Galveston Complex
Galveston is the most heavily fished water in Texas and it earns it. Two Corps rubble-mound jetties push out past six miles of sand into deep water, a 5.4-mile dike runs off Texas City into the middle of the bay, and four connected bays — Galveston, Trinity, East and West — drain a metropolitan watershed through one pass. Inshore and offshore fish stack in the same places here because the deep water comes close to shore. Everything you fish from is either a Corps structure, a storm survivor, or both.
Piers & platforms
61st Street Fishing Pier
Listed as open 24 hours, seven days, subject to change; a second source gives March-December hours of 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., so treat the operating hours as fluid and call ahead. A Texas fishing license is required. There is a bait-and-tackle shop with frozen bait, rod rentals, cleaning stations, a viewing deck for non-anglers, snacks, soft drinks, beer and margaritas, and an ATM. No glass, no outside alcohol, service animals only. Day pass runs around $12 with senior and military discounts. Two-rod limit, 10-ft maximum rod length. No published length, build date or Ike-rebuild detail exists for this pier.
Galveston Fishing Pier (the 91st Street pier)
Built in 1971 and open 24 hours, billed as the longest privately-owned pier between Texas and Maine — though no length in feet has been published. Hurricane Ike severely damaged it in 2008 and it has since been rebuilt. Bait and tackle, rod rentals, bike and board rentals, surf instruction, fishing guides and Jimmy's Place restaurant on site; day pass around $12 with a snack bar and grill. Three-rod limit here, against two at 61st Street.
Texas City Dike
Called the longest human-built fishing pier on the planet. Funding was authorized under the 1913 Rivers and Harbors Act and the original wooden dike was completed in 1915 at $1.4 million, championed by Hugh B. Moore with Lt. Col. C.S. Riche of the Corps overseeing construction; the purpose was to deflect silt away from the Texas City ship channel. It was extended to 5.4 miles in 1934 — the modern figure is commonly given as 5.3 miles — and was extended and reinforced with granite in the 1960s. Free in winter; $10 per vehicle from early March to late October, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., $20 on holiday weekends, no overnight camping. Boat ramps (Samson/Yarbrough is the busy one), fishing piers, rock casting areas, wading flats, a playground and trails; Boyd's One Stop and Lee's Bait and Tackle are the bait shops. Ike's surge went over the top in September 2008 and closed it; it reopened on 11 September 2010, two years later, with restoration still in progress.
Seawolf Park Fishing Pier
The park is a memorial to USS Seawolf (SS-197), sunk in error by U.S. forces in 1944. Congress asked each state to build a submarine memorial park and Texas chose Pelican Island, a former immigration station. USS Cavalla arrived in 1971 as the centerpiece; USS Stewart, a destroyer escort, is also on site, along with the conning tower of USS Carp, the sail of USS Tautog, and two 56-inch bronze propellers and memorial guns from USS Texas. Pier fishing is by fee — roughly a $10 pass plus parking — while shoreline fishing is free. Length, lighting and storm-damage history have not been published.
Rollover Pass Pier
The GLO's replacement for the closed pass: a 1,000-foot T-head concrete pier with lighting, ADA accessibility, a bait shop, a fish-cleaning station, parking and a dune walkover, alongside Bayside Park and restoration of the Lauderdale Boat Ramp and Dock. Construction kicked off in mid-March 2025 with a July 2026 target. A $32 million cost figure and a six-month delay have been reported in headlines but not confirmed — treat both as unpublished. Check current status before you drive out.
San Luis Pass County Park
A 15-acre bay park on the Brazoria side of San Luis Pass, administratively Region 3 but physically half of this pass. 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 not.
Sylvan Beach Pier
Damaged by Hurricane Beryl in 2024. La Porte council approved repairs and the pier has since reopened. No published length, repair cost or reopening date is available.
Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier (no fishing)
Listed here so you do not drive to it with a rod. The original 1943 pleasure pier had rides, an arcade, an aquarium, the Marine Ballroom and fishing at the end; Hurricane Carla destroyed it in 1961. The USS Flagship Hotel was built over the water on the site in 1965 and demolished after Hurricane Ike in 2008. Landry's rebuilt the pier, soft-opening on 25 May 2012, extending 1,130 ft into the Gulf. The modern pier does not offer fishing.
Jetties & passes
Galveston South Jetty
The longer of the pair, converging with the north jetty toward a 7,000-ft gap at the entrance. Built to +5 ft mean low tide with a typical 12-ft crown, widening to as much as 20 ft at the seaward end, and terminating near the -27 ft contour. The core is mostly sandstone riprap from 20 lb up to 3 tons; granite blocks of three-quarters of a ton and heavier form the cover layer over the seaward 15,000 ft. Total stone came to 807,000 tons at $2,567,000. After the 1900 storm the jetty was extended in 1907–09 from station 348+00 to 356+00 using 5–7 ton granite blocks landward and 8–10 ton riprap seaward, and a concrete cap went on in 1908; asphaltic concrete followed in 1933–35 and a further concrete cap in 1940–42. Deep water sits close to the rock, which is why offshore species show up within casting range.
Galveston North Jetty
Granite cover layer over the entire structure, 1,117,000 tons of stone at $3,484,000. The 1915 hurricane opened numerous gaps and exposed the core; 44,000 tons of stone went back in during 1925–27, and both jetties got new head sections on the outer 200 ft between 1962 and 1966. Walk-on access from the Bolivar side is free and open 24 hours — a walkable cement structure with deep water on one side and shallow marsh on the other. A Texas fishing license is required. Cuts and gaps in the north jetty strand walking anglers when the tide rises and the Corps has no plans to close them; the exact locations have not been published, so scout the whole walk on a falling tide before you rely on it.
Reefs, wrecks & structure
SS Selma - the concrete ship wreck
Built by F.F. Ley and Company of Mobile, Alabama and launched sideways on 28 June 1919: 431 to 434 ft long, 54-ft beam, three million gallons of oil capacity, one of only twelve concrete ships completed for the Emergency Fleet Corporation during the WWI steel shortage, and the largest concrete ship in the world at launch. Two weeks into service, on 22 May 1920, she struck a jetty at Tampico and tore a 60-foot hole; a July 1921 collision with the steamer Carmarthenshire added more. She was stripped for parts, towed into a purpose-dug 1,500 ft by 25 ft channel off Pelican Island and sunk on 9 March 1922. She is the only permanent, prominent wreck along the Houston Ship Channel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and a Texas State Archaeological Landmark. She works as an artificial reef that needs no upkeep, holding sheepshead and trout, while brown pelicans, egrets and great blue herons nest on the fractured deck.
The Kraken artificial reef
A 371-foot cargo ship, cleaned of fuel, oil and hazardous material, sunk on 20 January 2017 in 140 feet of water 67 miles off Galveston. TPWD has not published a reef-site code for her in any source consulted. It is a full-day offshore run and a dive site as much as a fishing spot.
Big Man's Nearshore Reef nearshore reef
180 pyramids went in during 2018, 180 slab reefs in 2019, and 500 more pyramids in December 2021. TPWD's program page lists Big Man's as a Cycle 22 project using pyramids and concrete blocks or rubble, with deployment expected to begin in late 2019. Depth and acreage have not been published.
Kate's Reef (GA-220) nearshore reef
200 tons of concrete railroad ties plus a 45-foot vessel went in during October 2020, followed by 70 pyramids and 100 slab reefs in December 2021, with Laredo Construction assembling a further 430 pyramids and 155 slab reefs. The GA-220 site code appears in a TPWD bid solicitation title. Depth and acreage have not been published.
