Laguna Madre Fishing Charters & Guides

Laguna Madre Fishing Charters

The Laguna Madre is a long, shallow and hypersaline lagoon along the western coast of the Texas Gulf of Mexico in Nueces, Kennedy, Kleberg, Willacy and Cameron counties. Translated from Spanish to English, the name means “Mother Lagoon”. It is, indeed, a powerful member of the fisheries habitat family. Laguna Madre runs cumulatively about 130 miles long, the length of Padre Island. The main extensions include Baffin Bay in Upper Laguna Madre, Red Fish Bay just below the Saltillo Flats, and South Bay near the Mexican border. The vast history and diversity of the Laguna Madre ecosystem is part of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and the Padre Island National Seashore. While the climate in this area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande and the area is called the “White Horse Desert”, it’s the water here that fishermen are most interested in. Fishing the Laguna Madre is so great because it has the highest population of sportfish on the Texas Coast. And that’s saying something. It’s the perfect place to catch red drum, black drum, flounder, speckled trout, and more. It’s a great fishery and provides countless inshore and offshore opportunities for fishermen. Professional charters can take anglers after almost any kind of fish they’d like and catch those fish with a variety of baits and techniques.

Laguna Madre Inshore Fishing

It is the speckled trout that sets apart the Laguna Madre as populations have increased over the years. The tasty fish are caught on a variety of artificial lures, but mostly on shrimp and small live bait. The redfish populations are also good here. And even though they don’t get fished for often, the black drum population is also high. Anglers also find good opportunities to catch snook, gray snapper, Florida pompano and barracuda. Barracuda are prolific in the lower Laguna Madre. One thing that makes fishing the inland waters of the Laguna Madre so productive is that there are five species of seagrass in the area that account for 80% of all the remaining seagrass along the Texas Coast. They are turtle grass, shoal grass, manatee grass, star grass and widgeon grass. These grassbeds offer a fantastic habitat for growing and protecting the food chain of fish in the area. They also make fishing here extremely interesting and attractive for anglers. Because of low fresh water inflow, little rainfall, and high evaporation, the salinity of the Laguna Madre often exceeds that of seawater. The Upper Laguna Madre includes the extension of Baffin Bay near Kingsville and Bird Island on the eastern Padre Island shore. The Lower Laguna Madre includes the area south of the Saltillo Flats to the extension of South Bay near Port Isabel. The famous King Ranch is located along the shoreline of the Lower Laguna Madre. One good reason to use a charter boat or guide here is that the lagoon is shallow and narrow, averaging less than four feet in depth. That makes fishing great, but can make boating a challenge to rookies. A bonus for anglers here is also the fact that the shallow waters of the lagoon are perfect for wade fishing. It’s a popular way to fish in many of the areas with easy access to the water.

Offshore Fishing Near Laguna Madre

You don’t have to go far offshore to enjoy some of the best fishing near Laguna Madre. Thousands of fish migrate into the bay and hang around the outer banks in state waters almost all year long. In the summertime, you can go offshore for almost any species found in the Gulf and even go after the big game tarpon if you so desire. The area is part of the prime fishing waters for the annual Texas International Fishing tournament in the summer. The fall fishing season puts the spotlight back on monster bull redfish and flounder. The best thing to do is check with a charter boat captain and ask what types of fish you can catch and what trips are available for the time of year you’d like to visit Laguna Madre. They are knowledgeable and work hard to make sure anglers not only make memories, but get their money’s worth in fun and food for the table.

Book A Laguna Madre Fishing Charter

Everything in Texas is big and that includes fun and fishing. The Gulf Coast of Texas at Laguna Madre is hard to beat as a fishing destination. Enjoy several days here taking in all the different species and enjoying the surroundings. There’s plenty to do on and off the water, but make sure you take time to seek out a charter boat trip for you and your family. It’ll be the icing on the cake of a great trip. Just book a charter with FishAnywhere and get after them. Make memories as you catch your favorite fish and have fun along the way.