No Boat; No Problem!

The Texas coast offers an incredible range of fishing opportunities for anglers of all skill levels. Successful fishermen are the ones who are out on the water. So, don't let the absence of your dream boat keep you from getting out there with your family and friends to enjoy the outdoors, and wet a line. Here are three ways to get out there: walk-in wade fishing, bank fishing, and pier fishing, each with its unique opportunities and challenges.

Walk-in wade fishing

Walk-in wade fishing is just as it sounds. However, over 93% of the land in Texas is privately owned,[1] which can make finding a place to walk in difficult. There are still plenty of places where you can get access to the water, though. I approach finding a suitable spot to go fishing with a combination of these three things. To start, I google public access on the coast i.e., boat launches, beaches, and parks that dot the coastline of Texas. Second, I try to find out what kind of bottom the area has before making a trip. As anyone who has fished in the Galveston Bay area can tell you, there can be some seriously soft spots that make wading impractical if not altogether impossible. The Hook-N-Line maps have helped me narrow down the list of potential fishing areas and made my scouting/fishing trips more successful. However, nothing beats local knowledge; asking the local bait shop can also yield some locations. Third, I use Google Earth. With Google Earth, you can at times see underwater structures like reefs, old piers, and bottom grasses. With that said I will generally go and fish at my chosen location for the first time during low tide. I want to see what might be in the water and I am better able to do that during low tide. You are specifically looking for high-percentage structures like the ones I mentioned earlier. When wade fishing, you can be loaded to the gills with gear or take a more minimalist approach with just a couple of jigheads and some Saltwater Assassin plastics or popping cork. You should not leave home without these: a quality pair of polarized sunglasses, neoprene socks, and a sturdy pair of reef boots. While good for fishing, oyster reefs are incredibly sharp and will cut through even the thickest boot. Unfortunately, not everyone leaves these areas in better shape than when they arrived, so I will also bring a small bag and pick up a bit of trash at the end of the day, so that future generations can enjoy the area. Wade fishing is great for beating the Texas summer heat and scratching that fishing itch.

Bank Fishing

Bank fishing is not just for the freshwater angler. Occasionally, you run into conditions like a fast-moving current or soft bottom that won’t permit wade fishing.  Bank fishing is a great way to turn a failed wading trip into a successful fishing trip. As always, you want to be fishing near some structure or natural land formation like a point or a flat with deep water nearby. The Texas City dike provides some great bank fishing because there are sections of flats all along it with deeper cuts just in casting range for the bank fisherman. For gear, I prefer a surf rod and open-face spinning reel. The added length of a surf rod helps to get the bait out to the edge of the flat where, during low tide, the reds and trout will cruise. I usually use a High-Low rig with either a sand anchor or pyramid weight. In recent years fishing drones have come on the market that drastically increase the range of the bank fisherman. There is a drone for just about every budget. Many of them have cameras on them which opens a new and exciting way to sight-fish from shore for big fish. Before buying a fishing drone you should consider the following. What is the total weight of your rigging? You should include in your calculations the bait weight and anything else that the drone will be carrying for the drop. Are there any recovery options in the event it drops into the water before making it back to shore? This leads to the question, is it even waterproof? Advancement in gear and drones has made it so that the bank fisherman has just as good a chance as those on the boats.   

Pier Fishing

I have fond memories of when I was younger, going with my dad to the local fishing pier on a lake or on the coast; playing in the bait, eating junk food, catching fish, and seeing some of the weirdest animals pulled up over the rail. Fishing piers provide access to a whole host of species which keep the kids engaged and, when all else fails, the beach is not a bad place to kick your feet up and relax. Keep in mind this type of fishing will not get you away from the crowds. Piers are a popular spot no matter where you go, because they provide access to water you would not normally be able to reach otherwise. A lot of casting and moving up and down the pier will likely get you tangled up in everyone else’s line. So, be a respectful angler. This is the saltwater bobber game. You’re going to be soaking bait somewhere within the water column. With some regularity, you can expect to catch the following species on the Texas coast: Pompano, Redfish, Trout, Shark, Sheepshead, Gafftop, Mangrove snapper, and an assortment of bait fish. A High-Low Rig with a sand anchor or pyramid weight will catch almost all the species I mentioned. Pompano is considered one of the best-eating fish you can catch from the pier and surf. You may want to go to more specialized rigging to increase your odds of finding the fish you’re after. For example; a pompano rig for pompano, a Carolina rig for redfish, and High-Low with cut bait for Gafftop Sail catfish, and steel-leader rigs can be used if you’re chasing sharks. Try different rig types to dial in your fishing. Don’t think you have to launch the bait another hundred yards. The pier holds life right at its pilings. Catching fish is what keeps my son engaged and keeping him on fish, even baitfish, means he has more fun and will want to come again.  You can take a light rod and a Sabiki rig and have a blast catching bait. My favorite thing to do is drop a crab net down with a chicken neck for crabs while I let the other baits soak. That is part of the fun when fishing off the pier. You never really know what is going to end up on the end of your line.

With our busy lives we can’t always go fishing when the conditions are perfect, but whether you’re wade fishing, kicking it from a lawn chair on the bank, or a family fishing day on the pier, you will discover increased success and enjoyment just by being out there.     

[1] “Private Landowners and Listed Species” TPWD, https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/nongame/listed-species/landowner-tools.phtml#:~:text=Texas%20is%20a%20private%20lands,we%20enjoy%20in%20our%20state.