Aransas Pass

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bosulli
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Aransas Pass

Post by bosulli »

Planning second trip to Aransas Pass for this Friday (May 1st) thru Monday.

I am new to kayaking, new to Port Aransas, new to Redfish, but not new to fishing. Acquired a Diablo for fly fly fishing. Want to make Aransas Pass my home waters. Went down a couple of weeks ago, but it was stormy, so barely got my one week old Diablo into the water. Did drive around to familiarize myself with the area. Have scoured TKF and various maps. Experiencing info overload right now. Thinking a good spot to jump in feet first would be the flats around Stedman Island. Put in on the South side of the causeway, and start figuring it out.

Any tips on that area? Or know of a better beginner's area, please let me know. Looking for flats for sightfishing Reds with fly rod. Hoping the flats South of Stedman Island are what I am looking for.
fred
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by fred »

LHL on the north side of 361 is more protected if the weather is bad. Get a map and GPS to learn your way around. It can get confusing. good luck
f
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redneckyakclub01
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by redneckyakclub01 »

What he said^^^. It's protected in the wind and has reds. Weekdays are best and practice being quiet. The reds in there seem to be the most sensitive to kayak noises.

Across the road from there is the brown and root flats. Lots of good water there.
texnomad
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by texnomad »

It was not me that mentioned the Port Road launch site.
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Bassbug
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by Bassbug »

Where do y'all stay when down there? I have stayed at Goose Island SP before, but its a good 30 min drive to the put in. Any closer places?

BB
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redneckyakclub01
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by redneckyakclub01 »

If you are going with a group, sea breeze cottages in aransas pass have 6 beds and are reasonable.
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MsMurray91
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by MsMurray91 »

I would NOT launch Stedman's - if wind picks up at all, its all open water.

My recommendation would be LHL or across from lighthouse lakes - brown and roots, you can launch anywhere on the side of the road there.
Plenty of small islands and grass lines to catch on the fly.

This is my home turf for fishing and we do pretty good.

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M T Stringer
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by M T Stringer »

I like to choose my launch spots with the wind pushing me back to the launch whenever possible.

X2 on B&R but that place depends on tides/water levels, however, it is best for sightcasting to reds when levels are around 12" on the flats.
Have landed many an upper slot out there; I like to launch and paddle out for an hour or so then turn around and slowly work my way back with wind at my back.
First hour of sunlight has always been the best time to go. Seems like the bite slows down after 9 or 10 am.

I personally don't like LHL because of all the traffic/pressure it gets; not just kayak fishing but sightseeing kayaks and boats when the water is up.
Most of the fish I've caught there have been on the smallish/lower slot size.

Try launching at the Aquatic Center and paddling out around Ransom Flats. Wind should push you back toward the launch.
Water depth in that area ranges from 2-4 ft.

There is also good fishing on the north side of the Causeway, but you will fight the wind coming in.
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Yaklash
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by Yaklash »

Assuming you are looking for areas to fish in various wind directions, I'd second that AP is a good home base, but Copano Bay (as well as Port Bay at the south end), the Goose Island park areas and even the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge all offer good fishing, OK to pretty good access and give you options for wind direction. But as to your Steadman's spot, there & all the way to the Dagger Islands can all be really good fishing, both up in the grass for reds and where the island shorelines drop off to deeper waters of the main bay (caught some real nice trout there - you'll see captains in power boats soaking croaker there).

Port Bay - Love it and good kayaking
Aransas NWR - Dagger Reef area good fishing when it's not being overfished
Goose Island - another good place to kayak
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cudagreg
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by cudagreg »

You can also put out at palm harbor rv park and paddle Estes Flats. Its all seagrass with great water clarity, reds cruise all over, its great for sight fishing, there are also shell reefs you can find trout and flounder holding right on the edge, and marshy areas you can paddle into on traylor island and grass lines on the on the outside. Friday looks to be a perfect day with little to no wind. Im going somewhere in the AP/Rockport area Thursday(same conditions open invite), may hang around and could join you on friday if you want some company, am wanting to try new spots.
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JMS
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by JMS »

Drifters is a good place to stay, I'm starting my second season of Kayak fishing pulled in couple keeper Reds and flounder, dink Trout & Black drum in the Aransas area, I stick mainly to the side opposite LHL around Brown & Root but do like light house lakes especially fishing channels on outgoing tide.....White colored lures seem to out fish every other color so far
bosulli
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by bosulli »

Wow! More useful info then I imagined I would get. We re-read several times. Like the Palm Harbor RV to get to Estes flats. I will be in RV. After my first trip I though LHL would be good b\c of easy access, but after looking at maps, looks like you could get lost. From the chatter B&R might need be a good starter spot. Thanks guys. I will read comments again, and cross reference with my maps.
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LastHurrah
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by LastHurrah »

Where is a safe place to park in the area? I read somewhere the other day about break ins along 361. Thanks!
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rockportkayak
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Re: Aransas Pass

Post by rockportkayak »

Bassbug wrote:Where do y'all stay when down there? I have stayed at Goose Island SP before, but its a good 30 min drive to the put in. Any closer places?

BB

There are good places to launch around Goose Island
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