A Fish Story: Variety Draws Anglers to Region
Published May 27, 2008
A shrimp boat is moored after a day on the Laguna Madre.
Every customer who has ever booked a fishing adventure out of Port Aransas with Ronand Big Game Fishing has gone home with fish. That’s right, not once has a fishing excursion resulted in what is known among anglers as being “skunked.”
“I’ve been at this in South Texas for 10 years – that’s just how good the fishing is in the Coastal Bend region,” says Ronny Claes, captain of Ronand Big Game Fishing. “It’s good, regardless of the time of year.”
Coastal Bend offers fishing in three main settings – fresh water, shallow salt water and deep salt water.
Freshwater fishing occurs primarily on Lake Corpus Christi, which features 200 miles of shoreline and provides prime opportunities to catch bass, catfish, crappie, flathead and perch. A 60-pound flathead has been caught on the lake, as has a 13.5-pound largemouth bass.
Meanwhile, shallow water fishing occurs in the bays and along the shores that front the Gulf of Mexico, and catches in these settings can include drum, flounder, redfish, speckled trout and whiting.
“As for deep-water fishing, it takes place miles offshore where the fish are virtually guaranteed to bite every day,” Claes says. “I have never been disappointed yet.”
When to Fish, What Bait to Use
Most offshore gulf fishing trips occur anywhere from Port Aransas to Rockport, with fishermen able to go for amberjack, red snapper and tuna on a year-round basis. The best times for species such as bill fish and marlin are from May through September.
“Rainbow runners are personally my favorite fish to catch, but I’ve had customers hook everything from 30-inch snappers to six-foot sharks,” Claes says. “I love deep-sea fishing, but the Coastal Bend also has excellent shallow bay systems for catching trout, sheepshead or ladyfish. You just can’t go wrong here if fishing is your passion.”
Guide services can provide information on what types of fish are prevalent during particular months. For example, mackerel are best caught in the gulf from May through September, with hootie and shrimp being ideal bait. Red snapper are best caught from April through October, with squid and whole fish serving as the best bait choices.
“Most of my guided excursions are booked for eight, 12 or 16 hours, with a 16-hour trip featuring trolling for a total of about 200 miles,” Claes says. “But I also offer 20-hour trips and even a 30-hour overnight package. The 30-hour trip is really for hard-core fishermen, and I take them 140 miles out from shore.”
Claes says he even offers scuba diving and snorkeling trips as well as spear-fishing adventures.
“We provide the rods, reels, tackle, bait and very knowledgeable captains on every trip we take,” he says. “The waters of the Coastal Bend are what our lives are all about.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Brian McCord
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