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Fishing Lavaca Bay: what the data says
40,153-acre bay near Port Lavaca. The water tops out around 10 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings (depths referenced to low tide), so the channels, holes and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Red Drum (Redfish) fishing at Lavaca Bay
Start shallow in spring: red drum (redfish) sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 2 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Garcitas Creek inflow: a inflow / creek mouth around 4 ft that scores prime in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & midday | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spotted Seatrout fishing at Lavaca Bay
In spring, spotted seatrout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring spotted seatrout. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dawn | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Southern Flounder fishing at Lavaca Bay
Spring southern flounder on Lavaca Bay hold shallow, usually 1 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for southern flounder in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dawn | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | midday | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 9 ft
- Chocolate Bayou inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 5 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 5 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 5 ft
- Garcitas Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 3 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 3 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- Marina / dock area: dock line, around 2 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Lavaca Bay?
Lavaca Bay is about 10 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys (charted soundings referenced to low tide), so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Lavaca Bay?
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder on Lavaca Bay.
Where is the best fishing spot on Lavaca Bay?
Garcitas Creek inflow is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Lavaca Bay?
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.
Nearby waters
Espiritu Santo Bay · Matagorda Bay · Copano Bay · East Matagorda Bay · Aransas Bay · San Marcos River
See how Lavaca 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 every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.