# Port O Conner Jetties On the Fly



## ToFlyCast

Well, I am new to Port O Conner area. I have only been once in June and did well on flats for reds but really want to get on some jacks and bull reds at the Jetties or surf. 

I will quickly define gear so you all know where to start (if anyone chimes in, i fish a 2013 2200 Pure Bay with SHO 250, jack plate power pole trolling motor, HDS touch etc. Rods will be Winston Boron III sx 8, sage Xi2 8 and G Loomis NRX 11wt, hatch reels on all. 

That usually helps avoid questions or answers on gear. Anyway,
does anyone have advice for Sept 23-27 on surf and jetties at Port O? Any info would be greatly appreciated!


----------



## Mason m

I fished the big jetties yesterday all I could get the jacks to hit was sinking flies (clousers) with gold flash. You will want to use your 11wt so you'll have some back bone. Be ready for a fight!


----------



## TXDRAKE

Contact Capt. James Shuler (http://www.finfeather.org/). He's a great friend and he loves to fly fish! He lives and guides in the Port O area. Im sure he will give you some tips! Tell him Jason Davenport sent ya!


----------



## ToFlyCast

I sure appreciate it fellas! Mason, why conditions were you there? Morning? Incoming tide? I am all good with blind casting full sink, I do it for striper up here. 

Drake, I will holler at James and see what he has to say. 

Thanks again guys!


----------



## Mason m

It was about 1:00 pm outgoing tide jacks were crusing where the rocks drop off we were ancored on the left side of jetties. But like I said all they would hit was flys with gold flash


----------



## pallen1978

I want to fish the jetties in POC as well. My gear is a 14' MV Jon boat with a 15hp, cup holder, iPhone 5 and a cooler of cold beer. I have a 5wt BVK also. Any advice?


----------



## AguaMala

pallen1978 said:


> I want to fish the jetties in POC as well. My gear is a 14' MV Jon boat with a 15hp, cup holder, iPhone 5 and a cooler of cold beer. I have a 5wt BVK also. Any advice?


Pack enough beer!!!


----------



## Mason m

pallen1978 said:


> I want to fish the jetties in POC as well. My gear is a 14' MV Jon boat with a 15hp, cup holder, iPhone 5 and a cooler of cold beer. I have a 5wt BVK also. Any advice?


Ya pull the plug when you get out there!


----------



## pallen1978

Hahaha that wasn't very nice! Just messing guys, actually ill be on the trip with ToFlyCast late September so any advice is much appreciated!


----------



## AguaMala

pack enough beer for two of y'all.


----------



## ToFlyCast

Yea, he is a comedian! 

At the end of the day, its a matter of not knowing the area. Just local knowledge is great help. I have been slinging fly rods for 23 years. Equipment is not our issue, which is the reason I explained equipment to begin with.

A nicely stocked cooler of cold beer is great no matter the class of water craft you may be sporting.


----------



## AguaMala

Not local to poc, fished there Sunday. The jacks won't be hard to spot around the jetties. Just look for them busting bait, feeding birds. As mason mentioned the ledge of jettie is a good ambush point for predators.


----------



## ToFlyCast

You bet, thanks. I think we will start with early morning at jetties and maybe move out to just beyond breaks in surf if wind permits. If not, may just go back to flats and wade sandy shores for reds. The 2200 purebay floats in a foot or so but not 6in.  


You know anyone thats been on a tarpon this year?


----------



## Billy Baroo

ToFlyCast said:


> You know anyone thats been on a tarpon this year?


yep.


----------



## Mason m

Billy Baroo said:


> yep.


X2


----------



## Mason m

Another good tip go during the week! After my experience Saturday I will never go back to POC on the weekend! It's a croaker soaker reunion!


----------



## ToFlyCast

Yea, we are going Monday through Friday. 23-27 of sept. I am no stranger to crowded fishing areas. One of the reasons I chase carp alot, also because the size and difficulty of hooking them.

I just hop the wind cooperates for us to fish surf a little. Would like to spend some time on the breaks and see what we find.


----------



## Bob Haley

Now thru Oct is my favorite time to fish the jetties and flats on the Island.

I have the blue and white cabin about a 1/2 mile South of the big jetties and when the flags are up, stop by. May be willn to host a flyfishathon out there for any interested parties. I have a 10wt but very little exp.


----------



## ToFlyCast

Oh nice! We will sure do that if we see you there. If you think about it, let me now as it gets close.

We will definitely be pounding the water with flys and all types of line. Maybe we will see ya there.


