Best Fishing Locations in Corpus Christi & Best Seasons
Corpus Christi offers fishing of nearly every variety. From saltwater fishing to freshwater fishing, you can find everything you want, and all within a short distance of town.
Corpus Christi is known as the bird capital of North America for its abundant environment well suited for birds. Fishing can be even better than bird-watching for those willing to put in a little work.
Corpus Christi sprawls across a large bay known for its recreating and warm waters. Access to fishing areas, charters, and outfitters is abundant along this bay making a trip easy and effortless.
Another factor to consider before leaving is that Corpus Christi is widely known as the windiest city in North America. This makes it a hub for wind-related activities such as parasailing kite gliding.
For you as the angler, the wind may not be a good thing. Plan for high winds by making sure your gear is secure and cannot blow over. The wind otherwise offers a pleasant breeze in which to fish. Click here to find out the most successful fishing times in Texas.
Best Fishing Locations Near Corpus Christi (Saltwater)
Offshore Fishing Locations
Offshore fishing locations are abundant. A popular way to understand fish is to look at their environment. The state of Texas uses an interactive mapping program to list artificial reefs.
These locations are great places to start for most species and the reefs themselves tend to be built in a line, making it easy to run the length with your boat.
There are 42 artificial reefs reaching up to 100km from shore and running from Matamoros to Houston. When angling offshore it would be wise to use these locations to your advantage.
Recommended Offshore Fishing Charters Near Corpus Christi: Texas Crew’d Sport Fishing who specialize in wahoo, tuna, cobia, kingfish, grouper, snapper, sharks, and more.
Always An Adventure Guide Service that specializes in inshore fishing and offshore fishing for mahi-mahi, red snapper, cobia, king mackerel, and more. Wishing I Was Fishing Charter which will take you offshore chasing sailfish, wahoo, snapper, grouper, cobia, barracuda, and many other species.
Best Inshore Fishing Locations
Corpus Christi offers some great locations to get your feet wet and enjoy fishing calmer waters. The islands and Jetties offer great locations to get away from the surf, here are a few locations to try on your visit.
Recommended Inshore Fishing Charters Near Corpus Christi: Coastal Rod Bender (Aransas Pass), Steven’s Guide Service (Port Aransas), Artificial Action Guide Service (Aransas Pass), Team Liberty Guide Service (Corpus Christi), Fillabite Guide Service (Port Aransas)
Fish Pass Jetties
This location was born from a channel that was dredged through mustang island and failed to leave behind a perfect shore location but with calmer waters. Fishing here can be very fun but it is very popular for locals and well-informed visitors, arriving early is best.
Just about any saltwater bait will work well here such as shrimp and cut bait, but bring enough as the bait shops are further away than the piers we previously spoke of.
Oso Bay Bridge
This location is great for wade fishing and is easily accessible right from the road. Fish travel through this location frequently as temperatures change, traveling to Corpus Christi Bay itself.
This location is prone to closure of fishing at certain times due to its close proximity to the Naval Air Station but is well worth a visit during the day.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 20 minutes
Portland Wade Fishing Area
This location is a bit outside of Corpus Christi in a park called Bayside Park, but it is worth mentioning for its long beach with ample room for many people.
This location is great for most species listed for other locations but is a hot spot for summer trout, making it more worth the commute if that is what you are after. There are also two piers available for use at this location.
Warning: Watch out for stingrays while wade fishing. Make sure you perform the “stingray shuffle” to avoid stepping on them.
Best Fishing Piers & Lagoons
Piers and lagoons in the Corpus Christi area offer abundant fishing and recreation. Lagoons are a special type of environment that offers a unique fishing experience.
Laguna Madre
Corpus Christi Bay and the surrounding lagoons offer great fishing and recreation for sea trout, redfish, black drum, Spanish mackerel, sharks, pompano, and many other species.
Laguna Madre or Mother Lagoon in Corpus Christi is one of only five lagoons in the world to be hypersaline, meaning its salt concentration is higher than the ocean itself. Consider using a dry fly in these areas and other artificials that will be more buoyant due to the high salt content of the water.
Laguna Madre is home to an extremely large variety of fish species and the lagoon itself provides a strong environment for them to thrive. Catfish of different types, flounder, drums of different types, and kingfish to only name a few.
Piers offer a great way to access great fishing with the benefit of all of the gear you may need easily accessible. Nearly all piers have bait shops as well so getting supplied is very easy. Here are a few of the best piers in and around the bay area.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 2 hours
Red Dot Fishing Pier
The Red Dot fishing pier is located near the bay itself and offers great views and excellent access to fishing. Species that are caught here range from redfish, trout, whiting, rum jack, and tarpon to name a few.
This pier has very specific, but liberal hours from 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM for permitted use. This provides plenty of time to get your fishing in.
This pier has a central location on the JFK causeway as well, giving you easy access to Padre Island to the east and Flour Bluff to the west, and all of the amenities they offer.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 22 minutes
Philip Dimitt Municipal Fishing Pier
The Philip Dimitt Fishing Pier is located onshore northwest of Red Dot Fishing Pier. Its location is within walking distance to an RV park making it an ideal location for those traveling with their motorhome.
Fish that are caught here are no different than what is caught off of the Red Dot Pier but the Philip Pier is larger. The Philip Pier also offers other family features such as a children’s park.
Depending on the tide and other factors, this is a great place to wade and fish whereas some other locations around the bay may not be suitable for wading.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 20 minutes
Warning: Watch out for stingrays while wade fishing. Make sure you perform the “stingray shuffle” to avoid stepping on them.
Indian Point Pier
This pier places you right in the middle of the bay offering great fishing in deeper water. This pier sits between Portland and Corpus Christi making it centrally located for amenities in both locations.
