Galveston fishing is great if you’re looking for some time out on the ocean. There are plenty of fishing adventures to choose from like sharks, tuna, red fish and flounder as you explore all of the saltwater fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Galveston Bay is only an hour outside of Houston so this would make the perfect day or weekend trip for those looking for a good fishing experience.
Known locally as the “Fishing Capital of Texas,” Port A has a ton of fishing options year round. Bay fishing is full of redfish, flounder, black drum and trout; deep sea fishing reels in kingfish, sailfish, marlin, and tuna. If you hate boats, you can also visit one of the four fishing piers where you can fish at your leisure.
Located on the Texas/Louisiana border, Sabine Lake is home to schools of trophy speckled trout and good numbers of redfish. Flounder, however, is what Sabine Lake is famous for. In fact, the Texas State Record flounder was taken from marsh surrounding Sabine Lake. Additionally, the Sabine and Trinity rivers, which feed the estuary, form a brackish environment that is home to black bass and bluegill as well as the traditional saltwater species. The closest towns in which accommodations are available are Port Arthur and Orange.
East and West Matagorda bays each have their unique traits. East Matagorda is a relatively small bay system, full of oyster beds and Texas-size speckled trout. West Matagorda Bay is a mix of deep holes and guts and shallow grassy flats along the shorelines which are popular among shallow water anglers looking for redfish. Anglers looking to fish these bays can find accommodations in either Matagorda, which is close to East Matagorda Bay or Port O’Connor, which is situated on West Matagorda Bay.
Baffin Bay is renowned for trophy trout. In fact, the last two state record fish have come from this hard to access bay. However, the bay which Baffin connects to, the Upper Laguna Madre is just as productive. Unlike Baffin, which has a variety of fish-holding structure, the Upper Laguna consists mainly of shallow grass and sand flats, which are perfect for casting to redfish, trout, sheepshead, and black drum. Convenient access to these bay systems can be found from either Corpus Christi or Port Aransas.
Rockport is famous for the large numbers of redfish which prowl the many small bays surrounding this cozy coastal village. In recent years, Rockport and nearby Aransas Pass have become favorite destinations for fly fishers looking to stalk redfish in the shallows or chase speckled trout, black drum and flounder throughout the bay.
The tiny South Texas town of Port Mansfield has long been a favorite destination for serious saltwater anglers. Although there is not much in the way of nightlife in Port Mansfield, if you’re serious about catching trophy trout or chasing tailing redfish in scant inches of water, Port Mansfield in the place for you.
The narrow, shallow stretch of the Lower Laguna Madre which is situated between Port Isabel and South Padre Island is the southernmost stretch of saltwater in Texas and is one of the most overlooked fisheries in the state. In addition to good numbers of speckled trout and redfish, this portion of the Lower Laguna Madre also supports a fishable population of snook, tarpon, and mangrove snapper. Just off South Padre Island, anglers can also find some of the best offshore fishing along the Gulf Coast.