Yarborough Pass

It is, and it does.

You would think that people would utilize the TPWD registration #'s on the boats to try and return to original owners, but I believe once a boat becomes untethered, and is "found at sea," it is a "salvaged" vessel, and whoever finds/rescues the boat can keep it.

Then again, I hardly know what the hell I'm talking about, so that could just be a load of BS. But that's what some folks told me when they go down there after hurricanes.

My old man went out there one time after a storm during low tide, and he said the water was way beyond receded. He was in his 2 wheel drive Suburban with his wife, and they gunned it down the beach all the way to the Mansfield cut on packed sand that he said was almost as smooth as concrete. I'd be too freaked out that I get down there, the tide comes back up, and you are stuck down there in your 2 wheel drive car, with your Bloody Mary's sloshing all about as you try and get back north.

I would not suggest going down there without 4WD.

 

I literally had my bachelor party at the Mansfield jetties and drove it with multiple stock 4x4 with no problems. All depends on tide and beach conditions. Made this trip a half dozen times and it is def worth it.

 

How do you think a locked 2wd with aggressive tires would do

 

I drove it in 4wd FJ - no problem. In 2wd, I'd stick closer to the water's edge as its hard packed sands but you need to avoid beach sunbathers

 

Just got back from PINS last weekend and due to the heavy onshore winds the surf was pushing all the way up to the dunes with really only a one car width of hard packed to drive on. This was even before the 4x4 sign which means it would be really difficult to make it down in 2wd as of this last weekend. Given we didn't pick the best time to try and drive down to Big Shell as the tide was falling from peak high in the morning to a peak low @ mid evening. We went around 9am.. Once we start seeing some dead calm days, you could go 40 mph all the way down @ low tide. Just watch the weather, surf, and tides. PINS has a beach cam you could check.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

I’m interested in going down there as well here at some point. Kinda a dumb question, what do you guys do for a “campfire” overnight since you can’t have a campfire? Just your grill or have a hobo burn barrel? Open for all and any advice on camping down there.

 

National Park Service website says campfires are permitted in a pit dug in the ground. I think that you’ll see plenty of evidence of fires down there.

 

Cool, thanks. Figured it was a silly question but website listed pit fires ok in one section but only listed fully contained grills for Yarborough. Just wanted to make sure.

 

Resurrecting this thread as I have an annual kayak camping trip planned in a few weeks for Yarborough Pass. I have been fishing and camping down there on PINS seriously since 2004.

The Taco is almost the perfect vehicle for that beach. I used to drive an F250 Diesel down there and it was always an adventure in the sand with a truck that heavy, although I did get pretty good at sand rescue, tire pressure, and preparedness.

Mansfield is something everyone should do at least once, although I prefer a spot in the 40's or 50's as the jetties can get crowded.

No joke on the driving down there on low tide. I had a friend make it from the pavement all the way to the jetties in 45 minutes on one trip. I do not recommend as he well exceeded the speed limit and they do patrol the beach for that. I will say, in his defense that the beach was empty due to an October cold front and he has been driving the full length of the beach since the early 80's.

The crowds tend to start to thin out by the 5 mile mark , but I have seen it pretty crowded down to the 15 on high tide events and tournament weekends.

I recommend getting in on the PINS action while you can still enjoy its relatively crowd free environment. I can hardly stand to vacation in Port A anymore or really anywhere on Mustang Island as even routine weekend crowds have gotten ridiculous. Not like the good old days back in the 70's and 80's when you might only see some crowds on busy holiday weekends...and those were not near as bad as the regular crowds today. What can I say, the Texas population is pushing 30 million, twice what it was when I was a kid.

Also, shark fishing has gotten really big in the last 10-15 years too. I did it for about 7 years all over the coast but the action was a little slow for me. I still fish the surf from shore or in the yak but I am not targeting shark.

I mostly stay back in Yarborough for a few days of camping and kayak fishing. I have camped back in there by myself and let me tell you, that is a lonely place once the sun goes down. I really enjoy kayak fishing at night back in the pass on a calm night. Nothing like hearing a top water blow up on your lure when you can't see it.

 

you must be on TKF as well. former kayak fisherman here, I just rent when I need one now and kept all my gear