THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE 103 TheCoastalBend.com (1) Padre Island National Seashore—The longest stretch of natural beach in the U.S. offers legend- ary fishing on both the Gulf of Mexico and Laguna Madre sides of the island. (2) Padre Island Beach/Kleberg County—Less wild than PINS and easier to access, this stretch of island beach offers great surf fishing. (3) Bob Hall Pier—Few public piers are more nota- ble, home of the world record, onshore catch-and- release, an 800 lb.+ Blacktip Shark. (4) Packery Channel—Open migration route be- tween the Gulf and the Laguna, offering new jet- ties, ample parking, boat ramps and fantastic cast and wade fishing onshore. (5) Padre Isles Public Boat Ramps—Canal front community provides at least five free, public boat ramps providing access to Upper Laguna Madre. (6) Marker 37—Bait shop, marina, storage, launch- es , ethanol-free fuel and pier on Laguna Madre, take first exit on island side of JFK Causeway. (7) JFK Causeway Low Road—From Flour Bluff, take causeway to the island, but exit to low road along water for great wade fishing. (8) JFK Causeway Island Side—Underneath the bridge find Clem’s Marina and Billings Bait, offer- ing launches, store and pier. (9) Packery Channel Park—Onshore wade fishing along channel and flats, prime migration route and feeding waters. (10) Kayak Launch—Free launch site situated within productive flats fishing zone. (11) Corpus Christi Pass—Some of the region’s best wade fishing can often be found on the back side of Mustang Island, and this site, just north of Beach Access Road 3, offers fantastic access to the flats feeding and breeding zone toward the northern end of Laguna Madre. All-vehicle access near highway, trucks can traverse extensive series of trails. (12) Fish Pass/Mustang Island State Park—Fish Pass was once, many years ago, open to the Gulf of Mexico from the northern end of Laguna Madre. Although now closed, jetties remain extended into the Gulf several hundred feet, and some species are known to congregate and feed in between the jetties. Beach can be accessed for a fee from the park entrance, or free by using Beach Access Road 2 and working your way south. Excellent surf fish- ing along the typically-uncrowded route. The back side of the pass marks where Laguna Madre be- comes Corpus Christi Bay, and harbors numerous species feeding, just about year ‘round. (13) Naval Air Station Corpus Christi—Those with military credentials can access the excellent launch and shore fishing facilities on the Navy base, locat- ed at a perfect, strategic location at the northern end of the Laguna. (14) Boat Hole Basin—This is perhaps one of the least-known, but most unique fishing sites in the Coastal Bend. Multiple channels feed bay and gulf waters, and the fish that come with them, into this heavy seagrass zone. (15) Humble Channel—The damming effect of the JFK Causeway means that the flow of water and fish in the Upper Laguna Madre is funneled through limited passageways. The first, of course, is the Intracoastal Waterway under the bridge to the island, and the other is Humble Channel, locat- ed a little more than a half-mile from the mainland (Flour Bluff). In addition to being a popular spot for fishing boats, two of the area’s busiest fishing piers (Cos-Way and Red Dot) straddle the channel and provide the best access possible to the many species that traverse the channel in their migration through Laguna Madre. (16) Laguna Shores Road—Runs along Laguna Madre in Flour Bluff, numerous boat launches and sites for shore and wade fishing. (17) Oso Bay—While this small bay, which is fed freshwater by Oso Creek, is known more for floun- der gigging, warm water released from the elec- trical power plant is said to attract large Redfish. Access at Yorktown Blvd. (18) Bluff’s Landing—Located at the southern end of Laguna Shores Road, this full service marina facility offers a boat lift storage facility, launches, fuel, lodge and guides for charter in Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay. Home to the popular and new The Lookout Restaurant. (19) Baffin Bay—20 miles south of Flour Bluff rests one of the most famous fishing destinations in the United States. Baffin Bay is renown for record Speck- led Trout, which dwell in the extensive network of Serpulid Worm reefs that began forming over 3,000 years ago. Boaters should exercise extreme caution in this area, as the reefs present a boating hazard. You will see dozens of private fishing cabins situat- ed along Laguna Madre, all of which are privately owned on plots leased by Texas Parks & Wildlife. The mainland is the private property of the King Ranch, so visitors are cautioned against landing at these locations without permission.
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