Fishing Q&A

Shallow water fishing. Matagorda Bay, Texas?

I love to deep sea fish but, I have recently moved to Port Lavaca, Texas. They say the bay fishing is the best in the country. Flounder, red fish, and trout. The problem is, I don't know what kind of bait to use. Artificial bait? A spoon? Live bait? Any advise would be appreciated. I am purchasing a shallow sport boat, so I can get into the shallow waters and go after the flounder. I intend to install lights on the bow and have seen several of these types of set ups around here. Merry Christmas Skinny water fishing

Public Comments

1. I have no idea, but in the area you are going to be in, I would surely use my metal detector. Supposed to be a great place to check after a big storm. Liable to find some gold doubloons or other gold artifacts that have washed up after a storm from sunken ships in the area. Have a great time though!!
2. There are several ways to fish these inland bays along the Gulf coast. One of the favorite ways is using a popping cork with a live shrimp, mud minnow, small mullet, or baby crab. Most of the water you will be fishing in will only be about 3 ft deep. Fish the grass-lines near the banks during high tide using a popping cork with live shrimp for Red's. Fish the steeper banks near any of the inlets where the Gulf is feeding into the bay for Flounders. Depending on the steepness of the banks you will have to adjust your popping cork to fish a little deeper in these areas. Use a mud-minnow or a flounder pounder which is a artificial bait you should be able to find there pretty easily. The Specks will be around this Spring. Just follow the seagulls feeding on the water. Use double Speck rigs. When you get the hang of using a Speck rig you will be catching two at a time. Green chartreuse and watermelon colored Speck rigs used to be a big hit but just keep a variety of different colored jigs on board to be sure. Look for places you can gig for flounder at night. I use to gig flounder out of Christmas Bay near Freeport. I would secure my boat on the bank and walk the shallows to gig flounder using a Coleman lantern for light. I used to gig 5-7lb saddle-blankets in about 16 in. of water. That's almost to shallow for a flat bottom boat. 30 yr Gulf coast exp
3. Live or dead baits is the best in that are i would go for shrimp either way you cant beat it, although some do catch on lures.
4. Oh i envy you. From my days in Gulf Shores I remember the crab stuffed flounder. Captain of Red Eye Charter supplied the flounder we did the rest.
5. SHRAMP there is a little fishing lodge down there at magnolia beach they might give you some pointers and ask those locals down there they will be glad to help a pretty young thing like you andsteer clear of those french canadians they are a wild bunch
6. Steve S gave you some sound advice. His tactics will catch Reds, Specks, and flounder anywhere....I will add that I sometimes drift for flounder in a good area, until I locate them, then put our a "marker", and approach the marker from downwind or down tide, whichever is stronger....I then switch to popping floats, and live shrimp, or cast 1/4 or 3/8 oz grubs all around in the marked area. I try to keep the boat as far away from the marker as I can, if the water is shallow......