San Luis Pass, the largest natural pass on the Texas coast, has been revered by generations of upper coast anglers for its raw beauty, power, and explosive fishing. Flyfishers can get a piece of the action either in driftfishing from a boat or in wading the Galveston Island side, where there is a hard sand bottom and a gradual drop-off. Most of the pluggers and bait fishermen walk out from the shore to fish the"pocket-deep" water around the channel drop-off. But flyfishers should not pass up the shallow, calf-deep water nearer the shoreline, where numerous oyster reefs draw feeding redfish and seatrout.

Because of treacherous currents around the pass, first-timers should stay in the vicinity of other waders or seek information on safe entry points at nearby marinas or bait shops. Always wear personal flotation devices when wading near passes and deep channels.

Wading the edges of the San Luis Pass channel, flyfishers use sinking lines and weighted flies as they join the pluggers targeting speckled trout in the 7- to 8-pound class. In addition to trout, reds, black drum, flounder, and other inshore species, the Gulfside pass area also attracts Spanish mackerel, bull reds, and tarpon.

The flats along West Bay on the Galveston side of the pass offer drive-up, walk-in wadefishing over hard sand bottoms.