----------



## Golden

Bob, you know I and another half dozen TFF'ers will be taking you up on your invitation! Nice seeing you over at Speedy Stop last week. I'll send PM when I'm coming down. I'll bring the 22' Wahoo and my nephew (boat owner) really looking forward to front beach action. See Ya


----------



## Bob Haley

We have options out there to fish the Flats, Jetties, Surf and the Pass.

Just remember that we eat like Kings out there so no lunchables.


----------



## pallen1978

Ok I have about a billion questions about how you got that camp there! That's awesome! Things like running water, sewage and waste disposal, real estate acquisition, construction logistics, etc.........)


----------



## ToFlyCast

Very nice place Bob!


----------



## ToFlyCast

Thought I might share new boat pic, always fun to enjoy a new boat!


----------



## Bob Haley

Golden,

Nice to catch up at Speedys and the parking lot casting lesson. 2funny..
Sorry that I missed the TFF meeting and I keep telln myself that one day Im gonna catch a nice spec or red on the fly and then Im gonna be hooked. Iv got the setup but just need to be pushed a bit. 2much Island booze cruis'n.

Ill be down this weekend for the Oilfield Helping Hands so anyone is welcome to stop by.


----------



## texasflycaster

Here's the video from ToFlyCast's trip -http://texasflycaster.com/Media/PortOconnorTexasJuly2013.mp4


----------



## Bob Haley

Love it and thanks for sharing.
I'll be on some POC flats Thur - Sat and I'm available to be given lessons anytime.


----------



## ToFlyCast

Yea, thanks for posting bud. 

Wish I could man!  

We will be there Sunday the 22nd-27th of sept. really want to hit the jetties and outside surf breaks but we will sure be on the flats a bit as well. I just have to hook up with a jack. Fly rods and jack crevalle just sound like too much fun!! 

We may fish flats in front of your place a little if conditions permit. I will check back with ya before we head out.


----------



## Bob Haley

Please let me know your plans. I have a truck and we can drive down the beach scouting birds and bait because I hear that there are small tarpon in the surf closer to the pass. I have a 10wt and just need to throw it.


----------



## ToFlyCast

Sure will, I was going to fish the color change from the bay boat. I have heard its a great way to hit the surf. If scouting the beach is better, I would be good with that too. Throwing a 10-12 wt will be much easier from a casting deck than waste deep in surf huh? 

You would know the surf way better than I do, my guess is, long casts with good line is the recipe. If wind will calm down, won't be a problem to cover lots of surf line from the blue wave......, I think I am new to surf fishing.


----------



## Finn Maccumhail

ToFlyCast- you don't happen to live in the Atascocita area do you? I saw somebody with the exact same Blue Wave Pure Bay yesterday near home. Right down to the color scheme, Power Pole, etc.


----------



## ToFlyCast

No Sir, I live in dallas Fort Worth area. Love the boat so far. The SHO 250 on the 22 is great on fuel consumption.


----------



## Laguna Freak

TXDRAKE said:


> Contact Capt. James Shuler (http://www.finfeather.org/). He's a great friend and he loves to fly fish! He lives and guides in the Port O area. Im sure he will give you some tips! Tell him Jason Davenport sent ya!


x2


----------



## Coconut Groves

ToFlyCast - 

A 10 will do, but 12 much better. I've consistently done well for jacks at low tide inside of the big jetties - bait becomes more congregated. Watch for the birds working all the way from Saluria to the big jetties. I've seen it raining bowling balls out there - huge explosions from jacks hitting bait. It is complete mayhem. Throw a popper if you are greedy, but if you want to get one, throw an intermediate line, or a shorter leader on a float line with a large sinking fly. Something with big eyes is a must. Full moons during April/May, Sep/Oct are the best time for the big jacks.


----------



## ToFlyCast

I have an 11wt G Loomis NRX with hatch reel. 

Sounds great, we will be there from 23-27 of September, Monday through Friday. Thanks for the post!


----------



## texasflycaster

I think I've made it all the way through this thread, and the only flies I am reading are "Clousers" and seeing "gold flash" multiple times. Call me crazy, but gold flash is the only metallic color I use for saltwater anyway. Would hate to waste too many of these Tiemco 600SP's on bad body colors though - so typical saltwater colors for those Clousers + any other patterns? Thanks


----------



## Mason m

Pink and chartruce or chartruce and white was all I got fish on but like I said gold flash was the ticket I used probably 10 other flies once I ran out of gold flash and never had a nibble


----------



## Mason m

In last weeks "orvis, swan point landing" newsletter Chance said that locals have been catching tarpon off the rocks on small baitfish patterns so a chartruce and white clouser is what I would go with while targeting jacks just incase I ran into the silver king! Also don't forget about a big popper when the jacks are busting bait lot cooler eat like that also!


