Let’s Go Fly Fishing On The Texas Flats!

Want to go fly fishing?

No, you don’t actually get to fly and you don’t catch flies. It’s way better than that! You fool big fish in shallow water into thinking your lure is something yummy to eat and then you haul them in the boat. So, if that sounds like fun, reach out to Captain Mason Matejcek and go fly fishing on the Texas flats!

Mason is a United States Coast Guard approved fly fishing and light tackle guide and has been guiding happy customers out of Rockport and Port O’Connor for over 6 years. At 24, Mason is the youngest fly fishing guide working the Rockport area, a big plus when you are fighting a 75 lb. fish into a boat.

For those of you who don’t know, saltwater fly fishing is an angling method that uses a special boat called a “skiff”. The skiff is being poled in shallow water. Your goal is to spot the fish (along with the help of Masons’ pro eyes!), make an accurate cast, and then tempt the fish into eating the fly! Then comes the best part — fighting the fish — which Mason can help with.

Mason uses an 18 foot Chittum, which is a technical poling skiff for his charters and can accommodate a couple anglers at a time.

Mason stands on a platform at the stern, or rear, of the boat and slowly poles it along the flats in hopes of finding fish. If you cast accurately your fly lands about 6” beneath the surface and close to the fish. Mason’s favorite phrase is, “Accuracy is everything in fly-fishing.” Just in case you aren’t accurate, Mason recommends taking a casting lesson from Dave Hayward at Swan Point Landing, who brings over 30 years of Texas fly fishing experience to teach others.

Swan Point Landing is an authorized Orvis dealer that also has an amazing selection of flies, some expertly tied by locals, that you can buy if you don’t have time to make your own. Flies can be made from feathers, animal fur, cork, and even brightly colored metals attached to a hook, and the locals know which ones the nearby fish go for.

Fly fishing uses lightweight rods as opposed to spinning tackle and Mason recommends Hardy fly rods, Tibor reels, Amplitude Bonefish fly line, and those locally tied flies.

Mason loves running his own business and his charters are either a full day of 6-8 hours or a half day of 4-5 hours. Mason specializes in catching redfish, jacks, and tarpon and is sure he can help you find some big fish too. One of Mason’s favorite memories on the water was guiding a 10-year-old boy to his first redfish on a fly rod! It made both the young man’s day, as well as Mason’s! Young or old, anyone who is excited for a day on the water to fly fish should reach out to Captain Mason!