After being couped up at work and school for the past few months, an opportunity to make a quick solo trip down to the coast came that I couldn't pass up. Weather looked favorable so I made the drive down from San Antonio at 3:00 A.M.

The first stop was a flat I had high hopes of this coming winter. Sure enough, the fish were active and hoarding mullet along the shoreline. Here is a fish that fell victim to the 7 wt.

Soon after groups of black drum would intervene in the madness.

Most of the redfish were slot sized, with a couple bulls in the mix. After catching and releasing a few I opted to head in, grab lunch, and regroup with Austin of salt396. A local chinese buffet would suffice, and while gearing up to head out for the afternoon I cracked open my furtune cookie.

Could this be an omen from the fish gods?

Wading the same mud flats proved to be difficult after the winds kicked up. Had a couple of shots at fish but ended up blowing them all (no surprise for me) But I did catch and release this crab after a tense battle.

Nightfall was soon coming, and we retreated to a location which held potential.

BAM

Ah, Austin connects with another red.

My turn. Cast, strip, strip, strip... Skipjack... Wait, fat skipjack... WAIT.

Juvenile Texan tarpon.

The omen had held true.

And then Austin landed another juvi...

I have long held the tarpon on fly on my bucket list. Tarpon, of any size, possess the potential to keep you up at night, wake you up in cold sweats, and curse words that have not ever been cursed.    Juvenile tarpon are perfect in every way shape and form.  Being in the presence of these fish was simply amazing, and I am glad to see Texas becoming home to more and more of these guys.