The fishing piers of Port Aransas
You don't need a boat to fish the Fishing Capital of Texas. Port Aransas has four public piers — one long Gulf pier over the surf and three free piers on the ship channel and bay side — and each one fishes differently. Here's every pier, what it costs, what bites there, and which one fits the day you're planning.
Four piers, four different trips. Horace Caldwell Pier is the classic — the only pier on the Gulf beach, stretching about a quarter mile over the breakers with lights for night fishing and a shop that rents rods. The other three are free: Roberts Point Park's lighted bay pier on the ferry channel, the little Ancel Brundrett Pier at the north end of Station Street with its Lydia Ann Lighthouse view, and the newer pier at the Charlie's Pasture nature preserve. All four are within a fifteen-minute drive of Cinnamon Shore. For charters, jetty, and surf tactics, our full Port Aransas fishing guide covers the rest of the island.
Which Port Aransas pier should you fish?
All four public piers, one line each:
- Horace Caldwell Pier Best for: The full Gulf pier experience The only pier over the beach surf — about 1,240 feet long, lighted for night fishing, rod rentals and bait at the gate.
- Roberts Point Park Pier Best for: Kids and easy evenings Free, lighted, on the ferry channel where current pulls fish through — with boats and dolphins for the non-fishers.
- Ancel Brundrett Pier Best for: A quiet local spot The small free pier at the north end of Station Street, looking across at the Lydia Ann Lighthouse.
- Charlie's Pasture Pier Best for: Sunsets and birding The newest pier, free, on the ship channel at the nature preserve — fish while the shorebirds work the flats.
Every pier on this page is within fifteen minutes of Beached Inn — a 3-bedroom luxury home at Cinnamon Shore that sleeps 10, with a private elevator, quiet pool deck, and a two-minute walk to the sand for the mornings you'd rather surf-fish right off the beach. Book direct with the on-site manager — no third-party service fees.
- 3 bedrooms, sleeps 10
- 2-minute walk to the beach
- Private elevator to every floor
- Community pools & boardwalk access
- 10–15 minutes to all four piers
- Family- and reunion-friendly layout
All four piers at a glance
| Pier | Where | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horace Caldwell Pier | On the Gulf beach in I.B. Magee Beach Park, 230 North on the Beach | Small admission + per-pole fee; rod rentals at the shop (confirm current rates at the gate) | Gulf species day and night under the lights |
| Roberts Point Park Pier | Ferry-channel side of town, at the public bayfront park | Free | Families, evening fishing, boat- and dolphin-watching |
| Ancel Brundrett Pier (Station Street Pier) | North end of Station Street, beside Cline's Landing | Free | Quiet sessions with a Lydia Ann Lighthouse view |
| Charlie's Pasture Pier | Off Port Street at the Charlie's Pasture nature preserve | Free | Sunset fishing, birding, watching ships in the channel |
Fees, hours, and pier conditions change with weather and season — Horace Caldwell Pier is run by Nueces County ((361) 749-5333); check before a special trip.
Horace Caldwell Pier — the Gulf pier
This is the pier people picture when they picture Port Aransas. It runs roughly 1,240 feet off the beach in I.B. Magee Beach Park, putting you over the second and third sandbars where the surf fish feed. Expect whiting and croaker year-round, redfish and black drum in the guts, speckled trout on the right tides, blacktip and bonnethead sharks in the warm months, and king mackerel and tarpon off the end as summer peaks.
It's also the easiest pier for a traveler: pay the small admission and per-pole fee at the gate, and the pier shop sells bait and rents rods, so you can walk on with nothing and fish within minutes. The lights draw bait after dark, which makes night fishing here its own scene — summer nights on the T-head are a Port A tradition.
Roberts Point Park Pier — the family pier
On the harbor side of town, Roberts Point Park's free lighted pier sits right on the ferry channel, where a steady current funnels sheepshead, redfish, black drum, and trout past the pilings. The park around it — playground, jetty walkway, boat-watching, and the dolphins that work the channel — makes it the easiest pier to bring kids to: when the bite slows, there's still plenty to look at.
