A man fishing at Seawolf Park with a cruise ship in the background

Things to do

Fishing in Galveston

Fish through the night from a Seawall pier in season, next to WWII museum ships at Seawolf Park, or from a party boat out at the jetties or in the Gulf. Most anglers need a $16 visitor license, but in the state park you can fish from shore without one.

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Find your spot

Checked October 29, 20263 piers, a state park, 4 boat tripsVisitor license $16 a day

Seawolf Park, Galveston · Photo: Gower Brown / Unsplash · Credits

The short answer

Where to fish for the trip you have in mind

Most anglers 17 and older need a Texas fishing license. The exception is fishing from shore inside a state park. A one-day license costs visitors $16 and Texans $11.

To fish at nightGalveston Fishing PierOpen 24 hours from the second Saturday in March to the weekend after Thanksgiving, and 7 am to 11 pm in winter. Weather can close it$16 adults
To walk from your hotel61st Street Fishing PierRents rods and has a rooftop bar$14 adults
To bring the dogSeawolf ParkAllows pets on a leash, which the Seawall piers don't. The state park allows leashed dogs too$15 adults
Fish from deep waterParty boat8 to 30 hours out in the GulfFrom $100 adults
A first try with the kidsParty boat, bay and jetty4 hours, with rods and bait included$38 adults, $30 kids
To skip the licenseGalveston Island State ParkShore fishing in a state park needs no license$5 per adult entry

Piers

Two piers, a city park and the state park

9001 Seawall Blvd

Galveston Fishing Pier

This pier has stood on the Seawall since 1971. You can rent rods and buy bait and tackle on the pier, and there is a café.

Admission: $16 adults, $8 ages 5 to 10, free for 4 and under
Hours: 24 hours from the second Saturday in March to the weekend after Thanksgiving, then 7 am to 11 pm in winter. Weather can close the pier
Rods: Up to 3 per person, each no longer than 10 ft. Children up to 10 may bring 1
Banned: Pets, cast nets, gaffs, glass, outside alcohol, tents, grills, kayaks and drones

Passes aren't refunded, and game wardens check licenses on the pier. The pier publishes a month-by-month table of the fish usually caught there. It shows what is biting, not what you may keep, so check the limits below as well.

Source: Galveston Fishing Pier

6101 Seawall Blvd

61st Street Fishing Pier

A family pier with a rooftop bar and a coffee stand. Your wristband is good from 6 am to 6 am the next morning, and you pay less if you come late at night.

Admission: $14 adults, $8 kids 12 and under or military, $6 seniors 65+, $1 toddlers
Hours: 24 hours from March into December; shorter hours, depending on the weather, from December to February
Rod rental: $14 per rod plus a $20 deposit. Frozen bait costs $7.99
Rules: 2 rods per person, each no longer than 10 ft. No pets or glass. Alcohol only if you buy it on the pier

Entry drops to half price after 2 am, $4 after 4 am and $2 after 5 am.

Source: 61st Street Fishing Pier

The 61st Street Fishing Pier on the Gulf — The 61st Street Fishing Pier reaches out into the Gulf.61st Street Fishing Pier · Photo: Jim Evans / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Seawolf Park on Pelican Island with its fishing pier and museum ships — Seawolf Park on Pelican Island, with its fishing pier and the museum ships.Seawolf Park, Pelican Island · Photo: CJ TravelTips / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Marsh grass on the bay shore of Galveston Island State Park — Marsh grass along the bay shore of Galveston Island State Park.Galveston Island State Park, bay side · Photo: Yinan Chen / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Pelican Island, 100 Seawolf Park Blvd

Seawolf Park

This city park on the ship channel has a fishing pier, a playground, picnic areas with barbecue pits and the WWII ships of the Galveston Naval Museum. Pets on a leash are welcome here, which the Seawall piers don't allow.

Fishing: Visitors pay $15 adults, $10 seniors 65+, $6 ages 5 to 11. Free for 4 and under
Parking: Free if you pay to fish, otherwise $10 per car
Hours: Sunrise to sunset. In season you can fish overnight with a band bought by 6 am
Rules: Pets on a leash are allowed, and so is alcohol, but not glass. No tents or camping, fires only in the barbecue pits, and RVs must leave by 9 pm
Getting there: Take 51st Street across the bridge to Pelican Island. The road becomes Seawolf Parkway and leads to the park

From the pier, look northwest for the wreck of the SS Selma. It is the largest of the concrete ships the US built during the World War I steel shortage, launched in 1919 and scuttled here in 1922.

Galveston Island residents pay less. After dark, everyone in the park needs a fishing band, even people who aren't fishing. More on the park, the museum ships and the bridge in our Seawolf Park guide.

Sources: City of Galveston: Seawolf Park, Visit Galveston: Seawolf Park, directions (Cavalla Historical Foundation), Texas Historical Commission: SS Selma marker

Mid-island, west of the Seawall

Galveston Island State Park

You can fish from the beach or from the bay side. Shore fishing in a Texas state park needs no license, so this is the cheapest way to try.

