ROCKPORT, Texas — The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce admits Hurricane Harvey had a significant impact on the area's tourism industry.
Many residents are hoping the lure of great fishing will help draw more tourists to the area in 2019.
Robert Hamilton, the owner of Aransas Bay Fishing, is a retired teacher who has been a fishing guide since 1986. The Estes Flats area south of Rockport, Texas, was one of Hamilton's favorite spots to fish until Hurricane Harvey.
According to Hamilton, redfish, trout, and drum are in the waters and are precisely what most people want to try and catch.
"Everybody who comes down wants to fish in some form or fashion it's different my customers tell me from down south or more remote areas cause there are more things for the family to do beach that small kids can get on down there there's only fishing," Hamilton said.
Hamilton is among over 100 professional fishing guides who are hoping to make the profession again their full-time job. Because of Harvey and the lack of tourists, many fishers had to take on part-time jobs to pay the bills.
