TexasKayakFisherman.com est. 2000

[Neumie]

Day 1 Report: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=252758
Day 2 Report: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=252759

Monday morning we went back to East Flats for a couple reasons. Wind was one (although it didn't do what it was forecast to do), Dale's shoulder was slightly bothering him so that first flat is an easy paddle to get to, and we wanted show the spot to Lou. It was quite the plastic navy at the boat ramp that morning as eight of us launched; Nina, DeWitt, Dale, Witt, William, Ron, Lou, and myself lined up.



As we paddled out Dale, Nina, Ron, and Lou went to the first flat. William, Whit, and myself went to the other side of Pelone Island. Not sure where DeWitt started. Witt and I set up for some drifts into Pelone Island with the NW wind. A handful of blow ups on topwater were all I could muster. As Witt and I were setting up for a drift, something caught Witt's eye; a large hog swimming across the flat.



We convened shortly after the hog and Witt and I made a plan. The winds were light so I wanted to go check out a spot to the south toward Flato Cut. He reluctantly decided to make the long paddle west towards the Mustang point.

Really not a lot to write about this day other than Whit and I covered a ton of water. I did manage to string up a trout and red, but it was slim pickings today. Ron, Lou, Nina, and Dale never left the first flat mainly concentrating on fishing the channel/drain on the south of the flat working a falling tide. It paid off for Ron and he nailed two 20+ inch trout. Lou got a good eating sized slot red drifting the flat as the sun was higher. My sister strung up a trout as well.

This day was more about the evening. The group spent the evening back at the cabin where did a shrimp boil, built a fire, enjoyed some libations, and smoked cigars. Easily the best evening of the trip with a great group of friends.













Meteorological Observations
Time: 7:15 am - 2:30 pm
Air Temp: 70°F - 78°F
Wind: 2-10 kn NW - ENE (gusting 10+)
Barometric Pressure: 1020 mb (slightly rising)
Sky: Sunny
Water Clarity: 3 ft
Water Temp: 81°F
Structure: Grass with Sand Potholes and scattered Oyster

Solunar
Sunrise/set: 7:23 am/7:09 pm
Moonrise/set: 9:39 pm/10:32 am
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous (86.5 %)

Predicted Tides @ Port Aransas (MLLW)
Low @ 12:54 am (0.78 ft)
High @ 4:05 am (0.85 ft)
Low @ 11:54 am (0.15 ft)
High @ 9:27 pm (0.91 ft)

Lures
Silver Mullet Spook Jr.
Pink/Chrome Spook Jr.
Dealer's Choice GrassWalker
Dealer's Choice Burner Shad
Dealer's Choice Cocahoe
Tackle Box

Fish
Trout: 4 Keepers, Several Dinks
Reds: 2 Slotters, Couple Rats

[Ron Mc]

thanks Josh, perfect reports as always, and thanks more for the really fun photos of a glorious feast.
I wrote this report on Tuesday while y'all were on Estes, copied from FFR.

I was originally invited to join my friends Josh and Whit in Josh's annual Redfish Rodeo, 5 days kayak fishing different flats in driving distance from his family's cabins on Copano Bay. My buddy Steve ramrodded a Palm Harbor trip the week before. Our tides were better than Josh's - he had neek tides the whole week, with tide movements at odd hours (unless you want to fish in the dark), I certainly didn't want to miss Estes, so I bowed out of the Rodeo.
With one exception - Monday's falling tide beginning at 4am was steep, with good fishing from first light to noon, the NE wind was perfect for Trout Bayou, and even the noon shift to E wind would push you home.

With my gear cleaned and staged from last week, Monday's tide was nagging me.
I told Lou I was going to see if Josh's invite still had room for me Sunday and Monday night - Lou had way too much work to play. That lasted about 12 hours and Lou wanted in, so we got our favorite fishing shack in Estes for those two nights.

All our free time was spent at Josh's family plot on Copano bluff - reveling, feasting, Whit's fabled ceviche, smoking cigars, top-shelf bourbons, and a big shrimp boil Monday night.
Whit and I go back 20 years - he's fished with both my dad and my daughter - so it was wonderful to catch up. Sorry, I didn't even take the camera out of the truck at Copano, but maybe Josh will post some of his photos on his TKF reports, and I'll borrow a couple later...

