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Port guide / Upper Texas Coast / Texas
Freeport fishing guide
Freeport sits at the Freeport Harbor jetties, with Surfside on the east jetty and Quintana on the west, and it is one of the shortest runs to deep water on the upper coast. Inshore you have Christmas Bay, Bastrop Bayou, the Intracoastal and the Old Brazos River, plus surf fishing at Bryan, Quintana and Surfside beaches. Offshore boats run for snapper, kings and ling in summer and bull reds in fall.
10 ft, conditions now
Conditions now
Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.
Tides
- Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.
On the water now
- Water
- Checking
- Wind
- Checking
Marine forecast
Loading the National Weather Service forecast.
NOAA tides, Freeport Harbor, TX (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Coastal waters from High Island to Freeport TX out 20 NM (opens in a new tab)
20 ft, what is biting
What is biting, month by month
When each fish is at its best around Freeport. This month is marked.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redfish | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good |
| Speckled trout | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Good | Good |
| Southern flounder | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Good | Good | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Slow | Slow |
| Sheepshead | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Good |
| Red snapper | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow | Slow |
| Black drum | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Good |
| Cobia (ling) | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Slow | Slow |
| Spanish mackerel | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow | Slow | Slow |
| Blacktip and other sharks | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Slow | Slow |
Redfish
Peak: September, October, November
October is the fall redfish run when the bull reds spawn, and charter boats also run just offshore to catch them.
Speckled trout
Peak: October
Trout fish well in October, and in winter the trophy fish slide into the deeper channels.
Southern flounder
Peak: October
Flounder move toward the passes and channels on their fall run, but the fishery is closed November 1 to December 14.
Sheepshead
Peak: January, February, March
Winter brings sheepshead to the jetty rocks and deeper channels, where they spawn in February and March.
Red snapper
Peak: June, July, August, September
Snapper is a summer offshore trip from Freeport, and July through September usually has the calmest seas.
Black drum
Peak: February, March, April
Black drum are a staple off the Quintana side of the harbor and the jetties.
Cobia (ling)
Peak: May, June, July, August
Ling are caught off the Quintana jetty and on nearshore and offshore trips in the warm months.
Spanish mackerel
Peak: June, July, August
Spanish mackerel run the jetties and pier on the Quintana side in summer.
Blacktip and other sharks
Peak: June, July, August
Sharks are caught from the Surfside jetty and on nearshore trips through summer and into October.
30 ft, seasons and rules
Seasons and rules
Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.
Red snapper, Texas state waters
Open year-round for private recreational anglers in Texas state waters.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, federal waters (private anglers off Texas)
Opened May 22, 2026. As of October 23, 2026 it remains open, and TPWD will set the closure date by monitoring harvest.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, federal waters (for-hire boats)
Closed January 1 to May 31. The 2026 for-hire season closes October 26, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, federal waters
Closed January 1 to August 31. The 2026 season opened September 1 and closed October 1, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, federal waters
The season opens September 1 each year. The 2026 to 2027 season closed October 14, 2026 when the quota was reached.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish, federal waters
Closed January 1 to February 28 and June 1 to July 31, so open March 1 to May 31 and August 1 to December 31.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Shallow-water grouper, federal waters beyond 20 fathoms
Closed February 1 to March 31 seaward of the 20-fathom contour.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Southern flounder, Texas waters
Flounder fishery is closed November 1 to December 14 (bag limit is zero).
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
40 ft, where to fish
Where to fish
- Jetty
Surfside Jetty (east jetty, Freeport Harbor)
A paved walkway about 0.6 miles out into the Gulf for reds, sheepshead, sharks and trout, open 8 a.m. to dusk.
- Jetty
Quintana west jetty
The west jetty at Quintana Beach County Park produces black drum, reds, ling and Spanish mackerel; the park pier has been closed since Hurricane Nicholas damage.
- Pass
San Luis Pass
Called one of the best places to fish on the Texas coast, with a ramp and cleaning stations, but strong currents restrict wading in parts of it.
- Bay
Christmas Bay
Shallow bay reached by the Seidler's shell ramp off Bluewater Highway, good for kayaks.
- Pier
Bastrop Bayou Public Fishing Area
A roughly 200 foot lighted pier with paved parking, good for bank and night fishing.
- Beach
Bryan Beach
About three miles of shoreline for surf fishing.
