Join Captain Brian Donovan for inshore fishing on the gorgeous Aransas and Copano Bay complex.

With some of the largest contiguous seagrass beds in North America, Rockport is home to redfish, black drum, speckled trout, flounder, and sheepshead. Fish spectacular shallow water flats with artificials or bait while wading or drifting.

Bull redfish trips to the Port Aransas jetties can be arranged late August through the end of October and are weather dependent.

Inshore Saltwater Fishing Guide

TRIP PRICING

Trips are typically five to seven hours.

$500

For 2 anglers.

$600

For 3 anglers.

$750

For 4 anglers.

WHAT TO BRING

The South Texas sun means business, even on mild days. Please prepare by bringing non-aerosol sunscreen, UPF-rated clothing, non-marking shoes, and a brimmed hat.

Polarized sunglasses are highly recommended, and a copper or amber base lens will provide anglers with the best opportunity to see both the nuances of our bottom structure and the fish themselves.

Quality spinning rods and reels and terminal tackle are provided, or clients are welcome to bring their own.

Waders will need appropriate gear, including reef boots due to the prevalence of oyster shell in the area. Other wading necessities are a tackle management system, stringer and wading net. WADING TRIPS ARE ARTIFICIAL ONLY. Captain Brian does not use live croaker due to the high rate of mortality on trout.

Water is provided in Yeti bottles in support of the Kick Plastic campaign. Lunch is not provided, but there is cooler with ice for food.

Rockport, TX fishing guide

CONSERVATION ETHIC

Rockport inshore guide

The Rockport, Aransas Pass, Port Aransas fishery is an exceptionally special place. Home to more than 400 species of birds, all inshore species in the state of Texas, pristine seagrass beds, a major population of sea turtles and stands of black mangrove still recovering from the Big Freeze, our waters represent a unique stretch of habitat. Captain Brian is heavily involved with the conservation efforts of both Coastal Conservation Association and FlatsWorthy, working on issues as diverse as oyster reef restoration and flats etiquette education.

Between 2013 and 2023, the number of all-water guide licenses in Texas nearly doubled. The population of Texas is expected to climb as high as 40 million by 2050, with Houston, San Antonio and Austin all within a three-hour drive, and the population of Rockport is expected to climb 50% in five years. While we have managed to avoid the kind of major development that has engulfed the Upper Coast, increasing industrialization of the Coastal Bend adds another layer of pressure to our fishery.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE CATCH AND RELEASE

If you would like to keep a couple of fish for dinner, we’re happy to clean fish. Several restaurants in Rockport provide excellent cook-your-catch services, or you can take them back to your STR. The plain fact is this: A large portion of the fish kept in meat-hauls from our fisheries wind up poorly packaged, freezer-burned and discarded. We owe it to this fishery to offer our utmost respect and not add additional pressure to the resource.

Reel Happy Rockport judges success by introducing and educating people on our unique fishery and providing ample opportunity to catch, not by full coolers.

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