Matagorda Fishing Charters & Guides

Matagorda Fishing Charters

From thick brush to “the hidden treasure of the Texas Gulf Coast,” Matagorda, Texas has come a long way from the old days to now being known for its excellent fishing opportunities. In a state known to many for wide open spaces, cattle ranches and the like, the states’ southern coast is also a hidden treasure. The Matagorda, Texas, stretch is the same as much of the rest of that coastal area, but offers its own unique spin on the fishing, seafood, kayaking, boating, birdwatching, and temperate climate all year long. Matagorda is primarily a tourist town with both commercial and recreational fishing listed as being the top industries. Matagorda also offers 23 miles of beach accessible by vehicle and 35 additional miles accessible only by boat. Matagorda is located at the end of the road, that being State Highway 60, which takes you to the Intracoastal Waterway and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The name Matagorda, Spanish for "thick brush," was derived from the canebrakes that formerly lined the shore. It’s the third oldest town in Texas, established by famous Texan Stephen F. Austin. A bonus for fishermen and vacationers here is that Matagorda County has been #1 in the nation since 1997 in the North American Audubon Christmas Bird Count with 234 different species spotted. The Matagorda Bay Nature Park is a 1,600-acre preserve with miles of beaches, public piers, and birdwatching opportunities.

Matagorda Pass Inshore Fishing

The complex waters of the Matagorda Bay inshore area are best known for speckled trout and redfish, available in numbers and in large sizes. The muddy bottoms make for great feeding habitat for these fish, as well as flounder. The mouths of run-outs and points are some of the top spots for fishing for all three of those species. To make the most of your trip, hire a guide or book a charter to get right to the good spots and start catching. There are also sheepshead, black drum, and in the cooler months: Spanish mackerel. Matagorda is fished by anglers from the bank or in all sizes of boats, but it is also becoming known as one of the best kayaking and kayak fishing destinations on the Texas coast. This is due to the miles of shallow marsh area only accessible by kayak. There are miles of designated paddling trails in the Matagorda area. Artificial baits are preferred by some anglers who like a more challenging bite. But for the best results on specks and reds, go with the live shrimp around mid bay reefs and the runouts, especially hit the runouts when the tide is falling. The bigger trout seem to come on the East Matagorda Bay much of the time. Fishing shrimp under a popping cork is always a good bet. And for flounder, check out the rock piles. Redfish like shrimp, live mullet and soft plastics, plus on occasion they really eat up minnow-style artificials. Flounder anglers can always try shrimp around the Mad Island area for good results.

Matagorda Pass Offshore Fishing

This is the place to be if you’re interested in going big or going home. Taking to the offshore areas in the Gulf of Mexico to chase trophy blue marlin, white marlin, wahoo, mahi mahi, sailfish, swordfish, tuna and grouper is an everyday passion here. Red snapper fishing is also great, but the season to catch and keep the fish isn’t open all the time, so check that out before you go. There are a multitude of choices for fishing in these productive waters, from half-day trips and multi-day fishing trips. You can pretty much custom order your trip with one of the many veteran guides here. If you are willing and able to go far offshore — up to 100 miles, the entire menu includes kingfish, red snapper, ling, dolphin (Mahi Mahi), amberjack, shark, tarpon, grouper, sailfish, marlin, wahoo, swordfish, and blackfin and yellowfin tuna. Shorter trips may only go out 10-30 miles and be limited to mostly smaller fish, but the action is still good. If you don’t have a favorite fish to target, talk to some charter boat captains and tell them what you’d like to fish for. They can help pair you up with just the right trip.

Book A Matagorda Fishing Charter

There are a lot of great places along the Texas coast to catch plenty of fish and enjoy amazing habitats, but none are better than the Matagorda Bay, the Pass or the Gulf waters out from Matagorda Beach. There’s a fishing trip here with your name on it. Whether you’re seeking the best charter for an afternoon of light tackle inshore or a full day of trolling deep blue waters, it’s here. Check it out and book a charter with FishAnywhere so we can pair you with the perfect charter to make your Matagorda fishing trip one you’ll remember for a lifetime.