Fish from the bulkhead
You do not need a boat. The bulkhead behind 1350 Sandpiper puts you on trout water the moment you walk out the door — a rod, a bucket and a folding chair are enough.
Local fishing guide
Oso Bay is one of the most consistent speckled trout and redfish fisheries on the Texas coast — and at 1350 Sandpiper you fish it straight off the bulkhead. Here is the same advice we give every guest: what is biting each season, which charters we send people to, and the answers to the questions we get asked most.
You do not need a boat. The bulkhead behind 1350 Sandpiper puts you on trout water the moment you walk out the door — a rod, a bucket and a folding chair are enough.
Oso Bay is shallow and tide-driven. The two hours either side of a tide change out-produce a slack tide by a wide margin. Check the live tide chart in the guidebook before you head out.
Where seagrass meets sand, trout stack on the edge. Wade slowly, cast ahead of yourself, and work the pothole rather than the grass.
Live shrimp under a popping cork is the reliable answer. Artificials: plum or pearl soft plastics, gold spoons for redfish, and a walk-the-dog topwater at dawn.
What to target, what to tie on, and when to be on the water.
Trout push shallow as the water warms. Work grass flats in 2–4 feet on a moving tide and cover water until you find a pod of fish, then slow down and pick the pothole apart.
Owner's tip: Spring wind is the deciding factor. If it is blowing 20+ from the south, fish the lee shoreline north of the house instead of driving somewhere new.
Fish the edges of the day. Walk a topwater over potholes at dawn, then drop to live bait once the sun is high. Deeper guts along the Oso channel hold fish through the heat.
Owner's tip: This is the season to book an offshore run out of Port Aransas — the Gulf is usually flat in July and red snapper season is open.
The best window of the year. Bait migrates out of the marsh, the fish feed hard, and the wind finally lays down. Watch for slicks, nervous mullet and diving birds and go to them.
Owner's tip: November is the flounder run. A finger mullet or a slow-dragged jig near the bulkhead after a cold front is hard to beat.
Fewer bites, bigger fish. Slow everything down over mud-and-shell bottom and fish the warmest water you can find in the afternoon sun.
Owner's tip: Winter is also our long-stay season — snowbird guests get the best trophy-trout months and the quietest water of the year.
We do not take a commission on any of these — they are simply the operations our guests come back happy from. Call directly and mention you are staying on Sandpiper.
Bay trips · guided
The closest option to the house and the right call for first-timers or families — shallow water, short ride, plenty of action.
Species: Redfish, speckled trout, black drum, flounder
Typical price: ~$450–$600 half day, 2–3 anglers
Offshore · party & private boats
About a 40-minute drive. Long-standing operation with a big fleet, so they can usually fit you in on short notice.
Species: Red snapper, king mackerel, ling (cobia), mahi-mahi, amberjack
Typical price: ~$175–$300 per person shared
Offshore · half, full and overnight
Pick these guys if you want a serious long-range trip. Overnight tuna runs sell out first — book well ahead.
Species: Red snapper, kingfish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, shark
Typical price: Half day up to 12-hour and overnight runs
Live shrimp and croaker, fuel, and a deck bar if the wind kills your plans. About 20 minutes.
Licences, ice, coolers and last-minute tackle when the bait shops are closed. Open late.
Ask us the morning you arrive — we'll tell you who actually has live shrimp that week.
A Texas fishing licence with a saltwater endorsement is required for anyone 17 or older. Bag and size limits for speckled trout are set by Texas Parks & Wildlife and change from time to time — check the current regulations before you keep fish.
Yes. The bulkhead behind the house sits on trout and redfish water, so you can fish straight off the property. A rod, live shrimp or soft plastics, and a bucket are all you need — most guests fish at first light before breakfast.
October is the single best month. Bait flushes out of the marsh, trout and redfish feed hard, and the wind usually lays down. April and May are a close second, and winter produces fewer but noticeably bigger trout.
Anyone 17 or older needs a Texas fishing licence with a saltwater endorsement. You can buy it online from Texas Parks & Wildlife in a couple of minutes, or over the counter at Academy Sports and most local bait shops.
Half-day bay charters run roughly $450–$600 for two to three anglers. Offshore trips out of Port Aransas run about $175–$300 per person for a shared party boat, and $1,200 and up for a private offshore boat.
Book a week ahead in summer, and two to three weeks ahead for spring and fall weekends. Winter is usually available on a few days' notice, weather permitting.
Redfish, black drum, flounder and sheepshead share the same bay water. Offshore out of Port Aransas you can target red snapper, king mackerel, ling, mahi-mahi, amberjack and blackfin tuna.
Clean fish at the outdoor sink and hose by the bulkhead, bag the scraps, and put them in the outside bin — please do not clean fish in the kitchen or leave scraps on the dock overnight.
Either works as long as the water is moving. Oso Bay is shallow and tide-driven, so the two hours either side of a tide change out-fish a slack tide by a wide margin.