# Wading/kayaking the refuge.



## WRsteveX (Sep 6, 2012)

I plan on taking the ol lady to the aransas wildlife refuge in the morning to wet a line. She's never been, and it's been a LONG time since I have. I'm an experienced freshwater fisherman, but novice at best in the bay. Any tips? Places to hit? I plan on getting there at sunrise. I used to go to dagger point and wade out to the reef, but other than that, I'm pretty lost. Other than just get in the water and start casting..


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## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

I don't know the area but look for bait, birds and slicks, that applies to anywhere when looking for fish. Blind casting works at times but I feel better with a target in mind, structure too just like bass fishing.

http://www.fishingscout.com/scouts/SmackDaddy


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## LaddH (Sep 29, 2011)

I'd call the refuge. Dagger Point access was closed . The pier was open. 
The refuge staff doesn't seem concerned about public access. It has gone downhill the last few years. I won't go back unless I hear of some changes.
The volunteers at the office are nice folks.
If you go how about an update?


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## WRsteveX (Sep 6, 2012)

I'm here. Update to follow.


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## WRsteveX (Sep 6, 2012)

Lots of closed areas. It was windy and the water merky. I found a pocket in the grass left of the pier with shrimp and finger mullet, so I had bait. Nothing bit on artificial at all, caught a few small ones on bait. Tide looked up. Going to try again in the morning with new tactics . 

I saw a guy on the pier hook a porpus. And I had a 14" red swallow my hook, when I threw it in, it was kindof floating, and within 60 seconds and about 6' away, something big swallowed it. I didn't see it, my wife did, and she was almost running on top of the water. She thinks it was a shark. I was only slightly deeper than my knees.


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## WRsteveX (Sep 6, 2012)

Went again today. The plan was to go get bait by the heron flats and then move to the grass by the lookout tower. Storm hit while I was catching bait, so we waited it out for about 2hrs. Strong wind and rain, lightning and thunder. After it blew over, it was calmer than it was at sunrise. The bite was on after that. I maybe walked 75 yds and caught about 20 reds In a couple hours. Not a slaughter, but a good day. 3 or 4 double hookups. Had 4 keepers, one about 27", quite a fight on light tackle. My old lady caught 2 small ones while I was getting him in. They were biting strong when we left but I forgot the sunscreen in the truck and I was getting dangerously red .6mi away and the skeeters were horrendous on the trail.


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## LaddH (Sep 29, 2011)

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you had a good day.Did you gat access at the tower area? The boardwalk was closed last time I was there.
Also how did you access from Heron Flats?
Something I enjoy is going to the high overlook on the Dagger Point trail and just watching the reds roaming around on the flats.
PM me if you like.


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## WRsteveX (Sep 6, 2012)

We walked around the barricade at the tower saturday. sunday we took big tree trail to the water. saw a very large bobcat. spooked him up like a quail. I went to the high point on dagger to do just that, because its where I used to fish, but I couldn't see anything moving out there. Even with amber costas.


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## WRsteveX (Sep 6, 2012)

Oh and the pockets I caught bait in at heron flats, I kayaked to from the pier. 

Anyone know about the reefs? I can see bars out there on google but don't know what's what? Looked like a big one straight out from heron flats, I know there's one out from dagger but haven't been there since I was a child. I just don't know what's what out there via google images but I'd like to paddle out to them to give it a go, they're just so far apart, I'd like to hit a good one first, vs paddling aimlessly around the bay, wasting voluble fishing time.


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