Fishing in Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas, and fishing in the Lone Star State is no different. Whether casting at rainbow trout in the Hill Country or stretching your line offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, big times on the water are never far away – for beginners and experts alike. Texas-based Captain Experiences is making it easier than ever to book the fishing trip of a lifetime – visit their site to search hundreds of Texas fishing trips by location, group size, target species, price, and more – plus, read verified reviews and book real-time availability with quality, vetted guides. But perhaps you need a little inspiration to get the ball rolling? These fishing holes are among the best in the state!
The Best of the Hill Country
The Central Texas Hill Country surrounding Austin is flush with opportunities to chase largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and Guadalupe bass, the Texas state fish. Lake Travis, Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake, Decker Lake, and the Colorado River each rest within 30 minutes of Downtown Austin and offer some of the best bass fishing in the state, if not the country. But the hidden gem of the Hill Country, the Guadalupe River, lies an hour south of Austin. Meandering through winding roads and Cypress flowing through New Braunfels, The Guad is home to fantastic rainbow trout fishing year-round, thanks to Texas Parks & Wildlife. TPWD stocks the river with thousands of trout every fall, making the coldwater months of November - February best for half- or full-day drift boat and wade fishing trips.
Don’t Miss: Gruene Hall
These trips are fantastic for those new to fly fishing, and be sure to loop in a shoreline show at Gruene Hall or Whitewater Amphitheater for bonus points.
The Best of South Padre Island
Taking things to the coast, South Padre Island offers some of the best access to deep-sea offshore fishing period. The farther south you head along the Texas coast, the closer the continental shelf gets to dry land; this translates to shorter runs on the boat to find deeper water, more time fishing, and more time catching. Red snapper command the most attention when fishing offshore out of SPI, and for good reason – red snapper are as hard-fighting as they are tasty.
Don’t Miss: Cap’n Roy’s
After your guide cleans and fillets your haul, cap things off with a delicious catch-and-cook meal at Cap’n Roy’s, and go with a mix of fried, blackened, and grilled red snapper for a true taste of Texas.
Featured Local: Jonathan Newar
Jonathan Newar is Co-Founder & CEO of Captain Experiences, a platform for outdoor sports. Austin-based Captain Experiences makes booking outdoor sports guides quick and easy. Instead of playing phone tag, search Captain for your ideal trip to book with vetted guides.
Focused first on fishing, Captain Experiences has partnered with over 500 fishing guides offering thousands of trips across the U.S., Central America, and the Caribbean.
The Best of the Coastal Bend
The Texas Coastal Bend is a must for any avid and aspiring inshore anglers. Redfish, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, and sheepshead make up the usual suspects, but sharks and even tarpon frequent these fertile waters; Port Aransas was even officially dubbed “Tarpon, Texas” back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Inshore fishing (fishing between barrier islands and the mainland) is fantastic year-round in these parts, and trophies can be caught fishing with live bait, cut bait, artificial lures, or even fly fishing.
Don’t Miss: Mac’s Pit Barbecue
If catch and release is your cup of tea, or if you’re just a barbecue junkie, swing by Mac’s Pit Barbecue for some of the best ribs, brisket, and fixin’s in Texas, and tell Domingo we sent you!
The Best of Galveston
Galveston, located on the Upper Texas Coast within an hour from Houston, brings us full circle. Galveston truly has it all: inshore, nearshore, offshore, redfish, sharks, red snapper, fly fishing, light tackle, heavy tackle – you name it. Arguably the best part of fishing Galveston is the Galveston Jetties. Completed in the early 20th century and running over 6.5 miles in totality, the Galveston Jetties are the longest manmade jetty structure in the world. Jutting out at the mouth of Galveston Bay, these structures act as a backboard, corralling nutrients flowing along the Texas coast and bucketing them into one concentrated buffet for hungry baitfish looking to get big. The food chain works its magic from there and giant bull redfish, sharks, speckled trout, and much more troll the waters for the bounty of snacks readily available. For these reasons and for their immediate accessibility, jetty trips are a great option for beginners and families looking for the fish of a lifetime. Shark trips throughout the summer months are also incredibly popular and make for unforgettable (and safe!) photo ops with these beautiful beasts.
Don’t Miss: Galveston Bait & Tackle
Looking to wet a line yourself? Stop by locally owned Galveston Bait & Tackle on your way into town for all the gear you’ll ever need!
