Fishing with a Texas fishing legend

I was sent to Texas by the Marines for a couple weeks and I managed to get a few days off. There was one person I wanted to fish with, Dean Thomas and his wife Jennifer. Dean has been on the forefront of kayak fishing and was one of the first guys I looked up to learning the sport in the Texas gulf. He and Jennifer run www.SlowRideGuide.com out of Aransas Pass. 

I happen to get a day off and I messaged Dean on FB to see if he had any openings.  He couldn't believe my luck,  he did but warned the extreme low tide and bad winds would make life hard, but he had confidence I could tough it out. I committed and I agreed to meet him at 500 at his shop which meant a 2 am wake up... 

I arrived at the shop and he again cautioned that the winds would drive us off and the fish may not cooperate. We drove out to the launch and began fishing drop offs and sloughs off a main flat. 

Jennifer is first to strike on top water but the fish throws the hook. Dean scouts ahead while I hook some spike trout, but hey it was action!  Dean comes back and pulls out the fly rod, quickly catches up in trout. Then surpasses me with two reds and a mullet. 

I wade down the shore and get on two keeper reds and before we leave Jennifer gets one of her own. Deans buddy ended up with a nice trout and red as well, not too bad for a quick trip. Then in true Texan hospitality they treated me to an amazing mexican breakfast something I really missed in Virginia.  If you get a chance you really need to go see Dean and Jennifer,  they made me feel like family and made a potential tough day into a memorable one.