Fishing and Hunting
Imagine fishing off your own private pier in your own backyard. In a Fortenberry Home, you can realize this dream because all our homes are built on a canal with private boat slips.
If you are an avid fisherperson looking for variety, there are all kinds of fishing opportunities on Bolivar peninsula. Favorite fishing activities include wade fishing, crabbing, fishing off piers and jetties and more. Favorite spots are Rollover Pass, the North Jetty, the marshes of East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
Hunters will find unique opportunities as well. Many folks consider the dove and waterfowl hunting in the Bolivar marshes to be excellent in the fall.
Fishing
One of the prime fishing spots is East Bay due to its location behind the island. Here, it is sheltered from the prevailing southern winds so the waters are calmer and you can find oyster reefs and other fish in the quiet, shoreline marshes. You can also find good fishing from the the piers located on Bolivar. Jetty fishing is another favorite where many fish species can be caught.
Rollover Pass or Rollover Fish Pass is located in Gilchrist, just down the road from Canal City. In fact, the Gilchrist area used to be called Rollover. This narrow cut in the island allows salty sea water to pass into the East Bay of the Galveston Bay Estuary System, ensuring the needed brackish salinity for fin and shellfish nursery habitat. Today, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. keep the pass open to preserve and improve fish and wildlife resources in the bay.
Fish species regularly caught around Bolivar include perch, Pompano, Mangrove Snapper, Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Redfish, King Mackerel, Cobia, Tarpon and sharks.
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, on Galveston Bay offers bank and wade fishing and has restrooms at the entrance.
Atkinson Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (WMA) offer fishing as well and are located just in the next county.
If competition is your thing, check out the local area fishing tournaments at the Texas Fishing Network.
For more information on fishing, licenses and regulations, visit Texas Parks and Wildlife's Fishing website.
Bait and Tackle
- Bayside Fishing and Bait Camp
- Ferry Landing Bait Camp
- North End Bait and Tackle
- North Jetty Bait Camp
- Quality Bait Camp
- Rollover Pass Bait and Tackle
- Shirley's Bait Camp and Cafe
- Stingarees Way Out Bait Camp
Hunting
Hunting is allowed for quail, dove and squirrel when in season for Galveston County. The marshes of East Bay provide prime locations. There is also hunting at the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (WMA), for alligator, waterfowl, gallinule, rail, turkey, dove, teal and snipe.
For more information on hunting licenses and regulations, check out the site of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.