Duck Hunting in E. Matagorda bay area

I have fished E. Matagorda bay for a long time. I have never hunted down there but have heard from a few friends that the duck hunting has been good down there in the past. Does anyone here have any advice or past experience on boat accessible duck hinting areas down there.

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

There are plenty of public blinds set up all over the bay. Just throw out some decoys in front and make yourself at home.

Thanks No-Tox that's what I needed to know. The blinds that are visible on the south shoreline of E. Matty bay are public and can be used by anyone with a public hunting lands license then ???

I've hunted it one time w/ my brother, and they just set up shop near the bank away from those blinds and we just sat on the bank. Had a good time.

Cool thanks Thomas. I am going to try to make it down there one morning in the next week or so to scout it out and see what's landing where.

Anyone else have any hunting experiences in that area ???

If I were you I would avoid the blinds, especially later in the year. THose ducks get smart and start going around them to where you cant get shots. I would just find a good point/cut with good vegetation in it and set up there. Use some of the fast grass for a blind, attach it to t-posts so you can just push them in the mud.

Thanks Fetch_Up. You are the second person to tell me about skipping the blinds. Good idea on just making a small blind and sticking it into the ground.

No prob...also, be sure to get there early if you have a spot in mind cuz its usually packed down there!

I will get there early, nothing better than sitting back with your dog and waiting for the sun to come up.

I am "assuming" that I need a public lands hunting permit to hunt that area ???

I don't think a permit is needed if hunting the bays.

Thanks thomas_z71 that's what I was hoping to hear.

Not only do the birds avoid the blinds like they would the avian flu, the guides leave their dekes out all season too. No good.

Wouldn't the wake from a unknown boat clear those dekes off to the shore ???

















Just Kidding

In East Matty you don't need a permit. If your going anywhere else you need to check the WMA book. All of the island south of POC is WMA. The main water bodies are not but the smaller lakes are. It is confusing unless you dedicate some time to read them.

Nope, no permit needed out there.

Hey Motown, call TPWD and get the GW's number for that area. Call and make an introduction and they are always happy to answer questions and help you out. The introduction is great if you meet him out there, you can say you talked on the phone and have it in your address book. I know everyone always says this. But I do for every area I hunt, deer/dove/duck. Just did this for Lake Livingston which is going to be a new area for me to hunt this year and the GW gave me all kinds of useful information on how far away to be from houses and whatnot.

Thanks firefightnjoey. I will give the game warden a call before I start hunting down there. I have seen him on the water a few times (when he checked my coolers). Nice guy, I think he will be more than willing to talk to me for a little while.

This forum is has a lot of really nice people that for the most part are very informative. Being a relatively new duck/geese hunter this helps out a lot. Thanks