Planning on doing a little flounder fishing the Friday after Thanksgiving, and figured I'd give TAMU Galveston a shot for the first time. I assume Aggie rings are sufficient to get us in? Also, are you allowed to launch kayaks there? Don't feel like fighting the crowds at Seawolf, but I feel like everything around Pelican Island will be solid. Any tips are appreciated

When I was there you needed a student fishing pass to do it. It was pretty loosely enforced but this was before they had the fishing pier built. You might want to call ahead.

I don't think the ring will work, but if it does let us know!

I'd suggest fishing next to the Pelican Island Causeway on the opposite side of the channel from TAMU-G, you'll see where everyone parks and just follow suit. I caught a limit there last Sunday while wading and saw quite a few caught in the hour I was there, but yesterday from my boat I didn't get a single bite nor see a flounder caught in the Ship Channel. Good luck, report back with your results.

third coast.. said:

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They will roast you with parking tickets

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Also this. I haven't been back to Campus in years but it was bad back then, I doubt it's gotten better.

patters10 said:

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I don't think the ring will work, but if it does let us know!

I'd suggest fishing next to the Pelican Island Causeway on the opposite side of the channel from TAMU-G, you'll see where everyone parks and just follow suit. I caught a limit there last Sunday while wading and saw quite a few caught in the hour I was there, but yesterday from my boat I didn't get a single bite nor see a flounder caught in the Ship Channel. Good luck, report back with your results.

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Thanks for the tip. Would it be possible to launch kayaks from the Causeway?

Used to need a fishing pass acquired from the Campus Police. Fishing really isn't that great, as mentioned the current is really bad. Go further down seawolf parkway on the north side of Pelican Island and hit the flounder.

I'm wondering if my best bet may be putting in by fort San Jacinto. I know that area is pretty rocky, and it might be hard getting kayaks in and out, but it might be best to drop in there and paddle towards Pelican

It would be a PITA to launch at the causeway and I'd suggest just wading it or fishing from the concrete slab but get there early because it'll be crowded. Google maps will be your friend for launching the yak.

I fished their pier a few years ago. The PD did come out and check but I work for A&M and showed them my ID. I got bored in the middle of the night and drove back to Aggieland. True story.

BaitShack said:

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I fished their pier a few years ago. The PD did come out and check but I work for A&M and showed them my ID. I got bored in the middle of the night and drove back to Aggieland. True story.

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Rules have changed since then - as was mentioned, you now need a permit from the TAMU Galveston PD. Pretty sure you have to be a TAMU Galveston faculty, staff, or student to get it ..

I was at SWP on Thur & Fri last week - people there, but not what I call "combat fishing" (weekend is probably different). Only saw 2 people fishing the TAMU beaches.

I had campus police ask me for my school ID one time there. Luckily I still had my old one.

McGibblets said:

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Fished A&M Galveston pier this morning. Didn't mess with kayaks since I wasn't sure what the weather would be like. There was quite a few people there early around sunrise. Cops showed up to kick people out, and I just showed them my ring and was fine. Fishing was a little slower than we would have hoped, but still caught my 2 keepers

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I assume that you do not have sleeve tattoos and don't act like an ass

Can someone explain the situation with the cops running off fisherman for those of us who don't know the A&M Galveston layout? What's the deal with cops being ok with just showing an Aggie ring?

I'm genuinely interested here and not being flippant.

Still wondering

I was told only students could fish. I had a campus ID from college station and they let me stay

How bad is the problem that randos show up and fish? I'm starting to really wish I had spent a few years at TAMUG.

I am from the coast and love Galveston.

I've heard students and former students, but wasn't really sure. There's not a ton of room to fish if you're fishing the pier or around the pier, so numbers can definitely make things challenging. There was a whole lot of people that you could easily tell were not students or former students, and while I was talking with the cop, he mentioned that someone made a call to them. Not sure how many people would be there on a regular weekend as opposed to the long holiday weekend in the middle of the flounder run

Has anyone been recently or know how former students can get access to fish? I was getting excited for the flounder run and wanted to see if this would be an option.

Getting my rigs ready!

Good video of the rig and the action:

(doesn't have to be a bucktail on the bottom, can use just a jig head

Action: vertical rapid jigging with slow retrieval
Feel a thump? Raise the rod tip to see if it's heavy (flounder). Reel it on the way down and set the hook

Hook: use bait saver type on top hook to save the gulp lure~1/0 size to 2/0
attach by looping through eye of hook

Jig Head
weighted but not too heavy ~1/4-3/8 oz
attach by looping through eye of hook

Rig Line
15 lb. fluorocarbon
loop knot on bottom for jig head
second loop knot (dropper loop) 12 inch above for the bait saver hook
swivel 12 inch above 2nd loop

Gulp Bait on both
Berkley Gulp 4 in Swimming Mullet Baits
color: Chartreuse, pink, white
note: can also use Gulp shrimp, or mantis shrimp

Tips
make a lot of rigs - you might lose them in the oysters
bring lots of Gulp - they get torn off

A long time ago i was fishing on campus and security stopped me. I still had my A&M student ID so i showed it to him and he let me fish. He acted like if I didnt have it, I would have been asked to leave.

https://www.tamug.edu/police/Campus_Regulations/Fishing.html

I saw that website. It seemed pretty official yet had some wiggle room. Guessing it's to scare off the non-Aggies

I had an update on this: I went a week ago and had no trouble. I had my old student ID on me just in case but none of the security guards stopped by. There was quite a bit of activity with students walking the shore line and gators patrolling around for whatever reason (possibly construction). The channel by the bridge was super fishy fyi.

My son was just accepted there for next fall so I think I have an invited guest pass either way for a few years.

Motis B Totis said:

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I had an update on this: I went a week ago and had no trouble. I had my old student ID on me just in case but none of the security guards stopped by. There was quite a bit of activity with students walking the shore line and gators patrolling around for whatever reason (possibly construction). The channel by the bridge was super fishy fyi.

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There are some huge sand trout in that channel. Live shrimp on a slip sinker rig bounced down the bottom with the current always worked well for them.