Gulf Coast - Port O'Connor

Tip of the week: 
Techniques: 

.Keep eyes out for big single trout on late AM sand near drop offs and potholes... On low wind conditions, proactively hit potholes from as far away as you can reach, with long leader (>9') to keep belly of line off the potholes.... Use white, ginger, tan , gray baitfish profile flies (-size 4-1/0) of various sink rates to probe potholes and drop offs. Go into sight-casting mode as sun gets up 8:30 to 4:00 and be ready to add extra fluoro 12# tippet and some 3 to 4" grizzy seaducers (2/4) for picky fish, goin with as long a leader as you can get away with on calm days, Get out of boat and walk on windy days with scudding clouds/ sun on lee shorelines

Seven-day forecast: 

Port O'Connor coming back with seascape and landmarks changed since Harvey. Tides are slightly above normal with steady SE winds to > 15 Sunny and windy and partly cloudy ,chance of AM rain Wednsday and SE winds to 25 clear thru weekend then sunny to partly cloudy first half of next week with SE winds to 20+

Warm water bringing in jacks, XXL reds, and mackerel to jetty and front beach , jetty tarpon reports surfacing.. fish coming back and staying into shallow edge flats eating better Best bet for reds and big trout may be from wading...consider Coast Guard flat outside Pringle to Lighthouse cove and ICWW edges Dewberry shoreline on W and NE winds...Time to start carrying a rigged 10 wt, for jackfish incursions on edges channels and passes and look for flat front beach with late week N winds

old coastal duck blinds and some buildings are missing, if you are running boat sitting down you may miss submerged hazards , Pass Cavallo has opened up deeper on north side and Sunday Beach has opened a deep cut thru to the front beach surf...please release large trout ( typically over 22" and all female) to go drop a million babies or so in the next month

NOTE:

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge closed to ALL inland boat traffic 8/22/ 17 until further notice. Check ICWW edges late day for fish coming up on warming ditch edges for a bite....good redfish singles on Sand edges and ICWW edges to 27" on tan flies...

Conditions: 

Late Winter / Spring.Sightcasting begins around 9 AM to cruising fish, or Blindcast 2-3 foot deep flats early with wtd. large streamers until sun gets up and floating grass becomes an issue..... Scattered big fish showing on edge flats late with large flies and slow sinking lines. go to longer leaders (10' to 12') and fluoro tippets as needed Winter to early Spring is a good time to stick a large trout on island edges and isolated sand flats

Must Have Flies: 
Cowen's Baitfish Natural ginger 1 2 4 Buy from Orvis.com
Tarpon Toad Black purple and whi 1/0 Buy from Orvis.com
Clouser Minnow Olive and white, 2 Buy from Orvis.com
Grand Slam Crab olive 2 Buy from Orvis.com
Skipping Bug Popper copper silver 2/0 to 4/0 Buy from Orvis.com
Swan Point Landing