Thinking about fishing the Texas FlyFishers Redfish Rodeo?

Before you do something rash like register, spend a day on the Texas coast, fish with friends, and win some prizes, you should carefully consider these 10 excellent reasons to stay home.

10. You Hate Fishing

Especially the kind where you’re standing on a shallow flat, scanning the water and suddenly see a tailing redfish just 40 feet away and moving ever so slowly in your direction.

It will be much better for you to stay home and reorganize the garage.

9. You Way Have Too Many Fishing Stories

Nobody needs another story that begins:

“I couldn’t believe it, we were poling this shoreline when I saw this HUGE redfish…”

Your friends have probably heard enough of this from you already . . . more than once, maybe twice.

8. Your Fly Box Is Perfectly Organized

Why risk messing it up?

Those seaducers, Andy Packmore Redfish Crack flies, shrimp patterns and size 4 Clousers look much better sitting neatly in rows than hanging out of a redfish’s mouth. 

7. You Don’t Need Any More Fishing Buddies

You already know plenty of fishermen.

Meeting another bunch of people who know where the fish are, what they’re eating, and which flats are holding reds on a certain wind and tide would just complicate your life.

6. You Prefer Your Saturdays Indoors

Air conditioning.

Television.

A comfortable chair.

Meanwhile, your buddies will be out on the Texas coast chasing redfish.

Try not to think about it.

5. You Don’t Like Competition

Someone will catch the biggest fish.

Someone will win some awesome prizes.

Someone will earn bragging rights.

It just might be you.

Better not take the chance.

4. Your Fishing Equipment Doesn’t Need Exercise

That rod has been perfectly happy sitting in the corner.

Your reel hasn’t complained once.

And those flies have been patiently waiting in their box for months.

Why disturb them now?

3. You’d Rather Hear About It Later

There’s nothing quite like listening to your fishing buddies talk about the fish they caught, the ones they lost, the awesome prizes they won and the wonderful day on the water with a few lifetime memories thrown in for good measure (like a 30 inch red).

Especially when you could have been there.

2. You Might Actually Learn Something

Spend enough time around good redfish anglers and eventually somebody will show you something useful.

A more effective fly.

A better retrieve.

A new way to ambush a fish moving in your direction.

Maybe even a secret fishing spot.

That sounds dangerously close to improving your redfishing.

1. You Might Have a Really Good Time

This has to be your biggest risk.

You might catch the winning fish.

You might win something.

You might make a new fishing buddy.

You might discover a new piece of water.

And when the next Redfish Rodeo rolls around, you might actually be looking forward to it.

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STILL NOT CONVINCED?

Good.

39th Annual RED FISH RODEO 2026
Saturday, September 19
Aransas Pass, Texas

$50 per person includes dinner, bring your spouse to dinner for $25.00

No boat?  No problem – Jim Darby will match you up with a boat owner that needs a fishing buddy.

Multiple prizes awarded.

No guides may be hired for the tournament.

So stay home if you must.

But don’t complain when everybody else comes back with pictures and you wish you were in them with YOUR 30 inch red.

Texas FlyFishers Redfish Rodeo

Because the only thing worse than getting skunked…

is getting skunked while sitting at home doing something fun like watching your team lose on TV or even better, swapping out your HVAC air filters. Yeah, that’s really living; boy howdy, I need some more of that.