----------



## Coconut Groves

For jacks, these work good:










That's a wide gap hook, 1/0 - 2/0, some Supreme Hair or Flash N Slinky for the wing with some flash, then an epoxy or Clear Cure Goo for the head with some big eyes. Easy breezy. Of course, they say they'll hit anything, but I've seen them reject clousers only to turn around eat one of these. That happened on this exact fish:


----------



## ToFlyCast

Very much appreciated fellas! 

Coconut Groves,

I must ask, what wt rod and what reel were you using on that fish? 15lb range fish? That must have been a blast! Hope we can hook up with one next time we are there.


----------



## Coconut Groves

That was caught on a 10 wt. Not only did the drag fail on a Ross Momentum, but then the rod blank separated from the cork. That's actually my brother in the picture and he landed it, but I guided him on it and hand lined that sucker at the boat. He had to palm drag the reel and got his knuckles busted up in return.

And that's way bigger than 15 lb - I can hold 15 out with one hand. You could not do that with that fish. There are different measurement to weight ratios out there, but the ones I've seen, and based on me holding it, put it at around 30 lbs. A 15 lb pounder will work you. A 30 pounder will have you begging for mercy. I'd use nothing less than a 12, and even a 14 if you can, like I did on this one:










But I don't recommend using an 8 wt and a trout reel like I did on this one:










And yeah, I am screaming because I just landed a huge jack on an 8 wt and a Ross Evo.

The last thing about that big one in the previous post - we were actually in the bay and saw gigantic splashes and birds all over, but none would hit a clouser. Things died down and I was poling along in deeper water, when we noticed an island out to our left. I said "I don't remember that being there" to which my brother agreed, and then it moved towards us. It was a school of at least 100 huge jacks - full on Natty Geo style moving under the boat. And guess what? They denied the clouser. So I changed his flies to one like I posted, and bam, first fish it was cast to hit it.


----------



## ToFlyCast

Good lord man, that looks like too much fun!! Largest rig I have is NRX 11 and 9 plus hatch. We have to test it out and see if that's enough. If they aren't up baiting top, can you blond cast structure for them? thanks for all the info!


----------



## ToFlyCast

Busting and blind is what I meant, dad gum iPhone!


----------



## Coconut Groves

If they are eating, you will know. They might not be busting on top, but you'll see bait scared for its life and birds working the bait. A good thing to do is keep a spinning rod with a hookless popper on it. Have a buddy cast it out and work it back to the boat - if jacks are eating, they'll chase and hit it - then do a bait and switch with your fly.


----------



## ToFlyCast

Does anyone have thoughts on fishing the surf in late September? Like beyond the breaks out of bayboat, maybe pass cavallo? Just trying to make a solid plan if other options don't pan out, we will be there a week.


----------



## Demeter

We ran into schools of Jacks a few days ago, just outside of the jetties in POC. September should be good.


----------



## ToFlyCast

Thanks man! Good to know


----------



## Mason m

How was the trip? I'm going Saturday with Curtis Cash going to try for ling, bull reds, jacks, and hopefully tarpon!


----------



## ToFlyCast

We haven't gone yet, will be there the week of Sept 22-27. Would like to hear how your trip goes! Always good to hear some good fish stories.


----------



## Mason m

Ill be sure and post it up! I said I would never go to POC on a Saturday again but like they say never say never!


----------



## ToFlyCast

Yea, I try to avoid it but any day on the water is better than being just about anywhere else! Go when you can right, good luck!


----------



## ToFlyCast

*Current Conditions POC*

Well, we are headed for POC in the morning and will be there all week. If anyone has reports on current conditions with all the rain, would be much appreciated. Any Jetti/Surf reports? Any jacks or bull reds moving in the area? I feel like the influx of fresh water recently will change patterns and bring water levels up. Anyway, thanks in advance for any advice on this fellas!


----------



## Mason m

Catch anything?


----------



## ToFlyCast

Yea, lost a huge Jack Crevalle outside jetties on wednesday. Had three takes and hooked one, fought for 30 minutes on an 11wt Gloomis and fly came out. Wasnt hooked well enough I guess. With light north wind on wednesday and smooth gulf conditions we fished outside jetties most of the day. The Spanish Macks wouldnt leave us alone. We lost a ton of flies and caught a bunch of macks. The water levels were too high for all the flats habitats to be good for reds, water was too deep to see them well wading. Caught a bunch of ladyfish too outside saluria, fun but not what we were there for. 

The jacks we did see were chasing bait below surface just outside jetties, didnt see any top water activity, tides were not condusive, seemingly anyway. Was a fun fight. 


I saw a ton of Tarpon but coulnt get on em!


----------

