Half Day Advanced Fishing Trip In Texas City
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Target redfish, sheepshead, flounder, and trout in Galveston BayProfessional 22' center console boat with all gear providedChoose morning or afternoon 4hour fishing sessions available
Ready to step up your fishing game? This half-day advanced trip puts you right in the heart of Galveston Bay's most productive waters, where redfish cruise the shallows and sheepshead stack up around structure. We're talking serious fishing here – four solid hours aboard the Southern Water Pathfinder, a 22-foot center console that's built for getting you to the fish and keeping you comfortable while you work the water. Whether you pick the early morning bite at 6 AM or the afternoon action starting at 1 PM, you'll be targeting some of Texas's most sought-after inshore species with professional gear and local know-how backing every cast.
The Southern Water Pathfinder isn't just another boat – she's your floating command center for a top-rated fishing adventure. This 22-footer handles Galveston Bay's varied conditions with ease, whether we're working shallow grass flats or deeper channel edges. The onboard livewell keeps your bait fresh and frisky, while the outriggers give us extra versatility when we need to cover water or work multiple lines. You'll fish with professional-grade rods, reels, and tackle that can handle everything from finicky sheepshead to bulldogging redfish. The boat accommodates up to 4 anglers total, but we keep it intimate with a 2-guest base to ensure everyone gets plenty of rod time and personalized instruction. This isn't a cattle boat operation – it's designed for serious anglers who want to learn advanced techniques and put more fish in the box.
Galveston Bay fishing is all about reading water, understanding structure, and matching your approach to what the fish are doing. We'll work everything from live shrimp under popping corks to cut bait on the bottom, depending on conditions and target species. The bay's mix of grass flats, oyster reefs, and channel drops means we can adjust tactics throughout the trip. You'll learn how to work different depths, read bird activity, and identify productive water based on tide, wind, and time of day. The livewell lets us keep pinfish and other baitfish active, which is crucial when targeting bigger predators like redfish and sea trout. We'll also cover bottom fishing techniques for sheepshead around structure, sight fishing in shallow water, and how to work artificial lures when the bite gets tough. Each technique has its place, and knowing when to switch it up separates the weekend warriors from the serious stick.
Redfish are the bay's premier target, and for good reason. These copper-colored bruisers average 20-30 inches in Galveston Bay, with plenty of slot-sized fish that fight like freight trains. They're most active during moving tides, especially around dawn and dusk. Redfish love shallow water where they can tail and root around for crabs and shrimp. The sound of a big red crashing your topwater plug at sunrise will get your heart pumping every time. They're year-round residents here, but fall and early winter offer some of the best action when they school up in impressive numbers.
Sheepshead might look funny with their human-like teeth, but they're one of the smartest fish in the bay and absolutely delicious on the table. These black-and-white striped convicts hang around any hard structure – jetties, piers, reefs, and bridge pilings. They're notorious bait thieves, requiring sharp hooks, light line, and lightning-fast hooksets. Most sheepshead here run 2-4 pounds, but the occasional doormat pushing 6-8 pounds will test your skills and your drag. Winter months are prime time when they stack up thick around structure.
Pinfish are often overlooked by novice anglers, but smart fishermen know they serve double duty as both target fish and premium bait. These small, spunky fighters are abundant year-round and make excellent live bait for bigger predators. They're aggressive biters that will hit small jigs, pieces of shrimp, or tiny hooks baited with squid. Kids love catching pinfish because they bite fast and fight hard for their size.
Southern flounder are the bay's ultimate ambush predators, lying motionless on sandy bottoms until unsuspecting prey swims by. These flatfish can be tricky to locate, but once you dial in their preferred depths and structure, they provide steady action. Most flounder here run 14-18 inches, with the occasional doormat stretching over 20 inches. They're particularly active during cooler months and around structure transitions where sand meets grass or shell.
Sea trout are classic bay fish that provide fast action on light tackle. These spotted beauties love grass flats and channel edges, especially during moving water. They're aggressive biters that will hit everything from live shrimp to soft plastics. The bay holds both smaller school trout and larger gator trout that can stretch over 20 inches. Spring and fall are peak seasons, but you can find trout year-round if you know where to look.
