I’ve got so many questions about kayak fishing on the coast, I don’t know where to begin!
A bit about myself - - I’m 63 years old, been ‘yak fishing for about four years, but only in fresh water lakes. I caught a fish in saltwater for the first time in my life two years ago, and fell head over heels in love with salt water fishing! My ambition (before school starts) is to take my yak to the coast! Therein begins the questions!
I’ve heard and read that Port Aransas is a great place to go.
Most likely, I will be going during the week. Will I have any problem finding a motel room when I get there or would it be advisable to make advance reservations?
As a ball-park figure, what can I expect on rates? (I don’t care about “fancy”, “up-scale”, or “plush”! As long as it’s clean and the shower and air conditioner work!)(Plus, with all this rain we’ve been getting in Texas, it would be sorta nice if the roof didn’t leak!)
Any suggestions as to where to put in at Port Aransas?
What is the “bait of choice” - - live or artificial? I am aware that live shrimp is the preferred choice. If that is the recommendation, how do you keep them alive in a kayak?
If artificial bait will work, what kind/ size/ color of lure or worm is recommended?
Would taking along a GPS unit be a good idea, or is that an “over-kill”?
How do you keep your catch in good condition? Do you put them on a stringer or on ice?
Are there any suggestions as to any equipment or gear that I should take along in addition to the stuff I normally carry on the North Texas lakes?
I’ve recently been invited to spend a few days with a friend who lives in Corpus Christi, so I’ll probably begin there! But I still want to go to Port Aransas! I wanted to go there last summer, but I couldn’t find anyone to go with me. That’s not gonna stop me this summer!
Any and all suggestions, advice, and recommendations would be greatly and sincerely appreciated!
If anyone would prefer to contact me directly, my email address is;
deralelkins@charter.net
A heart-felt THANKS in advance!!!
Deral Elkins
Port Aransas
You might want to consider staying in Aransas Pass. Port A is on Mustang Island and Aransas Pass is on the mainland right across from Port A. Most kayak fishermen fish in the bay system between Aransas Pass and Port A and the access is better on the Aransas Pass side.
I would suggest you contact Slow Ride Guide Service. They are the premier kayak fishing authorities in the area. Dean, the owner, is a tournament (kayak fishing) fisherman. He is also sponsored by Wilderness Systems and you can get info on him on the Wilderness Systems website. If this is your first time in the area you might consider a guided trip with him. In any case he is a super person to talk with.
You might also want to check out the Texas Parks and wildlife site specifically the Lighthouse Lakes Kayak Trail and the Shamrock Island Kayak Trail. These were both designed with kayak fishermen in mind.
I am in Corpus and although I do no fish from my kayak I have 15 years paddling experience in the area. Feel free to contact me at the e-mail link if you want further info.
Mark
Corpus Christi
If you are going to be in Corpus you might want to stop by Jerry B’s kayaks. They specialize in kayaks for fishing. They are primarily a retail and rental shop, but if you can get by when Jerry or Harris are in the shop they can fill you in on all kinds of kayak fishing info for this area. They are out in Flour Bluff just off of the freeway that runs from Corpus out to Padre Island.
Sorry I forgot to mention them in my first reply.
Mark
I second mjamja.
Slow Ride is one of the original kayak fishing guide service on the coast. He offers several levels of service, including guiding, but also kayak rental with boat shuttle to fishing areas if you want to go it alone. He may also offer shuttles if you own your kayak. If you haven't fished in the ocean or salt water in a kayak, it is best to start with bay fishing first, there is a steeper learning curve for handling kayaks in the surf, also some kayaks work better in the surf than others. Slow Ride may be found on the web at:
http://www.slowrideguide.com/pricing.htm
Jerry B's at: http://www.jerrybskayaks.com/
Another place you may want to consider is Rockport. Great fishing in that area. Captain Sally is another premier kayak fishing guide who works out of that area:
http://www.captainsally.com/m_28.asp
You may also want to join texaskayakfisherman.com and post your questions there. You'll get lots of information and find that Slowride (Dean's handle on the site) is a well loved and admired kayak fisherman, as well as a superb guide.