Port Aransas South Jetty- Mustang Island, TX.Gusty gale force winds, staccato Pacific cold-fronts, and a ‘hardhead’ catfish dominance kept me stranded for input on my fishing trip to Mustang Island, an eighteen mile long sand point located on the upper Laguna Madre, north of Corpus Christi, TX.
Often referred to as the “Riviera” of the Texas Coastal bend, Mustang Island, and its resident township of Port Aransas, arrived after “Sand Point” was liberated from the warlike, cannibalistic Karankawa Indians by European settlers in the early 1800s. After eons of racy times, which included the Mexican/American war, the Civil War, and WWII, The once quaint little fishing village, now Aransas Pass, was discovered by avid salt-leggers as being a superb fishery, offering some of the finest speckled trout, redfish, flounder, and sheepshead angling for inshore anglers, with Tarpon, sailfish, marlin, tuna, king mackerel and red snapper for offshore enthusiasts. “Port-A” and Mustang Island quickly evolved as THE place to be for saltwater sportsmen as well as vacationing revelers. Wintering visitors from the frigid northern the states, with Canadian, and European vacationers soon added to the mix as they flocked into the winter haven away from the arctic winds and snowbound blizzards. Indeed, myself included, joined the appreciative tourists who chose Mustang Island as their “home away from home” during the wintering doldrums.
But here I sat, disgruntled and frustrated from all the ‘wintering’ that seemed to be ‘personally’ targeting my efforts at writing a positive article for my annual trip. After catching a few ‘rather large’ hardhead catfish with ‘dead bait’ and losing several sand weights and rigs on the rocks soaking in chalky wind roiled waters, I gave up on my efforts and strolled over to the huddling crowds fishing further up the jetty to just sit and watch from the protective comforts of my wind buffeted RV.
Two couples were braving the gusty, sandy winds and enjoying the hardhead action to my right, and within a few minutes, another family group arrived to my left with an abundance of un-jetty like fishing tackle to try their luck. Within minutes a lady family member cast her fishing line with her ‘one-hook and ‘one-sinker’ into wind whipped waters around the jetty rocks and immediately managed to snag her ‘one-hook & ‘one-sinker; effort on the rocks. After a few rod bending de-snagging efforts with un-lady like mutterings, she managed to break off from her antagonistic rock-monster. Then, while observing the frayed ends of her line minus her ‘one-hook’ and ‘one-sinker’ rig, she turned to her husband and said; … “Honey, we need to go back to Wal-Mart!’
“BINGO” ….. And so it begins;
Even though the fishing aspect of Mustang Island was in disarray, its coast of many colors offers a wide array of options for fishless anglers. Across from the south jetty moored the “Texas Treasure” cruise & gambling ship that would take you on scenic offshore cruises while you tried lady luck. (warning; QUIT when you’re ahead..chuckles) Or, if your tastes are more in tune with shopping, the Port-A shopping area (all within easy walking distance) offers âshop till you dropâ forays for just about anything and everything a visiting tourista could possibly want. Nearby restaurants offer anything from burgers nâfry fast food concessions to full service menu kitchens for those who seek the surf-n-turf flavors of the local cuisine. And when evening arrives Port-A lights up with entertainment for all tastes from the local VFW beer hall, to country & western kickers, the twist and shout rock n rollers, to dinner and dance night clubs for the Champaign and waltzing crowd.
GOLF? – Ubetcha! With a new beachside Arnold Palmer 18 hole signature links style golf course now under construction with a scheduled opening in 2007. Birding is also an attraction for those who enjoy viewing or photographing the exotic and rare birds that flock into the Leonabell Turnbull birding center located on the marsh side of the city. The Texas A&M Marine Research Center, located on the south jetty, also offers aquarium buffs insight on the Riddley Sea Turtles, and other marine critters that live in surrounding waters. Or you can test your bravado within the jaws of JAWS that guards the entrance to a main-street t-shirt and bikini emporium.
If rest and relaxation is your forteâ, Mustangs eighteen mile long sandy white beach will put you on the edge of its lulling surf to enjoy watching the seagulls, terns, pelicans, and those lilâ surf running shorebirds that race in and out of the surf without getting wet. You can either walk, jog, drive, or ride the beach on Mustangs, of Mustang islands stables, or just kick back to read that good book you brought along to enjoy the Gulf of Mexico under the shade of a beach-brella, while the rest of the world sets their own pace.
Recreational vehicles are also a major business opportunity for Mustang with several RV parks strategically located within and around the Port-A business district. And being stranded at these RV parks is NOT an option as you can take advantage of the .25 cent Port-A Trolly that makes its rounds to the RV parks on an hourly basis to shuttle visitors to and from the business district and other Mustang Island attractions.
Oh Yea, Wal-Mart necessities can also be tended to by crossing the ferry over to Aransas Pass for a 15 minute drive to Ingleside and its Super Wal-Mart facility. But just in case youâd rather stay in town, the Port-A area has several fishing tackle and bait emporiums as well as Jetty Shuttle boats that will run you to the jetties and pick you back up again. Bay fishing boats abound for angling inshore waters for reds, specks, and sheepshead, or Gulf running boats will take you offshore for king mackerel, tuna, or red snapper. And sleek blue water charter boats will cruise the breaks for sailfish, mako, wahoo, or marlin.
Or for you land-lubbers, angling excitements can be had by fishing the piers, surf, or jetties, with the south jetty being the favorite as you can drive up in your vehicle or RV and fish right where you park, or just sit there to watch the scenery, that includes HUGE sea going vessels passing by with porpoise leaping and playing in their bow wakes.
Early risers can enjoy some of the most colorful Gulf side sun rises while jogging their pets or slurping up ghost shrimp, or watch the evenings bayside sunsets where migrating exotics often speckle up the sky as the sun flares its red and golden hues, becoming the ‘perfect cocktail’ at the end of a perfect day..
So, with all these attractive options available to me, why am I sitting here at the south jetty on a dreary, windy, rainy, fishless day, indignant with frustration? Well, as is often said, where one negative occurs other positives are occurring elsewhere, as I just found out that the fish were biting like crazy right across the channel from me on the north jetty where wind whipped, sandy green waters were foaming with baitfish with anglers catching speckled trout in the 18 to 22 inch class and 22 to 28 inch slot reds on 4 -inch Berkley saltwater GULP ânew pennyâ shrimp-tails rigged with 1/8th -oz jig-heads and slowly worked around gulf side rocks of the north jetty. And after a quick look into my tackle pack I found….. “OH WELL, ….I needs to go back to Wal-Mart!
This Ed Snyder/Outdoors report is sponsored by; The On The Beach RV Park, The Bass Buster Inn, The Stump Restaurant & Club, The LFSA, Fishing World.com, LSRPA.By: Ed Snyder / Ed Snyder Outdoors
