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Region 02 of 09 / Upper Texas Coast / 30 ft
Upper Texas Coast fishing apparel
10 ft, the water
Fishing Upper Texas Coast
The upper coast is bigger, browner and busier than the water south of it. You are fishing marsh drains, shell pads and the edges of working ship channels, often in a chop that throws spray the whole run. Humidity sits high enough that a wet shirt never really dries.
30 ft, the tide table
Ports and species
| No. | Port | Marker |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Sabine Pass | |
| 02 | Port Arthur | |
| 03 | Galveston | |
| 04 | Texas City | |
| 05 | Freeport | |
| 06 | Matagorda | |
| 07 | Palacios |
| No. | Species | Marker |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Redfish | |
| 02 | Speckled trout | |
| 03 | Flounder | |
| 04 | Sheepshead |
20 ft, port guides
Port guides for Upper Texas Coast
Live tides and marine forecast, what is biting by month, seasons, ramps, bait shops, charters and events for each port.
The NOAA chart loads when you scroll here.
- TexasSabine PassSabine Pass is the outlet of Sabine Lake, a big estuary where the Sabine and Neches Rivers meet on the Texas and Louisiana line.Open the guide
- TexasPort ArthurPort Arthur fishes Sabine Lake, a 70,000 acre brackish estuary, 14 miles long and 7 wide, where the Sabine and Neches rivers meet on the Louisiana line.Open the guide
- TexasCrystal BeachCrystal Beach sits on the Bolivar Peninsula across the ferry from Galveston, with 27 miles of open surf on one side and the shell beds, grass lines and drains of East Galveston Bay on the other.Open the guide
- TexasGalvestonGalveston sits between Galveston Bay and the Gulf, so you can fish grass flats and shell reefs in West Bay and East Bay, the North and South Jetties at the ship channel, San Luis Pass at the west end, or run offshore to rigs, reefs and the Flower Garden Banks.Open the guide
- TexasSan LeonSan Leon is a small peninsula on the west shore of Galveston Bay at Eagle Point, between Dickinson Bay and the open bay, which puts it close to a lot of shell reefs, gas well pads and drift water.Open the guide
- TexasKemahKemah sits where Clear Lake drains into upper Galveston Bay, so the water runs from brackish Clear Lake, Taylor Lake and Clear Creek out to the open bay.Open the guide
- TexasTexas CityTexas City fishing starts with the Texas City Dike, a 5.3 mile granite levee that runs into Galveston Bay with a road on top, boat ramps, fishing piers and rocks to cast from.Open the guide
- TexasSurfside BeachSurfside Beach is the small village on the east side of the Freeport Harbor jetties, and where the Freeport guide covers the whole Brazosport area, Surfside is about two things: the east jetty and the fastest run to the Gulf on the Texas coast.Open the guide
- TexasFreeportFreeport 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.Open the guide
- TexasSargentSargent is a canal and fish camp community on Caney Creek at the east end of East Matagorda Bay, about an hour from Houston.Open the guide
- TexasMatagordaMatagorda sits where the Colorado River reaches the Gulf, between East Matagorda Bay and the much bigger West Matagorda Bay.Open the guide
- TexasPalaciosPalacios sits where Tres Palacios Bay opens into Matagorda Bay, a small shrimping town with a long bayfront and three free lighted fishing piers that stay open all night.Open the guide
- TexasPort LavacaPort Lavaca sits on Lavaca Bay at the top of the Matagorda Bay system, with Chocolate, Cox and Keller bays and the Lavaca River all close by.Open the guide
- TexasPort O'ConnorPort O'Connor sits on the Intracoastal at the southwest corner of Matagorda Bay, with Espiritu Santo Bay, the back lakes behind Matagorda Island, the big jetties and Pass Cavallo all a short run from the ramps.Open the guide
60 ft, the kit
What we would take to Upper Texas Coast
80 ft, asked and answered
Questions about Upper Texas Coast
Straight answers for Upper Texas Coast, from the people who make the gear.
What should I wear fishing in Upper Texas?
A hooded UPF 50+ long sleeve, a hat and sun gloves. Breathability over everything. A fabric that dries between drifts is the difference between comfortable and miserable on an August morning here. Long sleeves also keep the marsh off your arms.
When is the best time to fish Upper Texas?
Spring and fall are the tournament months. Summer mornings start flat and heat hard by nine. Winter pushes trout into the deeper channels and the bite gets slow and technical.
What do people catch around Sabine Pass?
Mostly redfish, speckled trout, flounder and sheepshead, depending on the season and how far out you run.
90 ft, the journal
From this water
Fishing Galveston Bay in August, and surviving it
How to fish Galveston Bay and the upper Texas coast in August. Humidity, heat index and the gear that makes a summer morning workable. August 13, 2026Read
The Texas wind, and why a hood beats a ball cap
The Texas coast runs fifteen knots of southeast wind for weeks. Why that changes what you wear, from Galveston Bay to the Lower Laguna. August 13, 2026Read
100 ft, the seabed
Gear up for Upper Texas Coast
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.