Similar to other piers in the area, there is a bait and tackle shop located a short walk away that offers what you will need to stay and fish. This pier is very large which means that you will generally have a little more room for fishing.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 20 minutes
Best Fishing Locations Near Corpus Christi (Freshwater)
There are abundant freshwater fishing access points throughout the Corpus Christi area. From lakes to reservoirs and ponds with all the twists and turns that fish love. Freshwater fishing in Corpus Christi includes gamefish such as largemouth bass, sunfish, catfish, and crappie.
Coleto Creek Cooling Pond
This waterbody offers an abundant amount of inlets and variation for species like bass and crappie to hide. Try fishing earlier in the day for cooler temperatures. Both bass and Crappie hide in cover in high heat.
Shad are abundant in most bodies of water and are a preferred food source for bass. Try shad-profile baits and Texas rigs in front of covered areas to lure them out of hiding. Bait like simple plastics, live nightcrawlers, or jerkbaits will work well too.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 1.5 hours
San Antonio River
This river offers great fly fishing and current angling. Try just about any fly but pay attention to the insects at the time of your visit and match them as best you can. Bass, catfish, and trout are common in this river, the bass being the most sought-after typically.
Rivers usually run cooler than a pond or lake so the time of day is not as crucial. Opt for a time of day you are comfortable with. You are fishing in Texas, cooler temperatures may be more suitable. I recommend focusing on early morning and late afternoons for the best bass fishing.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 1.5 hours
Lake Corpus Christi
Lake Corpus Christi is one of the largest and most popular freshwater bodies of water in the area. Fish caught here range from Bass, crappie, and trout.
As with most freshwater fishing, try artificial lures and live baits. A nightcrawler works just about anywhere so you may want to start with that. Bass lures like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits are awesome for big bass.
Try fishing at this location either early morning or late afternoon as the temperature starts dropping. Fish usually take a feeding path so choosing a shore location that runs deep will be great for bottom fishing with live bait.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 40 minutes
Choke Canyon Reservoir
This lake is large in diameter but offers a great area of inlets to the north that offers great bass fishing. Spot fishing is great here as well if you travel far enough up the inlets.
Try artificial lures in the inlet areas and bait in the deeper part of the reservoir. When fishing the covered areas, consider a Texas rig to avoid snagging and catching. Time of day matters in shallow water as the temperature increases easier. Big bass are routinely caught in these waters.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 1.5 hours
Lott Lake
Being a smaller lake, it will be very bass and crappie heavy. I recommend artificials here that are as capable as possible to avoid snagging. You won’t be able to launch boats at this lake so only watercraft you can carry such as a canoe, jon boat, or float tube is preferred.
Fish in early mornings and late afternoons when the temps are cooler and stick to lurking fish out of their cover as with most water bodies. Artificials that have some form of reflection such as glitter, or a spoon will be best because of the water being darker.
Distance from Corpus Christi: 1.5 hours
Seasonal Guide: Best Fishing Times for Corpus Christi
Seasons change everywhere you fish and that changes the behavior of the fish. Knowing the right time to go is important so here are a few tips for seasons in Corpus Christi.
Freshwater
Freshwater species generally are fishable year-round but become more stubborn during certain times. Bass generally can be caught with little effort with the exception of peak summer but become easier to catch when going into august.
Crappie, Catfish, and Trout are generally caught year-round without much issue. Fishing techniques for these species include trot-line and Texas Rig or drop shot setups.
Saltwater
Saltwater fishing offers more diversity of species and they are very sensitive to things like temperature and pressure but in general, the seasons are as follows.
- Redfish- February to November
- Speckled Trout- February to November
- Flounder- April to November
- Black Drum- February to November
- Sheepshead- February to November
- Jack Crevalle- June and July
- Spanish Mackerel- July to September
- Grey Snapper- July to September
Corpus Christi offers fun activities other than just fishing. From enjoying a little time on the beach to taking a tour of an aircraft carrier, there is plenty to do and take in.
Why You May Consider a Guide or Charter in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi is a great place to go fishing but just like any city you are not a resident of, finding your way around may be difficult.
Charters make a living by knowing what they are doing. They know the best locations, on and off the water. Booking with a Charter simplifies the fishing aspect of your trip, leaving you to just simply enjoy yourself.
Corpus Christi is a busy location in terms of recreational fishing and booking ahead will be the best option for anyone looking to have a guided trip. Look at options for trip sharing to save money.
The benefit of hiring a Charter is the simplification of the trip itself. Having the worry of getting to the location eliminated makes the trip much more enjoyable.
Charters can do more than just get you on the fish. They are also locals and can tell you the best places to cater to, and the places not to.
Best Bait to Use
There are many different types of bait used in the Corpus Christi area but most locals will tell you that it is shrimp that delivers the best results. For saltwater most bait shops offer shrimp and cut bait but they generally have bait for freshwater applications as well.
Cut bait has much more scent than live or cured shrimp and really intensifies predation in fish but shrimp are also available scented with other means as well. Close bait shops to fishing piers and access areas will know best what to use in that area so do not be afraid to ask around.
Corpus Christi is a great fishing destination thanks to its variety of locations and species. It will be easy for you to get lost here and come back for years to come. Landing a fish of a lifetime is what it’s all about.
Other Local Considerations
When picking lodging, it will be beneficial to look at the proximity of your hotel to the water where you will be launching from. Save yourself some time and have this sorted out accordingly.
Try a visit to the Bayfront and Downtown areas for great local dining and nightlife. If you enjoy having a beer with friends, there are a few breweries that offer amazing local beers.
