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36,652-acre bay near Matagorda. The water tops out around 7 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 36,382 acres wrapped in 74.3 miles of bank — 19 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Tip to tip the water measures near 20.9 mi with a 4.7-mi widest point. It sits in Matagorda County. Its nearest charted neighbour, San Bernard River, is 24 mi to the northeast.
Spring red drum (redfish) on East Matagorda Bay hold shallow, usually 1 to 7 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 1 to 7 ft in summer, 1 to 7 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Caney Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 4 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 1 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 1 to 7 ft | dawn & midday | Caney Creek inflow (4 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 1 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spring puts spotted seatrout in skinny water — 1 to 7 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring spotted seatrout. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dusk | Deep basin (6 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Early season southern flounder use the shallows, holding in 1 to 7 ft. Even in summer they hold at 1 to 7 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 7 ft. The chart's best answer is Old creek channel — creek channel, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (3 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 1 to 7 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (3 ft) | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 1 to 7 ft | midday | Caney Creek inflow (4 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
The chart marks 12 structure features on East Matagorda Bay; the deepest is Deep basin at about 6 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Texas waters are set by the Texas Parks & Wildlife (saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to East Matagorda Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Texas fishing regulations →
East Matagorda Bay is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder on East Matagorda Bay.
Caney Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For red drum (redfish), the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on East Matagorda Bay is regulated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife (saltwater). Check the official Texas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
San Bernard River 24 mi · Matagorda Bay 29 mi · Lake Texana 47 mi · Lavaca Bay 48 mi · Espiritu Santo Bay 49 mi · Coleto Creek Reservoir 85 mi · San Jacinto River 85 mi · Aransas Bay 87 mi · Copano Bay 88 mi · Sheldon Lake 90 mi · Redfish Bay 97 mi · Lake Houston 98 mi
See how East Matagorda Bay stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in Texas · best spotted seatrout lakes in Texas · best southern flounder lakes in Texas
Browse all Texas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.