West Fork Double Bayou Fishing Guides
A Chambers County tidal bayou running off the Anahuac prairie into Trinity Bay, where freshwater bass and bay redfish overlap in the same water.
Guides on the West Fork Double Bayou
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About the West Fork Double Bayou
West Fork Double Bayou drains the coastal prairie southwest of Anahuac and empties into Trinity Bay, and that makes it one of the more interesting pieces of water in southeast Texas. It is genuinely tidal in its lower reaches, so the salinity moves up and down the bayou with the tide, the wind and whatever the Trinity River is sending into the bay. The practical consequence is that an angler can catch a largemouth bass and a red drum within sight of each other, and which one is more likely depends on conditions rather than on location alone.
The gauge at Eagle Ferry Road reads both discharge and stage, which is unusual and useful for a coastal bayou, because it shows whether fresh water is pushing down the system or the bay is pushing up into it. After heavy prairie rain the bayou runs fresh and the bass fishing improves well down toward the mouth. In dry spells, salt moves upstream and the trout and redfish follow it.
Spotted seatrout, red drum and black drum work the lower bayou and the marsh edges, with southern flounder holding on the bottom near the mouth through the migration. Sheepshead gather on any hard structure. Largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill occupy the fresher upper reaches. Blue and channel catfish are throughout, and gafftopsail catfish come up with the salt.
Alligator gar are present and reach serious size here, which is part of the appeal for some anglers. Access is limited and mostly by road crossing and small launch, so a shallow boat or kayak is ideal. Anahuac is the nearest town and Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge lies just to the east.
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Access
Anahuac - the nearest town, with lodging, fuel, bait and food.
Eagle Ferry Road - the crossing at the gauge, the main reference point on this fork.
Trinity Bay - the bay the bayou empties into, a major fishery of its own.
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge - public land and marsh access east of the bayou.
Double Bayou - the main stem below the forks, tidal throughout.
Trinity River - the large river entering the bay to the west.
Baytown - the city across the bay with full services and tackle.
Seasons
Spring: bass spawn in the fresher upper reaches while trout and redfish push into the lower bayou.
Summer: salt moves upstream in dry spells and the lower bayou fishes like bay water.
Fall: flounder migrate through the mouth and redfish feed hard along the marsh edges.
Winter: fish concentrate in the deeper bayou holes, which hold heat and hold trout and reds.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the West Fork Double Bayou?
As of Oct 18, 5:30 pm, the USGS gauge W Fk Double Bayou at Eagle Ferry Rd nr Anahuac, TX reads 184 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the West Fork Double Bayou?
Anglers target Alligator Gar, Black Crappie, Black Drum, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Gafftopsail Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Red Drum, Sheepshead, Southern Flounder, Spotted Seatrout on the West Fork Double Bayou in Texas.
Where can you access the West Fork Double Bayou?
Anahuac - the nearest town, with lodging, fuel, bait and food. Eagle Ferry Road - the crossing at the gauge, the main reference point on this fork. Trinity Bay - the bay the bayou empties into, a major fishery of its own. Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge - public land and marsh access east of the bayou. Double Bayou - the main stem below the forks, tidal throughout. Trinity River - the large river entering the bay to the west. Baytown - the city across the bay with full services and tackle.
When is the best time to fish the West Fork Double Bayou?
Spring: bass spawn in the fresher upper reaches while trout and redfish push into the lower bayou. Summer: salt moves upstream in dry spells and the lower bayou fishes like bay water. Fall: flounder migrate through the mouth and redfish feed hard along the marsh edges. Winter: fish concentrate in the deeper bayou holes, which hold heat and hold trout and reds.
Where are the fishing regulations for the West Fork Double Bayou?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Texas agency site: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/