Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

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trainer534
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Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by trainer534 »

I'm taking my 12 and 15-year-old boys to Rockport next week to do some fishing. I tried to book a guide, but with it being the week of July 4th, everyone is booked. We do a lot of freshwater kayak fishing, but this will be our first saltwater adventure.

I've looked up some of the kayak launches in the area, so finding a location to launch is not an issue. In fact, we are staying at Goose Island State Park which has a boat ramp to launch at and I've read where others have launched from Big Tree.

Any other suggestions or recommendations? What type of lures is best to use?
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motoyak
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by motoyak »

The night bite under the lights on GI pier will fill the bill for later hours. The line of islands and reefs bordering Aransas and St Charles are easily accessible from the pier area launch at GI as well as East pocket in St Charles. Nuemi (TKF host) has posted a map with kayak launches so check those out if the need be.
Live shrimp or artys under popping corks are always good (Vudu or Doa). Gold spoons will fill a box too
SWFinatic
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by SWFinatic »

Welcome to the forum!

As you may know we're in full on summer time mode so you're typically looking at an early morning bite (usually stops around 10-11 am) and a late afternoon bite. As mentioned at night on the pier should be good fun for the kids. Only thing about launching around GI is it usually results in a paddle in the wind heading back in. The winds in the afternoon may be gusty. If so Copano Retreat Road (at the shrimp farm) may be a good play. There's a kayak launch at the end of the road and a nice grassy shoreline to fish. You can also go into Swan lake and fish the south edges or around the islands on the north side of the lake.

Lots of smaller bait in the bays so I would go to a smaller profile if you're throwing artificials. Vudu shrimp or smaller paddle tail on a jig head is a good start. Agree the Vudu under a popping cork works!

Be prepared to throw something weedless there's lots of grass you'll have to fish over the top of.
trainer534
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by trainer534 »

Excellent! Thanks for the tips! We've fished from the piers in Rockport/Fulton (as well as GI) numerous times over the years, but this will be the first time out in our kayaks.

I know the wind is usually the biggest challenge. I'm hoping this tropical low pressure won't jack things up too much after it passes through the area this weekend. Now, to go dig through my salt water tackle box and see what I have!
SWFinatic
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by SWFinatic »

That low is forecast to drop the pressure over the next couple of days which will likely raise the water levels so it could move the fish some. Hopefully by the time y'all get there it will be over with. Regardless if you find the bait most of the time you'll find the fish.
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Neumie
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by Neumie »

Here's a map with access points in the area: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewe ... jdG5uojp7k

Fishing out in front of St. Charles Bay from GISP (Bartell Islands) can be productive. You can kind of hide behind the island if the winds pick up from the SE winds. East Pocket can be good as well, especially the reef/point going into it. Be careful of alligators.

I don't know much about the Big Tree launch or Cavasso Creek, which are two additional popular options.

A couple of spots if the wind isn't too bad out of the SE are the Swan Lake (Copano Retreat Road) and Bayside boat ramp on Black point. At the Swan Lake launch to the right is hard sand bottom and grass to the left and going all the way into Swan Lake is a softer bottom. opposite at the Bayside boat ramp; to the left is firmer bottom while to the right is softer. Palm Harbor RV is $5 for a parking and offers access to Estes Flats. Again winds will need to be relatively calm since it is fully exposed to SE winds and will have lots of boat traffic.

If the wind is kicking from the SE you can launch from Rattlesnake Point and paddle out to the point. The bottom going to the point is firm sand and behind the point is softer bottom with lots of grass. Port Bay Rd is softer bottom, and I typically fish there in the winter months, but if the wind is more due south can offer protected shorelines.

Softplastics I would take a spook jr or if walking the dog isn't in your repertoire then a wake bait (6th sense is popular) in bone color. Softplastics in pearl, chicken on a chain, plum, pumpkinseed, TX roach with 1/16 and 1/8 ox jigheads. Bring some weedless variant as well. I like 1/4 oz weedless gold spoon for reds and covering water. DOA shrimp for sight casting in glow. Gulp Shrimp on a jighead in new penny or white under a slip cork (wire with a cigar shaped foam float) and a leader will catch all kinds of fish as well if you don't want to deal with live bait.

If you want live shrimp I prefer 1/0 kahle hook and a rattling plastic cork. I also put a small split shot about 6-8" above the hook to help keep the shrimp down in the water column.
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TexasJim
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by TexasJim »

The big depression/tropical wave basically missed the Coastal Bend and Lower Laguna Madre. Tides don't look very high, either. Should be a hot, humid weeekend, with moderate breezes.

GiSP should be a great spot. If you decide to launch at the Big Tree and follow the shoreline north into Cowchip Cove, there are two marsh drains at the back that are fishy, and one big marsh lake drain to your left that can be good. The grass almost disappeared in the winter, but has come back strong, and is really thick in the marshes I have paddled, making it great for fish, but very hard to get your baits down to the fish. Topwaters, just after daylight can work.

If you launch at the Copano Retreat Road spot by the shrimp farm, the fishing's good following the sand edge out toward Swan Lake. But, if the south wind's strong, coming back to the launch can be grueling. Dan Lomax, owner of Water Street Oyster Bar in Corpus is building an Oyster Farm just north of the Swan Lake islands. They're growing them in floating cages in an area about 6 to 7 feet deep. Saw it last week.

Anywhere in this area will probably be fishy, just watch out for all the other boaters and be careful.
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Kitsune
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by Kitsune »

Good replies on here. Interesting about the oyster farming, I haven’t been that way in a while. Looks like all these places mentioned would work, I would just watch the winds and plan accordingly.
Tombo
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by Tombo »

I have a friend that is a kayak guide, you can message me for details.
trainer534
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by trainer534 »

Well, the boys and I got our kayaks loaded and are ready to head to Rockport. I spent this morning installing a TracRac to put our kayaks on since we have a 5.5' bed and throwing them in the bed wouldn't work too well pulling a travel trailer. Hopefully my kids get to catch some fish!
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mwatson71
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by mwatson71 »

Let us know how you did. Hopefully they were able to land a few fish.
trainer534
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Re: Rockport/Fulton Kayaking

Post by trainer534 »

Well, the fishing wasn't that great. We put in at Copano Bay bridge. Had a few bites but didn't land anything. Spoke to several anglers who said the bite wasn't like it was the week before. Even fishing at night on the piers was terrible.

I took the boys to the jetty there in Rockport where we started catching small trout on live shrimp around sundown, so they at least got to catch a few.

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