During the summer many vacationers seek fishing opportunities in the bays and Gulf of Mexico. Most towns that attract these visitors offer bay and offshore fishing charters, free and pay fishing piers, and many areas of free fishing access. The summer months offer top fishing opportunities for many fish species, both in the bay and gulf. Fall fishing is particularly good during the red drum, Atlantic croaker and southern flounder spawning runs. These fish move through or congregate near the passes in large numbers, and opportunities for good catches are optimum during this period.
Offshore fishing is good in winter, when catches of large red snapper can be excellent.
The upper Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay qv areas are renowned for large spotted seatrout and abundant red drum. The TPWD also manages the Texas Artificial Reef Program in the Gulf of Mexico. During the early 1960s, car bodies and concrete construction pipes were used to build reefs along the coast. In 1976 the Texas Coastal and Marine Council qv coordinated the sinking of twelve Liberty Ships-three each off Freeport, Matagorda Channel, Port Aransas, and Port Mansfield. The current program involves working with petroleum companies that donate production platforms located in once productive areas of the Gulf of Mexico.