# Redfish of Espiritu Santo Bay



## MarkA70 (May 3, 2011)

Saturday, August 10th I finally got to experience the crazy of Port O'Connor. Wow, Clark's was jumping. My Fly fishing guide is Capt Eric Knipling and he said we had a good shot at Reds, he was not wrong. After being blown out of any trip all week due to the winds, I was ready to go. We jumped in his Hell's Bay Glade Skiff and off we went. Due to several factors we did not make the water until 8, and I had left Marsha in Rockport without a car and needed to get back a little early. The first fish somehow the camera did not focus, so here is the pictorial of four of the five we boated before the storm hit (we thought would hit) at 11:30.








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For the gear freaks, that is the new TFO Mangrove in 8 wt w/ Orvis Mirage IV with RIO Redfish WF8F line. fly is a sparse hand tied clouser by Eric. Get the equipment from Dave at Swan Point in Rockport and the Fishing expertise from Eric Knipling at 361-549-5923.


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## Backcast (Jul 22, 2005)

Congratulations. Looks like you had a great trip. I met Eric at the Speedy Stop on Sunday 12th. Got a look at his Hells Bay rig. He had been on Harry Spears poling skiff in Florida. Did he talk about it?

Joe


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## Got Tail (Aug 11, 2010)

I have meet Eric before and really want to go out with him. Looks like you had a great time. what do you think about him as a guide.


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## MarkA70 (May 3, 2011)

*Got*: I highly recommend him. Works very hard to put you on fish. Easy to visit with and helpful. I was casting like a little girl when we started just due to Redfish Fever and Performance Anexity, he should have whacked me with the push pole, but he did not and just kept up the encouragement until I got my fishing self back!

*Back*: He mentioned something about that..

The reds that day were in pod after pod of feeding fish. Started slowly and then all of a sudden there would be 2 or 3 pods of feeding fish. Beautiful sight, tails everywhere!!!


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## atxgolfer (May 27, 2013)

Eric is a great guide, i highly recommend him.


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## Joe T (Dec 13, 2012)

awesome report thanks...


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## Xplorin08 (Jan 18, 2011)

Nice report.

And Dave in RP can definitely be helpful too.


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## JayTeeDubya (Feb 24, 2013)

Thanks for the report, I'm looking to get into some reds on the fly. Just got back from Alaska and I have the fly fishing itch.


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## MarkA70 (May 3, 2011)

The fish were just crazy that day, I mean there were pods feeding everywhere. We've been in Lighthouse Lakes and the **** mullet spook and freak the Reds out. This time there was some of that, but not the intense mullet freakouts of some past times.

Eric liked the Mangrove so well he may get a couple for boat rods. I have and used the Helios Fast Action, but for the shorter up close and personal fish the Mangrove was great.

Am going to try the Mangrove with the RIO Outbound Short Tropical and see how it does. Man tha Outbound Short is almost like a shooting head line.

Should Note: Wells Fishing Mag had that day as a BAD day, guess it just goes to show ya that ya gotta get out there and find out. Cannot catch fish at home!


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