Rockport Fishing Report – August 7th, 2017

Here is your first Rockport fishing report for the month of August. July seemed to come and go very quickly. So much so, that we now find ourselves in the first week of a new month and that much closer to Fall fishing on the Texas Coast.

As expected, our days have remained quite warm. Afternoons are hot, muggy and a little lacking in the wind department. That makes for tough fishing in the afternoon hours. So mornings have still been our focus. On early and off in time for a late lunch or maybe even a cold beverage???

We are still encouraging folks to stick to half-day trips this time of year. No need to beat your head against the wall in the afternoons, as the fishing is just tough. That time is better spent at the pool, beach or bar. Once the heat of the day sets in, the water gets very warm and those fish don’t like it. Most swim off to deeper water. Those that remain behind on the flats are not much interested in eating. It can be done, but shots are few and far between. So the morning half-day is the ticket until we start seeing some cooler temps.

The mornings have been quite good. On calmer mornings, there are plenty of tails to throw at. Most are schooled up and feeding, with the occasional trout or jack picking up the pieces left behind. But we are seeing plenty of fish in the morning hours.

We are seeing lots of larger fish moving around the Texas flats these days. Some well into the 30″ range. Many of these larger fish will come and go with the changing tides. Moving water is flushing bait across the flats, and these fish are far behind it. Many of the bigger fish seem to be moving around a bit more independently of the schools. Which isn’t that unusual around here. But some large fish have been schooled up as well.

Fly patterns have varied as of late. Much of the usual stuff has been working; crab, baitfish and shrimp. The topwater bite has been a little tougher. Especially as the morning goes on. But that isn’t a huge shocker, as the fish can be a bit more lethargic during these “Dog Days” of summer. But they will still eat it pretty well in the first light of morning.

The water is still pretty low around the Rockport area these days. Also, per usual, we experience more slack tides this time of year. This can make the fish movement a bit lesser. There are still fish around, but maybe not the numbers you would hope for. So a little more searching may be in order if you are fishing a slack tide this month. Or, seek those spots where the water will be moving, all be it very subtle. Redfish love moving water. Find that water, and you will find fish.

These conditions will be the norm for the next month or so. Then, we will give way to a bit longer nights. Allowing our waters to cool a bit more. Then the fall fishing will not be too far behind. But for now, this is the program for the Texas Flats ranging from Matagorda to the Upper Laguna Madre.

We have boats on the water today and the rest of this week. So we will keep everyone informed as conditions change. And certainly let folks know what we are seeing out there. Our guides report back every day with locations and results. So of course you can always email any time if you would like an up to the minute Rockport fishing report. We continue to post on  Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and even Snapchat. We try to keep stuff fresh for those of you that are wishing you were on the flats with us. So be sure to follow us on all our social media stuff.

We will also drop our first August newsletter here in a couple of days. We will try to make these happen for you about once a month. Each newsletter will include the latest news, fishing reports, info on gear, fly patterns and pretty much anything else we can think of. And of course we are always open to suggestions. So be sure to sign up to receive these newsletters below.