# Sabine Lake Questions



## Texhad (Dec 5, 2007)

I have read some verry interesting posts from those who fish Sabine Lake. Never having been there myself, I have some questions. What licenses are required to fish which parts of the lake? Cost of those licenses? Where can they be obtained? Which parts of the lake are most productive at which time of the year? Where are the ramps used to launch? Any particular dangers or pitfalls to avoid? Any information will be greatly appreciated.


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## Snap Draggin (Nov 11, 2007)

Any of the lake can be fished with either a Texas or Louisiana license as long as the person stays on the lake and does not enter and fish in the numerous channels, bayous, rivers or ditches that adjoin or feed the lake. Either license can be obtained at any Wal Mart, or Academy. The ones in Nederland, TX sell both LA and TX licenses. As far as the ramps are concerned there are quite a few. It would depend on which side of the lake you would want to launch. The lake is very large. The fishing varies as well. Best bet if you are a newbie is to find out when the birds are working and go chase them. There are other methods and means of fishing the lake, but you would have to learn it better to find out the different names for the various places there before attempting that. I have a good friend that is a successful guide there. I can hook you up if you are interested. PM me if so. Good luck to you.


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## Muddy (Dec 25, 2007)

You can fish the whole lake with a Texas allwater license about 45 bucks as long as you do not go into any louisiana cuts. A Louisiana allwater license for non residents is 90 bucks. I carry both licenses because a lot of the louisiana cuts have some good fishing. The Louisiana license allows you to fish in the cuts and bayous but you still have to go by Texas size and limits if you launch on the Texas side. And Vice Versa if you launch on the Louisiana side. I buy both of these licenses at the Wal-Mart in Orange. As far as boat ramps it depends on the size of your boat and how far you want to run your boat. To me the best boat ramp is under the Bridge City Bridge. But I usually launch at the River Rat in West Orange. i just like that run better. These two launches are good for fishing the north end. The south end you can launch on pleasure Island or by the causeway. As far as pitfalls I run all over the Lake and never had any problems. Just be careful when getting around any land because it can be shallow a long ways out.


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## DuckDigler (Jan 3, 2008)

One more note LA has a more generous limit on saltwater fish than TX, so even if you have a TX allwater license and a LA allwater license you are only allowed to keep the states limit of fish where you launch. For example if you have both license, which I reccomend, and you go fish on the LA side and catch a LA limit you must have launched from the LA side. Do not bring an LA limit back to TX side.


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## skeeter77346 (Jan 13, 2006)

TexHad, Sabine is one of my favorites as you can fish jetty, open bay, La bayous, duck ponds all in the same day. I carry a Tx and a LA ($90 for out of state) license. Read the old posts from Dickie Colburn at sabineconnection.com. He is a good guide and has been fishing for 20+ years on Sabine. Good info there. The La bayous on outgoing tides can be hot, but the entire La shore line is good to set up a drift. If you head south of the Causeway, Lighthouse cove is a good spot, but be careful as there are lots of shallow shell spots once you get inside the big channel markers. You can hammer the fish there though. Jetties have boat cuts (not marked) on either side of the channel and you should 'follow' a boat through to be sure unless your GPS shows it clearly. Birds will put you on fish, even if they are just sitting. I launch on Pleasure Island most of the time. River Rat as mentioned by Muddy is good and very protected. If you do run the ICW/Sabine river sections, just know that the big commercial boats and ships are doing their thing. Get a map and look at a few spots on the google aerial maps before you go. Good luck


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## Steve B (Jan 3, 2008)

Just thought that I would mention an area on Sabine that surprised us last fall. We were drifting the east end of the north shoreline (30-40 yards off) and all of the sudden the trolling motor snapped and I thought that I broke the nose off of my boat. Be careful in there because there must have been 30 or more 6"x2" vertical pieces of channel iron that were cut off just below the surface. They sure don't show up on the map!


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## Dcrawford (Jan 3, 2008)

Dido that Steve B I had just bought a 2201 Cobia from Pete Jorgenson and was fishing cofffeeground cove. I was bearly moving and heard something. When I got to the boat ramp I discovered a 4" scatch right along my keel all the way to the gel coat. Definetly keep your head up and eyes on the depth finder.


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## Jay d (Sep 22, 2007)

*Sabine launchs*

I only fished Sabine once and that was several years ago with a guide. We launched at an RV park, on the south and west side. I am assuming that is the Pleasure island launch mentioned. In looking at the Google of the area I see a launch on the north shore of Old River Cove at the end of Lake Drive Old Ferry Road. Is that accessible, open, named, and if used can you get out easily past Stewts Island and Sydnes Island?

I see another launch on the west side of highway 73, just south of the Port Arthur Orange Bridge. Looks to be on the south end of Rainbow lane. Is that a public launch? This appears to be the most easily accessible launch and the closest to the passes.

Gonna go to the Houston Boat show tomorrow. One can never have enough gadgets!!

Thanks.


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## Specks&Spots (Aug 26, 2007)

The one in Old River Cove is Baileys Fish Camp. I have never used it. It one at the Rainbow Bridge is at Esters, a seafood restaurant. I have been there a couple of times, there is a small fee to launch there.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

If wanting to launch close to that area, the best is at Port Neches Park IMO. Large boat ramp and free. Plenty of parking and enough traffic your vehicles is safe. Only a few miles to travel by boat to Stewts island. I mostly fish in the same area of the river itself more than in Sabine lake.


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## rynochop (Aug 28, 2006)

Specks&Spots said:


> The one in Old River Cove is Baileys Fish Camp. I have never used it. It one at the Rainbow Bridge is at Esters, a seafood restaurant. I have been there a couple of times, there is a small fee to launch there.


And the one at Baileys is closed, last time i drove down there. 3-4 months ago.

Be careful going thru those boat cuts at the jetties during a strong tide, can get kinda hairy, for me anyway...you definitely dont want to idle on thru it.


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## sparkin' tex (Jun 14, 2007)

Baileys fish camp was destroyed by rita got big posted signs everywhere. Esters is not bad but not much parking on weekends. The boat ramp At Sabine pass is nice for fishing the south end, and Port Neches for the north end


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## SUPERSAM (May 13, 2007)

There is actually two launches in Sabine Pass.Dick Dowlen park and one northeast (left) of the fourway in Sabine Pass. I have never launched at Dowlen, but I here it is nice because it is protected from the wind and current. You also have one at the tip of Pleasure Island at the Causeway.


As far as the north end launches, I use River Rat and the launch at Cow Bayou in Bridge City(which is free). Both are close to my home. The Cow Bayou launch has more parking. And according to Google Earth there is only a few tenths of a mile difference in the run into the lake. It really just depends on which part of the lake you plan on fishing.


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## Txfirenfish (Jan 8, 2005)

I may have missed it, but there is also the launch at the rv park on pleasure island. My personal fave.


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## SUPERSAM (May 13, 2007)

Txfirenfish said:


> I may have missed it, but there is also the launch at the rv park on pleasure island. My personal fave.


Yes, the launch at Logans Park is nice.


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## Specks&Spots (Aug 26, 2007)

I like the ramps at the rv park because they are protected, but it is a long haul to north end or Louisiana side when the lake is choppy. I have never used it but there is another ramp a little further north by the pier, past the marina.


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