Coastal Bend Fishing Apparel
fishing apparel

Fishing Coastal Bend

This is the sight-fishing stretch. Grass flats, sand potholes and water clear enough that you are hunting individual fish rather than covering water. That means standing on a platform in full sun for hours, and it means glare management is part of the tackle.

What that means for what you wear

Light colours and a hood. Dark sleeves radiate heat back at you on a flat with no breeze, and a hood cuts the reflected glare that comes off the water into the side of your face.

When to go

The flats fish best from March through November. Late summer brings tarpon to the passes. January and February are cold and clear, which is ugly to stand in and excellent for spotting fish.

Ports and launches

• Rockport
• Fulton
• Port Aransas
• Aransas Pass
• Ingleside
• Corpus Christi
• Padre Island

What you are chasing

• Redfish
• Speckled trout
• Black drum
• Tarpon

Common questions

What should I wear fishing in Coastal Bend?

A hooded UPF 50+ long sleeve, a hat and sun gloves. Light colours and a hood. Dark sleeves radiate heat back at you on a flat with no breeze, and a hood cuts the reflected glare that comes off the water into the side of your face.

When is the best time to fish Coastal Bend?

The flats fish best from March through November. Late summer brings tarpon to the passes. January and February are cold and clear, which is ugly to stand in and excellent for spotting fish.

What do people catch around Rockport?

Mostly redfish, speckled trout, black drum and tarpon, depending on the season and how far out you run.