by Captain Peter Young
While the cost of fuel has gone up, the fishing conditions that drive most anglers out farther to find fish has remained unchanged. With current alternative fuel options still in their relative infancy as far as recreational fishing is concerned, anglers are basically left with three options: simply eat the big cost increase with a smile, hang it up completely and send your baby to join the increasing ranks of boat listings, or tweak your strategy a little bit, slow everything down and make the most of your time on the water.
Texas anglers are fortunate in that during the summer months when the fishing season is at its peak, boat owners and captains alike, depending on their targeted quarry, have the option of beginning their day as soon as they clear the jetties. Another advantage, particularly here in Port Aransas, are the large number of structures found in the form of rigs and rocks within a range of less than 45 miles or so from the house. Furthermore, if you talk to any of the old-timers around these parts, they will more often than not tell you that most anglers in their haste to “go deep or go home” typically will overrun the fish.
When the early summer winds finally abate long enough to allow the currents to run correctly, the clearer, bait-laden water will eventually get pushed all the way to the end of the jetties. This allows offshore anglers to target kingfish, tarpon, ling, big sharks, jack crevalle and even the occasional sailfish. The Port Aransas jetties, located just outside of Port Aransas, are notorious for holding schools of large kingfish and other big game during the summer months. Perhaps the most tried-and-true method of fishing for kingfish is by either drifting or slow trolling a combination of ribbonfish, sardines, goggle-eyes, menhaden, ballyhoo, or live pin perch. Because of their length, ribbonfish are usually rigged on a three-hook wire leader that consists of either treble hooks, j-hooks, or a combination of both.
Most fishermen will tie the leader in such a manner as to leave about 18 inches between the nose of the bait and the swivel, in order to decrease the chances of bite offs. Sardines, goggle-eyes, and menhaden are usually fished on either a single hook wire leader generally referred to as a “shorty” or on a two-hook leader with the hooks about 5 inches or a bait’s length apart. A skirt of any color can be added to increase the effectiveness of these leaders for those days when the bite is a little different than usual. Other jetty methods that can be equally as effective include pulling diving lures like Rapalas or Russell lures through the bait balls, which will cluster around the rocks and buoys right outside the jetties. These same methods, when employed often enough, are likely to tangle an angler with a surprise shark, ling, jackfish, or sailfish.
If the bite doesn’t seem to be happening at the jetties, put on the lures and troll your way towards the ships. Located around seven miles or more offshore of the Port “A” jetties, is the ship anchorage where tankers and cargo ships alike await their turn to come into the port of Corpus Christi. Depending on various harbor demands, some ships will remain on anchor for weeks at a time. These large, relatively stable platforms begin to attract bait by the shelter they provide, the growth that can quickly accumulate on the bottom of any non-moving vessel, or both. Once the bait arrives, however, game fish are generally not far behind. The ships are generally fished in the same manner as the jetties and it is not uncommon to tempt a large ling or sailfish out from underneath the shade of these large vessels.
If, at this point the bite is slow inshore, or you’ve already caught most of your kings but need just a few more, it is time to bite the bullet and make a run to the first main set of rigs found about 26 miles straight out front. Sitting in about 26 fathoms, these rigs are generally known at the 26ers. Found within several miles of each other, the 26s and the 28s have been known to hold just about everything that can be caught, including kingfish, ling, dolphin, wahoo, or sailfish, depending on the water conditions. If they’re not fishing for kingfish, most anglers will typically drop to the bottom around these rigs in the hopes of catching snapper, grouper, or ling. With all the activity around these rigs, it comes as no surprise that many large sharks have been taken from these areas, including blacktips, hammerhead, sandbars, and even mako sharks.
Texas anglers are fortunate in that during the summer months when the fishing season is at its peak, boat owners and captains alike, depending on their targeted quarry, have the option of beginning their day as soon as they clear the jetties. Another advantage, particularly here in Port Aransas, are the large number of structures found in the form of rigs and rocks within a range of less than 45 miles or so from the house. Furthermore, if you talk to any of the old-timers around these parts, they will more often than not tell you that most anglers in their haste to “go deep or go home” typically will overrun the fish.
When the early summer winds finally abate long enough to allow the currents to run correctly, the clearer, bait-laden water will eventually get pushed all the way to the end of the jetties. This allows offshore anglers to target kingfish, tarpon, ling, big sharks, jack crevalle and even the occasional sailfish. The Port Aransas jetties, located just outside of Port Aransas, are notorious for holding schools of large kingfish and other big game during the summer months. Perhaps the most tried-and-true method of fishing for kingfish is by either drifting or slow trolling a combination of ribbonfish, sardines, goggle-eyes, menhaden, ballyhoo, or live pin perch. Because of their length, ribbonfish are usually rigged on a three-hook wire leader that consists of either treble hooks, j-hooks, or a combination of both.
Most fishermen will tie the leader in such a manner as to leave about 18 inches between the nose of the bait and the swivel, in order to decrease the chances of bite offs. Sardines, goggle-eyes, and menhaden are usually fished on either a single hook wire leader generally referred to as a “shorty” or on a two-hook leader with the hooks about 5 inches or a bait’s length apart. A skirt of any color can be added to increase the effectiveness of these leaders for those days when the bite is a little different than usual. Other jetty methods that can be equally as effective include pulling diving lures like Rapalas or Russell lures through the bait balls, which will cluster around the rocks and buoys right outside the jetties. These same methods, when employed often enough, are likely to tangle an angler with a surprise shark, ling, jackfish, or sailfish.
If the bite doesn’t seem to be happening at the jetties, put on the lures and troll your way towards the ships. Located around seven miles or more offshore of the Port “A” jetties, is the ship anchorage where tankers and cargo ships alike await their turn to come into the port of Corpus Christi. Depending on various harbor demands, some ships will remain on anchor for weeks at a time. These large, relatively stable platforms begin to attract bait by the shelter they provide, the growth that can quickly accumulate on the bottom of any non-moving vessel, or both. Once the bait arrives, however, game fish are generally not far behind. The ships are generally fished in the same manner as the jetties and it is not uncommon to tempt a large ling or sailfish out from underneath the shade of these large vessels.
If, at this point the bite is slow inshore, or you’ve already caught most of your kings but need just a few more, it is time to bite the bullet and make a run to the first main set of rigs found about 26 miles straight out front. Sitting in about 26 fathoms, these rigs are generally known at the 26ers. Found within several miles of each other, the 26s and the 28s have been known to hold just about everything that can be caught, including kingfish, ling, dolphin, wahoo, or sailfish, depending on the water conditions. If they’re not fishing for kingfish, most anglers will typically drop to the bottom around these rigs in the hopes of catching snapper, grouper, or ling. With all the activity around these rigs, it comes as no surprise that many large sharks have been taken from these areas, including blacktips, hammerhead, sandbars, and even mako sharks.
