Freeport & Surfside
Freeport sits where the Brazos River, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico all meet, which means bay, jetty and offshore water from one launch. The Surfside jetty is paved on top, so it fishes like a pier — walk out, fish deeper moving water, and come back. Offshore, Texas sank Liberty ships here in 1976 and has been adding concrete ever since. Behind it all sits Christmas Bay, a State Scientific Area with more finfish diversity than any other part of the estuary.
Piers & platforms
Surfside Jetty County Park
Day-use only, 8 a.m. to dusk. The headline structure is the paved jetty itself, roughly six-tenths of a mile long — effectively a walk-on fishing pier of granite and concrete. Paved parking, playground, restrooms, palapas, volleyball courts and a lagoon walking area. The park encompasses historic Fort Velasco and the Velasco Town Battery with original pre-1860s brass cannons. A GLO Coastal Management Program grant of $103,367.52, started 1 October 2009 and completed in 2012, rebuilt a destroyed footbridge, resurfaced the trail and added interpretive signage. One third-party listing marks the park as closed while Brazoria County's own page shows it operating — confirm the status before you drive down. Free boat access nearby via the Village of Surfside's public ramp off Thunder Road, near the Coast Guard station.
Quintana Beach County Park pier
A wooden, lighted fishing pier on the beachfront. Day use is 8 a.m. to dusk year-round, with the office closed Mondays and some holidays. The fee is $5 per vehicle per day from Memorial Day to Labor Day, cash or check at the gate, and campers are exempt. Restrooms and showers, covered pavilions, picnic areas with grills, RV sites and cabins, playground and volleyball. Contact 979–233–1461. No pier length or build date has been published.
Bryan Beach and the Brazos River mouth
Surf and river-mouth shore fishing rather than a piered facility — guide literature treats it as walk-and-wade and drive-on beach access, and no public pier has been confirmed here. The river mouth is where the outsized reds come from: fish pushing 35 inches are not uncommon there.
San Luis Pass County Park
Administratively Brazoria County and physically the Freeport side of San Luis Pass. A 15-acre bay park with paved full-service RV camping, cabins, a meeting room, an interpretive center, a pavilion, restrooms, fish-cleaning stations, paved parking and a boat launch. It was a KOA campground until Brazoria County took it over in 1993. Seasonal fee plus parking. Bank and boat fishing are legal; entering the restricted water is a Class C offence with a fine up to $500.
Jetties & passes
Surfside (East) Jetty - the Vykruta Jetty Trail
Large granite slabs with a concrete walkway laid on top for foot access, and a small lighthouse at the outer end. It protects the Freeport Harbor Channel and is reached through the 15-acre county park. Anglers take red drum, speckled trout and Spanish mackerel here, often working at night under gas-generator-powered flood lights. The practical rule is simple: the east jetty fishes well when the surf is blown out, because it reaches deeper moving water. Open day and night. Cleated boots, always — the granite is lethal wet. Surfing north of the jetty draws people from a long way off, so expect company on a clean swell.
Quintana (West) Jetty
The southern arm of the original converging pair, built 540 ft apart from its twin as fascine mats reaching 3,600 and 4,350 ft, then extended in granite between 1889 and 1899 for about $1.5 million. Federal repairs with riprap and large stone blocks began in 1900 after the September hurricane tore into it; 41,080 tons of stone went in across three contracts from 1903 to 1908, with further resets in 1918–1920 and 1924. There is no published figure for the safe walkable distance on the west jetty, and no published survey of boat cuts in either Freeport jetty — scout it yourself.
Reefs, wrecks & structure
Freeport Liberty Ship Reef liberty ship reef
Part of the twelve-ship Texas deployment completed in June 1976 across four areas from 8 to 36 miles offshore. Three of the four sites put three ships parallel, 300 to 500 feet apart, in 100 to 110 feet of water. A secondary listing gives a Freeport Liberty Ship Reef site at 28.596247 N, -94.811554 W in 102 ft with 60 ft to structure and 32.04 nautical miles from Freeport, under the code GA-A-22, but that code has not been confirmed against TPWD. The ship names reported for this group are likewise from a user-uploaded source and are not confirmed.
George Vancouver Liberty Ship Artificial Reef (BA-336) liberty ship reef
The George Vancouver sank in a storm during deployment to the Freeport Liberty Ship Reef site in 1976 and settled where she lies rather than where she was meant to. TDI-Brooks mapped her with multibeam sonar in 2020. TPWD expanded the site from 40 to 160 acres with predesigned concrete pyramids at a cost of $2,155,365, funded by Deepwater Horizon restoration and described at the time as the largest deployment of reef material in Texas nearshore waters in program history; 800 concrete pyramids went in during winter 2016–17. Note the depth conflict: TPWD puts BA-336 at 55 ft six miles out, while the 1979 NMFS paper describes the swamped ship in 40–50 ft at 8 miles. Both figures are published and they have not been reconciled.
V.A. Fogg wreck
A T-2 tanker that sank on 1 February 1972 in about 100 feet of water off Freeport. In TPWD's words, "a spark ignited the benzene fumes, and the volatile cargo created an explosion that ripped apart the ship's hull plating." She is one of the region's landmark offshore wrecks and is dived as well as fished.
Christmas Bay natural reef
Roughly 5,700 acres including a shallow 4,173-acre embayment, with about 250 acres of seagrass beds — primarily shoalgrass — high water quality, extensive oyster reefs and fringing salt marsh. It is a designated State Scientific Area, managed by TPWD under lease from the GLO, and it supports a higher diversity of finfish than any other portion of the estuary. It is an official nursery area, and the edible Texas quahog lives on its shallow perimeter. Treat it as the back-bay complement to the jetty and the surf.
Matagorda Artificial Reef (BA-439) artificial reef
Just outside this region but built as the paired project to the George Vancouver expansion. 160 acres in 60 feet of water at a cost of $3,552,398, filled with three-sided concrete pyramids 8 ft tall on 10-ft bases. The 2015 announcement gave 2,400 pyramids and the 2017 deployment report gave 1,600 — the two figures differ and neither has been withdrawn.
The year on this water
Live scores for this region run on the Bite Map; seasons and limits on the season pages — never from memory.
A dash of history
1831-1836 - Velasco
Old Velasco was established in 1831 as a Mexican customs port near what is now Surfside Beach. Stephen F. Austin's first colonists had already arrived a decade earlier aboard the schooner Lively, and more than 25,000 settlers eventually entered Texas through the port. It was called the Boston harbor of the Texas Revolution for the 1832 Battle of Velasco. After San Jacinto, President David G. Burnet made Velasco the temporary capital of the Republic, and Santa Anna signed the Treaties of Velasco there on 14 May 1836.
