There are two Baffin Bays in the world. One is located on the west coast of Greenland and is a small section of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s usually covered in ice and not an ideal place for fishing. Which is a really good thing that the other Baffin Bay makes up for it. This one is located on the Texas Gulf Coast, and is an inlet of the much larger estuary, Laguna Madre. Unlike Greenland’s Baffin Bay, anglers will find that the fishing here is off the charts!
Want to catch some big trout?! Then Baffin Bay, Texas is the place you want to be. The conditions here create the perfect habitat for trout to spawn and grow in large numbers and size. And the best part? You don’t need a boat to get in on the action. Wade fishing for trout is by far the number one angling method in Baffin Bay. You can either fish in ankle-deep water or tread out a bit farther; trout are typically found in water less than four feet deep. The darker waters have a bit more success, especially if you add a popping cork above your bait. The popping cork essentially acts as a dinner bell, imitating the sounds of shrimp and crab that bring the trout out for feeding.
Hiring a local fishing guide will significantly improve your success rate. The Baffin Bay guide will know where the dropoff and ledges are located and can help with sight fishing for your next trout. The Los Corrallos area is a great place to start your trout fishing adventure. This is on the south side of the bay and the grass beds and deep holes found here make great places for the trout to hide. Anglers fish this area twelve months of the year, and will typically boat to Los Corrallos and then jump out to wade fish. Speckled trout are a long silver fish with black dots across their back. They are also known as spotted seatrout, or simply trout. Most trout found in Baffin Bay reach the slot limit between 23 and 25 inches long; any catch longer than 25 inches are required to be immediately released.
While trout are the number one species in Baffin Bay, there are several other species available. Another popular species in the bay is redfish, a bronze or golden color inshore fish that are generally found in the same grass beds as trout. Near Point Penascal, where the bay connects with Laguna Madre, is a great place to fish for redfish. Anglers can fish for redfish (also known as red drum or simply “reds”) throughout the year, although cooler months from October to April tend to have better results.
Flounder is a third option when fishing Baffin Bay. They are a flatfish that like to blend in with the bottom of the bay’s floor. They are brown on the top and white on the bottom, with both eyes situated on the top part of their body. They use their coloration as camouflage to hide from both predators and prey. You can also wade fish for both redfish and flounder.
Or, try your hand at flounder gigging. You can either wade the shallow waters or use a boat, and use a gig to strike the flounder. Flounder gigging typically is a night excursion, and anglers use LED lights on the boat and flashlights to find flounder (typically their eyes refract the light). A gig is a pole with forked spears used to capture the flounder.
Other species found throughout Baffin Bay include black drum, jack crevalle, snook, spanish mackerel, and much more.Whether you’re interested in catching trout, redfish or any of these other species, a Baffin Bay guide can help get your line busy! It’s one of the best places for a fishing trip, whether you’re practically a pro yourself, or just starting out.
This Lone Star State’s Baffin Bay is located near southern Texas and forms part of the boundary between Kenedy and Kleberg counties. Nearby bodies of water include Alazan Bay to the north and Laguna Salada and Cayo del Grullo to the west. Along with Baffin Bay, these smaller bays help make up part of the Laguna Madre ecosystem. Similar to Laguna Madre, the salinity levels of Baffin Bay are higher here than other Texas bays. The lack of freshwater rivers flowing into the estuary help keep the salinity levels higher than other systems. This system is tuned just right for big trout, redfish, flounder, and more. But don’t take our word for it. Discover Baffin Bay yourself and you’ll see why it’s one of our favorite fishing grounds in all of Texas.