Texas and Louisiana fly casters find a variety of saltwater action on this wide spot in the river on their border
On The Fly Saltwater
September 2025
Article and photos by Jimmy Jacobs
When it comes to fly fishing on the Texas Coast, we hear a lot about wading Laguna Madre in the South, or hitting the waters of Matagorda Bay around Port O’Conner farther north. On the other hand, Sabine Lake on the Louisiana border doesn’t get as much publicity. And, in the fall months, that is a shame.
The lake is a actually a 14-mile-long and 7-mile-wide bay where the Sabine River on the east and Neches River from the west converge, co-mingling their waters on the way to Sabine Pass at the southern end of the lake. The pass then empties into what is now officially recognized by the U.S. Government as the Gulf of America. Additionally, the border between the Lone Star State and Louisiana runs down the center of the lake. Fortunately for anglers, a fishing license from either state is legal for fishing the entire body of water.
The city of Port Arthur lies on the southwest shore of the lake, and as its name implies, it is a working port with ship and barge traffic. Those big vessels, however, use the Port Arthur Ship Canal that is part of the Intercoastal Waterway and separated along the western shore by Pleasure Island.
On the other hand, much of the eastern shore in of the lake in Louisiana is in the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and mostly undeveloped. That refuge runs along the shore to the north of the mouth of Johnson Bayou. A lot of the better fall angling sites are along this shore of the lake
Starting in September and running up to Christmas, the lake provides a variety of good fishing options, many of which can be targeted by fly casters. There even is the opportunity for some wade fishing in the mix. Whether it is redfish, speckled trout or flounder, in the right locations and with the correct tactics the autumn can deliver some fast action.
Here’s a look at the kind of action you can expect here in the fall months.
Redfish
In the past, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department stocked more than 1 million redfish fingerlings in Sabine Lake to boost the population. That apparently was a good move, since the fishing for the reds is now the most consistent year-round option in these waters.
For much of the year these fish are in open water chasing bait fish schools. That action often can be located by watching for diving gulls and terns. But in the fall, the fish school up and move to the shallow flats along the Louisiana side of the lake to gorge on crabs, shrimp and minnows. This puts them in great locations for fly casters.
Starting in September, a good place to look for them is in the northeast corner of the lake in Coffee Grounds Cove. Look for the oyster pads or clam shell beds that attract the forage and the reds likely will be there too. Down on the mid-section of the east side of the lake, the area around the mouth of Johnson Bayou is another hot spot.
Tossing shrimp imitations is a good tactic. Also, you can take a note from spin fishermen and throw streamers in the LSU purple-and-gold color scheme.
Speckled Trout
Fall fishing on Sabine Lake features shots trophy-sized seatrout, with 3- to 5-pounds caught regularly and occasionally ones that get near double digit weights. Best of all, this fishing can entail some top-water action. Usually that is found beneath diving birds. Just be aware that these fish may swirl on you fly a couple of time before actually inhaling it. So, keep it moving, rather than picking it up.
Topwater trout also can be taken along shorelines, but you need a fly that causes some commotion on the surface to attract them. A larger gurgler pattern is one option.
A couple of good places to look for these fish when there is not surface action under gulls are located roughly a hundred yards south of Blue Buck Point. A couple of shell reefs are at this location that draw in the trout in the fall. Just remember to make you retrieves noisy!
Flounder
Ordinarily, fly casters don’t target flounder, rather they are picked up when we after other species. However, when the fall migration starts on Sabine Lake, you can target them. That migration takes the fish out of the bayous along the Louisiana side of the lake, with them moving south to the pass and the Gulf waters.
In September they are still at the bayous, riding the tide up into those to feed on minnows and shrimp. Staking out the mouth of one of those drains on the falling tide will bring those fish within casting range. Flies in the LSU color scheme or something featuring chartreuse can turn the trick on these flatfish.
The mouth of drains on a falling tide are good targets for flounder.
Wading Options
As mentioned earlier, several spots on the east side of Sabine Lake offer the option of getting into the water for some wade fishing. But this is the fall, so you probably should plan on wearing waders.
The flat at Coffee Ground Cove has wadable stretches where you can find redfish and seatrout. A good tactic is cast into any pockets in the shore line vegetation. That growth can be taller cane or just marsh grass. Since the bottom of Sabine Lake is basically flat, any slight ditches or humps in the water tend to attract fish, so don’t neglect those.
Down on the mid-lake eastern side, the shoreline around the mouth of Johnson Bayou is wadable. This area has given up some of the biggest trout taken from the lake, as well as redfish.
About a mile north of Blue Buck Point, the shore along Garrison Ridge offers good wading too. The big cove there holds a lot of bait on high tide. Tossing streamers here can entice a mixed bag of trout, reds and flounder.
Finally, the area along the shore to south of Blue Buck Point can be waded. This is a good location for redfish. The best tactic here is wade about 30 to 40 feet offshore, watching for reds pushing a wade along the edge.