1856-1900 - the town goes under
Velasco's decline started when the intracoastal canal to Galveston was completed in 1856 and shipping shifted north. The 1900 hurricane destroyed what was left of the town. The site is now inside Surfside Jetty County Park, which encompasses historic Fort Velasco and the Velasco Town Battery with its original pre-1860s brass cannons — you park next to them and walk out onto the jetty. Nothing of the customs port itself survives above ground, and the town never came back under its own name — the port function moved to Freeport, and the fishing moved onto the rock the engineers left behind.
1872-1896 - three tries at a jetty
In 1872 Capt. C.W. Howell proposed two converging jetties of closely driven palmetto piles to make a seaport at Velasco. In 1879–80 the Kanter family built with locally made concrete blocks and Congress appropriated $40,000. From 1888 to 1896 the Brazos River Channel and Dock Company built two parallel jetties 560 feet apart. The Corps' own record shows the earlier fascine-mat pair of 1881–85 set 540 ft apart and reaching 3,600 ft north and 4,350 ft south, then extended between 1889 and 1899 to 4,708 ft and 5,018 ft for roughly $1.5 million. The 1889 granite jetties are put at $1,449,025.
1900-1924 - rebuilding after the storm
Federal repairs with riprap and large stone blocks began in 1900, and the 8 September hurricane that year damaged significant portions of the jetties, requiring extensive restoration. Three repair contracts between 1903 and 1908 placed 41,080 tons of stone. In 1912 the north jetty was repaired with 3,290 tons of stone and capped with concrete, and the channel opened for shipping under Corps of Engineers management the same year. Further riprap and stone resets followed in 1918–1920 and again in 1924.
1925-1936 - the Brazos is moved
The Brazos River Harbor Navigation District was created on 4 December 1925 and voters approved nearly $1 million in bonds for a Diversion Channel to route the live Brazos away from the harbor and stop the siltation that had beaten every previous attempt. The Diversion Channel was completed in September 1929, which made large-scale dredging and federal investment viable, and public dock facilities opened by 1936. The Brazos mouth you fish today is where engineers decided to put it.
1957 - Velasco becomes Freeport
Chemical-industry construction through the 1940s and 50s, plus the deepwater port the diversion made possible, drove the revival of the area. Velasco was incorporated into Freeport on 27 July 1957 and became part of the Brazosport industrial and port complex. That is the shape of the place an angler meets today: a chemical coast with a deepwater channel through the middle of it, and public fishing parks pinned to the two rock arms that hold the entrance open. The town names on the map — Velasco, Quintana, Surfside — are older than everything you can see.
1976 - the Liberty ships go down
Texas took twelve surplus Liberty Ships and deployed them across four areas from 8 to 36 miles offshore, completing in June 1976. Three of the four sites follow the same layout: three ships sunk parallel, about 300 to 500 feet apart, in 100 to 110 feet of water. The Freeport group is the exception — it has both the offshore site about 36 miles out in 100–110 ft and a single nearshore ship about 8 miles off in 40–50 ft, because one of the ships swamped during deployment and went down where it stood. That accident is the reason Freeport has usable Liberty-ship structure inside a bay-boat run instead of only at the far site, and the reason TPWD later built the nearshore expansion around it rather than starting somewhere clean.
1961-2025 - deepening the channel
The Freeport channel was dredged to 36 ft in 1961. Federal authorisation for a 45-ft project came in 1986. The project received "new start" designation and $19 million in federal funding in 2020, and the deepening was nearing completion in 2025. A modernisation project on the jetties themselves was completed in 1989 at $34,652,000. For an angler, a deeper channel means more and larger ship traffic through the gap between the two rock arms, and it means the water at the ends of the jetties keeps getting deeper relative to the beach on either side. The structure you fish is maintained for shipping, not for fishing, and it changes on the port's schedule.
The record book, locally
There is no published TPWD Water Body Records page for Freeport, the Brazos River mouth or Christmas Bay — those catches are not broken out separately, and no Gulf entries attributable specifically to Freeport-launched trips have been extracted. The region's superlatives are structural rather than record-book: the George Vancouver expansion, at $2,155,365 and 160 acres, was described by TPWD at the time as the largest deployment of reef material in Texas nearshore waters in the history of the artificial reef program. For a local yardstick on the water, the guide literature's benchmark at the Brazos mouth is redfish pushing 35 inches, which is not unusual there in the autumn run.
