Horace Caldwell Pier Port Aransas: Fishing, Fees & Hours

What the pier is and why we fish it

Horace Caldwell Pier is a wooden Gulf pier that runs east from I.B. Magee Beach Park at the north end of Mustang Island. Nueces County Parks runs it. The deck is , overhead lights cover the structure for night fishing, and the pier house at the base has bait, restrooms, and a small snack counter. No boat required. No rocks to climb. Rails on both sides. It's the simplest saltwater fishing experience in town.

The end of the pier reaches the second Gulf sandbar and the deeper water beyond it — which is what makes it productive for summer pelagics (Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, jack crevalle, tarpon) you can't reach from the surf. In fall, the bull redfish run brings hundred-pound sharks and rod-bending reds within casting distance of the end deck.

What you can catch — by season and by spot on the pier

The pier fishes like three different piers depending on where you stand:

• Inshore third (closest to the beach): Whiting, croaker, sand trout, pompano, the occasional flounder. Small hooks, fresh shrimp, light tackle. This is the kid water — almost guaranteed bites.
• Middle third: Bigger whiting, slot reds, black drum, sheepshead around the pilings, ladyfish on lures. A 10-pound spinning setup with a fish-finder rig is the workhorse.
• End deck (Gulf-side rail): Spanish and king mackerel through summer, tarpon, jacks, sharks, big reds in fall. Heavy spinning or conventional gear, wire leaders for the toothy fish, gaff or pier net required.

The contrarian take: skip the end deck on your first trip

Most guides push first-time pier anglers to the end for the "big fish." We'd start in the middle third. The middle gives you variety, manageable casting, and a real shot at slot reds and drum — without the rail-territory politics or the heavy gear the end demands. The end deck is worth a visit. It's not where you learn the pier.

Night fishing on the pier

The overhead lights pull bait, and bait pulls everything else. Summer nights are the window for sharks and tarpon. Fall nights produce the biggest reds of the year. Pier rules ask everyone to share rail space — call your fight, take your turn at the gaff, and don't cast over someone's set bait. The regulars enforce that quietly and they notice.

Fees, hours, and what to bring

• Daily fishing fee: A small per-person pier fee paid at the pier house. Verify the current amount on the day at the time of writing in 2026.
• Beach parking: Nueces County beach permit required to park at I.B. Magee. The $12 annual sticker (current as of 2026) covers all county beaches and sells at the pier house, gas stations, and online at the Nueces County Beach permit site.
• Fishing license: Texas saltwater license with a saltwater stamp required for ages 17 and up.
• Bait: Pier house sells fresh shrimp, frozen mullet, squid, and ribbonfish for kings. Cheaper from a local tackle shop if you're stocking a full day.
• What to wear: Sun cover, hat, polarized glasses. No shade on the deck. Bring a small towel for handling fish at the rail.

How we plan a trip

Check our live Port Aransas tide chart and target the first or last two hours of a tide change — moving water flips a switch on every species the pier holds. Cross-reference the week's wind forecast in the weekly fishing report. A steady southeast wind at 10–15 mph pushes bait against the pier and is the ideal setup. Anything over 25 mph from any direction makes casting miserable and visibility off the end deck drops to nothing.

Practical info at a glance

• Address / pin: Open in Google Maps
• Access: I.B. Magee Beach Park, off Beach Access Road 1B, Port Aransas, TX 78373.
• Restrooms: Yes — at the pier house.
• Bait & tackle on-site: Yes.
• ADA / accessibility: The deck is generally wheelchair-friendly and the pier house has accessible restrooms — call the park to confirm current conditions before relying on it for a specific visit.

Frequently asked questions