The fishing is terrific in Port Aransas, and people come from all around to enjoy it. Whether you like to fish offshore, in the bays, or from piers and jetties, you can do it in Port Aransas. Our families love to fish and have done so almost every way possible. We have tried to include all we can in this section to help you enjoy the fishing Port Aransas has to offer.

Offshore Charters: There are two general types of offshore charters, Private and Party.

Private Charters - These are where several people charter a 30-50 foot boat for the day. These charters range in price from $800-$2400 per day, depending on how long the trip lasts and how big the boat is.

• We recommend Capt. Nate Forbes aboard the ICED DOWN.  www.iceddownsportfishing.com

Party Charters - These more affordable. Most go out every day in the summer. On these charters, the owner of the boat books from 10-60 people on a larger commercial vessel. The trips range in time from 6-12 hours, with the average being 8 hours. The longer trips visit deeper water (about 50 miles offshore) and catch bigger and different types of fish than the shorter charters.

• We recommend Deep Sea Headquarters.  www.deepseaheadquarters.com

Bay Charters: Bay charters range from full to one-half days in length. These charters target red fish, trout, flounder, and black drum. The prices range from $300 to $600, depending on the length of the trip and number of people. Both guides listed below come highly recommended.

• Captain Mike Wilson (Woody's Sports Center )
• Coop's Guide Service (Woody's Sports Center )

Fishing On Your Own - There are a number of ways to fish on your own in Port Aransas. You can fish in the surf, from the jetty, or from a pier.  You can also wade fish in the shallows, which can be found in the parks and along the causeways. While there are limitless techniques, fishing holes, and baits to use, below are some of the ways in which your family can enjoy fishing in Port Aransas.

• Fishing Equipment Rental:  You can rent fishing equipment from several bait shops around town.
• Bait: Almost anything in the bay or the surf will eat shrimp (usually dead or alive). Dead shrimp can be purchased at most of the bait shops. Live shrimp can be purchased along Cotter St. at most of the offshore fishing places and other outfitters. A flag with red letters that say "live shrimp" indicates that the shop has live shrimp.
• Surf fishing: Use a weight and cast your line out into the surf about 20 yards. Often these fish bight softly, so pay attention. If there is no one surf fishing around you, the spot you've chosen might be bad or the fish aren't biting in the surf.
• Jetty fishing: All types of fish can be caught from the jetty. The thing to remember is that the rocks around the jetty "catch" plenty of sinkers and hooks. You can tie the hook and sinker on with 15 lb line so that it can be broken off easily.
• Bay fishing: Many of the shallow areas off the side of the cause ways or in the park areas are fun and productive fishing grounds. Fishing in these shallow areas is usually best when the tide is rising.
• Pier fishing: You can fish off the Horace Caldwell Pier for a fee. The pier is located on the beach just south of the jetty. Other free pier or dock fishing can be found around town and along the causeway between the island and Corpus Christi. Some dock fishing is also available in the Aransas Pass area.