Headed to Port Aransas...need help with tackle choices.

[Flyboy718]

Hope it's ok to post this here. Leaving next Monday for Port A and need some advice on what to use in the surf and on the jetty. I only have medium action bass rods and that is what I will be using. What do you recommend for tackle?

[txoutdoorsman24]

With the lighter tackle, I’d use 1/4 oz jog heads for some plastic baits. Maybe you can throw a popping cork with shrimp around the jetties. I would target trout. You prob don’t have enough meat on those rods for bottom fishing at the jetties. But would make good fun fight if you did latch into a bull red or jack fish or something similar

[Flyboy718]

With the lighter tackle, I’d use 1/4 oz jog heads for some plastic baits. Maybe you can throw a popping cork with shrimp around the jetties. I would target trout. You prob don’t have enough meat on those rods for bottom fishing at the jetties. But would make good fun fight if you did latch into a bull red or jack fish or something similar

Yeap Specks are alright with me; love catching and eating them when I was a kid. How about using the Gulp Shrimp with a jig head? What colors you think?

[JakeM]

Yeah a jig head and downsouth lures are always a good choice.

[txoutdoorsman24]

Yeap Specks are alright with me; love catching and eating them when I was a kid. How about using the Gulp Shrimp with a jig head? What colors you think?

Yep, that’s what I do. Make a short leader, 12” or so, and get fishing. Couple weeks ago, I had great success on pearl white w/pink tail Gulp shrimp. But I was in South Padre. Prob caught 30 specs and sand trout on that color. DSL lures are all the rage right now. I did land a few fish on one in padre. Don’t remember the name though

[bwhit]

Just got back from Port A. Fishing in the bay side we used the mirror lures Provoker soft plastic with a 1/4oz jig head and just jigged them fast twitch rod tips up. Down the beaches in the morning waist deep water. Bite was from day light to 11am both days. I will add it was evident that there was bait fish in the area as mullet were jumping in abundance.

Colors were plum/chart tail and pumpkin/chart tail. Limited on trout and released two 25” fish.

[Flyboy718]

Yep, that’s what I do. Make a short leader, 12” or so, and get fishing. Couple weeks ago, I had great success on pearl white w/pink tail Gulp shrimp. But I was in South Padre. Prob caught 30 specs and sand trout on that color. DSL lures are all the rage right now. I did land a few fish on one in padre. Don’t remember the name though

What do you mean with using a short leader? Make like a tandem rig?

Just got back from Port A. Fishing in the bay side we used the mirror lures Provoker soft plastic with a 1/4oz jig head and just jigged them fast twitch rod tips up. Down the beaches in the morning waist deep water. Bite was from day light to 11am both days. I will add it was evident that there was bait fish in the area as mullet were jumping in abundance.

Colors were plum/chart tail and pumpkin/chart tail. Limited on trout and released two 25” fish.

Awesome! Thanks for that information. I am pretty much just going to be surf fishing.

Any tips on where to take the kiddos to do some crabbing for blue crab?

[txoutdoorsman24]

What do you mean with using a short leader? Make like a tandem rig?

Awesome! Thanks for that information. I am pretty much just going to be surf fishing.

Any tips on where to take the kiddos to do some crabbing for blue crab?

...
No, just heavy mono or Fluorocarbon string leader to attach your line to. Saltwater fish have abrasive mouths, plus shell and rocks and such will fray your line. The leader helps protect your line from those things.

swivel, 12''+ string, jig head= leader

[Flyboy718]

Thanks!

[JLivi1224]

Yeah a jig head and downsouth lures are always a good choice.

This. Lighter the jig head the better imo.
Plum chartreuse is great, bone or pink topwater in the surf early in the AM

I prefer the 5” down south lures and the new chickenboy (the whipping chicken) is great!

[K. Lane]

This. Lighter the jig head the better imo.
Plum chartreuse is great, bone or pink topwater in the surf early in the AM

I prefer the 5” down south lures and the new chickenboy (the whipping chicken) is great!

^^^^^^^^^
x2

BTW JLivi, love that red hair on those babies!!!

[Flyboy718]

Awesome! Any ideas on where to crab with the kiddos?

[kyle1974]

early in the morning throw a top water. If it's really calm, throw something like a spook jr. or If it's a little rougher, then throw a regular spook, one knocker, skitter walk etc. black/silver or white/red head are about all I throw.

if you want to mess with bait, get a few dozen croakers. they're working great in the surf now. biggest deal is just look for bait, and try to find a place where there isn't much traffic driving by. that drives the fish out of the shallow water

[bwhit]

What do you mean with using a short leader? Make like a tandem rig?



Awesome! Thanks for that information. I am pretty much just going to be surf fishing.

Any tips on where to take the kiddos to do some crabbing for blue crab?

When we were walking looking for red fish. In the grass beds. I saw about 20 large blue crabs that I easily caught 4 or 5just setting the plastic baits in front of them and let them get a hold of it. I’m not experienced in crab grabbing. But this seemed like the easiest way I saw while walking around in the water anyways.

[dannorocks]

I'd lure fish with a spinning rod 2500 to 4500 size with 20-40 lbs braid. Wire leader with 1 oz mannolures. Mono leader with Mirrolure 52M and topwaters like heddon chuggers cause I hate walking the dog with spinning rods.

Lemon rig is effective, tons of info on that. Can be casted out with lighter rods / reels.

I also freeline fishbites toped with dead shirimp.

Bring a cast net, 5 gal bucket, and a bubbler. A net is really handy to land fish at the jetty.

Gulp shrimp or DOA dragged on bottom also works.