Gulf of America
Weight Records · Rod & Reel · All-Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slimeheads, Darwin’s Slimehead | 5.28 | 20.00 | Oct 26, 2024 | James Smith | Squid |
| Amberjack, Greater | 133.00 | 68.00 | Aug 4, 2019 | Tricia Conner | |
| Angelfish, Blue | 5.64 | 18.75 | May 19, 1993 | Kirk Zuch | |
| Angelfish, French | 8.70 | 18.50 | Sep 11, 1994 | Dennis Daye | |
| Aulopus, Yellowfin | 1.31 | 16.00 | Aug 7, 2009 | Richard La Bouliere | squid |
| Barracuda, Great | 52.81 | 63.43 | Sep 4, 1993 | Kim Calzada | |
| Bass, Longtail | 4.30 | 22.50 | Aug 2, 2008 | Mike Bednar | mackerel |
| Beardfish | 8.90 | 25.00 | Sep 17, 2009 | Steve Roberts | cut bait |
| Bigeye | 3.63 | 19.40 | Sep 8, 2023 | Jim Bellevue | Squid |
| Bigeye, Longfinned | 5.20 | 21.75 | Apr 25, 2024 | Dexter Nguyen | Slow Fall Jig |
| Bigeye, Short | 1.28 | 11.50 | Dec 12, 2022 | Silas Ott | 400g slow pitch jig |
| Bluefish | 16.62 | 36.63 | Jan 11, 1987 | Alex Koumonduros | |
| Boarfish, Deepbody | 0.63 | 7.91 | Aug 14, 2009 | John Hanson | squid |
| Bonefish | 3.75 | 23.25 | Nov 19, 1977 | C. W. Morris | |
| Bonito, Atlantic | 27.00 | — | Jul 1, 1969 | Eddie Groth | |
| Bonnethead | 24.30 | 50.12 | Aug 18, 2004 | Pamela Joseph | |
| Brotula, Bearded | 17.01 | 37.00 | Jul 13, 2012 | Richard C. Greer | live bait |
| Burrfish, Striped | 1.62 | 12.00 | Mar 11, 2014 | Trent Lake | shrimp |
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 13.33 | 34.00 | Dec 13, 1981 | Herman Koehne Jr | |
| Catfish, Hardhead | 3.31 | 19.00 | Sep 18, 1997 | William Cuneo | |
| Chub, Bermuda | 8.97 | 23.50 | Jun 20, 2007 | John Godfrey | squid/mix |
| Chub, Yellow | 8.97 | 24.00 | Jun 26, 1994 | Christopher McSwain | |
| Cobia | 108.44 | 71.00 | May 9, 1998 | Michael Albanese | |
| Coney | 4.70 | 21.25 | Aug 2, 2008 | Robert Fouse | |
| Conger, Yellow | 21.00 | 71.00 | Jun 17, 1996 | Bradley Poulsen | |
| Cornetfish, Red | 3.60 | 54.75 | Feb 16, 2026 | Brad Sutton | Saltiga SK Jig |
| Cottonwick | 2.30 | 16.00 | Mar 22, 1998 | Travis McNeil | |
| Creole-fish | 1.56 | 14.00 | Mar 21, 2004 | Robby Gillis | |
| Croaker, Atlantic | 4.42 | 21.00 | Sep 4, 2011 | Christopher Zamarripa | squid |
| Cubbyu | 1.00 | 11.13 | Apr 16, 1987 | Steve Qualia | |
| Cutlassfish, Atlantic | 3.69 | 45.50 | Mar 25, 2020 | Ty Slocum | piggy perch |
| Cutlassfishes, Channel Scabbardfish | 12.00 | 78.00 | Jun 15, 2024 | Dexter Nguyen | Slow Pitch Jig |
| Doctorfish | 1.26 | 11.62 | Apr 14, 1997 | Jerry McCullin | |
| Dogfish, Cuban | 4.63 | 30.50 | Aug 20, 2011 | Trevin Eckersley | squid |
| Dogfish, Smooth | 26.50 | 50.88 | Mar 2, 1998 | George Flores | |
| Dogfish, Spiny | 21.00 | 50.75 | Oct 26, 1986 | Vicki Kusey | |
| Dolphin | 65.70 | 67.00 | Jun 21, 2008 | Ryan Foster | moldcraft/balyhoo |
| Dolphin, Pompano | 4.10 | 25.88 | Aug 3, 1990 | Tommy Gueldner | |
| Driftfish, Black | 25.37 | 35.37 | Jul 10, 2010 | Darrell Bezecny | squid |
| Drum, Black | 81.00 | 51.18 | Jun 19, 1988 | Wally Escobar Jr. | |
| Drum, Red | 59.50 | 54.25 | Jan 30, 2000 | Artie Longron | |
| Durgon, Black | 3.69 | 16.75 | Dec 20, 2017 | Jonathan McIntyre | shrimp |
| Eel, Shrimp | 0.69 | 24.50 | Aug 3, 1990 | Megan Gower | |
| Eel, Snapper | 16.80 | 67.00 | Aug 28, 2004 | Taylor Walker | dead mullet |
| Escolar | 41.01 | 49.50 | Oct 12, 2024 | Nicholas Ramirez | Diamond Jig w/ Treble Hoo |
| Escolar, Roudi | 5.38 | 32.00 | Jul 22, 2007 | Eric Ozolins | squid |
| Filefish, Scrawled | 4.66 | 23.00 | May 2, 2010 | Jason Harries | squid |
| Filefish, Unicorn | 5.00 | 21.63 | Sep 25, 1987 | Eugene Foreman Jr. | |
| Flag, Spanish | 0.71 | 10.50 | Sep 17, 2020 | David Boswell | Squid |
| Flounder, Southern | 8.88 | 26.00 | Nov 28, 1993 | Roy Howell | |
| Flyingfishes, Margined | 0.79 | 14.50 | Jun 21, 1986 | Adolf Schulz | |
| Gag | 69.40 | 51.00 | Oct 5, 2003 | Tommy Angel | Live Blue Runner |
| Goatfish, Spotted | 1.13 | 10.50 | May 18, 2015 | Reuben Sherman | |
| Graysby | 2.31 | 14.75 | Mar 2, 1998 | George Flores | |
| Grouper, Black | 124.00 | 63.00 | Jan 11, 2003 | Tim Oestreich II | |
| Grouper, Comb | 10.88 | 31.00 | Sep 11, 2019 | W. Walter Craig | beeliner |
| Grouper, Marbled | 47.50 | — | Dec 11, 2020 | Erik Peterson | Squid |
| Grouper, Misty | 5.69 | 22.00 | Aug 28, 2009 | Mike Luchak | jig |
| Grouper, Red | 25.00 | 33.25 | Oct 14, 2020 | Brian Johnson | Squid |
| Grouper, Snowy | 55.45 | 44.37 | Oct 21, 2025 | Joshua Bailey Phillips | squid |
| Grouper, Tiger | 19.50 | — | Jun 20, 2022 | Leonard M Daniel | Blue Runner |
| Grouper, Warsaw | 302.70 | 75.00 | Oct 18, 2006 | Raul Reyes | |
| Grouper, Yellowedge | 49.00 | — | Sep 13, 2024 | Reagan Humphries | Squid |
