# Port Aransas fishing



## Zuriss (Aug 17, 2009)

My work group is heading for a trip to port a mid june. Never been to this place before but like hell I'm going to a body of water with out fishing. Just trying to find out what sort of bait would be good and what fish I could expect. Using a penn 330 gti with 40lb test and a 14 foot road. Have gear for shorter casts and trout as well.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

You won't be able to throw far with 40lb mono.


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## Team Buddhahead (Apr 3, 2007)

Finger Mullet will be around and also use shrimp and fishbites. Change your line to 20lb...


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## Zuriss (Aug 17, 2009)

I have seen the word "fishbites" around here but am not sure what it is. Are y'all talking about cut bait like chunks of croaker or large mulet. Also do the black drum run in that area if so I might pick up some crab. I guess the better thing to have asked is what kind of fish run around in the surf at Port Aransas.


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## Paw Paw (May 11, 2010)

I've caught Bull Reds, Trout, shark and some black drum in the surf. But I'll tell you straight up, if there ain't no bait fish in the surf, you're wasting your time. Go back to town and catch a pier or try the jetties.

Theres a HUGE flock of Pelicans that sweep the Port A beach. Watch them big daddies. They're the best guides on the island.

There is a set of jetties between access roads 3 and 4 on the beach you might look into if the surfers haven't packed in there. Be careful if you wade out into it, its rough in that area. One of my favorite spots.



Good luck!


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## cavalier fisher (May 13, 2009)

zuriss, not sure if someone answered this for you already but fishbites are small strips of flavored/scented bait. they come in several varieties (squid, crab, bloodworm, etc.). I use strips about 1/2 - 1 inch long on a bottom rig for spot, croaker, mullet, and other small bottom dwellers and baitfish. 

http://www.fishbites.com/shop/
heres a link to the website, you can see what they look like a little better.


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## 140L (Feb 17, 2008)

Horace Caldwell Pier. Runs parallel to the jetties. Fresh Mullet for bait. You should be able to scrounge up fresh bait on the bait rod as well. I would also give the jetties a try. Good luck!


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## Catfish713 (Nov 9, 2006)

Back your line down to 20# put a 50# shock leader on it, get you some 4-6oz weights, and some 6/0-10/0 gami circle hooks, use live finger mullet, croakers, or cut skipjack for bait and fish south of the pier, you should be able to pick up a few nice reds and black drum, use your smaller rods with small finger mullet or shrimp in the wash and you should be able to pick up some snook and trout as well .......for those who have not found out yet, the Texas snook population, is on the rise big time


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## Paw Paw (May 11, 2010)

*Live Shrimp*

As a rule, I don't use live shrimp. I like catching my own bait, and its not legal to cast net for shrimp in Texas. 
But on our last trip, a buddy of mine bought some live shrimp from a bait shop and brought it along.

We SLAYED EM! Good Lord, we nailed Reds and Trout like nobody's business. We caught some skip jack and cut them for bait as well. The cut skipjack provided plenty of shark and ray action for us. Had to be the most productive day in years. 

I still fancy catching my own bait, but I may splurge a few bucks on some live shrimp next time..


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## phikapphil (Apr 28, 2010)

I was there in Port A this past weekend and I got skunked.  The tide was REALLY high from the storms, all I could catch in the surf was seaweed, and the mosquitoes were swarming anywhere off of the beach.


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## Catfish713 (Nov 9, 2006)

Yea, when it's storming in Port A you might as well forget it, but I'll tell you what, if you can manage to hit the surf the day before a storm, you may need more gear than you barganed for, me and a couple of my buddies did this a few months ago, we caught reds, specs, jacks, skipjacks, shark, rays, snook, sheephead, pimps, and a couple of small kings, along with breaking 3 brand new rods, and spoiling a Penn 3/0, it was one of the greatest fishing trips of my life, if I can get the pics up, I'll post em


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## rickboz (Sep 16, 2010)

Coming to Port A in December and will be 'learning' to surf fish.


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