Where To Go Fishing in Houston, Texas

While you might not think an urban area like Houston would be great for fishing, you'd be surprised how many great fishing spots are a short drive away.

Before You Go:

To fish in this state, you need to purchase a Texas fishing license unless you qualify for one of the following exemptions:

Children under the age of 17
Texas residents born before January 1, 1931
Texas residents 65 or older and born after January 1, 1931

For a full list of exemptions, we recommend checking out the Texas Parks & Wildlife site for a full list of fishing license requirements and exemptions.

Lake Anahuac

Lake Anahuac is part of a coastal wildlife refuge located 45 miles east of Houston along the eastern coast of Galveston Bay. This refuge is one of the few places with access to both freshwater and saltwater fishing in Texas.

Saltwater Fishing

If saltwater fishing is your cup of tea, you can't go wrong with Lake Anahuac. The shoreline has some of the best wade fishing in all of Texas! You can catch speckled trout, redfish and southern flounder 24 hours a day. Boating is not permitted on the inland waterways of the refuge; however, there are three boat ramps that provide easy access to East Bay and Oyster Bayou.

Freshwater Fishing

If you prefer freshwater fishing, Lake Anahuac also has you covered. There are three fishing piers and a concrete bridge that runs along the East Bay Bayou at Skillern Tract that offers anglers without a boat some quality fishing. You can catch crappie, largemouth bass, gar, bowfin, channel catfish and blue catfish along the East Bay Bayou. While boating is not permitted in the lake, non-motorized boats such as canoes are allowed.

Lake Livingston

Lake Livingston is one of the largest lakes in all of Texas and has some great fishing. The lake is known for its healthy white bass population and is a notable catfish fishery. The lake is also one of the best places to catch largemouth bass, striper, crappie, and sunfish in Texas.

The lake sports three boat ramps, two fish cleaning stations, bank access and a fishing pier that accommodates all styles of fishing. The best part is if you forget your fishing gear, you can always borrow some from the local park store.

Mary Jo Peckham Park

If you want to get in a great family fishing trip, then Mary Jo Peckham Park is the place for you. The parks department stocks the 5-acre lake every year with trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, blue catfish, channel catfish and rainbow trout, so there is always great fishing. The park has a great pier and easy bank access, which makes it great for fishing, especially for beginners.

Tom Bass Park

Located 13 miles from downtown, Tom Bass Park is one of Houston's best urban fishing spots. The parks department has filled the ponds in the park with largemouth bass, blue catfish, channel catfish, rainbow trout, sunfish, bluegill, green sunfish, and redear. When it comes to urban fishing in Houston, you can't beat the variety of species in Tom Bass Park.

Galveston Bay

Galveston Bay is the largest estuary along the Texas Gulf Coast and the second most productive estuary for seafood behind the Chesapeake Bay. The brackish water is home to a variety of marine species such as redfish, speckled trout, flounder, black drum and sheepshead. What makes the bay so unique is that it's abnormally shallow, only reaching 10 feet deep in the center. This lends itself to some great fishing no matter your style.

Charter Boats

Arguably one of the best ways to fish the bay is by hiring a charter boat. Hiring a captain with local fishing knowledge will give you the most bang for your buck. A charter also gives you the opportunity to take a deep sea fishing expedition out into the Gulf.

Shore Fishing

The incredibly shallow waterways lend themselves to some great shore fishing and wade fishing. It doesn't matter if you're on the west coast or east coast of Galveston Bay, you don't need a boat to catch a whopper! The immense shoreline and incredibly shallow water makes the bay perfect for shoreline fishing.