| Grouper, Yellowfin | 47.00 | 39.25 | Oct 1, 2021 | Dylan Becherer | Blue Runner |
| Grouper, Yellowmouth | 24.50 | 39.75 | Mar 31, 2004 | Diane Howe | squid |
| Grunt, Barred | 1.40 | 13.75 | Jul 29, 2022 | Hunter Ellsworth Hembrough | Shrimp |
| Grunt, White | 3.75 | 18.00 | Jul 5, 1997 | Dan Schmidt | |
| Guaguanche | 5.00 | 31.88 | Oct 28, 2023 | Matthew Matheny | Cut Bait/Blue Runner |
| Guitarfish, Atlantic | 4.44 | 31.50 | May 25, 1998 | Byron Noles Jr. | |
| Hake, Carolina | 1.60 | 16.00 | Jan 31, 1996 | Tony Langston | |
| Hake, Gulf | 6.70 | 28.50 | Dec 4, 2010 | Michael Anzalone | |
| Hammerhead, Great | 1,033.00 | 173.25 | Jul 9, 2017 | Timothy W. McClellen | |
| Hammerhead, Scalloped | 300.50 | — | Oct 4, 2021 | Derrick Bonner | Skipjack |
| Hammerhead, Smalleye | 151.00 | 95.00 | Oct 26, 1986 | Louis Kusey III | |
| Herring, Skipjack | 3.34 | 26.50 | Oct 11, 2001 | Frank Budd | Fly Rod, clouser |
| Hind, Red | 9.34 | — | Aug 4, 2024 | Dominique Outten | Sardine |
| Hind, Rock | 5.03 | 19.00 | Jul 18, 2019 | Mark Herdade | sardine |
| Hind, Speckled | 43.90 | 39.38 | Oct 1, 2016 | Joseph Stephenson | bonita |
| Hogfish, Spanish | 2.25 | 15.88 | Mar 25, 2000 | Casey Cundieff | |
| Hogfish, Spotfin | 1.07 | 12.50 | Jun 24, 1999 | Jim Vuichard | |
| Houndfish | 4.50 | 37.40 | Nov 15, 2013 | Gary Long | Maguroni Lure |
| Jack, Almaco | 50.30 | 49.00 | Jul 5, 1996 | Billy Winkler | |
| Jack, Black | 23.50 | 36.25 | Aug 3, 2020 | Amy Rey Hill | Spanish Sardine |
| Jack, Cottonmouth | 1.25 | 12.50 | Jul 14, 1984 | Frank Fuller | |
| Jack, Crevalle | 50.25 | 52.25 | Jun 26, 1976 | Francis Lyon | |
| Jack, Horse-eye | 32.00 | 43.13 | Sep 8, 2012 | Terry Lee Ramsey | blue runner |
| Jack, Yellow | 15.98 | 35.75 | Jun 6, 2009 | Greg Cummings | diamond jig |
| John Dory, American | 7.00 | — | Jan 5, 2021 | Zachary B Schneider | Piggy Perch |
| Kingfish, Gulf | 2.38 | 19.50 | Mar 18, 1995 | James Mulhern | |
| Kingfish, Southern | 3.62 | 22.00 | Mar 7, 1992 | Gilbert Perez | |
| Ladyfish | 5.73 | 28.50 | Oct 3, 2016 | Christopher Cremeen | cut croaker |
| Lancetfish, Longnose | 8.20 | 53.75 | Sep 28, 2016 | Michael Davis | squid |
| Lionfish | 2.13 | — | May 4, 2025 | Jason Dewald | perch |
| Lizardfish, Inshore | 1.85 | 20.00 | Oct 20, 1991 | Winnie Poff | |
| Lookdown | 4.20 | 21.00 | Mar 31, 2012 | Fayez Nahhas | |
| Mackerel, King | 79.00 | 58.50 | Aug 20, 2006 | Mervin Leppo | ribbon fish |
| Mackerel, Snake | 2.10 | 40.50 | Sep 20, 2025 | Paul Pribyl | Butterfly Flat Fall Jig |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 8.74 | 34.50 | Aug 15, 1976 | Bobby Tarter | |
| Mako, Longfin | 664.00 | 128.50 | May 4, 1986 | Donald Ewing | |
| Mako, Shortfin | 707.50 | 128.00 | Jan 27, 2002 | Jeff Shindle | |
| Margate, Black | 12.80 | 27.00 | Jun 24, 2000 | Charles Botello | squid |
| Marlin, Blue | 972.70 | 132.25 | Jul 11, 2014 | Richard Richardson Jr. | live bait |
| Marlin, White | 111.50 | 93.00 | Aug 5, 1979 | Geo Taggart | |
| Midshipman, Atlantic | 3.50 | 48.50 | May 24, 2000 | Robert Redgrave | |
| Moonfish, Atlantic | 1.20 | 14.50 | Oct 20, 2015 | Robert Bennett | mirrodine 27 |
| Moray, Blackedged | 3.10 | 39.00 | May 30, 1999 | Ronnie Vaughn | |
| Moray, Blacktail | 2.42 | 36.00 | Mar 24, 1998 | George Flores | |
| Moray, Green | 7.70 | 48.00 | Aug 1, 1998 | George Flores | |
| Moray, Spotted | 8.50 | 50.00 | Mar 5, 1994 | Louis Kusey III | |
| Needlefish, Atlantic | 0.90 | 28.75 | Aug 3, 1990 | Koy L. Kelley | |
| Needlefish, Flat | 2.75 | 38.94 | Jul 3, 1994 | Robin Dunn | |
| Oilfish | 61.38 | 60.75 | Mar 18, 1995 | Keith Johnson | |
| Palometa | 1.50 | 15.81 | Jun 12, 2006 | Henry Flores Jr. | squid |
| Perch, Sand | 0.59 | 10.67 | Dec 31, 1993 | Robert Lathrop | |
| Permit | 1.50 | 14.75 | Aug 30, 1993 | Jared Guinn | |
| Pinfish | 2.88 | 17.75 | Jul 1, 2012 | Lucky Rabago | |
| Pinfish, Spottail | 1.51 | 12.50 | Feb 25, 2016 | Jeff Kaiser | deadshrimp |
| pomfret, Bigscale | 23.12 | 33.50 | Jul 23, 2017 | Brian S. Cooper | |
| Pompano, African | 43.10 | 52.00 | Feb 1, 2003 | Hank Cram | |
| Pompano, Florida | 6.25 | 23.25 | Jan 1, 1989 | Wilbert Hettinger | |
| Pompano, Irish | 1.00 | 12.88 | Sep 6, 2004 | Johnny French | Fishbites Fishn Strip |
| Porgy, Jolthead | 1.62 | 13.63 | Aug 9, 2008 | Derek York | squid |
| Porgy, Knobbed | 5.80 | 19.75 | Feb 21, 2000 | Stanley Sweet | |
| Porgy, Red | 8.18 | 25.23 | Jul 4, 2009 | Johnny White | cigar minnow |
| Porgy, Saucereye | 3.75 | 17.87 | Jun 9, 2023 | Lucas Suelflow | Squid |
| Porgy, Whitebone | 4.48 | 18.75 | Mar 12, 1996 | Stan Oftelie | |
| Puddingwife | 4.29 | 19.50 | Sep 6, 1996 | Adolf Schulz | |
| Puffer, Smooth | 10.75 | 30.00 | Apr 8, 2001 | Daniel Nassiff | |
| Ray, Cownose | 50.50 | 52.00 | May 27, 1986 | Freeman Gage Jr. | |
| Ray, Lesser Electric | 0.88 | 13.00 | Oct 12, 1998 | Byron Noles Jr. | cut mullet |