50 ft, launch and piers
Ramps and piers
Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.
| Name | Type | Fee | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surfside Beach Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | 803 Coast Guard Drive, Surfside Beach, TX |
| Quintana Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | FM 1495, Freeport, TX |
| Freeport Municipal Park Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | Freeport Municipal Park, North Brazosport Boulevard, Freeport, TX |
| Seidler's Boat Ramp, Christmas Bay (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | 521 County Road 257S, Freeport, TX |
| San Luis Pass County Park ramp (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | County Road 257, Freeport, TX |
| Bastrop Bayou Public Fishing Area pier (opens in a new tab) | Pier | Check | 590 County Road 476, Freeport, TX |
60 ft, bait, tackle and charters
Bait, tackle and charters
Local shops and guides. We are not paid to list anyone here.
Bait and tackle
| Shop | Where | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge Bait (opens in a new tab) | Casko Road, Freeport, TX | 979-239-2248 |
| Capt. Mark's Bastrop Marina (opens in a new tab) | Trammel Street, Freeport, TX | 979-233-4091 |
Charters and guides
| Charter | Fishing |
|---|---|
| Action Charters (opens in a new tab) | Offshore |
| A-1 Deep Sea Charters (opens in a new tab) | Offshore |
| Prima Donna Offshore Charters (opens in a new tab) | Offshore |
70 ft, on the calendar
Tournaments and events
Annual events on this water. Dates move, so confirm with the organiser.
Boyd's One Stop Bull Red Tournament (opens in a new tab)
fall, running from early September to about November 1; the boundary includes the beachfront down to the mouth of the Brazos River
CCA Texas STAR Tournament (opens in a new tab)
Summer, coastwide (late May to Labor Day)
2026: May 23 to September 7
80 ft, asked and answered
Fishing Freeport, asked and answered
Where can I fish Freeport without a boat?
The Surfside Jetty is a paved walkway about 0.6 miles into the Gulf, open 8 a.m. to dusk, and it gives up reds, sheepshead, sharks and trout. The Bastrop Bayou Public Fishing Area has a lighted 200 foot pier, and Bryan Beach has about three miles of surf.
When is the best time for bull reds at Freeport?
October, during the fall run when the bull reds spawn, and charter boats also run just offshore to catch them. Keeping one over the slot takes a Red Drum Tag or Bonus Red Drum Tag.
When should I book an offshore snapper trip out of Freeport?
Summer is snapper time, and July through September usually has the calmest seas. The 2026 federal season for private anglers opened May 22, and Texas state waters are open all year.
Is the Quintana pier open?
The Quintana Beach County Park pier was listed as closed due to damage from Hurricane Nicholas. The west jetty at the park is still where locals fish for black drum, reds, ling and Spanish mackerel.
90 ft, the kit
What we would take to Freeport
Sources for this guide (25), last checked 2026-10-26
- captainexperiences.com/blog/our-guide-to-fishing-in-galveston-bay (opens in a new tab)
- captainexperiences.com/locations/texas/galveston/seasonality (opens in a new tab)
- fishingbooker.com/blog/?p=12715 (opens in a new tab)
- fishingbooker.com/de/q/2/what-would-you-recommend-to-anglers-fishing-in-freeport-texas-for (opens in a new tab)
- fishingbooker.com/destinations/location/us/TX/freeport (opens in a new tab)
- tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/didyouknow/coastal/flounderfishing.phtml (opens in a new tab)
- tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/sheepshead/ (opens in a new tab)
- tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/bag-length-limits/flou (opens in a new tab)
- tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/red-snapper/ (opens in a new tab)
- fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing/2025-2026-and-2026-2027-gulf-america-rec (opens in a new tab)
- galvnews.com/eedition/page-a10/page_c24dd6a7-c3d3-52ac-8500-e04ecee431ff.html (opens in a new tab)
- startournament.org/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/a-1-deep-sea-charters/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/action-charters/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/bastrop-bayou-public-fishing-area/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/bridge-bait/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/capt-marks-bastrop-marina/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/freeport-municipal-park-boat-ramp/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/prima-donna-offshore-charters/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/quantana-beach-county-park/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/quintana-boat-ramp/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/san-luis-pass-county-park/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/seidlers-boat-ramp/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/surfside-beach-boat-ramp/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitbrazosport.com/attractions/surfside-jetty-county-park/ (opens in a new tab)
100 ft, the seabed
Gear up for Freeport
UPF 50+ fishing shirts, hats and gloves for the Gulf Coast. Free shipping over $100. Ships from Texas, usually within 1 to 2 business days.