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Nighttime Gigging Adventure in Matagorda Bay
- Published Date: July 17, 2025
- Fishing
- Matagorda
- $450 - $4,800 price range
- Updated Date: October 16, 2025
Summary
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Night Gigging Action
Great day of flatfish action at the cleaning station! Multiple techniques paid off.
Solid flatfish action today! Clear skies made for perfect fishing conditions.
Great day of jigging and drift fishing - flatfish adventure in Matagorda!
Night Gigging: Matagorda's Hidden Treasures
Get ready for a totally different kind of fishing trip under the Matagorda stars. Captain Joe Guerra's night gigging adventure is all about spotting and nabbing flounder, black drum, and sheepshead in the shallows. For 5 hours, you'll cruise the flats in two boats, using powerful LED lights to spot fish. It's like treasure hunting, but instead of gold, you're after some of the tastiest fish in Texas. This trip runs year-round, except for November when the flounder take a break. Whether you're a seasoned gigger or a first-timer, you're in for a wild ride.
What to Expect on the Water
Picture this: You're gliding through calm, shallow waters, the night air cool on your skin. The only sounds are the gentle hum of the boat motor and the occasional splash of a mullet. Suddenly, the water ahead lights up like a submerged UFO - that's your gigging lights in action. As you peer into the illuminated shallows, you'll spot fish clear as day. That's when the real fun begins. With a quick thrust of your gig, you've landed dinner. It's a hands-on, interactive way to fish that'll keep you on your toes all night. Captain Joe's got two boats, so you can bring up to 5 buddies along for the ride. Just remember, this ain't no relaxing cruise - be ready to stay sharp and maybe get a little wet.
Gigging 101: Gear and Technique
Alright, let's talk shop. Gigging is all about stealth and precision. You'll be armed with a long pole tipped with barbed prongs - that's your gig. The real magic happens with those LED lights, though. They cut through the water like a hot knife through butter, revealing fish that would otherwise be invisible in the dark. Captain Joe's boats are set up with state-of-the-art lighting rigs that'll make you feel like you're fishing in broad daylight. As for technique, it's pretty straightforward: spot the fish, sneak up on it, and strike fast. Sounds easy, right? Well, there's a bit of an art to it. You've got to account for water refraction and learn to read the subtle signs of a buried flounder. Don't worry, though - Captain Joe's got years of experience and he'll show you the ropes.
Species You'll Want to Hook
Let's break down the big three you'll be after on this trip. First up, the southern flounder. These flatfish are masters of camouflage, blending in perfectly with the sandy bottom. They can grow up to 25 inches long and put up a decent fight when you gig 'em. Flounder are most active in the cooler months, making fall and winter prime time for gigging. Next, we've got black drum. These bruisers can get huge - we're talking over 40 pounds - but the ones you'll be gigging are usually in the 5-15 pound range. They love to hang out near structures and make a distinct grunting sound that's pretty cool to hear underwater. Last but not least, sheepshead. These striped beauties are known for their human-like teeth (creepy, right?) and their ability to crush shellfish. They're tricky to catch on hook and line, but gigging levels the playing field. All three of these species are delicious, so you're in for some good eating no matter what you bring home.
Why Anglers Keep Coming Back
There's something about night gigging that gets under your skin. Maybe it's the thrill of stalking fish in their own element. Or the way the water glows under the lights, revealing a whole world most people never see. Whatever it is, folks who try it once tend to get hooked. It's not just about the fish, either. There's a camaraderie that develops when you're out there in the dark, working together to spot and gig your targets. And let's be honest, there's nothing quite like the satisfaction of bringing home a cooler full of fish you caught with your own two hands. Plus, with Captain Joe at the helm, you know you're in for a good time. He's got a knack for finding the hot spots and keeping things fun, even when the fish aren't cooperating.
Time to Book Your Spot
Look, if you're after a fishing trip that's off the beaten path, this is it. Captain Joe's night gigging adventure is the real deal - no fancy frills, just straight-up action and some of the best eating fish in the Gulf. Whether you're a local looking for a new challenge or a visitor wanting to try something uniquely Texan, this trip delivers. Remember, you can book this bad boy year-round, except for November when the flounder are off-limits. So what are you waiting for? Grab your buddies, pack a cooler (don't forget to leave room for your catch), and get ready for a night on the water you won't forget. Just be warned: once you try gigging, regular fishing might seem a little tame by comparison. Don't say we didn't warn you. Book now and get ready to see Matagorda's flats in a whole new light - literally.