Our Roberts Point Park guide covers the rest of the park; if the ferry line is backed up, the pier is a genuinely pleasant place to wait it out.
Ancel Brundrett Pier — the local's pier
Locals call it the Station Street Pier: a modest free pier at the north end of Station Street beside Cline's Landing, looking straight across the water at the Lydia Ann Lighthouse. It's short, quiet, and rarely crowded — the pier you fish when you want the channel to yourself at sunrise. Sheepshead around the pilings, drum and reds in the current, and one of the better photo backdrops in town.
Charlie's Pasture Pier — the nature-preserve pier
The newest of the four, tucked off Port Street at the Charlie's Pasture nature preserve on the ship-channel side of the island. It pairs fishing with the preserve's boardwalks and birding — roseate spoonbills and herons on the flats, big ships sliding through the channel, and a west-facing view that makes it the best sunset pier in Port Aransas. Free to fish, and usually the least crowded of the four.
Licenses, bait, and pier manners
Texas requires a fishing license with a saltwater endorsement for anglers 17 and older on all four piers; kids under 17 fish free. Licenses are sold online through Texas Parks & Wildlife and at local outlets in town. Live and frozen bait is easy: the Horace Caldwell pier shop, Woody's Sports Center, Fisherman's Wharf, and the bait stands near the marina all carry shrimp, croaker, and mullet.
Two habits keep the piers pleasant: give your neighbors a rod-length of space when casting, and recycle your fishing line in the bins — loose line is the main hazard for the sea turtles and birds that share these waters. Caught dinner? Several restaurants in town will cook your cleaned catch — see our Port Aransas restaurant guide.
Map & directions
Horace Caldwell Pier, 230 North on the Beach, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Frequently asked questions
How many fishing piers are in Port Aransas?
Four public piers: Horace Caldwell Pier on the Gulf beach (the only pier over the surf), plus three free piers — the lighted pier at Roberts Point Park on the ferry channel, Ancel Brundrett Pier (the Station Street Pier) at the north end of Station Street, and the pier at the Charlie's Pasture nature preserve off Port Street.
How much does Horace Caldwell Pier cost?
There's a small per-person admission plus a per-pole fee, paid at the gate, and the pier shop rents rods if you didn't bring one — recently a few dollars each, but rates change, so confirm at the gate or with Nueces County at (361) 749-5333. The other three Port Aransas piers are free.
Do I need a fishing license to fish from a pier in Port Aransas?
Yes — Texas requires a fishing license with a saltwater endorsement for anglers 17 and older on all four public piers. Kids under 17 fish free without a license. Buy online through Texas Parks & Wildlife or at local outlets in town.
What can you catch off the Port Aransas piers?
From Horace Caldwell Pier: whiting and croaker year-round, redfish, black drum, speckled trout, blacktip and bonnethead sharks in the warm months, and king mackerel and tarpon off the end in summer. The channel-side piers (Roberts Point, Brundrett, Charlie's Pasture) produce sheepshead around the pilings plus redfish, drum, and trout riding the current.
Can you fish at night in Port Aransas?
Yes. Horace Caldwell Pier is lighted and night fishing under the lights is a summer tradition — the lights pull in bait, and the bait pulls in everything else. The Roberts Point Park pier is also lighted and free, and it's the easier night option with kids.
Which pier is best for kids?
Roberts Point Park. It's free, lighted, short enough for small attention spans, and the park around it adds a playground, ferry- and boat-watching, and the dolphins that work the channel. Horace Caldwell is the upgrade once kids can handle a longer session — rod rentals mean no gear to haul.
Is the pier better than surf or jetty fishing?
It's the easiest of the three — no waders, no climbing granite, rod rentals at Horace Caldwell, and fish-holding structure built in. The jetty reaches bigger water and the surf offers more solitude; our surf fishing guide and full fishing guide compare all the no-boat options.
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