Texas Inshore Fishing: Redfish, Trout & Black Drum
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Full day inshore fishing targeting redfish, trout, and black drumAll rods, reels, and tackle provided by experienced guidesAccommodates up to five guests with swimming and refreshments allowed
Looking for a top-rated fishing experience along the Texas coast? This full-day guided charter takes you to some of the best inshore waters around Port A, Rockport, Corpus Christi, and the legendary Baffin Bay area. We're talking about prime redfish country here, where speckled trout cruise the grass flats and black drum patrol the drop-offs. You'll be fishing with an experienced local captain who knows exactly where these fish like to hang out, and all your gear is included in the trip. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just getting your feet wet, this charter delivers the kind of fishing that keeps people coming back to the Texas coast year after year.
We kick off early to make the most of your day on the water – that's when the fish are most active and the bite is hottest. Your captain will pick productive spots based on tides, weather, and recent fish activity, moving between shallow flats, deeper channels, and structure where these species love to feed. The boat is set up for up to five anglers, though the base price covers two people. You'll spend the day working different techniques and locations, from sight-casting to cruising reds in skinny water to drifting over drop-offs where the trout and drum like to stack up. Don't forget to grab your Texas fishing license before the trip – it's required for anyone 17 and older. Feel free to pack some snacks, drinks, and even bring swimwear if you want to cool off between fishing spots. The captain provides all rods, reels, tackle, and bait, so you can focus on what matters most: putting fish in the boat.
This inshore fishing adventure uses a variety of proven techniques to target different species throughout the day. You'll be working with medium-action spinning rods paired with quality reels spooled with braided line – perfect for feeling those subtle trout bites and handling the power of a big red. The tackle box includes everything from soft plastics and topwater plugs to live bait rigs, depending on what the fish are hitting. When we're sight-fishing for redfish in shallow water, you'll use weedless spoons and soft plastics worked slowly across the grass flats. For speckled trout, we'll often drift with live shrimp under popping corks or work MirrOlure-style plugs along drop-offs and channel edges. Black drum fishing calls for a different approach entirely – we'll anchor up and fish cut bait on the bottom near structure where these bruisers like to feed. Your guide reads the water conditions and adjusts tactics throughout the day, teaching you the subtle differences in presentation that separate good days from great ones.
Redfish are the crown jewel of Texas inshore fishing, and this area produces some world-class specimens. These copper-colored fighters typically run 18 to 30 inches, with plenty of slot-sized fish perfect for the dinner table and bigger bulls that'll test your drag system. Reds are most active during spring and fall months, though you can catch them year-round in these productive waters. They're sight-feeders that love cruising shallow grass flats and oyster reefs, making for some heart-pounding visual fishing when you spot that telltale wake or copper flash. What makes redfish so special is their fight – they pull hard and steady, using their broad tails to bulldoze toward structure. Once you hook your first quality red, you'll understand why anglers travel from across the country just to target these fish in Texas waters.
Speckled trout are the other major draw in this fishery, offering fast action and excellent table fare. These silvery gamefish typically range from 14 to 25 inches, with trophy-class fish pushing 28 inches or more in these fertile coastal waters. Trout bite best during cooler months from October through March, when they school up in deeper channels and around structure. They're incredibly responsive to lure presentation – a perfectly twitched soft plastic or the right retrieve on a topwater plug can trigger explosive strikes. Specks have relatively soft mouths, so playing them requires a delicate touch, but that's part of what makes them so satisfying to catch. The Corpus Christi and Baffin Bay areas are renowned for producing some of the biggest trout on the Texas coast, making every cast a potential trophy opportunity.
Black drum round out the trio of target species and offer something completely different from reds and trout. These bottom-dwelling bruisers can range from slot-sized fish around 20 inches up to massive specimens weighing 30 pounds or more. They're most active during warmer months and feed primarily on crabs, shrimp, and oysters along the bottom. What makes black drum fishing so exciting is the surprise factor – you never know if that bite is going to be a keeper-sized fish or a true giant that'll have you hanging on for dear life. They don't jump or make blazing runs like other species, but they pull with incredible power and endurance. The bigger fish are true tackle-testers that can humble even experienced anglers. Plus, smaller drum make excellent eating, with firm white meat that's perfect for fish tacos or blackened preparations.
This guided fishing trip delivers exactly what serious anglers want from a Texas coast experience – access to productive waters, expert local knowledge, and the chance to tangle with some of the Gulf's best inshore species. Your captain knows these waters inside and out, from the shallow flats where redfish cruise to the deeper haunts where trophy trout and drum lurk. All the gear is provided, the boat is properly equipped, and you'll learn techniques that'll make you a better angler long after the trip ends. Whether you're planning a fishing vacation, celebrating a special occasion, or just need to get away from it all for a day, this charter puts you right where
This motorboat is built for serious inshore fishing along the Texas coast. With a wireless trolling motor, you'll glide silently through the shallows where redfish and trout like to hang out. The GPS keeps you on target while the fish finder shows what's lurking below. VHF radio keeps you connected for safety and fishing reports. Perfect size for 2 anglers who want to work the grass flats and oyster reefs around Port A, Rockport, and the Corpus Christi area. The shallow draft gets you into those productive back bays where the big drum cruise. All your rods, reels, and tackle are included, so just grab your license and cooler. Whether you're sight casting to tailing reds or drifting for speckled trout, this boat puts you right where the fish are biting in some of Texas' best inshore waters.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are the bruisers of our flats - these grey-black fish can run anywhere from 5 to 30 pounds, with some monsters pushing 50+ pounds. They love crushing oysters and crabs with those powerful jaws around oyster reefs, muddy flats, and creek mouths in 2-15 feet of water. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning, making them easier to locate. What makes them special is that bone-jarring initial run when hooked - they're pure power. Smaller ones under 15 pounds make excellent table fare with firm, white meat. Pro tip: use fresh blue crab for bait and fish it right on the bottom near shell - they can't resist it, and catfish won't steal it like they do shrimp.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are our signature species - copper-colored beauties with that black eyespot near the tail. Most run 18-28 inches in our shallow bays, but we see plenty of slot fish and some bulls over 30 inches. They cruise oyster reefs, grass flats, and shorelines in 1-4 feet of water, sometimes so shallow their backs show. Fall and spring offer the best action when they're feeding hard. What makes them special is that explosive strike and bulldogging fight - pure adrenaline. Plus they're excellent eating in the slot. My go-to tip: look for nervous water or tailing fish on calm mornings, then cast a gold spoon or topwater plug just ahead of their direction. The visual aspect makes it addictive fishing.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled trout are our bread-and-butter fish here, running 14-24 inches with those distinctive black spots. They're all over grass flats, drop-offs, and shell bars in 3-8 feet of water, especially around structure changes. Best bite happens during cooler months when they school up, plus early morning and evening year-round. Guests love them because they're aggressive strikers and fantastic eating - that white, flaky meat is hard to beat. They'll hit topwaters, soft plastics, and live shrimp. The key trick is working your lure slowly along the bottom edges of grass beds where they ambush baitfish. When it's calm, you can actually see them busting shrimp on the surface.
Rockport, TX