Josh somehow thought he put me out by picking East Flats instead of Estes for Monday. Shoot me in the foot Josh, I love East Flats.

Lou and I were 16 miles closer to the Port Aransas ferry, we hit it at 6:11 am, and were rigged and parked when the rest of the group arrived at Island Moorings Marina.

As always, Lou was the first one paddling

When Josh's sister Nina took off, I joined her and Lou - we were off first into the million-dollar canals.
We followed Nina through the first cut onto East Flats.

Josh and the others took the long way around Pelone Island, and fishing the cuts into the channel on the sharp falling tide was a good call.
Whit went all the way to the far end of East Flats Lake - had a great paddle, but was shut out of slot fish. We heard they all were catching small fish on topwaters.
I had a YoZuri wake bait rigged on my Legend Glass spinner, but after a couple of casts, decided we started too late to use it.

While I wanted to show Lou the Lake, I thought it would be dead on the falling tide, really wanted to fish this flat, and the structure turned out to be perfect on the falling tide and NE wind.
This is Lou and our new Cajun best buddy Dale against the lee side of Pelone Island.

Drifting from the island hit remarkably clear grass. The best redfish were in this water - my morning began with a redfish with shoulders following my red TSL grasswalker to the boat, but didn't eat.
Here was my best, 2" short of slot.

The first shelf was a little deeper and the water picked up turbidity. Here, every cast brought a half-dozen hits, and I've never seen so many 6-12" trout anywhere. I fished the 1/8-oz Texas Eye jigheads on my ML bait rod and had a blast.
The second shelf dropped to where you couldn't see grass in the deeper turbid water. For the deeper water, went to my reliable cocahoe on 1/4-oz Stazo jighead with double hook, rigged on my IM6 MM bait rod.
Here, I got a fish to make my day, a 23" trout.

From here, it was paddle back to the island and repeat the drill, making a zig-zag up the island and slowly moving toward the lake.
Fish the ML and switch to the MM when I couldn't see the grass.
Another drift I was blown away by this 24-1/2" trout. She tailstanded the whole time, shaking her head, and at my boat, slammed her head against my hull 3 or 4 times.
Holy cow, what a trout.

On our last drift, Lou got a keeper red on TSL grasswalker chicken-on-a-chain, a lure that has been good to him. .

The wind and tide movement both died at noon, Lou and I bowed out with Nina and Dale. Nina took our fish in her iced fish bag, so I could fillet them later at the cabin, also great for the long ferry wait and long drive.

By the time we got to the ramp, the others had called it, as well, and Josh called us looking for Dewitt - I think they finally found him.

Josh brought home a very nice red and trout.
The shrimp boil, corn, potatoes, andouille, blue crabs and shrimp was a feast.
Dale taught a seminar on how to shuck a crab and get out one big piece of meat - also which fat to eat on your way in.
From my four trout fillets, one fillet alone was a huge meal of fish tacos last night.

[Do It]

Wish I could have seen the swimming hog!
I spent the first hour or so in the lake behind the air strip and the two coves all on the right of the channel. Caught a 14-1/2” speck on a Down South Spicy Pumpkin and one dink speck. Paddled quiet a bit covering small flats, the back side of Perone and some other areas I don’t know the name of. By far my slowest day catching wise just the two small specs and a first for me when I thought I had found a red busting bait and sight casted a skip jack, biggest one I’ve ever caught and a great fight. Of course I had my new measuring stick and my net this time .
And yes the lost sailor was found, had to apologize to Josh for turning off the ringer on my phone so he came looking for me when they were all leaving. Although I did gain great respect for the group I was with as they didn’t leave me behind even though I had my own truck there, thanks a Josh.
D.


