First time to Port Isabel

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flydoc
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First time to Port Isabel

Post by flydoc »

Time to warm up and heading to PI next week from Colorado. Looking for shallow flats on the mainland side for drifting and wade. Spin and fly. Not far from South Bay but lots of deep water to get there.
Nite lites also an option for snooks. Thanks for any info.
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Ron Mc
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Re: First time to Port Isabel

Post by Ron Mc »

Search this user's posts - he lives there.
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... le&u=59325

Are you kayaking or power boat?

I'm going to be dock fishing in Arroyo City next weekend. Good snook fishing from a kayak against all the boat docks lining the Arroyo, but you have to watch boat and barge traffic.
flydoc
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Re: First time to Port Isabel

Post by flydoc »

Thanks for the reply Ron.. We will be at Port I Center Park which is on a side channel between the ship channel and the bay with lots of lighted docks. There's also a pier at the park with green lites under which should draw trout and snook to the baitfish.
I got a 12' portabote with 6hp which makes me mobile and floats in 6"of water. Travels well between the slides of my rv.
Checked out BAngler and the flats he fishes are close by .. South bay looks like a 4mi boat ride and doable.
Don't mind the barges,, it's the powered freighters that can make the rogue waves..
GL at Arroyo.
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Ron Mc
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Re: First time to Port Isabel

Post by Ron Mc »

We've always had luck along grassline up the island, such as wading out at duck blinds.
Successful duck blinds aren't an accident - the're always on structure that attracts baitfish (or more accurately concentrates it with the prevailing wind), which is why they attract ducks.
Stake the boat at a duck blind and wade out from the bare hardpack to fish the potholes along the broken grassline.
We've been into schoolie specs coming off the bay to feed there, and found quite a few sow trout by running the grassline and looking for feeding pelicans on the bare sand.
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Neumie
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Re: First time to Port Isabel

Post by Neumie »

South Bay can be accessed from Isla Blanca or Boca Chica SP. The paddle from Isla Blanca isn't bad if you want to fish the mouth of South Bay. Holiday Beach was recently closed off, but you may be able to access the bay from Mesquite Dr. There are two parks (Bejarano McFarland Memorial Park in Laguna Heights and Arturo Galvan Coastal Park in Port Isabel) on the mainland which offer great wade fishing opportunities especially on prevailing winds.
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TKFStubb
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Re: First time to Port Isabel

Post by TKFStubb »

My advice this time of year is to stick to the ship challenge. Snook is my favorite target there. Fish along the points, rocks and salvage ships...anything that will hold heat. Try to determine what they are eating an match it as close as possible. Take plenty of baits because the snook and big Jacks have extensive trophy rooms. Wish I could go with you to see how the Space Port has changed access. Good luck.
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Re: First time to Port Isabel

Post by flydoc »

Thanks to all for the info.. I normally fish Aransas Pass but with the water being 10* warmer in PI I'll give that a try. Lived in Fl for a few years in Venice which held huge #'s of snook that would feed heavily at nite. Glass minnows and pilchards were the primary baitfish and small white streamers on the 8 wt. worked well on an incoming tide. Fish in a barrel so to speak till the tide stopped then lockjaw.. I'm sure the specks will join the party also..
If anyone visits Colo. this summer be sure to come to South Park my homebase. Spinney and Antero res. are world class for big bows and cutts which avg 20" with 5-6 lbs common. Mid June thru Sept. is prime for dry fly action in the shallows on damsels and caddis. Cheers
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