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
1815-1821 - Lafitte at Campeche
Jean Lafitte's ships worked out of what is now Pier 19 between 1815 and 1821. The same berth later served the early Texas Navy in the Republic era, Confederate naval operations in 1863, and Prohibition rum-runners in the 1920s. It is the oldest continuously used working water on the island, and it is still where the shrimp boats tie up.
1852-1872 - Point Bolivar Light
First lit in 1852. The original cast-iron tower was pulled down during the Civil War to deny it to Union warships. The present 116-ft brick-and-cast-iron tower was built in 1872. In the 1900 storm at least 125 people sheltered inside it, and it survived the 1915 hurricane with recorded winds of 126 mph. Keeper H.C. Claiborne retired in 1918 having ridden out both. It was deactivated in 1933 and sold to rancher Elmer V. Boyt in 1947. It is still in the family and not open to the public — you look at it from the ferry.
1874-1898 - three attempts at a jetty
The first attempt, 1874–1879, used cement-covered gabions — 6 ft high and wide, 6 to 12 ft long, sand-filled — over 9,700 ft on the Bolivar side and 2,200 ft on the Fort Point side, plus 500 ft of timber piling. They sat 5 to 6 ft below mean low water, settled, shifted and failed to scour a channel. Stone was not used because none could be had or moved at the time. The second attempt, 1880–1885, was a fascine mattress south jetty: 22,550 linear feet, up to four layers, about 400,000 square yards of mattress and 9,000 tons of stone for $968,000. By 1885 teredo worm, scour and consolidation had sunk it almost 6 ft.
1900 - the storm
The 1900 hurricane killed at minimum 6,000 of the island's 44,000 inhabitants and did roughly $30 million in damage. It remains the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. Every piece of infrastructure an angler uses on this island — the seawall you park on, the raised grade you drive across, the repaired jetties you fish — exists as a direct answer to that week.
1902-1911 - the seawall and the grade raising
The seawall was built 1902–1904: an initial phase of 17,593 ft, standing 17 ft above mean low tide, 16 ft at the base, 5 ft at the top, 40,000 lb per linear foot, with granite riprap extending 27 ft out from its base. That riprap is the fishing. The grade raising followed from 1903 to 1911 — roughly 500 city blocks lifted with 16.3 million cubic yards of sand, and about 2,000 buildings jacked up by hand.
1915-1966 - patching the granite
The 1915 hurricane left numerous gaps in the north jetty and exposed its core; the full structure was repaired in 1925–27 with 44,000 tons of stone. Asphaltic-concrete capping went on both jetties in 1933–35. Further north-jetty repairs and a concrete cap on the south jetty followed in 1940–42. Between 1962 and 1966 both jetties were rehabilitated with new head sections on the outer 200 feet. The rocks you stand on are a century and a half of maintenance.
1955-2019 - Rollover Pass, opened and closed
The Texas Game and Fish Commission cut Rollover Pass in 1955, about 1,600 ft long and 200 ft wide, joining Rollover Bay and East Bay to the Gulf so marine fish could get in to spawn and feed. The name is older than the cut: smugglers from Spanish colonial times through Prohibition rolled barrels of whiskey and rum over the narrowest part of the peninsula to dodge customs at Galveston. For decades it was widely called the best fishing spot for disabled anglers on the Texas coast, because you could fish sitting in your vehicle. The GLO pursued closure on erosion grounds; litigation ran from 2013 through state condemnation in 2016–2018. After Tropical Storm Imelda dropped more than 43 inches, the fencing went up on 30 September 2019 and the pass has since been filled with dirt.
2006 - the state record tarpon
Texas's tarpon record stood for 33 years on Tom Gibson's 210 lb fish of November 1973. On 4 October 2006 Jeremy Ebert, 25, of Deer Park, landed a 210 lb 11 oz tarpon from the Galveston Fishing Pier and broke it by eleven ounces. Ebert donated the fish to TPWD. The pier's own marketing has since claimed a 220 lb record — that number is wrong; TPWD's figure is 210 lb 11 oz.
