Aransas Bay · Rockport, Texas · Year-round
Fishing Charters
Aransas Bay is one of the finest inshore fisheries on the Gulf Coast. Crystal-clear shallow flats, vast oyster reefs, and year-round warm water produce world-class redfish and speckled trout — and local captains who know every inch of it.
Why Aransas Bay Fishing Is Different
Aransas Bay sits at the intersection of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and a network of shallow tidal flats protected by the Lamar Peninsula and St. Joseph Island. The result is an exceptionally productive estuary — warm, clear, and full of the grass beds and oyster reefs that concentrate baitfish, crabs, and shrimp year-round.
What sets Aransas Bay apart from other Texas fisheries is the sight fishing. On a calm morning, the flats are gin-clear — you can watch redfish tailing in six inches of water and cast to them by sight. It’s technical, visual fishing that rewards patience and accuracy over brute force. The flat-bottom skiffs that local captains run are purpose-built for this kind of access.
The same boats that access whooping crane habitat also reach the most productive fishing flats — water too shallow for conventional bay boats, where fish are concentrated and largely unpressured.
What You’re Fishing For
Redfish (Red Drum)
Year-round · Peak fallThe signature shallow-water target of Aransas Bay. Redfish tail on the flats in skinny water — visually stalking them with light tackle is as exciting as fishing gets anywhere. Big bulls run the deeper bay edges in fall.
Technique: Sight casting, soft plastics, gold spoons
Speckled Trout
Year-round · Peak spring & fallThe most sought-after table fish on the Texas coast. Specks school around oyster reefs, grass flats, and drop-offs. Early morning topwater explosions are the hallmark of a great Aransas Bay trout morning.
Technique: Topwater, soft plastics, live shrimp
Flounder
Fall migration (Sept–Nov)Flounder stack up on the Gulf passes during fall migration — the annual 'flounder run' when fish are moving from bay to gulf. Patient bottom fishing around structure and passes is the key.
Technique: Soft plastics, live mud minnows, structure fishing
Black Drum
Spring & winterGiant black drum (30–50+ lbs) move onto shallow oyster reefs in early spring. Slow, grinding fights on heavy tackle. Smaller fish are excellent eating — large fish are catch-and-release trophies.
Technique: Peeler crabs, cut mullet, oyster reefs
Featured Operator
Aransas Bay Adventures
Captain Kevin · Rockport, Texas
Captain Kevin runs fishing charters on Aransas Bay alongside his renowned whooping crane and birding tours. His shallow-draft flat-bottom boats access the same productive flats that most fishing guides can’t reach — the water where big redfish tail and trophy trout lurk in the grass beds. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a first-timer, he puts you on fish.
Combine Fishing With Birding
The same backwater habitat that holds whooping cranes also holds redfish. Some of our best mornings start with crane viewing at first light and transition to fishing as the day warms up. Ask Captain Kevin about custom combination trips.
See Whooping Crane Tours →