| Remora | 4.00 | 28.25 | Oct 29, 2017 | Barry Osborn | Fly Rod, clouser |
| Rosefish, Blackbelly | 3.90 | — | Feb 13, 2026 | Landon Dodd | squid |
| Runner, Blue | 9.57 | 28.38 | Oct 3, 2001 | Patrick L. Lemire | |
| Runner, Rainbow | 28.10 | 47.94 | Apr 7, 2004 | Keith Banks | |
| Sailfish | 95.00 | 97.50 | Jul 12, 1972 | Morton Cohn | |
| Sawfish, Largetooth | 736.00 | — | Jan 1, 1939 | Gus Pangarakis | |
| Scamp | 28.20 | 40.00 | Jan 6, 2019 | Brice Sanchez | mendaden shad |
| Scorpionfish, Highfin | 1.00 | 12.25 | Jun 7, 2015 | Aaron Adams | squid |
| Scorpionfish, Spinycheek | 5.00 | 22.00 | Mar 1, 2026 | Stephen Herrmann | slow pitch jig |
| Scorpionfish, Spotted | 3.25 | 16.50 | May 5, 2012 | Allen Lain Schulle | cur bait |
| Sea Bass, Rock | 0.50 | 13.63 | Apr 2, 2011 | Kenny Flake | squid |
| Searobin, Blackwing | 0.58 | 10.75 | Jan 16, 1995 | Robert Pope | |
| Seatrout, Sand | 1.30 | 15.00 | Oct 13, 2023 | Dorliza Copa | Fish Bites |
| Seatrout, Silver | 6.91 | 24.00 | Feb 28, 1992 | Gerry L. Tompkins | |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 13.13 | 31.50 | May 25, 1969 | Lanny Myers | |
| Shark, Atlantic Sharpnose | 18.50 | 43.00 | Mar 28, 2015 | Davey Wright | whiting |
| Shark, Bigeye Sixgill | 8.36 | 40.00 | Apr 17, 1996 | Christopher Gonzales Jr. | |
| Shark, Blacknose | 45.00 | 57.00 | Apr 29, 1993 | Charles Gillispie | |
| Shark, Blacktip | 190.00 | 97.00 | May 31, 2003 | Davey Wright | whole bonita |
| Shark, Bull | 508.00 | 141.20 | Jul 3, 1994 | Jimmy Hart | |
| Shark, Dusky | 530.00 | 129.00 | Mar 1, 1975 | Raymond Hein | |
| Shark, Finetooth | 100.50 | 80.25 | Jun 3, 1979 | Richard Hensley | |
| Shark, Lemon | 470.00 | 122.00 | Aug 28, 1987 | Jim Blackburn | |
| Shark, Oceanic Whitetip | 200.00 | 95.75 | Jul 25, 2014 | Blake Oestreich | bonita |
| Shark, Sandbar | 226.00 | 92.00 | Mar 21, 1975 | James Wilson | |
| Shark, Silky | 556.00 | 140.00 | Jul 23, 1973 | Wolfgang Bushang | |
| Shark, Spinner | 212.60 | 89.75 | Apr 29, 2000 | Howell Kines | |
| Shark, Thresher | 333.00 | 158.50 | May 2, 2002 | Robert Robinson | bonita |
| Shark, Tiger | 1,129.00 | 162.00 | May 24, 1992 | Chap Cain III | |
| Sharksucker | 4.50 | 30.50 | Aug 8, 2004 | Mariechen Spivey | perch |
| Sheepshead | 7.38 | 21.00 | Mar 18, 2005 | Gary Beall | Spoon w/shrimp |
| Snake Eel, King | 52.00 | 86.50 | Feb 11, 1997 | Patrick L. Lemire | |
| Snapper, Black | 11.10 | 26.50 | Jul 27, 1987 | Adolf Schulz | |
| Snapper, blackfin | 13.61 | 26.13 | Jul 21, 2025 | Todd Pace | Sardine |
| Snapper, Cubera | 88.00 | 47.75 | Jul 28, 2018 | Garrison Moczygemba | bermuda chub |
| Snapper, Dog | 27.24 | 34.02 | Sep 26, 2020 | Greg Lawrence | Bonita |
| Snapper, Gray | 18.67 | 28.50 | May 31, 1998 | Steve Pumilia | |
| Snapper, Lane | 8.20 | 25.00 | Aug 17, 2004 | Rickey Ramirez | live pinfish |
| Snapper, Mutton | 18.00 | 32.00 | Nov 9, 2004 | Roy O'Brian | cut bait |
| Snapper, Queen | 19.40 | 40.00 | Aug 25, 2021 | James Christopher Dean | Jig |
| Snapper, Red | 38.75 | 40.00 | Jun 1, 2014 | Joseph L. Beaver | squid |
| Snapper, Silk | 10.01 | 28.00 | Jul 6, 2019 | Tyler A. Young | squid |
| Snapper, Vermilion | 6.84 | 25.25 | Aug 30, 2022 | Fan Hou Chun | |
| Snapper, Yellowtail | 9.87 | 29.50 | Oct 10, 1992 | Steve Kinzel | |
| Snook, common | 57.50 | — | Jan 1, 1937 | Louis Rawalt | |
| Spadefish, Atlantic | 12.94 | 22.50 | Aug 17, 2002 | Edgar Artecona | |
| Spearfish, Longbill | 60.00 | 86.50 | Aug 10, 1990 | Kari Ann Alberthal | |
| Squirrelfish | 1.56 | 15.25 | Nov 16, 2016 | Seth Holbert | squid |
| Stargazer, Southern | 3.30 | 15.75 | Jan 29, 1993 | Julian Sanchez | |
| Stingray, Roughtail | 241.00 | 84.00 | Sep 2, 1991 | Rick A. Jansky | |
| Stingray, Southern | 239.00 | 100.00 | Oct 10, 1992 | Davey Wright | |
| Swordfish | 493.00 | 145.75 | Jun 4, 2013 | Brian K. Barclay | squid |
| Tarpon | 229.00 | 90.00 | Aug 20, 2017 | Michael Shane LaRue II | coon pop |
| Tiger, Sand | 520.00 | 119.00 | Apr 4, 1976 | Joey Vermuelem | |
| Tilefish | 41.80 | 44.00 | Sep 24, 2022 | Ashton Cade | |
| Tilefish, Blueline | 8.63 | 27.50 | Aug 19, 2011 | Trevin Eckersley | squid tipped jig |
| Tilefish, Goldface | 4.85 | 23.50 | Apr 19, 2021 | David Shane Rankin | Squid |
| Tilefish, Sand | 2.81 | 24.00 | May 31, 2016 | Steve Andognini | cut squid |
| Toadfish, Gulf | 3.00 | 15.88 | Jun 17, 1989 | Gay Landry | |
| Tomtate | 3.26 | 19.00 | Oct 27, 2019 | Donald Czaplinski Jr. | squid |
| Triggerfish, Gray | 12.46 | 27.50 | Jun 19, 1996 | Jason Waligura | |
| Triggerfish, Ocean | 11.20 | 25.50 | Jun 12, 2011 | Billy Sheridan | |
| Triggerfish, Queen | 10.49 | 24.50 | Jul 15, 1989 | Bruce F. Goates | |
| Tripletail | 33.80 | 33.25 | Jun 7, 2023 | Trajan Mumford | Gulp! Shrimp |
| Trunkfish, Smooth | 0.76 | 9.00 | Mar 22, 1998 | Alan Miller | squid |