The record book, locally
The Galveston Fishing Pier holds the headline fish. On 4 October 2006 Jeremy Ebert, 25, of Deer Park landed a 210 lb 11 oz tarpon from the pier, breaking Tom Gibson's 210 lb record from November 1973 by eleven ounces, and donated the fish to TPWD. The pier's own tourism listing claims a 220 lb record and a 30 lb world-record smooth puffer — the 220 figure contradicts TPWD and the puffer claim has no published confirmation. Elsewhere in the system, the TPWD Galveston Bay table runs deep: spotted seatrout 12.11 lb / 31.50 in (R.J. Spencer, 19 March 2007, soft plastic); red drum 44.00 lb / 48.00 in (Russell Janacek, 23 June 2010, live croaker); black drum 50.04 lb / 44.75 in (Joseph Thad Duchamp, 14 May 2016, crab); southern flounder 10.18 lb (Bubba Pyle, 19 November 2018, finger mullet); sheepshead 12.92 lb (Gary Davis, 4 December 1983); cobia 105.00 lb / 71.00 in (John Lodge III, 28 May 1989); bull shark 46.70 lb (Bob Franklin, 27 August 2005, shad); a 273.50 lb spotted eagle ray (Jimmy Anderson, 2 June 2012) and a 246.00 lb southern stingray (Carissa Egger, 30 June 1998). A 6.00 lb common snook came out on a Yo-Zuri flatcrank on 16 May 2018 (Jason Farmer), and a 4.10 lb permit on shrimp on 26 September 2025 (Eric L Gonzalez). Trinity Bay is a smaller book but a real one: red drum 37.00 lb / 46.25 in (Carter Woodard, 30 May 2014, Gulp); spotted seatrout 8.71 lb / 28.75 in (Jacob Huff, 21 April 2008, Trout Killer); jack crevalle 25.55 lb (Dale Presswood, 12 October 2003, croaker). TPWD does not publish separate record pages for East Bay or West Bay — those catches fold into the Galveston Bay table.
Galveston Bay
Weight Records · Rod & Reel · All-Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass, Largemouth | 1.54 | 15.75 | Jun 23, 2000 | Eric Stevens | |
| Bass, Striped | 28.00 | 33.50 | Jan 26, 1991 | Calvin Hinderman Jr. | |
| Bluefish | 8.34 | 29.50 | Mar 7, 1994 | Tim Burke | |
| Bream, Sea | 1.11 | 12.50 | Nov 17, 1996 | John Edel | ling |
| Carp, Grass | 8.16 | 26.42 | Nov 14, 1992 | Andrew Anthony | |
| Catfish, Blue | 16.66 | 32.00 | Dec 12, 2005 | Ryan McKewen | Black salty |
| Catfish, Channel | 1.90 | 16.50 | Jul 17, 2007 | Ryan McKewen | night crawler |
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 5.65 | 26.50 | May 28, 2016 | Tyler W. Calhoun | cut bait |
| Catfish, Hardhead | 3.40 | 20.50 | May 2, 2010 | Alton Westberry | cut mullet |
| Cobia | 105.00 | 71.00 | May 28, 1989 | John Lodge III | |
| Croaker, Atlantic | 5.13 | 20.25 | Jul 10, 1971 | Earl Merendino | |
| Cutlassfish, Atlantic | 4.52 | 48.00 | Aug 5, 2000 | Gary Stanton | |
| Drum, Black | 50.04 | 44.75 | May 14, 2016 | Joseph Thad Duchamp | Crab |
| Drum, Red | 44.00 | 48.00 | Jun 23, 2010 | Russell Janacek | live croaker |
| Eel, Snapper | 6.23 | 48.00 | Jul 1, 2013 | Jimmie Sausser | mullett |
| Flounder, Ocellated | 2.63 | 16.63 | Dec 6, 2001 | Mark Bond | mullet |
| Flounder, Southern | 10.18 | 26.00 | Nov 19, 2018 | Bubba Pyle | finger mullet |
| Gar, Alligator | 186.19 | 96.25 | Oct 14, 1995 | Johnny Gilbert | |
| Hind, Rock | 2.70 | 15.50 | Oct 15, 2000 | Christopher McKenzie | squid |
