THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE • January/February 2018 113 TheCoastalBend.com 112 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE • January/February 2018 TheCoastalBend.com (1) Padre Island National Seashore—The lon- gest stretch of natural beach in the U.S. offers legendary 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 notable, home of the world record, onshore catch-and-release, an 800 lb.+ Blacktip Shark. (4) Packery Channel—Open migration route between the Gulf and the Laguna, offering new jetties, 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, launches , 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, offering launches, store and pier. (9) Packery Channel Park—Onshore wade fishing along channel and flats, prime migra- tion route and feeding waters. (10) Kayak Launch—Free launch site situated within productive flats fishing zone. (11) Corpus Christi Pass—Some of the re- gion’s best wade fishing can often be found on the back side of Mustang Island, and this site, Coastal Bend Fishing 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 jet- ties. 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 fishing along the typically-uncrowded route. The back side of the pass marks where Laguna Madre becomes 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, located at a perfect, strategic loca- tion 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, located 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 flounder gigging, warm water released from the electrical 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 popular Laguna Reef 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 Speckled 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 situated 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 unboarding at these locations without permission. Want to go Fishing? Then Fish with the Best! Captain Fred Cardona and the Coastal Bend Guides Corporate Outings and Groups (469) 867-5653 www.captfredcardona.com