ShoreThing Guide Service 

5.0/5 (6 reviews)
 
State licensed
 900 Tarpon Street, Port Aransas, TX 78373, United States
You may qualify for a Loyalty Program discount with ShoreThing Guide Service. To check if you can use a Loyalty Program discount for your selected dates, please sign in.

ShoreThing Guide Service is your ticket to the stunning waters of Port Aransas. With Captain James at the helm, you'll have a knowledgeable and experienced guide that has fished these waters for over 20 years.

These waters are known for Redfish, Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Flounder, and more – with any luck, you'll have tight lines in no time. You'll target your catch by light tackle fishing, drifting, or maybe something more specialized in this area.

Thinking of bringing the whole family? Kids are absolutely welcome! Children must wear life vests, so find out if the appropriate size is available on board. And, you can't go wrong with snacks so that nobody gets cranky on an empty belly!

Your boat for the day is a 25' Majek with space for 4 passengers. It comes with all the essentials. Your captain will provide rods and reels, along with lures. Live bait is included depending on the time of year.

Before coming aboard, you'll need to buy a local fishing license for everyone in your group. This information is usually available online, or you can ask the captain. Some species might be protected or require a tag to keep them, so make sure you know what to expect.

Some essentials to bring are sunglasses, sunscreen (non-spray), bottled water, and a hat. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, just be sure to avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.

Go ahead and treat yourself to a day on the water with ShoreThing Guide Service.

Capt. James Welder

Captain

Capt. James Welder

20 years of experience
 ID & credentials verified
 responds within an hour

Most popular features:

 Live Bait
 You Keep Catch
 Catch cleaning & filleting
 Child Friendly
 Rods, reels & tackle

Trip availability and prices

Trip Date:
Days:
Group Size:
Almost there...
Half Day Trip (AM)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
5 Hour Trip, starts at 6:30 AM
Price for 2 people
US $500 
Full Day Trip
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
8 Hour Trip, starts at 6:30 AM
Price for 2 people
US $600 
There are 2 people looking at this charter.

Customer reviews

Rating summary

5.0/5
out of 5 stars from 6 reviews
Boat
5.0/5
Crew
5.0/5
Experience
5.0/5

Photos & videos by reviewers (3)

James is awesome!
Captain James is an excellent guide
Captain James is an excellent guide

Angler rating

6
0
0
0
0

Anglers claimed

Good experience

100%

Appropriate for children

100%

Friendly captain

100%

Recommend this charter

100%

Caught fish

100%

Showing 1 - 5 of 6 reviews
Randy R.
Randy R.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Great fishing!

VERIFIED
NEW

Half Day Trip (AM) on July 16, 2025

My wife and 8 year old grandson and me took in a great day of fishing. The day started slow but Capt. James kept looking and he found some trout. He then got us on the reds and in no time we all had our limit of reds. Capt. James was great with our grandson and us. We are already planning our next trip. Thanks Capt. James.

My wife and 8 year old grandson and me took in a great day of fishing. The day started slow but Capt. James kept looking and he found some trout. He then got us on the reds and in no time we all had our limit of reds. Capt. James was great with our grandson and us. We are already planning our next trip. Thanks Capt. James.  

 Randy R. recommends ShoreThing Guide Service

Todd H.
Todd H.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Captain James is an excellent guide

VERIFIED

Full Day Trip on June 7, 2025

We had a great day on the water bay fishing with Captain James. It ended up being a windy day and tough day for fishing but Captain James knows the area extremely well and got us on some great fish to finish a very good day! Would definitely fish with. Captain James again!

We had a great day on the water bay fishing with Captain James. It ended up being a windy day and tough day for fishing but Captain James knows the area extremely well and got us on some great fish to finish a very good day! Would definitely fish with. Captain James again!  

Review media 0
Review media 1
 Todd H. recommends ShoreThing Guide Service

Greg W.
Greg W.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

James is awesome!

VERIFIED

Half Day Trip (AM) on June 21, 2025

Had a great day on the water and James’ disposition couldn’t have been better. Highly recommend and would book again when we’re back in the Corpus Christi / Port Aransas area.

Had a great day on the water and James’ disposition couldn’t have been better. Highly recommend and would book again when we’re back in the Corpus Christi / Port Aransas area.  