| Jack, Crevalle | 34.40 | — | Jul 1, 2021 | Lyndi Savage | |
| Kingfish, Gulf | 1.54 | 14.00 | Jul 5, 2003 | Justin Kinder | live shrimp |
| Kingfish, Southern | 1.78 | 15.00 | Jun 21, 2008 | Michelle Forque | live croaker |
| Ladyfish | 3.94 | 25.75 | Aug 28, 2000 | Kevin Bowers | |
| Lizardfish, Inshore | 0.66 | 14.00 | Nov 6, 1999 | Ryan Nokelby | |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 1.90 | 21.75 | Oct 2, 2012 | Jon Parks | Fly Rod, clouser minnow |
| Permit | 4.10 | — | Sep 26, 2025 | Eric L Gonzalez | shrimp |
| Pigfish | 1.10 | 12.50 | Dec 29, 2024 | Marvin Batres | Live Shrimp |
| Pinfish | 2.46 | 15.91 | Jan 4, 1992 | Mark Duncan | |
| Pompano, Florida | 3.00 | 18.75 | Oct 18, 2010 | Anthony Langston | live shrimp |
| Puffer, Smooth | 1.88 | 14.88 | Dec 11, 2004 | Jimmy Beall | live shrimp |
| Ray, Smooth Butterfly | 14.14 | 30.00 | Jun 23, 2014 | Jimmie Sausser | shad |
| Ray, Spotted Eagle | 273.50 | 82.00 | Jun 2, 2012 | Jimmy Anderson | cut bait |
| Searobin, Bighead | 0.50 | 8.25 | Oct 13, 2000 | Edward Matthews Jr. | live shrimp |
| Seatrout, Sand | 6.25 | 23.50 | Feb 26, 1972 | Dennis Herrick | |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 12.11 | 31.50 | Mar 19, 2007 | R.J. Spencer | soft plastic |
| Shark, Blacktip | 30.28 | 61.00 | Jun 29, 2014 | Caden Carner | spot |
| Shark, Bull | 46.70 | 55.75 | Aug 27, 2005 | Bob Franklin | shad |
| Sheepshead | 12.92 | 25.25 | Dec 4, 1983 | Gary Davis | |
| Snapper, Gray | 2.28 | 16.25 | Dec 1, 2010 | Josh Parks | live bait |
| Snapper, Red | 3.54 | 17.88 | Oct 27, 1995 | Raymond Smith | |
| Snook, common | 6.00 | 27.25 | May 16, 2018 | Jason Farmer | yo zur flatcrank |
| Spot | 0.76 | 11.75 | Jun 4, 2002 | Carlos Gonzales | squid |
| Stingray, Atlantic | 10.75 | 41.50 | Jul 3, 1994 | David Lee Anderson | |
| Stingray, Bluntnose | 36.66 | — | May 26, 2003 | Richard Olszak Jr. | squid |
| Stingray, Southern | 246.00 | 96.00 | Jun 30, 1998 | Carissa Egger | mullet |
| Tripletail | 21.18 | — | Sep 7, 2022 | John Havens | Live Shrimp |
Weight Records · Fly Fishing · All-Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carp, Grass | 2.62 | 19.50 | Apr 19, 1999 | Richard Walker | black popper |
| Croaker, Atlantic | 0.53 | 10.75 | Aug 20, 2001 | Kenneth Thyssen | |
| Drum, Black | 11.40 | 28.00 | Sep 2, 2019 | Reave P. Maddox | muddy popper |
| Drum, Red | 27.95 | 41.00 | Jul 28, 2019 | Reave P. Maddox | redfish crack fly |
| Flounder, Southern | 5.00 | 24.00 | Nov 26, 1999 | Jon Parks | clouser minnow |
| Kingfish, Southern | 1.19 | 14.25 | Jul 9, 2000 | Kenneth Thyssen | epoxy shrimp |
| Ladyfish | 3.30 | 24.25 | Sep 3, 2009 | Jon Parks | foam fly |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 1.90 | 21.75 | Oct 2, 2012 | Jon Parks | clouser minnow |
| Seatrout, Sand | 1.00 | 14.50 | Nov 5, 2005 | Vincent Rinando Jr. | |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 5.13 | 24.50 | May 11, 2007 | Vincent Rinando Jr. | |
| Sheepshead | 5.09 | 20.75 | Jul 27, 1999 | Gregory Garner | |
| Tripletail | 9.52 | 22.50 | Sep 2, 2016 | Clay Sheward | fly buggy |
Weight Records · Rod & Reel · Junior Angler
