Afternoon Redfish & Trout Fishing Charter
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Afternoon inshore charter targeting redfish and speckled troutFivehour guided trip accommodates up to three guestsProfessional service operates in productive Matagorda Bay waters
Looking for a solid afternoon of inshore fishing without burning your whole day? This PM charter with Chasin' Limits Guide Service puts you right in the sweet spots of Matagorda Bay, where redfish cruise the shallows and speckled trout stack up along grass lines and drop-offs. It's a five-hour trip that starts when the afternoon bite kicks in, giving you plenty of time to work productive water while still getting home at a reasonable hour. Perfect for up to three anglers who want quality fishing without the full-day commitment.
Matagorda Bay is hands-down one of Texas's top-rated inshore fisheries, and afternoon trips here have their own rhythm. The morning boat traffic has settled down, water temps have stabilized, and fish are often more active as the day progresses toward evening. Your guide knows these waters like the back of their hand – every shell pad, grass bed, and channel that holds fish. You'll be working structure with purpose, not just casting blind and hoping. The bay system offers protected water most days, so even when it's breezy, there's usually somewhere productive to fish. Expect to move around and cover water efficiently, hitting multiple spots based on conditions, tides, and what the fish are telling you.
This is sight-fishing and structure-fishing at its best. Your guide will have you rigged with medium-light spinning gear perfect for the bay's typical conditions – sensitive enough to feel those subtle trout bites but with enough backbone to handle a bull red when one decides to make a run. Live bait is king here, with live shrimp being the go-to choice, but artificial lures play a huge role too. Soft plastics on jig heads work the grass lines beautifully, while topwater plugs can absolutely explode when conditions are right. You'll learn to work different depths and structures – from two-foot shallows where reds tail and push water, to deeper cuts where big trout suspend. The guide handles boat positioning and reads the water, so you can focus on presentation and fighting fish. Wade fishing might come into play if conditions allow and fish are shallow enough to approach on foot.
Redfish are the bread and butter of Matagorda Bay, and for good reason. These copper-colored bulldogs average 20 to 30 inches here, with plenty of oversized fish that'll test your drag system. They're year-round residents, but late spring through fall offers the most consistent action. Reds feed aggressively in shallow water, often pushing bait against shorelines or working grass flats where you can actually see them coming. When you hook one, get ready for multiple runs and that classic head-shaking fight that makes them so addictive to target. The slot fish make excellent table fare, while the oversized bulls provide pure adrenaline before swimming away to fight another day.
Speckled trout bring a completely different game to the table. These spotted beauties are more finicky than reds, requiring precise presentation and often lighter tackle to get consistent bites. In Matagorda Bay, they typically run 14 to 20 inches, with some genuine doormat trout over 25 inches taken regularly. Specks are structure-oriented, relating to grass lines, shell reefs, and channel edges where they ambush baitfish. They're most active during cooler months, from October through April, but can be caught year-round if you know where to look. The fight is less bulldogging than reds but more acrobatic – they'll jump and make quick direction changes that keep you on your toes. Fresh speckled trout is hard to beat on the dinner table.
This afternoon charter hits the sweet spot for anglers who want world-class inshore fishing without the early morning alarm clock or full-day time commitment. Matagorda Bay consistently produces, the guide service has the local knowledge to put you on fish, and five hours gives you plenty of time to work multiple spots and species. Whether you're looking to put meat in the cooler, introduce someone to saltwater fishing, or just get your line wet after work, this trip delivers. The three-person capacity keeps it intimate and ensures everyone gets plenty of fishing time. Don't sleep on booking – afternoon slots fill up fast, especially during peak seasons when both species are most active.
Your afternoon redfish and speckled trout adventure starts aboard this sleek 25-foot JH Outlaw center console. This 2026 beauty cuts through Matagorda Bay's waters with authority, thanks to its 250 HP Suzuki engine that cruises comfortably at 50 knots. The spacious center console design gives you and two fellow anglers plenty of room to work the flats and deeper bay waters where these prized gamefish hang out. Modern GPS navigation gets you to the productive spots quickly, while the fish finder helps pinpoint schools of specks and tailing reds. Built specifically for inshore bay fishing, this boat handles the shallow waters and grass flats perfectly, putting you right where the action is during those prime afternoon feeding periods when redfish cruise the shallows and speckled trout stack up along the drop-offs.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our inshore fishing here. These copper-colored bruisers with their signature black eyespot near the tail average 28-33 inches but can push 45+ inches. They love super shallow water - sometimes so shallow their backs show above the surface. Look for them around oyster reefs, grass flats, and muddy bottoms in 1-4 feet of water. What guests love most is their powerful fight and that explosive topwater strike. They're also excellent eating with mild, sweet meat. Year-round fishing is good, but fall and spring are peak times. Pro tip: when you see them tailing in skinny water, cast well ahead of where they're heading and work your bait slowly back toward them.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled trout are what we call our "bread and butter" fish here in Matagorda Bay. These silvery beauties with their distinctive black spots typically run 14-24 inches and put up a solid fight on light tackle. You'll find them cruising grass flats and shallow waters, especially during cooler months when they school up in deeper channels. They're ambush feeders that love shrimp, small crabs, and baitfish. What makes them special? Great table fare with flaky white meat, plus they hit artificial lures hard - soft plastics and topwater plugs work best. My local tip: work your lure slowly along grass edges during dawn and dusk. These fish spook easily, so keep noise to a minimum and make long casts.
Matagorda, TX