| Tuna, Bigeye | 172.00 | — | Nov 17, 2023 | Jacob Goodroe | Trolling Lure/Ballyhoo |
| Tuna, Blackfin | 38.89 | 41.75 | Jun 23, 1988 | John Alvarez Jr | |
| Tuna, Bluefin | 884.00 | — | Apr 10, 2025 | David L. Esslinger | Live Blackfin |
| Tuna, Skipjack | 28.25 | 33.88 | Jun 20, 1981 | Jimmy Welder | |
| Tuna, Yellowfin | 216.20 | 80.00 | Oct 11, 1998 | Jim Dickson | |
| Tunny, Little | 15.44 | 32.50 | Jul 14, 2013 | Robert Wilson | zukers |
| Wahoo | 124.00 | 73.50 | Jul 5, 1987 | Terry Crider | |
| Wenchman | 4.40 | 20.00 | Sep 9, 2023 | Patrick Zurovetz | Squid |
Weight Records · Fly Fishing · All-Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amberjack, Greater | 16.00 | 36.00 | May 2, 2015 | Nick Rizopoulos | sea habit |
| Barracuda, Great | 26.20 | 52.75 | Oct 29, 2006 | Dave Speer | blue/white ep baitfish |
| Bluefish | 3.00 | 19.25 | Dec 6, 2004 | Cory Martenson | Corey's inverted rooster |
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 3.39 | 21.75 | Oct 10, 2023 | Barry Osborn | Shrimp Fly |
| Catfish, Hardhead | 0.81 | 13.50 | Jul 30, 2019 | Zane Fisher Bailey | popper |
| Chub, Bermuda | 5.20 | — | Jul 17, 2025 | Barry Osborn | Carp Slayer |
| Cobia | 53.44 | 56.00 | Jun 27, 2005 | Robert Sloan | Bone Head |
| Dolphin | 11.56 | 39.50 | Aug 29, 2000 | Jeffery Pierce | Jeff's mackerel fly |
| Drum, Black | 4.31 | 20.50 | May 17, 2020 | Zane Fisher Bailey | clouser minnow |
| Drum, Red | 33.00 | 46.00 | Jun 29, 2006 | Ed Henkel | streamer |
| Flounder, Southern | 6.06 | 23.50 | Nov 10, 2005 | Robert Campbell | Scott 9' Phillips Header |
| Herring, Skipjack | 3.34 | 26.50 | Oct 11, 2001 | Frank Budd | clouser |
| Jack, Almaco | 3.25 | 19.50 | Jan 1, 2014 | Barry Osborn | clouser |
| Jack, Crevalle | 30.00 | 40.00 | Sep 17, 2009 | Ronald Cruse | clouser |
| Jack, Horse-eye | 8.70 | 29.13 | Jun 17, 2001 | Robert Sloan | |
| Kingfish, Gulf | 0.88 | 12.50 | Nov 10, 2001 | Thomas Sheehan | clooser deep minnow |
| Ladyfish | 0.75 | 15.50 | Aug 14, 2004 | Anthony Chapa | CBF automatic |
| Mackerel, King | 30.40 | 51.00 | Nov 13, 2016 | Barry Osborn | baby dolphin lure |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 6.60 | 30.88 | Jul 29, 2007 | Christopher Golla | Smartt christmas minnow |
| Pinfish | 0.70 | 10.00 | Nov 30, 2002 | Cory Martenson | clouser |
| Pompano, African | 8.60 | 30.00 | Aug 28, 2006 | Stan Nabozny | white chum fly |
| Pompano, Florida | 3.91 | 21.00 | Jul 3, 2000 | Gary Shelton | pink rattling clouser |
| Remora | 4.00 | 28.25 | Oct 29, 2017 | Barry Osborn | clouser |
| Runner, Blue | 5.50 | 24.25 | Aug 7, 2003 | Whitner Dietrich | chum fly |
| Runner, Rainbow | 0.54 | 12.63 | Aug 17, 2001 | Kenneth Thyssen | |
| Seatrout, Sand | 0.75 | 12.88 | Jul 8, 2000 | Kenneth Thyssen | crystal minnow |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 5.30 | 26.20 | Nov 8, 2008 | Jeff 'Birdsnest' Herman | Chrome Clouser |
| Shark, Atlantic Sharpnose | 9.50 | 38.00 | Aug 17, 2006 | Brandon Shuler | blue deceiver |
| Shark, Blacktip | 46.00 | — | Sep 2, 2022 | Travis Kirtland | Rabbit |
| Shark, Silky | 8.60 | 34.00 | Aug 21, 1999 | Robert Sloan | streamer |
| Sheepshead | 5.27 | 20.50 | Sep 2, 2000 | Gary Shelton Jr. | clouser |
| Snapper, Gray | 10.13 | 26.00 | Aug 11, 2001 | Casey Cox | Casey's half & half |
| Snapper, Red | 18.65 | 32.75 | Jun 26, 2022 | Jeff Livin | Squid Fly |
| Snapper, Vermilion | 3.00 | 19.75 | Nov 13, 2016 | Barry Osborn | big eye clauser |
| Spadefish, Atlantic | 4.50 | — | May 26, 2023 | Christopher Saunders | |
| Triggerfish, Gray | 2.30 | 17.50 | Oct 17, 2014 | Barry Osborn | |
| Tripletail | 19.88 | 28.00 | Jun 4, 2020 | Stephen W. Griffith | streamer |
| Tuna, Blackfin | 24.20 | 36.50 | Aug 8, 2004 | Robert Sloan | streamer |
| Tuna, Yellowfin | 39.12 | — | Jun 18, 2022 | Christopher Saunders | Baitfish Pattern |
| Tunny, Little | 13.90 | 29.50 | Aug 1, 2006 | Brandon Shuler | Darren's Green Back |
Weight Records · Bow Fishing · All-Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chub, Bermuda | 3.98 | 19.50 | Jul 19, 2020 | Barry Osborn |
Weight Records · Rod & Reel · Junior Angler
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amberjack, Greater | 97.00 | 63.25 | Apr 9, 2014 | Amber Walker | bonita |
| Barracuda, Great | 40.01 | 56.00 | Aug 24, 2005 | Don Haluzan | live almaco jack |
| Bass, Longtail | 2.63 | 19.13 | Jul 2, 2013 | Connor Cochrane | squid |
| Bigeye | 1.64 | — | Oct 25, 2021 | Stetson Matthews | Blue Runner |
| Bluefish | 2.42 | 18.75 | May 30, 2009 | Brody McBee | shrimp tail jig |
| Bonito, Atlantic | 13.15 | 27.25 | Jul 8, 2011 | Kendall Owens | spanish sardine |
| Bonnethead | 19.90 | 46.00 | Jun 12, 2013 | Emilie E. Moticha | sardine |
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 5.31 | 26.50 | Jul 19, 2013 | David E. Benton II | shrimp |
| Catfish, Hardhead | 0.94 | 14.00 | Aug 19, 2004 | Forrest Walker | mullet |