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 5.65 | 26.50 | May 28, 2016 | Tyler W. Calhoun | cut bait |
| Catfish, Hardhead | 2.97 | 17.50 | Jun 3, 2018 | Charles B. Bailey | squid |
| Croaker, Atlantic | 3.90 | 20.50 | Nov 13, 2011 | Cameron Reeder | live shrimp |
| Drum, Black | 43.50 | 38.98 | Mar 2, 2019 | Dylan Sorrells | blue crab |
| Drum, Red | 34.38 | 42.00 | Jun 10, 2017 | Tyler Calhoun | live mullet |
| Flounder, Southern | 10.16 | 27.25 | Nov 27, 2009 | Ethan Wagner | Berkley gulp |
| Gar, Alligator | 78.13 | 64.00 | Aug 1, 2008 | Colton Carner | shad |
| Jack, Crevalle | 27.08 | 38.75 | Jun 29, 2014 | Colton Carner | shad |
| Kingfish, Gulf | 1.54 | 14.00 | Jul 5, 2003 | Justin Kinder | live shrimp |
| Perch, Silver | 0.17 | 7.50 | Jun 12, 2009 | Robert Steber Jr | shrimp |
| Pinfish | 1.60 | 13.50 | May 30, 2011 | Dante Blakely | Live Shrimp |
| Puffer, Smooth | 1.70 | 15.00 | Oct 7, 2012 | Austin W. Calhoun | chicken boy lure |
| Seatrout, Sand | 3.85 | 21.25 | May 27, 2009 | Thomas Shelton | croaker |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 9.13 | 28.50 | Jul 3, 2015 | Austin W. Calhoun | piggy perch |
| Shark, Blacktip | 30.28 | 61.00 | Jun 29, 2014 | Caden Carner | spot |
| Shark, Bull | 44.50 | 53.50 | Nov 3, 2018 | Dylan Sorrells | |
| Sheepshead | 9.19 | 23.50 | Nov 20, 2005 | Austin Lilley | shrimp |
| Stingray, Southern | 180.00 | — | Jun 6, 2021 | Charles Brock Bailey | Mullet |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Rod & Reel · All Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish, Gafftopsail | 24.13 | Sep 19, 2009 | Jacob Bolton | plastic shrimp | |
| Drum, Black | 42.50 | Jan 6, 2024 | Jacob Gilson | Gulp Shrimp | |
| Drum, Red | 43.50 | Nov 7, 2023 | Scott Likwartz | Mullet - Carolina Rig | |
| Flounder, Southern | 24.00 | Nov 30, 2020 | Justin Campbell | Gulp | |
| Jack, Crevalle | 42.50 | Apr 23, 2022 | Tamra Wyatt | Down South Twisted Tea Bu | |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 29.00 | Jan 14, 2011 | Vincent Rinando Jr. | ||
| Sheepshead | 19.00 | Oct 4, 2016 | Alexander Butler | Fly Rod, kwan shrimp fly |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Fly Fishing · All Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drum, Red | 36.75 | Mar 25, 2026 | Andrew Lee Stevens | chris phillips special | |
| Jack, Crevalle | 42.00 | May 1, 2022 | Jennifer Matsu | White Baitfish fly | |
| Sheepshead | 19.00 | Oct 4, 2016 | Alexander Butler | kwan shrimp fly |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Rod & Reel · Junior Angler
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drum, Black | 38.98 | Mar 2, 2019 | Dylan Sorrells | blue crab | |
| Drum, Red | 41.73 | Mar 1, 2019 | Dylan Sorrells | live shrimp | |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 24.75 | Dec 23, 2019 | Hayes A. Dykes | live shrimp |
Trinity Bay
Weight Records · Rod & Reel · All-Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drum, Red | 37.00 | 46.25 | May 30, 2014 | Carter Woodard | gulp |
| Jack, Crevalle | 25.55 | 40.75 | Oct 12, 2003 | Dale Presswood | croaker |
| Ladyfish | 2.34 | 22.50 | Aug 8, 2009 | Lance Duff | Rat-L-Trap |
