Recreational Activities

If you are looking for camping experiences, you don't have to look very far. Riverside Park at the edge of the City has camping or RV spots and there are sites throughout Matagorda County from the beaches in Sargent and Matagorda to the Bay in Palacios to set up your tent or RV.

Fishing opportunities are extensive and we enjoy everything from fly fishing the Colorado or Tres Palacios rivers to fishing the bay for Red Fish, Trout or Flounder.

From May through October, we hold fishing tournaments throughout the county. Biking enthusiasts love the area for its wide open spaces and there is no better place to sail than in Matagorda Bay.

Videos

Education and Saltwater fishing videos are provided on the Texas Parks and Wildlife site. If you love fishing, you might like to know where to fish in Palacios, Sargent or Matagorda. Maybe you would like to take a look at the current Gulf Coast Fishing report.

Fishing License

If you are going to fish at any of the public waters in Texas, and that includes both fresh water and salt water, you will need a fishing license and the appropriate tags. Residents or non-residents can purchase fishing licenses that allow them to fish. You can find commercial fishing guides at Matagorda, Palacios and Sargent.

For golf, we enjoy the beautiful Rio Colorado Golf Course that is built around the Colorado River and surrounding wetlands. There is also Bay City Country Club, voted one of the best nine-hole courses in Texas, and where families enjoy the swimming pool in the summer and can play golf year round.

If you are out and about the county, there is also a nine-hole golf course at Palacios.

Whether you are playing on the beach, fishing off a pier or kayaking in the Gulf, there is a lot to know about the marine life of our semi-tropical waters. The Texas Parks and Wildlife has marine fishes and shellfishes of the Gulf information and provides online Coastal Species brochures to help you get familiar with the amazing critters in your new place.

Matagorda County is filled with hunters. We hunt everything from ducks and geese to alligators and deer. County seasons are important to know, as well as hunting regulations, where to buy your hunting license and where you can hunt.

Matagorda has a kayak trail map for paddling around their area. If you are new to kayaking or boating in Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife offers an Outdoor 101 brochure on water safety and information on the boating clubs in the state.

The online Texas River Guide has information on paddling trails, river safety and public boater access. Matagorda Adventure Company provides kayak and Stand-up Paddle Board (SUP) rentals, guided tours and paddling classes.

There are a few dedicated surfers around the county and Matagorda is one of the places they like to catch the waves.