This world-class fishing adventure runs $550 for up to 2 anglers, with additional guests at $150 each up to the 4-person maximum. You'll need a valid Texas fishing license, and we provide all the professional gear and tackle. Live bait is available, and a customary 15-20% tip shows appreciation for a job well done. The 4-hour format gives you serious fishing time without eating up your whole day, making it perfect for visiting anglers or locals wanting to maximize their time on productive water. Both morning and afternoon trips have their advantages – early trips often feature calmer conditions and aggressive feeding, while afternoon trips can be perfect when weather builds later in the day. Book now and get ready to elevate your inshore fishing skills with Southern Water Fishing Adventures.
The Southern Water Pathfinder cuts through Galveston Bay waters with confidence, powered by a reliable 200hp Yamaha that gets you to the honey holes fast. This 22-foot center console is built for serious fishing, with a livewell to keep your redfish and sheepshead fresh, plus outriggers for extra rod capacity when the bite gets hot. The GPS and fish finder take the guesswork out of finding structure where those big sheepshead hang out, while the VHF radio keeps you connected. At 4 guests max, there's plenty of elbow room to work your lines without tangling up with your buddy. Whether you're sight-casting to tailing reds in the shallows or dropping live bait around the jetties, this Pathfinder handles the bay's changing conditions like a champ. All the tackle's on board, so just bring your Texas fishing license and get ready to put some quality fish in the box.
Lagodon RhomboidesThese little silver fish with dark vertical stripes are everywhere in Galveston Bay, usually running 3-5 inches. You'll find them around seagrass beds and structure in 30-50 feet of water, traveling in schools. They're most active during morning hours when the water's warm. While pinfish aren't keepers for the dinner table, they're notorious bait stealers with those 12 sharp dorsal spines - handle them carefully. Most anglers target them with small hooks and sabiki rigs to use as live bait for bigger fish like redfish and trout. Pro tip: when you hook one, there's usually a whole school below, so drop your rig back down quickly to load up on premium live bait.
Sciaenops OcellatusRed drum are the crown jewel of our bay system, easily recognized by that copper-bronze color and distinctive black spot near the tail. Most slot fish run 20-28 inches, but the big bulls offshore can push 40+ inches and 30 pounds. They love super shallow water - sometimes so shallow their backs are exposed - around oyster reefs, grass flats, and marsh edges. Year-round fishing with spring and fall being prime. Guests get hooked on their powerful runs and that bronze flash when they turn sideways. Plus they're fantastic eating when kept in the slot. They'll hit almost anything - topwater plugs, soft plastics, live shrimp. My favorite tip: look for nervous water and tailing fish on calm mornings in 2-3 feet of water.
Salmo TruttaSpotted sea trout are the bread and butter of Galveston Bay, running 14-24 inches with beautiful silver sides covered in black spots. They love grass flats and shallow water, especially at dawn and dusk. Spring through fall are peak seasons, but they school up in deeper channels during cold snaps. What guests really appreciate is their willingness to hit artificial lures and their excellent table fare - tender white meat that's perfect fried or grilled. They're scrappy fighters that'll make several runs before giving up. Best technique is working soft plastics or topwater plugs over grass beds early morning. Pro tip: when you find one trout, slow down and work the area thoroughly - they typically travel in groups and you can often catch several from the same spot.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusThese gray fish with black prison stripes earn their "convict fish" nickname, but it's those human-like teeth that really get people talking. Most run 1-8 pounds and 14-20 inches, though big ones can hit 20 pounds. Find them around any structure - docks, bridges, oil rigs, jetties - anywhere barnacles grow. They're year-round residents but spawn in spring around channel passes. Guests love them because they're excellent eating with sweet, white meat, plus they're challenging to catch. These bait thieves will nibble your offering clean off the hook. Use fiddler crabs or shrimp, get tight to structure, and when you feel that subtle tap, set the hook hard immediately. Their powerful jaws require quick reflexes and a firm hookset.
Paralichthys LethostigmaThese flat, oval-shaped fish are masters of disguise, lying buried in sandy or muddy bottoms waiting to ambush prey. Most run 15-18 inches and around 5 pounds, though we've seen some push 20+ pounds. Both eyes sit on their left side, giving them that unique appearance guests always remember. They're found in shallow bays, around oyster reefs, and near structure throughout Galveston Bay. Fall and winter months are prime time when adults move offshore. What makes them special is their excellent table fare - sweet, white meat that's hard to beat. They put up a solid fight too. My go-to technique is drift fishing with live shrimp or bull minnows on the bottom using a 1/4 to 3/8 oz jig head.
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