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[spiny norman]

I believe this is the first time I have ever been skunked at East Flats. (I forgot to wear my lucky fish hook necklace. ).
The hog was fun. When he saw me turn towards him, he turned back to the shore he just left but I was able to quickly run him down in the Tarpon to get a pic. When me and Josh split up, he went south and I headed up to Mustang point to A, see if there were any trout there, (there wasn't), and B, see what all that construction was about. (Still have no idea, but it's a big project.)
Worked my way back to the island with the fish camps. lots of little blowups by dink trout and rat red. pulled up on the leeward side to drink some waterand re rig one of the rods. Saw a little movement in the mangroves and found a little wading bird caught in some abandoned fishing line.
She was tangled up pretty good and it took a good 5 minutes to cut it all off her. has some small break in the skin but I didn't think I could both hold her securely and get to the antibiotic ointment in the yak. I let her go, and she seemed to fly off fine.
worked my way back to the group annoying dink trout along the way. Saw a few reds in the first flat that were right at slot but that showed no interest in any lures.

[Ron Mc]

I believe this is the first time I have ever been skunked at East Flats. (I forgot to wear my lucky fish hook necklace. ).
The hog was fun. When he saw me turn towards him, he turned back to the shore he just left but I was able to quickly run him down in the Tarpon to get a pic. When me and Josh split up, he went south and I headed up to Mustang point to A, see if there were any trout there, (there wasn't), and B, see what all that construction was about. (Still have no idea, but it's a big project.)
Worked my way back to the island with the fish camps. lots of little blowups by dink trout and rat red. pulled up on the leeward side to drink some waterand re rig one of the rods. Saw a little movement in the mangroves and found a little wading bird caught in some abandoned fishing line.
She was tangled up pretty good and it took a good 5 minutes to cut it all off her. has some small break in the skin but I didn't think I could both hold her securely and get to the antibiotic ointment in the yak. I let her go, and she seemed to fly off fine.
worked my way back to the group annoying dink trout along the way. Saw a few reds in the first flat that were right at slot but that showed no interest in any lures.

you can't argue with swimming hogs and rescued birds - I think you had a good day on the water.

btw, I ordered Aransas - The Life of a Texas Coastal County from Abebooks - cheap, $12, and it arrived in today's mail - of course it came from a bookstore in Rockport.

I had to crop this photo - accidentally snapped one of our partner's nature call right of the ramp...
Otherwise, we could be poster kids for Wilderness - there are 5 Tarpons launching in this group.

[OldTownYakBoi]

Day 1 Report: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=252758
Day 2 Report: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=252759

Monday morning we went back to East Flats for a couple reasons. Wind was one (although it didn't do what it was forecast to do), Dale's shoulder was slightly bothering him so that first flat is an easy paddle to get to, and we wanted show the spot to Lou. It was quite the plastic navy at the boat ramp that morning as eight of us launched; Nina, DeWitt, Dale, Witt, William, Ron, Lou, and myself lined up.



As we paddled out Dale, Nina, Ron, and Lou went to the first flat. William, Whit, and myself went to the other side of Pelone Island. Not sure where DeWitt started. Witt and I set up for some drifts into Pelone Island with the NW wind. A handful of blow ups on topwater were all I could muster. As Witt and I were setting up for a drift, something caught Witt's eye; a large hog swimming across the flat.



We convened shortly after the hog and Witt and I made a plan. The winds were light so I wanted to go check out a spot to the south toward Flato Cut. He reluctantly decided to make the long paddle west towards the Mustang point.

Really not a lot to write about this day other than Whit and I covered a ton of water. I did manage to string up a trout and red, but it was slim pickings today. Ron, Lou, Nina, and Dale never left the first flat mainly concentrating on fishing the channel/drain on the south of the flat working a falling tide. It paid off for Ron and he nailed two 20+ inch trout. Lou got a good eating sized slot red drifting the flat as the sun was higher. My sister strung up a trout as well.

This day was more about the evening. The group spent the evening back at the cabin where did a shrimp boil, built a fire, enjoyed some libations, and smoked cigars. Easily the best evening of the trip with a great group of friends.