| Chub, Bermuda | 6.75 | 22.50 | Mar 21, 2008 | Garrett Oswald | spanish sardine |
| Cobia | 77.94 | 66.00 | Jun 7, 2018 | Grant W. Gale | gulp |
| Cottonwick | 2.00 | 15.63 | Aug 26, 2016 | Chase M. Starling | cigar minnow |
| Croaker, Atlantic | 4.42 | 21.00 | Sep 4, 2011 | Christopher Zamarripa | squid |
| Cutlassfish, Atlantic | 3.69 | 45.50 | Mar 25, 2020 | Ty Slocum | piggy perch |
| Dolphin | 45.00 | 50.50 | Jun 9, 2006 | Estee Combs | mullet |
| Drum, Black | 9.81 | 26.50 | Aug 27, 2005 | Thomas Shelton | live shrimp |
| Drum, Red | 32.00 | 45.00 | Aug 15, 2013 | Nick Appling | |
| Eel, Snapper | 16.80 | 67.00 | Aug 28, 2004 | Taylor Walker | dead mullet |
| Eel, Snapper | 16.80 | 67.00 | Aug 28, 2004 | Taylor Walker | dead mullet |
| Gag | 28.80 | 41.00 | Jun 1, 2008 | Evan Pfeffer | |
| Goatfish, Spotted | 1.13 | 10.50 | May 18, 2015 | Reuben Sherman | |
| Grouper, Black | 76.55 | 57.00 | May 28, 2023 | Dace D'Onofrio | Squid/Fish Bites |
| Grouper, Comb | 8.60 | 28.00 | Sep 5, 2015 | Connor Dippelsmann | |
| Grouper, Tiger | 14.81 | — | Feb 9, 2026 | Alexander John Zamora | jig |
| Grouper, Warsaw | 132.30 | 60.00 | Jun 11, 2011 | Christopher Cremeen | mullet |
| Grouper, Yellowfin | 4.20 | 19.00 | Sep 6, 2015 | Nathan Orsak | Diamond Jig |
| Grouper, Yellowmouth | 11.80 | 30.00 | Sep 6, 2015 | Chase M. Starling | squid |
| Hind, Red | 3.18 | 19.50 | Jul 29, 2020 | Randy Spencer | Squid |
| Hind, Rock | 2.25 | 15.13 | Nov 19, 2009 | Cody Eckhardt | jig |
| Hogfish, Spanish | 1.65 | 16.00 | Jul 25, 2017 | Dalton J. Houser | shrimp |
| Jack, Almaco | 30.50 | — | Oct 2, 2022 | Robert London | |
| Jack, Horse-eye | 18.00 | 35.50 | May 28, 2018 | Mitchell Moczygemba | |
| Kingfish, Gulf | 2.10 | 17.00 | Mar 22, 2019 | Keegan Spencer | shrimp |
| Ladyfish | 5.56 | 30.00 | Oct 18, 2008 | Jake Hornberger | |
| Mackerel, King | 56.80 | 63.00 | Jul 11, 2014 | Seamus M. Caskey | blue runner |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 4.50 | 27.50 | Oct 26, 2008 | Justin Golla | live mullet |
| Mako, Shortfin | 190.00 | 96.00 | Mar 16, 2020 | Kinley Oestreich | bonito |
| Marlin, White | 62.25 | — | Aug 23, 2025 | Savannah Doxey | Ballyhoo |
| Pompano, African | 23.00 | 43.75 | Jul 17, 2010 | Tori Frels | live bait |
| Pompano, Florida | 4.63 | 21.50 | Dec 31, 2007 | Justin Golla | shrimp & fish bites |
| Porgy, Knobbed | 1.52 | 13.50 | Mar 5, 2006 | Matthew Colin Decuir | squid |
| Porgy, Red | 6.86 | 24.25 | Feb 20, 2022 | Andrew Ibarra | Squid |
| Porgy, Whitebone | 0.81 | 10.50 | Sep 2, 2007 | Aaron Hardin | |
| Ray, Cownose | 25.09 | 28.75 | Aug 23, 2008 | Brody McBee | cut bait |
| Remora | 2.31 | 28.00 | Jun 9, 2015 | Connor Cochrane | Fly Rod, single hook |
| Runner, Blue | 5.80 | 25.00 | May 25, 2018 | Justin Williams | squid |
| Runner, Rainbow | 13.30 | — | Aug 10, 2021 | Justin Williams | Black Fin Tuna Chunk |
| Scamp | 16.50 | — | Sep 7, 2021 | Justin Williams | Squid |
| Scorpionfish, Spinycheek | 1.46 | 13.34 | Mar 5, 2006 | Matthew Colin Decuir | megabait jig |
| Shark, Atlantic Sharpnose | 18.50 | 43.00 | Mar 28, 2015 | Davey Wright | whiting |
| Shark, Blacknose | 18.12 | — | May 24, 2025 | Morgan Bethanie Butler | ladyfish |
| Shark, Blacktip | 117.80 | 81.00 | Jul 9, 2004 | Mariechen Spivey | perch |
| Shark, Bull | 227.50 | 94.00 | Jan 25, 2019 | Johnny L. Garner | |
| Shark, Sandbar | 100.00 | 87.00 | Jul 31, 2004 | Alex Neely | Ruby Lip Grunt |
| Shark, Spinner | 155.00 | 82.00 | Mar 25, 2019 | Boone Dirk | jack crevelle |
| Shark, Tiger | 717.00 | 144.00 | Jun 10, 2017 | Payton K. Bailey | jack head |
| Sharksucker | 4.50 | 30.50 | Aug 8, 2004 | Mariechen Spivey | perch |
| Sheepshead | 3.11 | 19.75 | Mar 2, 2019 | Alistair Spencer | shrimp |
| Snapper, Cubera | 88.00 | 47.75 | Jul 28, 2018 | Garrison Moczygemba | bermuda chub |
| Snapper, Dog | 7.31 | 24.50 | Aug 8, 2004 | Mariechen Spivey | perch |
| Snapper, Gray | 12.56 | 27.63 | Jul 12, 2015 | Eric W. Sikes | croaker |
| Snapper, Lane | 4.40 | 22.00 | Jun 13, 2022 | Cash Morrison | Squid |
| Snapper, Queen | 2.81 | 21.75 | Jul 2, 2013 | Connor Cochrane | squid |
| Snapper, Red | 25.80 | 38.38 | Jun 12, 2011 | James Schmidt | squid/jig |
| Snapper, Vermilion | 4.46 | 22.50 | Jul 22, 2020 | Blane Morris | Squid |
| Soapfish, Whitespotted | 0.15 | 6.70 | Mar 8, 2020 | Justin Williams | squid |
| Spadefish, Atlantic | 7.06 | 20.75 | Jun 25, 2020 | Callan Gaither | Live Shrimp |
| Squirrelfish | 1.16 | 14.90 | Mar 2, 2013 | Audie Wilburn | squid |
| Stargazer, Southern | 1.70 | 12.00 | May 24, 2006 | Rickey T. Collard | |
| Swordfish | 252.00 | — | Jul 23, 2020 | Stone Bolton | |
| Tilefish | 21.20 | 36.30 | Jul 11, 2013 | Tanner White | piggy perch |
| Triggerfish, Gray | 3.22 | 19.00 | Mar 5, 2006 | Matthew Colin Decuir | squid |
