Rookie to the area

[irunthe386]

I am in the military stationed at Fort. Hood and I am planning to head to the freeport area to try get some line wet; however, I have no experrience to Texas inshore fishing. I was looking on Google Maps for promising areas but the landscape looks a lot different than the areas I used to fish. ( Mosquito lagoon FL). Generally what is the water depth around Drum and Christmas Bay? Bottom Type? I am looking at getting in the water on the 25th and maybe the 26th. If anyone would be inetersted in going. If anyone knows where I could set up a tent would be amazing! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

[Jerkyourcroaker]

I would recommend that you camp at Galveston Island State Park. If you look at it on Google Earth, you can see the two campground areas as circles on the inshore side of the park.

The cuts and coves around the park have good bottom and produce pretty well this time of year. There are foot trails along the east side of Oak Bayou (among other coves in the park) and you can park and walk to fish the mouths of the coves. There are some geotubes (underwater structure placed to help ease erosion and rebuild the marsh around the islands) around the islands and coves. They tend to be good structure for fish. You can see them on Google Maps as straight lines around the shoreline.

Watch the surf report next week. If it is wadeable, that will be the place you'll find most of us - and the fish. If you have the choice, I would hit it on the 25th. The 26th is the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and there will be lots (LOTS) of people on the water. Get out early (real early) and whack 'em.

JYC

[Hook&Look]

X2 on the state park, good wade access, watch out for the stingrays though. Christmas & Drum Bay shallow, mud to scattered shell bottom. Entry point at a public boat ramp about 3 miles west of San Luis Pass wadeable. Either side of San Luis Pass can also be very productive access to both the bay & surf side w/2wd if you're careful, but would not recommend wading as the current is tricky and bottom a soft shifting sand. Good luck to you and thank you for your service

[ryno1975]

You born and raised in that part of Florida Irun?

[lurefisher]

X3

[irunthe386]

Thanks everybody!! in regards to "Jerky". Yea I was wondering what those lines were thanks! What are you throwing into the surf? Ive only used sand rigs to catch whiting and the occasional Pompano if I was lucky. In regards to Hook, Thank you for the tips and your support I greatly appreciate it! Ryno, I sure was. The boat ramp was 20 minutes away from the house and the fish were only about a 15 minute paddle. In the lagoon its easy. You find the bait, you find the fish..... well, within reason I supose. Nice red BTW he looks like he was pushing the slot!

[ryno1975]

I grew up in Port St John...went to Titusville High...I never really fished the Indian River or Mosquito Lagoon though...I wish I would have because it's some of the best fishing around ...I fished the surf alot in Florida. That red in my pic was caught on West Galveston Beach. I caught that red off quartered fresh blue crab. I have caught reds with piggie perch...shrimp...plastics...mullet work too. The surf is fun because you can catch damn near anything on a given day. Sometimes the Spanish mackerel will be running through...sometimes pompano...on the same day last year we had both pompano and spanish mackerel in the cooler. The trout are just now starting to run the surf...Popping cork with live shrimp...topwaters early morning a lil before sunup and plastics with a jighead work too if you have the color and action they like. Some big trout are hitting croakers as well from what I hear. I prefer topwaters and plastics currently...I like packing light and just hitting the water with artificials. You can have alot of fun soaking some live bait though. It all depends on what you like and you can for sure learn alot from all the guys/gals on here. Plenty of advice and guys and gals that are willing to offer positive info.

[irunthe386]

Thats awesome. I went to Seabreeze. We played titusville in the playoffs my senior year. The fact you've never really fished the lagoon is tragic. The last time I went I was on Kayak and we spent three hours working a school of reds all around 27"+. We landed about 9 of them. The sheer ammount of game fish back there is astonishing. Thanks for the tips. Ill be in the area friday afternoon, Im deffinitely going to hit the surf. Thanks again! So I hear most people in Texas use baitcasters? Why is that? I have never seen anyone inshore fish with a baitcaster before.

[ryno1975]

Yes it is tragic...as for the baitcasters I am not really sure. I grew up using spinnng reels...came here and all I saw were baitcasters. Must be a Texas thing. I have both spinning and baitcaster in my arsenal. Good luck with the surf...it's going to be windy and chopped up.

[Curmudgeon]

So I hear most people in Texas use baitcasters? Why is that? I have never seen anyone inshore fish with a baitcaster before.

I'm not really sure. I've never been able to cast very far with a spinner, so it works for me. There is a definite preference here though. Ask Coachlaw. He wonders the same thing!

[Rollo]

welcome to our site,Ya cant go wrong with the advice youll get here! Thanks for your service and sacrifice for our country!!

[H.Maier]

I'm not really sure. I've never been able to cast very far with a spinner, so it works for me. There is a definite preference here though. Ask Coachlaw. He wonders the same thing!

Excellent point about casting distance and accuracy, Bruce. Over 80% of the fish I catch on lures is on the end of the cast or the first ten yards on retrieve after the bait enters the water, especially in the winter months when water is much more clear.

[SUPER SPOOK]

all good info. you can camp on the beach for free in surfside right across from x-mas bay. plenty of wood for a fire laying around,but not much to do other than fish there.the beaches will be totally crazy this weekend,worse than spring break. your in good hands with ray if you go on the boat!