Entry: $5 per adult, free for 12 and under
Facilities: Canoe and kayak launches, a fish-cleaning station and paddling trails
Busy season: March to October, weekends above all. Reserve a day pass online

The license exemption is for shore fishing only. Dogs on a leash are allowed, but not in buildings or swimming areas. More in our state park guide.

Sources: TPWD: Galveston Island State Park, entrance fees

Texas fishing license

The license you need

For saltwater fishing in Texas you need a fishing license with a saltwater endorsement, or a one-day all-water license, which covers fresh and salt water. Anglers under 17 fish free. Game wardens visit the piers often.

Licenses at Texas Parks & Wildlife

Before you keep a fish

Each species has its own minimum length, daily bag limit and closed season. Flounder, for example, must be at least 15 inches, the bag limit is 5, and the season is closed from November 1 to December 14. Check TPWD's bag and length limits. Offshore, federal rules apply as well, and the boat crew knows them.

Who needs one: Most anglers 17 and older in Texas public waters, whether they live in Texas or not. Texans born before 1931, Louisiana residents 65+ with a Louisiana license, Oklahoma residents 65+ and some anglers with an intellectual disability are exempt
Exception: You need no license to fish from shore inside a Texas state park
One day, visitors: $16 for a non-resident one-day all-water license. You can add extra days when you buy it
One day, Texans: $11 for a resident one-day all-water license
Season, visitors: $63 for a non-resident saltwater package, good until August 31
Season, Texans: $35 for a resident saltwater package, good until August 31
Where to buy: Online from Texas Parks & Wildlife, or from a licensed retailer

By boat

Party boats: bay, jetty or deep sea

Galveston Party Boats runs shared trips, and the rod, reel and bait are included. Service and port fees are extra. The ticket fee is $1 to $5 depending on the trip, plus a port fee. In autumn and winter, trips run less often. Every trip needs good weather and enough bookings, so book ahead.

Bay and jetty
Length4 hoursPrice$38 adults, $30 kids 12 and underTypical catchDrum, croaker, sand trout, whiting and shark
Deep sea
Length8 hoursPrice$100 adults, $70 kids 7 to 12Typical catchSnapper, amberjack and triggerfish, by season
Deep sea
Length12 hoursPrice$146 adults, $100 kids 7 to 12Typical catchThe same fish, further out
Deep sea overnight
Length30 hoursPrice$455, ages 16 and up, at most 38 peopleTypical catchThe fish of the 8- and 12-hour trips, with a chance of tuna, wahoo and tilefish. Bring your own gear and a sleeping bag

Passengers who don't fish pay $25 on the 4-hour trip ($5 for 4 and under), $50 on the 8-hour trip and $85 on the 12-hour trip. They can't come on the 30-hour trip and can't claim a bag limit. To cancel or rebook, give 3 days' notice, or 7 days for the 30-hour trip. Boats leave from Pier 19: turn off Harborside Drive onto 20th Street. Check in at least an hour before departure. Harbor parking across the street costs $16 a day. Questions: (409) 763-5423. Sources: Galveston Party Boats, contact, FAQ.

What a first day of fishing costs one visiting adult

61st Street Pier with a rented rod
Adds up to$14 entry + $16 one-day license + $14 rod + $7.99 bait = $51.99. You also leave a $20 rod deposit, which you get backNot includedParking and food
Party boat, bay and jetty
Adds up to$38 trip + $16 one-day license = $54, with rod, reel and bait includedNot includedA ticket fee of $1 to $5 depending on the trip, a port fee the operator doesn't put a figure on, and $16 a day to park across the street
State park, own gear
Adds up to$5 entry, and no license from shoreNot includedBait and tackle

Where to stay

A hotel a few blocks from the 61st Street Pier

Beachfront Palms (5914 Seawall) and the Hyatt Select next door (5924) are a short walk from the pier. Both include breakfast and parking. More options: beachfront hotels.

Pool, palm trees and the Gulf at Beachfront Palms Resort

Near the 61st Street Pier

Photo: Expedia

Seawall, near 59th Street

Beachfront Palms Resort

Breakfast and guest parking come with the room, so the bill stays low, and one dog up to 75 lb is welcome. Ask for a partial ocean view room for a glimpse of the Gulf from your window.

Where: 5914 Seawall Blvd. Cross the boulevard for the beach
Parking: Free for the length of your stay
Pets: Dogs only: 1 dog up to 75 lb. A $50 fee plus a $150 deposit. There's an off-leash area
Breakfast: Free hot buffet, 7 to 10 am
Pool: An outdoor pool on site. Guests can also use the indoor pool at the Hyatt Select next door
Also: Check-in 3 pm, check-out 11 am. You must be 21 to check in

Good for

A trip with your dog, once the hotel has confirmed the rules
Free breakfast and parking

Skip if

You need a guaranteed Gulf view
Your cat is coming

Check prices on Expedia Full hotel guide

Sources: Beachfront Palms fact sheet, Beachfront Palms FAQ