Linnville Bayou Fishing Guides
A Matagorda County bayou at the State Highway 35 crossing near Van Vleck, gauged for stage, quiet freshwater fishing within reach of the Matagorda Bay system.
Guides on the Linnville Bayou
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About the Linnville Bayou
Linnville Bayou crosses State Highway 35 near Van Vleck in Matagorda County and drains south through the coastal prairie toward the lower Colorado River and, beyond it, Matagorda Bay. It is a small and largely overlooked water in a county whose fishing reputation rests almost entirely on the bay and the beachfront, which is precisely what makes it worth a stop for anyone who wants to fish without a boat and without company.
The gauge reports stage. The bayou is flashy in the way all these prairie drainages are, rising quickly under a heavy cell and dropping back over a couple of days, and it is the falling, clearing phase that fishes best. In an extended dry spell it thins to a series of connected pools, which concentrates the fish and can make for very good bank fishing if the heat is manageable. Those pools hold surprisingly good fish for their size, and a quiet approach matters more than tackle when the water is that low and clear.
Largemouth bass, sunfish and catfish are the mainstays, with gar in the slower stretches and the occasional large alligator gar in the deeper holes. In dry summers when salinity climbs in the lower system, mullet and the occasional redfish or flounder work their way up. Access is from the highway crossing and the county road bridges, and this is bank and kayak water throughout. Bay City is the nearest town of size with full services, and Matagorda itself is a short drive south for anyone who wants to combine a morning here with an afternoon on the bay. That pairing is the best argument for this water: it costs almost nothing to try, and it fishes at its best in the early hours when the bay is usually still too dark to run.
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Access
State Highway 35 crossing - the gauge bridge near Van Vleck, the main access point and the obvious landmark.
Van Vleck - the community at the crossing, with basic services and fuel.
Bay City - the county seat northwest, with tackle, food, lodging and full services.
Colorado River - the larger river the bayou drains toward, with boat access and a much bigger fishery.
Matagorda - the town at the river mouth south, the base for the bay and beachfront fishing.
Matagorda Bay - the bay system beyond, source of the saltwater fish that occasionally run up in dry years.
County road crossings - the several bridges along the bayou, each giving a short stretch of bank.
Seasons
Spring: the strongest window, with bass on the wood and sunfish spawning along the shallow margins.
Summer: hot and low, best early and late, with catfish and sunfish carrying the fishing and pools concentrating fish.
Fall: cooling water and steadier levels bring the bass back on, with the clearest water of the year.
Winter: slow and quiet, with catfish in the deeper holes and bass catchable on mild sunny afternoons.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Linnville Bayou?
Anglers target Alligator Gar, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Bowfin, Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Longear Sunfish, Longnose Gar, Red Drum, Redear Sunfish, Southern Flounder, Spotted Gar, Striped Mullet, Warmouth on the Linnville Bayou in Texas.
Where can you access the Linnville Bayou?
State Highway 35 crossing - the gauge bridge near Van Vleck, the main access point and the obvious landmark. Van Vleck - the community at the crossing, with basic services and fuel. Bay City - the county seat northwest, with tackle, food, lodging and full services. Colorado River - the larger river the bayou drains toward, with boat access and a much bigger fishery. Matagorda - the town at the river mouth south, the base for the bay and beachfront fishing. Matagorda Bay - the bay system beyond, source of the saltwater fish that occasionally run up in dry years. County road crossings - the seve...
When is the best time to fish the Linnville Bayou?
Spring: the strongest window, with bass on the wood and sunfish spawning along the shallow margins. Summer: hot and low, best early and late, with catfish and sunfish carrying the fishing and pools concentrating fish. Fall: cooling water and steadier levels bring the bass back on, with the clearest water of the year. Winter: slow and quiet, with catfish in the deeper holes and bass catchable on mild sunny afternoons.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Linnville Bayou?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Texas agency site: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing