Hey guys, planning on a family trip with the wife and kids down the coast line. We have a few days and we will be car camping in the state parks. Are there any other areas that have opportunities for camping and fishing that might be worth it? Planning on getting almost all the way down to Corpus Christi and maybe even further south. We have about 7-8 days/nights.
Thinking definitely Goose Island, maybe Lake CC or Mustang Island SP too. Any other recommendations??
Of course I would like to catch fish in any of those, mostly for the little one who enjoy s any action.

Mustang Island SP is nice and has plenty of surf fishing. Might also consider the Padre Island National Seashore. Camping (primitive and improved areas) in the campground or on the beach. 65 miles of surf fishing at your finger tips.

LandPirate, thanks for the info. Is there a headwquarters area for PINS? Not planning on making it a fishing trip of a lifetime, but it can't hurt if I drown some shrimp right?

How should I pick were to toss bait in the surf? Is it worth trying artificials?

Galveston Island State Park has both bay fishing and surf fishing. I have done pretty good on both bay and surf fishing there.

Google it and you'll see a map of the entire area.

When you fish in a state park you don't need a fishing license. That means your wife can do some crabbing with the kids and give you a chance to fish. The have free loaner gear at Galveston Island State Park and a ranger willing to get you started.

Sea Rim is south of Port Arthur with very primitive camping. All of the facilities are gone since Rita and Ike. It also has alligators which might not be great with kids.

Have a great vacation and send us a report.

Goose Island state park is my favorite coastal park .
It has a lighted pier for night fishing .
Walter Humpheys State park also has a lighted pier .

The Walter Humphrey's Park website says the pier was destroyed by Rita with plans to rebuild in 2010. Has the pier been rebuilt yet?

Also check out the I.B. Magee county park in Port A.

Thanks for all the info. I am quite psyched now! We have been to Galveston State Park, and we live in Houston, so we will liley not stay in that one. Our plan now is to hopefully hit Goose Island, Mustang Island and PINS.
Camping with the kids (2 1/2 and 1yo) and wife, it is very likely that fishing will take a very distant posterior place in the priorities, but definitely will try.
I have gear, though not hardcore surf stuff, enough to land some fish for my son to have fun and me to keep trying .

Was thinking of a 1oz pyramid sinker with 1/0 - 3/0 hooks and dead shrimp, unless you guys recommend differently. Will bring my 7'0 rod and spinning reel with 10# mono. Though I'm thinking about spooling a second one with 30# braid (just in case). Does it sound crazy? Will shrimp work on the pier at night? should I try something else? Thanks a lot. I knew my fish down in Peru, here I am just a newbie

I have been reading reports of catching trout and whiting close to the beach early morning. This is knee deep to waist deep water in the surf.

Another report mentioned catching whiting between the 2nd and 3rd sandbars on dead shrimp that have been peeled.

Send us a few pics of the fun. Good luck.

Shrimp is like chicken of the sea, if I had to have only one bait, it would be shrimp.

Chicken of the Sea is tuna. We are fishermen. Dont confuse us. We do that enough all by ourselves. lol

Yes it has & a much better pier plus there is lot's of seawall available for bank fishing . There are reports of great trout fishing along the levy's also .

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