# Fishing Matagorda Bay



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

East or west?


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## Halen (7 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> East or west?


West.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Hit the ICW and fish Oyster Lake and the south shoreline has miles and miles of shoreline and back lakes are all over. Pick one any one!


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## Halen (7 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Hit the ICW and fish Oyster Lake and the south shoreline has miles and miles of shoreline and back lakes are all over. Pick one any one!


You are the man, thank you!


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

It can get really skinny in those back lakes - entry and all the way through many of them. Just watch the water levels and don't go blasting into them.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Where are you planning to launch? Matagorda Harbor? The safest route is to go west on the ICW (approximately 15 miles) Where the ICW enters the bay, it is approximately 4 miles to the south shoreline. Don't go running all the way up to the shoreline though. Stop about 1/2 mile out and idle the rest of the way watching out for sandbars, other boats etc. Keep an eye on the weather. Head for safety long before you think a storm will be on you or decide on a place to wait it out. Don't wait until the squall line hits, the temp drops 20 degrees and your fishing line starts crackling from the electricity in the air.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I just test ran a client’s Whaler out of Matagorda Harbor. Tide is way low.


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## TX_maverick (Oct 26, 2020)

Tides are extremely low like Smack said. The SW wind had moved a lot of water out of the back lakes, and even shorelines. I would imagine the marshes on the north side of the ICW are muddy with the SW wind as well. I fished this weekend, and still had a really fine day out there. I think if you played the wind, got protected, and found clean enough water to see, you'll be alright. 2 weeks ago we had over 70 shots at fish, at least. This past weekend, not quite as many, but still 30-40. Don't turn your nose up at all the black drum you'll see...they have been WAY more receptive to eating than most of the cruising reds.


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## Halen (7 mo ago)

Sublime said:


> Where are you planning to launch? Matagorda Harbor? The safest route is to go west on the ICW (approximately 15 miles) Where the ICW enters the bay, it is approximately 4 miles to the south shoreline. Don't go running all the way up to the shoreline though. Stop about 1/2 mile out and idle the rest of the way watching out for sandbars, other boats etc. Keep an eye on the weather. Head for safety long before you think a storm will be on you or decide on a place to wait it out. Don't wait until the squall line hits, the temp drops 20 degrees and your fishing line starts crackling from the electricity in the air.


I appreciate the input regarding Matagorda, not sure on where I'll be launching which is why I posted here.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Halen said:


> I appreciate the input regarding Matagorda, not sure on where I'll be launching which is why I posted here.


Your choices are pretty much Matagorda Harbor or Port O'Connor. If you launch at Matagorda, you'll have to go though the locks, but I can't think of a reason why they would be opening and closing them right now. Either that or go down the river , through the canal and into the diversion canal. I would NOT recommend this unless you know what you are doing. It is shallow and full of logs. You could go west down the ICW and through Mad Island Cut but there are some reefs to contend with so I would just keep trucking westward down the ICW.


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## Halen (7 mo ago)

Sublime said:


> Your choices are pretty much Matagorda Harbor or Port O'Connor. If you launch at Matagorda, you'll have to go though the locks, but I can't think of a reason why they would be opening and closing them right now. Either that or go down the river , through the canal and into the diversion canal. I would NOT recommend this unless you know what you are doing. It is shallow and full of logs. You could go west down the ICW and through Mad Island Cut but there are some reefs to contend with so I would just keep trucking westward down the ICW.
> 
> View attachment 209963


That is awesome info @Sublime much appreciated!


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

TX_maverick said:


> Tides are extremely low like Smack said. The SW wind had moved a lot of water out of the back lakes, and even shorelines. I would imagine the marshes on the north side of the ICW are muddy with the SW wind as well. I fished this weekend, and still had a really fine day out there. I think if you played the wind, got protected, and found clean enough water to see, you'll be alright. 2 weeks ago we had over 70 shots at fish, at least. This past weekend, not quite as many, but still 30-40. Don't turn your nose up at all the black drum you'll see...they have been WAY more receptive to eating than most of the cruising reds.


Curious--when the tides are so low and the air and water temperatures are really high, y'all are still catching a lot of fish? Those conditions really seem to move the fish to deeper water here in South Florida.


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## TX_maverick (Oct 26, 2020)

Curbs the bite a little bit, but we still catch fish in those conditions.


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## boyscout (Aug 17, 2020)

I just got back, and as stated tides are low, fishing was tough. Still had fun and caught fish but not like normal. Sad to see all the dead mangroves.


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