The Gulf Coast's 6 Most Alluring Spots for Pier Fishing
Captain Mike Williams, a Galveston fishing guide, thinks Gulf Coast fishermen have some luck coming their way. “It looks like this year we may be free of drought, which is good for the fishery. So it should be an up year.”
It’s all about balance, he says. While too little rain is bad for salinity levels, so is too much rain. This year, we just might fall in the middle, which means Texas fishermen should pull in lots of redfish, sheepshead, and trout. The weekly Texas Parks & Wildlife fishing reports, meanwhile, report plenty of those three fish currently in Galveston waters, as well as black drum—especially around the piers and jetties.
Pier fishing is less of a hassle than going out on a boat, with greater potential reward than simply setting up on shore. “With piers you’re able to get out into the water, more out from the shoreline, and you can get out where the current is,” says fishing enthusiast Dave Alexander, who runs justgofishin.com. “It helps you get farther out. You don’t have to cast that far, and you can get where some of the largest fish might migrate.”
The following are Williams and Alexander’s picks for the best piers on the Texas coast.
- 90th Street Pier, Galveston; “It’s still probably the best one on the beachfront,” says Williams.
- 61st Street Pier, Galveston. In addition to fishing equipment rentals, this family-friendly pier sells ice cream, snacks and other goodies.
- Seawolf Park, Galveston; “Especially in July and August, it’s a very good place to catch trout,” says Williams.
- Copano Pier, Rockport; it’s huge, so you might want to bring a bike or rent a cart there.
- Any Port A pier near the Bolivar ferry. Bonus: dolphin sightings.
- Bob Hall Pier, Corpus Christi; “It’s a popular surfing spot, which is ironic, because Bob Hall Pier is also a popular shark-fishing spot,” says Alexander. “It’s weird. You’ll see people throwing out a hunk of meat on a hook, and then guys out there surfing.”
