The Port Aransas marina on the ship channel is the hub of the town's fishing economy. Charter boats line up along the docks, ranging from small bay skiffs for inshore redfish and flounder to fully equipped offshore vessels targeting mahi-mahi, wahoo, and kingfish in the deep Gulf waters 30 or more miles offshore. Half-day and full-day trips are available; book in advance during summer and during the fishing rodeo season.
The marina is also a good place to watch dolphins. The animals are a near-permanent presence in the Port Aransas ship channel, and the ferry crossing from Aransas Pass to Port Aransas often produces sightings. At the marina itself, dolphins work the channel alongside the fishing boats, surfing wakes and occasionally begging for discarded bait.