# Best Inshore/Nearshore Fishing on US Gulf Coast



## MathGeek (Mar 31, 2012)

OK guys, I need some informed opinions. Where is the best inshore and nearshore fishing (20 ft boat) on the US Gulf Coast, more or less averaged over the year and including all sport species? Baffin Bay, Galveston Bay, Sabine, Calcasieu, Vermillion Bay, Fourchon/Grand Isle, Venice, Mobile, Pensacola/Destin, further south in Florida? Other? What would your top three be?


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

I thought you Mathgeeks had a formula to figure everything out:notworthy:. All of those places will produce fish at varying times.:thumbup:


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## Death From Above (Sep 28, 2007)

Louisianna


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

To me,though I've never fished there the southern Florida gulf coast would seem to be best since you have snook,tarpon,and bonefish on the species list most of the other places don't.


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## chopperdoc (May 26, 2011)

Hands down the Venice area is tops...Not a fun and sun spot for the family though. It is literally the end of the road. I prefer my area for all the other activities that go along with great fishing...Pretty ladies, white sand, great golf...


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## Bullshark (Mar 19, 2009)

Tobiwan said:


> To me,though I've never fished there the southern Florida gulf coast would seem to be best since you have snook,tarpon,and bonefish on the species list most of the other places don't.


Add permit, Cobia and grouper. All inshore! I would absolutly love to fish Louisiana but really you only catch a lot of 2 or 3 types of fish. Give me Flamingo front and back. 90% of the time I go I get snook, tarpon, redfish and as many trout as I want to play with. The snook can be 30lbs and the tarpon can be 150lbs. It's the shisnid!

I'm also a new fan of Tampa Bay. It's shisnidesc.


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## lsucole (May 7, 2009)

Venice hands down! In the same day I have caught a limit of specks(25),reds(5), flounder, and even 2 striped bass-- all on the same bait(silver/blue back rattletrap). The best time is late fall when the Miss. River
gets it's lowest.


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## knowphish (Apr 26, 2010)

lsucole said:


> Venice hands down! In the same day I have caught a limit of specks(25),reds(5), flounder, and even 2 striped bass-- all on the same bait(silver/blue back rattletrap). The best time is late fall when the Miss. River
> gets it's lowest.


To hell with Tampa Bay!!!! Too many damn people down there. I'm with the LA group. You cannot imagine how good it is till you've been there.:thumbup:


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## traqem (Mar 10, 2009)

I've spent lots of time in the keys since I have a brother down there. Been fishing in the N FL bays most of my life. For me for pure fishing, neither holds a candle to the number of fish I've found in LA. Flamingo would probably be my 2nd choice.


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## 82whaler (Sep 28, 2007)

Mathgeek I have been keeping up with your post on salty cajun. Impressive stuff
you are doing. HOWEVER this is not Big Lake....we do not keep 25 Specks and
10 Reds every day. So as long as you don't have a "W" attitude you will find that the Pensacola area offers a Wonderful and VARIED Fishery not just limited to Truite Mouchete'e and Redfish.


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## MathGeek (Mar 31, 2012)

82whaler said:


> Mathgeek I have been keeping up with your post on salty cajun. Impressive stuff
> you are doing. HOWEVER this is not Big Lake....we do not keep 25 Specks and
> 10 Reds every day. So as long as you don't have a "W" attitude you will find that the Pensacola area offers a Wonderful and VARIED Fishery not just limited to Truite Mouchete'e and Redfish.


I would like a bit more variety than what LA has to offer. I've fish Pensacola a few times, but I'd like to fish it more and become more skillful at kings, spanish, bluefish, sheepshead, snapper, grouper, sharks, etc. Also as my children get older, they want to do more than fish, fish, fish, and Pensacola has a lot more to offer. Furthermore, I'm up for sabbatical in a couple more years, and Pensacola has way more research opportunities than most LA fishing hot spots.


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## Mudigger (Aug 5, 2011)

Big Lake (Calcasieu) without a doubt. More consistent than Venice and easier to fish. I'm closer to Vermillion Bay but still drive to Big Lake. I've fished from Bagdad Mexico to Key West, all inshore and still run to Big Lake on a regular basis.


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## Mudigger (Aug 5, 2011)

Trout, redfish, black drum, sheepshead, flounder (easy limits inshore with plenty of catch and release) not to mention the so called trash fish that are fun to catch. Reds, Ling, other snapper, etc. at near shore rigs (within three miles) and blue water species within ten miles. I wouldn't say that you're limited in Louisiana by species. :whistling:


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## 82whaler (Sep 28, 2007)

Mudigger said:


> Trout, redfish, black drum, sheepshead, flounder (easy limits inshore with plenty of catch and release) not to mention the so called trash fish that are fun to catch. Reds, Ling, other snapper, etc. at near shore rigs (within three miles) and blue water species within ten miles. I wouldn't say that you're limited in Louisiana by species. :whistling:


Hows that run from Big Lake to the Near Shore rigs. :whistling:


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## Mudigger (Aug 5, 2011)

Not bad.


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