| Seatrout, Spotted | 8.71 | 28.75 | Apr 21, 2008 | Jacob Huff | trout killer |
| Sheepshead | 6.81 | 20.75 | Sep 3, 2005 | Gary Shelton III | live shrimp |
Weight Records · Fly Fishing · All-Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seatrout, Spotted | 2.75 | 19.50 | Oct 30, 2012 | Danny Scarborough | clauser |
Weight Records · Rod & Reel · Junior Angler
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seatrout, Spotted | 8.71 | 28.75 | Apr 21, 2008 | Jacob Huff | trout killer |
| Sheepshead | 6.81 | 20.75 | Sep 3, 2005 | Gary Shelton III | live shrimp |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Rod & Reel · All Ages
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drum, Black | 34.00 | Oct 12, 2024 | Courtney Williams | Live Shrimp | |
| Drum, Red | 36.00 | Nov 25, 2025 | John Jerome Zouras | shrimp | |
| Jack, Crevalle | 41.50 | Aug 6, 2012 | Jacob Bolton | shrimp | |
| Sheepshead | 20.00 | Jul 30, 2023 | Yianis Nicholas Zouras | Crustacean |
Catch and Release Records (by length) · Rod & Reel · Junior Angler
| Species | lb | in | Date | Angler | Bait / method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drum, Red | 36.00 | Nov 25, 2025 | John Jerome Zouras | 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
Portuguese man o' war is the signature seasonal hazard and it arrives with warming spring water. Galveston Island Beach Patrol treated at least three stings in a single week during one recent spring surge. They are not jellyfish — they are colonial siphonophores, and the tentacles typically trail about 30 feet and can reach 150 feet, so the animal you can see is not the animal that stings you. Lift tentacles off with gloves or a stick, never bare hands; rinse with seawater; soak in vinegar or saline. Urine does not work and makes it worse. Fatalities are rare but allergic reactions happen. San Luis Pass is the deadliest spot on this coast — strong tide-driven current over steep drop-offs. Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis puts it plainly: "The things that make the swimming dangerous are the things that make the fishing good." Four people drowned there in summer 2024, matching 2013: Jacob Szydlowski, 19, fishing in waist-deep water on 23 June; Rufino Suarez, 26, from an overturned kayak carrying seven people on 4 July; and Larry Lumpkin, 67, and Dennis Roberson, 46, on 7 August, the latter attempting a rescue. Galveston already prohibits swimming and wading between the marked signage, and Brazoria County Commissioners Court made it illegal to wade or fish in the water on its side; 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. On the jetties: never pull the anchor without the motor running, and never shut the motor down without the anchor set — boats are routinely damaged trying to restart near the rocks and the wind shifts fast. Carry wire leaders for Spanish mackerel and fish nothing lighter than 20-lb line on the granite. Cuts in the north jetty strand walking anglers when the tide comes up. Jetty rock is slick when wet; cleated boots are standard.
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.