Adapted from Fly Fishing the Texas Coast by Chuck Scates & Phil H. Shook

Trinity Bay (East Shoreline)

Trinity Bay's east shoreline is a productive area for trout and redfish in the spring and summer. Here flyfishers can blindcast from a drifting boat to schooling trout around slicks, or use shooting heads or uniform-density fly lines to sightcast to redfish crashing menhaden schools. Wadefishing also is productive in knee- to chest-deep water.

In the fall, menhaden schools along the shorelines and flats in front of Crawley's Seafood and McCollum Park will draw trout to this area. Look for birds attracted by baitfish pushed to the surface by schools of trout. Some of the better stretches are the areas in front of the marinas, which are reachable by skiff or sea kayak.

Small sites known to locals as Redfish Island and Redfish Bar are good for trout on calmer days in the spring, around Memorial Day. The flat gets shallow as it comes off the channel to hard shell bottoms in about 2 or 3 feet of water. Trout and redfish move through this area regularly.

Good wadefishing access is available at McCollum Park on Trinity Bay. The marsh areas and shorelines on the north end of Trinity Bay also offer attractive fly-fishing prospects. McCollum Park is located east of Baytown, off Texas 2354. Flyfishers can wade the park shoreline to the Houston Lighting & Power (HL&P;) Company discharge canal, a prime winter fishing area. The bay here is deeper and maintains more stable temperatures than do shallower waters.