Learn more about the animals
Black Drum
## Black Drum (Pogonias Cromis) ## Black Drum Description The Black Drum is a fish in the Sciaenidae family. The Black Drum is also the largest fish of that family, including almost 300 species, including their popular cousin, the Redfish. They are known as drums or croakers due to the repetitive drumming or croaking sounds they make. They are black and or grey and have powerful jaws with strong teeth capable of crushing prey like shellfish and oysters. ## Black Drum Size The Black Drum's typical weight range varies considerably from 5 to 30 pounds but can reach a weight of up to 90 pounds. If you intend to eat your catch, you may want to release Black Drum over 15 pounds. As they grow larger, the meat is tough and more comparable to chicken than a flaky texture. Also, the flavor of the older fish is not as tasty as the smaller-sized fish. ## Black Drum Spawning Black Drum have mating calls that they use to seek out others during the spawning season, capable of producing tones that reach 100 to 500 Hz. Black Drum grow rapidly and reach maturity within the first 2 years of their lives and live to 50 years. The females can lay eggs every three days during the spawning season. Their spawning seasons vary due to location, spawning occurring in February and March in southern areas like Texas, and April to June farther north. ## Black Drum Habitat Black Drum typically prefers brackish waters and estuaries. The adults live closer to the saltier areas near the ocean. They can be found around an oyster bed and other areas with plentiful food sources. The juveniles prefer the less salty areas of the same estuaries with sandy bottoms. Black drum are extremely adaptable when it comes to temperatures and salinity and can be attracted to freshwater creek openings and extremely shallow water, but are also found in depths of up to 100 feet. ## Black Drum Fishing You will find the best Drum fishing is on shallow water, muddy flats, and oyster beds, but they can also be found near inlets, pier pilings, creeks and estuaries that make way inward. Most anglers also fish for the Black Drum in the spring around the spawning season. At this time, the fish school up and are easier to target. After the spawning season, the fish disperse and become much harder to target. ## ## Black Drum Bait and Lures The best bait an angler can use for Drum fishing is live bait because they are bottom-feeders. Live bait such as fresh soft crabs, mollusk, peelers crabs, sea clam, or crushed mussels are the preferred bait. Anglers like to use crab because it does not tend to get eaten by catfish and other bait stealers. If you are not using live bait, then choose very slow-moving jigs like bucktail jigs. It is also vital to use the correct weighting for the conditions to ensure that your bait is on the bottom. When fly fishing, most anglers prefer to use a 7- or 9-weight fly rod, leaning towards a 9-weight for throwing heavier flies and a little extra strength when pulling on fish that may be more than 20 pounds. You will want to present your fly on the bottom, and weighted black flies that get to the bottom quickly are best such as the Redfish Worm, Merkin, and Clouser Minnow. ## Distribution and Range The Black Drum has a wide range and extends as far north as Nova Scotia, down the whole Atlantic coast of the United States, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. ## Black Drum Regulations Check the state you are fishing in as they each have their own regulations, but you will find most at 5 fish per day between 14 and 24 inches long, with one allowed over 24 inches.
Sheepshead
Sheepshead are the convicts of the sea, sporting those distinctive black and white stripes. Most run 1-8 pounds and 14-20 inches, but you might luck into a 20-pounder. These toothy critters love structure – docks, bridges, jetties – anywhere barnacles grow. Spring's prime time as they gather to spawn. Anglers get a kick out of catching 'em for their fight and tasty white meat. Plus, those human-like teeth are always good for a laugh. Here's the trick to landing one: use a small, sharp hook with natural bait like fiddler crabs or oysters. Get as close to the structure as you can without spooking 'em. When you feel a nibble, wait a second before setting the hook hard. Sheepshead are notorious bait stealers, so you gotta be quick. It's a game of patience, but man, is it worth it when you reel in one of these striped battlers.
Southern Flounder
Southern Flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) Fish Description
A Southern Flounder is a flat, oval fish and is a part of the Paralichthyidae family. It is known for having both of its eyes on the left side of its head. It has an underdeveloped pectoral fin or has none at all. It also does not have any spines on its fins, and its caudal fin is separate.
The Southern Flounder is often mistaken as a Summer Flounder but one of its distinguishing factors among other flounders is its numerous light and dark blotches and spots on their dark side. Other flounders have oscillated spots, which is absent in a Southern Flounder.
It is a known predator, and it ambushes its prey from the bottom, camouflaging itself under sand or mud. It feeds on worms, shrimp, blue crabs, and smaller fishes like anchovies, menhaden, and mullets.
Interesting Facts About Southern Flounder
- A female Southern Flounder can lay up to 9,000 eggs at once.
- It can change its color and mimic the substrate they are in. This helps help hide from predators and also hunt for prey.
- Flounders are anguilliform swimmers. They swim using their bodies and caudal fin.
- Its eyes are both found on one side – also called their ocular side.
- Most Southern Flounders are 'left-handed' (both eyes on the left side), but there are also 'right-handed' Southern Flounders in rare cases.
- A male Southern Flounder's life is shorter than its female counterpart. It can live for at most three years only.
Size
A Southern Flounder typically ranges from 15 to 18 inches and can grow as long as 33 inches. Typically, they weigh around 5 lbs. but it recorded an all-tackle weight of 20 lbs—9 oz.
Habitat and Distribution
The Southern Flounder is found in the waters along the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico. It is commonly found in sandy, rocky, or muddy bottoms of shallow waters of coastal marine areas, bays, rivers, lakes, and estuaries. This makes it easier to catch and feed on prey. Most adult Southern Flounders prefer staying offshore during the winter season.
Southern Flounder - Fishing Techniques
The best technique to catch a Southern Flounder is still fishing or drift fishing since they settle at the water's bottom. Anglers can use live fish and artificial lures as bait. It is best to use a single-hooked, slip lead, or free-line rig with heads ranging from 1/4 "- 3/8". It is advised to use light-to-medium lines with reels that can spool 150 yards per 10 lbs. Anglers can also fly fish using medium lines.
Bull minnows, mullets, and shrimps are the best baits to catch flatfish like flounders.
