Matagorda Beach fishing conditions · Texas

Now until 6 amSouthern flounder

The bite peaks at 98. Water is 74°, inside their 58–82° range, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 20 mph out of the east by today at 12:00 pm.

Log a trip here
Right now: 98 for southern flounder, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Southern flounder, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 982 am
  2. 94
  3. 94
  4. 945 am
  5. 84
  6. 84
  7. 888 am
  8. 84
  9. 84
  10. 8411 am
  11. 61
  12. 65
  13. 652 pm
  14. 61
  15. 61
  16. 615 pm
  17. 61
  18. 61
  19. 618 pm
  20. 61
  21. 61
  22. 6111 pm
  23. 84Tue
  24. 88
  25. 882 am
  26. 84
  27. 84
  28. 845 am
  29. 84
  30. 84
  31. 848 am
  32. 88
  33. 84
  34. 8411 am
  35. 84
  36. 84
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
74°F

Southern flounder range 58–82°

Wind
10 mph

From the east

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:31 am

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
74°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Texas regulations for these waters.

Southern Flounder

Southern flounder

Paralichthys lethostigma

98GoNow until 6 am

Water

74°
48°58–82° · ideal 70°92°

Why

Southern flounder prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15" minimum, 5/person/day. Closed Nov 1–Dec 14 (bag 0).

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on southern flounder

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

90GoNow until 6 am

Water

74°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Right in red drum's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 28" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 20–28" slot, 3/person/day. One oversized red drum over 28" per license year with a Red Drum Tag.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Mar–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on red drum

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

90GoNow until 6 am

Water

74°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in spotted seatrout's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 20" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15–20" slot, 3/person/day. One trout over 28" per year with a Spotted Seatrout Tag.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Mar–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on spotted seatrout

Sheepshead

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

90GoNow until 6 am

Water

74°
50°60–82° · ideal 72°92°

Why

Right in sheepshead's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15" minimum, 5/person/day.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Feb–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes slack water. More on sheepshead

Black Drum

Black drum

Pogonias cromis

90GoNow until 6 am

Water

74°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in black drum's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 2–40 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 30" maximum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Texas: 14–30" slot, 5 a person a day; 1 over 52" may be kept and counts toward the bag.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Sep–May. Likes an incoming tide. More on black drum

The water

  • Water temperature74°F
  • Barometer30.18 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:31 am
  • Sunset today6:43 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:20 pm–2:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 12:50 am–2:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Texas Parks & Wildlife publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

Surf beach at the mouth of the Colorado River, with the river jetty at its west end. Bull red drum and black drum run the surf in fall and spring, speckled trout wade the guts in summer, and southern flounder move toward the passes in fall, when Texas closes flounder from Nov 1 to Dec 14.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Surfside Beach (TX)48 mi · TexasBest now until 6 am
98Go
Pirates Beach76 mi · TexasBest now until 6 am
98Go
Port Aransas (Mustang Island)84 mi · TexasBest now until 10 pmCoastal Flood Advisory
55Marginal
Port Aransas Beach84 mi · TexasBest now until 10 pmCoastal Flood Advisory
63Marginal
Galveston Seawall85 mi · TexasBest now until 6 am
98Go
Galveston Bay87 mi · TexasBest now until 6 am
98Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Matagorda Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Matagorda Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Matagorda Beach?

Matagorda Beach is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder, Sheepshead, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Matagorda Beach?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Matagorda Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Matagorda Beach have?

Matagorda Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Matagorda Beach?

state agency regulations apply at Matagorda Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Matagorda Beach tidal water?

Yes. Matagorda Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.