacktip Shark Port Aransas Texas
It was a fleeting chance to strategically work tarpon in the bay, not just see one, but we got to work them for quite some time. This is just another story of the rarity of tarpon.
There is also far more to the story, much detail was left out to save the author and readership time. It would be better spent on the skiff, hunting whatever sea creature we may encounter next!
Many thanks to the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce for choosing me as their Partner of the Week last July. It has been a pleasure to have been a member for 10 years and their contribution to our tourism in Port Aransas is no doubt, Great!
Kenjo Fly Fishing Charters made Partner of the Week in July ’23 in Port Aransas Texas
An experience on the water with Capt Kenjo is full of useful information about this flora fauna as well as the history this area has to offer.
Really cool fly fishing trips have been happening on our Texas Redfish Adventures recently and George and Laura got in on several moments!
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.
Even the guide gets to whack a fish every once in a while
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.
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!
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 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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
Fly Fishing the Texas Coast in September, October and November is some of the best times to fly fish the Texas Coast. We will likely see larger than average redfish cruising the fats, and in between we expect to find schools of redfish and drum too. Dates are available! Book Online Now or call Capt Kenjo direct for prime dates.
Summer Summary: The summer months on the Texas Coast this year was exceptional again. In regards to the weather, well, lets just say we got wet like the fish and we hunkered down every now and then to wait out a fast moving isolated storm, or two… or three. Before I move on with the Summer Summary, my heart goes out to those in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Help them out any way you feel you can help.
We picked two red drum out of a single school in the thunderstorm. The multi-spotted redfish was Sam’s 1st on the fly.
We won 1st and 2nd place in the Fly Fishing Division
In and around Port Aransas, fly fishing through June and July was productive but difficult in a few ways. Low light, heavy rainfall quite amounting to 3 years work of annual rainfall caused the water to turn off the fish for a short period. There were times when the water looked like someone had mixed cranberry juice with coffee and there were also small and isolated pockets of better water. Nonetheless, we got it done and found fish every time. A short time later the water returned to normal and began producing the fish we all desired. I use Wunderground and FishWeather apps for my weather forecasts.
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 was in the process of “letting go” of everything! The surge of that blacktip was awesome fast!
Working with sharks can be exciting!
Fly Fishing the Texas Coast in August was also great when some stability in the weather arrived. The fishing accelerated then and the numbers of redfish schools are growing daily. We also got offshore and chased tarpon and shark in the surf zone on the fairest of days. We managed to hook one tarpon right away and break it off immediately but later we had another 4-5 foot tarpon take a swipe at our shark fly but did not commit.
September fish activity will continue to improve and remain very consistent through November. You can find an available date by using the Book Now button, choose the type of trip you are looking for and the calendar will be displayed for you to select a date that works best for you.
There are many more pics and stories to share so we will save those for another time. Get on the books to experience fly fishing the Texas Coast and lets ramp up the fall run early while the waters and weather is fairly quite again!
Fresh [rain] water is the Elixir of Life to a marine ecosystem.
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!
Tailing Black Drum and Backing Redfish are both prevalent in select wading areas surrounding Port Aransas TX.
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.
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
Chasing them around the block
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.