Meteorological Observations
Time: 7:15 am - 2:30 pm
Air Temp: 70°F - 78°F
Wind: 2-10 kn NW - ENE (gusting 10+)
Barometric Pressure: 1020 mb (slightly rising)
Sky: Sunny
Water Clarity: 3 ft
Water Temp: 81°F
Structure: Grass with Sand Potholes and scattered Oyster

Solunar
Sunrise/set: 7:23 am/7:09 pm
Moonrise/set: 9:39 pm/10:32 am
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous (86.5 %)

Predicted Tides @ Port Aransas (MLLW)
Low @ 12:54 am (0.78 ft)
High @ 4:05 am (0.85 ft)
Low @ 11:54 am (0.15 ft)
High @ 9:27 pm (0.91 ft)

Lures
Silver Mullet Spook Jr.
Pink/Chrome Spook Jr.
Dealer's Choice GrassWalker
Dealer's Choice Burner Shad
Dealer's Choice Cocahoe
Tackle Box

Fish
Trout: 4 Keepers, Several Dinks
Reds: 2 Slotters, Couple Rats

Thanks for these reports! I’ve never fished the Port A area before but just booked 3 nights at a cottage in Rockport to take a swing at the area. Wind will be interesting, but tides look promising. Thanks again for the effort in the detailed post!


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[Ron Mc]

Make sure you know the rules to launch.

At Islands Mooring Marina to fish East Flats, stage your gear by the ramp and park a good distance away in their paring lot.
There's a great public fish cleaning stand at the Port A Municipal Marina.



If you want to fish Estes, you go to Palm Harbor RV park, Northeast corner (farthest north drive); try not to shine headlights into the residents' RVs before sunup.
Stage your gear by the fence at the bulkhead, and park past the dumpster. When you return, go to the RV Park Office, and pay them $5 for Parking - they don't like the word Launch, probably because of their insurance.
here's a link to a good Estes chart - https://imgur.com/9s162ig
You can also use their fish cleaning stand along the bulkhead.


That's Talley In close and Traylor Is beyond.

[OldTownYakBoi]

Make sure you know the rules to launch.

At Islands Mooring Marina to fish East Flats, stage your gear by the ramp and park a good distance away in their paring lot.
There's a great public fish cleaning stand at the Port A Municipal Marina.



If you want to fish Estes, you go to Palm Harbor RV park, Northeast corner (farthest north drive); try not to shine headlights into the residents' RVs before sunup.
Stage your gear by the fence at the bulkhead, and park past the dumpster. When you return, go to the RV Park Office, and pay them $5 for Parking - they don't like the world Launch, probably because of their insurance.
here's a link to a good Estes chart - https://imgur.com/9s162ig
You can also use their fish cleaning stand along the bulkhead.


That's Talley Is close and Traylor Is beyond.

Thanks for all the information, gonna go through and try to figure out a good strategy for the winds ahead. Looks like I’ve got plenty of fresh info to go off of. I know I want to fish light house lakes, but other than that I’m not exactly sure yet. Just looking forward to fishing a little clearer water. Any tips for someone who has only fished the upper coast their whole life?


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[Ron Mc]

probably couldn't pin anything down without specifics on tides, wind and where.
Trout Support is great lure in the grass, fishes slow and dog-walks with just about any retrieve. But mix it up with faster retrieving lures such as 1/8-oz jigheads, and see which turns them better. Save 1/4-oz jigheads for where you can't see the bottom.
I love fishing Estes and heading upwind to begin at the cuts at first light, then begin drifts downwind. You can definitely find fish in the cuts, but the best fish will be outside the cut (Aransas Bay/Outside Beach) on a falling tide, and Estes side of the cut on a rising tide.

Trout Bayou, NE wind, falling tide at first light is a dream set-up, and a drill we try to run several times/yr.
You begin in the skinniest water and the rest of the morning drifting behind the reds as they move into the deeper water down Trout Bayou.
The prevailing SE wind on Estes, begin at Little Cut, follow Traylor shore toward Big Cut and begin your drifts back toward Talley.
There is a shoal at Little Cut that stacks fish, also good structure in the middle of that drift, and Talley shore again focuses fish.
Duck blinds mean something. Successful duck blinds are always placed around structure that concentrates bait.

[OldTownYakBoi]

I’ll do my best to post some reports. Winds are forecasted at 5-13mph out of the South East each day with similar tides as shown below.




Thanks again so much for this great information. I have more than enough to give me a good shot at some keepers.


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