| Triggerfish, Ocean | 4.17 | 17.50 | Aug 12, 2007 | Richard Samora | squid |
| Tripletail | 22.10 | 30.25 | Aug 2, 2008 | Carson Chambers | shrimp |
| Tuna, Blackfin | 29.35 | 33.00 | Aug 6, 2005 | Taylor Walker | lure |
| Tuna, Skipjack | 21.02 | 32.00 | Jul 24, 2022 | Blake Braun | Ballyhoo |
| Tuna, Yellowfin | 149.90 | 62.50 | May 29, 2020 | Chase Perthuis | ballyhoo |
| Tunny, Little | 11.97 | 31.00 | Jul 21, 2007 | John Michael Decuir | sardine |
| Wahoo | 89.90 | 77.00 | Jul 7, 2007 | Luke Rabon | yo-zuri deep dive crankba |
Weight Records · Fly Fishing · Junior Angler
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish, Hardhead | 0.81 | 13.50 | Jul 30, 2019 | Zane Fisher Bailey | popper |
| Dolphin | 5.70 | 31.00 | Aug 5, 2005 | Kyle Lesak | tube fly |
| Drum, Black | 4.31 | 20.50 | May 17, 2020 | Zane Fisher Bailey | clouser minnow |
| Ladyfish | 0.75 | 15.50 | Aug 14, 2004 | Anthony Chapa | CBF automatic |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 2.00 | 20.50 | Sep 2, 2006 | Nick Rizopoulos | clouser minnow |
| Remora | 2.31 | 28.00 | Jun 9, 2015 | Connor Cochrane | single hook |
| Snapper, Gray | 9.06 | 25.25 | Aug 15, 2019 | Zane Fisher Bailey | feather fly |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Rod & Reel · All Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amberjack, Greater | 42.50 | Jul 19, 2020 | Barry Osborn | ||
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 23.25 | Jun 22, 2013 | Zachary Seltz | cut mullet | |
| Cobia | 51.25 | Jul 18, 2025 | Barry Osborn | jig | |
| Croaker, Atlantic | 15.00 | Oct 29, 2022 | Ashley Meadows | Dead Shrimp | |
| Drum, Black | 40.00 | Jan 17, 2016 | Michael Fillmore Jr. | shrimp | |
| Jack, Crevalle | 41.50 | Oct 15, 2010 | Barry Osborn | gold spoon | |
| Ladyfish | 24.25 | Aug 24, 2022 | Alessander Russian | Live Bait | |
| Mackerel, King | 44.50 | Feb 16, 2019 | Barry Osborn | sardine | |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 29.75 | Jul 25, 2015 | Julian Choi | ||
| Seatrout, Spotted | 26.00 | Aug 18, 2022 | Alessander Russian | Spoon | |
| Sheepshead | 18.50 | Jun 4, 2013 | Alexander Butler | Fly Rod, imitation crab | |
| Snapper, Red | 32.50 | Sep 23, 2024 | Jim Bellevue | Sardines | |
| Tarpon | 91.00 | Sep 19, 2018 | Michael R. Kubecka | cobia killer lure | |
| Tunny, Little | 28.25 | Aug 4, 2019 | Barry Osborn | Fly Rod, shrimp fly |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Fly Fishing · All Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobia | 40.25 | Oct 30, 2017 | Barry Osborn | clouser | |
| Jack, Crevalle | 40.00 | Sep 17, 2009 | Ronald Cruse | clouser | |
| Mackerel, King | 41.50 | Nov 24, 2018 | Barry Osborn | Osborn dolphin | |
| Sheepshead | 18.50 | Jun 4, 2013 | Alexander Butler | imitation crab | |
| Snapper, Red | 27.50 | Oct 18, 2023 | Keith Payne | Hairerika Fly | |
| Tunny, Little | 28.25 | Aug 4, 2019 | Barry Osborn | shrimp fly |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Rod & Reel · Junior Angler
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 22.00 | Jun 26, 2016 | Steven Lee Riddles III | mullet | |
| Drum, Black | 40.00 | Jan 17, 2016 | Michael Fillmore Jr. | shrimp |
State records live on the Record Book. TPWD tracks water-body records only for the bays it names — the Gulf table covers surf, jetty and offshore fish alike.
Hazards on this water
Wet granite on the Surfside jetty is genuinely dangerous, and cleated boots are the standard recommendation rather than a suggestion. The walkway is paved on top, which lulls people into treating it as a sidewalk; the sides are not. San Luis Pass at the north-east end of the region is the deadliest water on this coast — strong tide-driven current over steep drop-offs. Brazoria County Commissioners Court made it illegal to wade or fish in the water at the pass after two drownings, and at San Luis Pass County Park entering the restricted water is a Class C TPWD offence with a fine up to $500. Bank fishing and boat fishing remain legal there. Portuguese man o' war reach the Surfside and Quintana beaches on the same spring drift that hits Galveston; no Freeport-specific advisory has been published, so treat the regional guidance as applying here. The tentacles typically trail about 30 feet and can reach 150 feet. Lift them off with gloves or a stick, never bare hands, rinse with seawater, and soak in vinegar or saline — urine does not work and makes it worse. Offshore, this is a working port with a channel that has been dredged deeper as recently as 2025; ship traffic through the jetties is constant and it does not manoeuvre for you.
Coast-wide stingers, first aid and the flag system: Jellyfish, Stingers & Things That Hurt.
Elsewhere on the coast
Every figure on this page carries a source above it. Where a length, date or fee has no published figure we say so rather than guess. Corrections: support@ironjetty.com.