FISHING REPORT

The weather has not been conducive to fishing, but there is plenty to do in Port Aransas.

February and March are activity season around here. Between the Parks and Recreation Department, the Joint Effort Leisure Ministry the Art Center Center for the Islands, school sports and shopping, it’s a wonder anyone is able to fit fishing in at all.

The good news is that the weekend promises to be gorgeous.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting temperatures in the 60s and sunny skies on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6, with only slightly choppy bays. Winds should hover around 10 to 15 knots. The same is forecast for Sunday, Feb. 7, but with cloudy skies.

Those hale and hearty souls who did fish in the 40-degree wind chills, drizzly days and rough seas earned the fish they caught.

John Dunn at Dolphin Dock said anglers on an eight-hour offshore trip Sunday, Jan. 31, brought in vermilion snapper, grouper and Atlantic sharpnose shark.

John McNatt at Fisherman’s Wharf said that while not too many anglers ventured out, the whooping crane tours are booking up. He hopes for better fishing with the better weather this weekend.

Nicole Buitron at the Horace Caldwell Pier said anglers there caught one redfish along with whiting, stingray and hardheads.

Scott Garrison at Deep Sea Headquarters said their long-range trip brought back yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, wahoo and mako shark. Shorter trips yielded kingfish, vermilion snapper and shark.

MaryAnn Heimann at Offshore Adventures said she expects to see some anglers over the weekend.