I plan on going to the coast around the 6th or 7th of July with a buddy. We plan on fishing the Matagorda bay area, it will be our first time fishing saltwater. We both are bringing kayaks and 2 rods. Are there any tips for someone brand new to saltwater fishing and tips for the area. I'm very experienced on a kayak and I do plan on wearing my life jacket at all times due to harsher weather and deeper water, we also are trying to stay out of very rough areas, any tips are really appreciated. Thanks!

Keep it simplw-shrimp under a popping cork. Fish a moving tide. Don't leave fisg to find fish. Constantly scan the water, and pay attention on every cast. Stingrays in the water usually mean bait is present. Wear polarized sunglasses. Use light jigheads and simple colors. Vary your retrieve until you get a bite, then repeat. Redfish might be in extremely shallow water. Set the hook HARD, and never give the fish more lune than it needs. Scout the area you plan to fish as thoroughly as possible.

If you don't have one, get a hooknline map of the area you are fishing. It will help you know place names if nothing else. It also shows launch sites and bottom conditions.

Also read The sticky post in inshore saltwater.

It's all about finding the fish and learning to read the water. For now just fish structure with bait on it. Oysters, the drop off, grass edge (not tons of grass left in matty, hopefully it will grow back soon though). Mid bay reefs are also good as well.

If you want to learn more ask about our TroutSupport.com DVDs

BTW, while your out and about in your yaks, check out some of those marker Buoys and weedlines to see if the Triple Tails are there. Let us know. July is the month where TT's begin to flourish. Try Free lining shrimp or using some arti's.

Go a little bit up the road to Indianola and fish Powderhorn. Lots of good reds and it's kayak friendly (protected) You can pull over by La Salle's statue and launch over the rail. I've caught a few reds right under the willows on the bank with Bass Asassins. If you have a depth finder, you can go in off the beach and about 100 yards off shore you can find the old court house foundation walls. Flounder stack up in there.

Another nearby place to try is Palacios. Launch at the Babtist Camp (good ramp with piers) and head north following the shoreline. Fish right up against the concrete sea wall. If you go far enough, there's a shallow slough that connects Tres Polasios Bay to Oyster Lake. (Not sure if that's the official name, but it's what locals call it) There's a bridge over the slough that's too low for even most jon boats to get under, but a yak can do it. There's flounder in the slough and reds in the lake. You don't need to paddle the whole way. You could load back up and drive to the bridge and launch there. It's muddy, just sayin'.

Edited to add: If you find LaSalle's sword, he wants it back.