Review media 0
 Greg W. recommends ShoreThing Guide Service

James O.
James O.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Fishing with Capt. James

VERIFIED
NEW

Half Day Trip (AM) on July 12, 2025

 

 James O. recommends ShoreThing Guide Service

Jason S.
Jason S.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

April fishing trip

VERIFIED

Half Day Trip (AM) on April 12, 2025

Fun day on the water. Captain James is very laid back and engaging with his clients.

Fun day on the water. Captain James is very laid back and engaging with his clients.  

 Jason S. recommends ShoreThing Guide Service

FAQs about ShoreThing Guide Service

What are the trip rates for ShoreThing Guide Service?

ShoreThing Guide Service offers the following trips to customers:

  • US $500 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - Half Day Trip (AM) (5 hours)
  • US $600 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - Full Day Trip (8 hours)
Which amenities are available onboard with ShoreThing Guide Service?

When you book a trip with ShoreThing Guide Service, you can expect the following amenities onboard:

  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Wireless Trolling Motor
What's included in the trip price with ShoreThing Guide Service?

Trips booked with ShoreThing Guide Service include:

  • Rods, reels & tackle
  • Live Bait
  • Lures
  • Catch cleaning & filleting
What types of fishing does ShoreThing Guide Service offer?

ShoreThing Guide Service offers the following types of fishing:

  • Inshore Fishing
  • Nearshore Fishing
  • Flats Fishing
  • Backcountry Fishing
What fishing techniques does ShoreThing Guide Service offer?

ShoreThing Guide Service offers the following fishing techniques:

  • Light Tackle
  • Fly Fishing
  • Drift Fishing
Which fish species can I catch with ShoreThing Guide Service?

Top targeted fish species with ShoreThing Guide Service include:

  • Black Drum
  • Flounder
  • Redfish
  • Speckled Trout

Your captain

Capt. James Welder

Port Aransas, Texas, United States

ID & license verified
6 Customer reviews
Response time within an hour
Member since May 2023

Growing up in a ranching family that has been in the Victoria, Texas area since the 1870s, James F. Welder developed early on a deep appreciation for the land and wildlife. His passion for fishing the Gulf coast comes from spending weekends and summers in Rockport, Texas. There he began crafting his fishing skills at age 4 with his father, along the San Antonio Bay system south to Lower Laguna Madre. After attending Southwest Texas University, James obtained his Captain's license in 2005 to share his knowledge and experience on the water with others. In addition to conventional fishing, James has been an avid fly fisherman for 15 years. He has spent time in the Bahamas learning new techniques for fly casting, which he can pass along to fly-fishing clients at any level. His knack for teaching first timers with his carefree, relaxed attitude will make learning to fish a memorable and rewarding experience. Capt. James has been guiding since 2005 and has grown up fishing the Port Aransas and Rockport areas all his life. We will be fishing primarily for Redfish, Trout, Flounder and Black Drum. He uses a wide variety of techniques in order for his clients to have great day on the water. He runs a 25’ Majek Illusion. Kids are more than welcome.

The fish you can target

Black Drum
Black Drum
Flounder
Flounder
Redfish
Redfish
Speckled Trout
Speckled Trout

What is the boat like?

Boat Image
Boat category
Center console boats
Capacity
4 persons
Boat length
25 ft
Year built
2019
Boat manufacturer
Majek
Boat type
Bay boat

Engine model
Yamaha
Powered by
1 x 250HP
Max cruising speed
40 knots

What kind of fishing will you do?

Inshore Fishing

Nearshore Fishing

Flats Fishing

Backcountry Fishing

Which fishing techniques you can try

Light Tackle

Fly Fishing

Drift Fishing

Which amenities are available onboard

GPS

Fishfinder

Wireless Trolling Motor

What’s included in the trip price

Rods, reels & tackle

Live Bait

Lures

Catch cleaning & filleting

How cancellations work

Free cancellation up to 3 days prior to trip

You can cancel or modify your booking up to 3 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.

What the listing policies are

Pickup not included

Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.

Child Friendly

You Keep Catch

Catch and Release Allowed

How you can pay

Book with 20% deposit, pay rest to captain

When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 20% deposit to guarantee your reservation.

The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:

 Cash

 Visa

 Mastercard

 Checks

 Bank Transfer

When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 3.5% charge will apply.

What’s biting in Port Aransas right now

Black DrumBlack Drum
FlounderFlounder
RedfishRedfish
Speckled TroutSpeckled Trout
2 people are looking at this charter.