A Guide to Gulf Coast Seafood Around Port Lavaca, Texas

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If you love Gulf Coast seafood, Port Lavaca is a great place to park your RV. This town sits right on Lavaca Bay, and fishing and shrimping have shaped life here for generations. Boats still head out from the area, and seafood is a big part of how people eat on this part of the coast.

This guide covers the three local favorites: shrimp, oysters and redfish. You'll learn when each one is at its best, how to cook it at camp, and a few rules to know if you'd like to catch your own.

Gulf Shrimp: The Local Staple

Shrimp are the backbone of seafood on the Texas coast. The two main kinds you'll see are brown shrimp and white shrimp. Both are sweet and tender when they're fresh.

When Shrimp Are in Season

Texas bays have two shrimping seasons. The spring bay season runs from May 15 to July 15. The fall bay season runs from August 15 to November 30. The Gulf waters off Texas also close each year from mid-May to mid-July so young shrimp can grow. That means late summer and fall are a good time to find fresh local shrimp.

How to Buy and Cook Them

Look for shrimp that smell clean, like the sea, with firm shells. Heads-on shrimp often taste sweeter and cost less. Ask local seafood markets what came in fresh that day.

At camp, a shrimp boil is hard to beat. Bring a big pot of water to a boil with seasoning, toss in corn and small potatoes first, then add the shrimp at the end. They only need a few minutes. Once they turn pink and curl, they're done. Spread everything out on newspaper at a picnic table and dig in.

Grilling works great too. Thread shrimp on skewers, brush with butter and garlic, and grill for a couple of minutes per side.

Oysters: A Cool-Weather Treat

Gulf oysters are briny, plump and best when the water turns cool. In Texas, the public oyster season usually runs from November 1 through April 30.

Oyster reefs along the coast have had a rough few years from storms and fresh water flowing into the bays. Because of that, the state may open only some harvest areas in a given season. If oysters are on your list, ask local markets what's available and where it came from.

Ways to Enjoy Them

• Raw on the half shell: With lemon, hot sauce and crackers. Raw shellfish carries some health risk, so only buy from trusted sellers.
• Grilled: Set them on the grill until the shells pop open, then add a spoon of garlic butter.
• Fried: Dredge in seasoned cornmeal and fry until golden. Great on a po'boy.

A quick note: recreational oyster harvest has its own licenses, limits and closed areas. Some spots in the bays are closed to shellfish harvest, so check the Texas Department of State Health Services shellfish maps before gathering any yourself.

Redfish: The Fish Everyone Wants to Catch

Redfish, also called red drum, is the signature fish of the Texas coast. It has a mild, firm white meat and a black spot near the tail that makes it easy to spot.

Catching Your Own

Redfish live in the bays all year. Anglers find them along grassy shorelines, around oyster reefs and near piers. The Port Lavaca causeway fishing pier and the piers at Six Mile Park are popular places to wet a line.

Know the rules before you keep one. Texas allows three redfish per person per day, and each must measure between 20 and 28 inches. You can keep one bigger fish per license year with a Red Drum Tag. You'll also need a Texas fishing license with a saltwater endorsement.

Cooking Redfish at Camp

The local favorite is "redfish on the half shell." Fillet the fish but leave the skin and scales on one side. Season the meat side, then lay it scale-side down on a hot grill. The scales act like a pan, so the fish stays moist and doesn't stick. Add butter and lemon near the end, and it's ready in 15 to 20 minutes.

Blackened redfish is another classic. Coat fillets in spice, then sear them in a very hot cast-iron skillet. Do this one outside, since it makes plenty of smoke.

Other Catches Worth Trying

Shrimp, oysters and redfish get the most attention, but the bay has more to offer. Blue crabs are fun to catch with a simple line and chicken necks. Speckled trout and flounder are also local favorites. Flounder has a closed season from November 1 to December 14, when it's catch and release only.

And don't forget freshwater. At Texas Lakeside RV Resort, our private stocked fishing lake gives guests a chance to catch catfish and other fish right on site. Fried catfish next to a plate of Gulf shrimp makes for a great camp dinner.

Cooking Your Catch at Texas Lakeside RV Resort

Seafood tastes best when you can cook it outside with friends. Our BBQ and picnic areas have pavilions for shade, and the clubhouse has a full kitchen for bigger meals. The essentials store can help if you run low on the basics. If you plan to fry fish, keep in mind we sell propane on site.

Plan Your Seafood Trip

Stay a weekend, a week or a whole season and eat your way through the coast. Rates start at $65 a night, $325 a week or $550 a month plus electric. Rates can change, so please call to confirm.

Take a look at our RV site rates and stay options, or reach out to plan your stay. You can also call us at (361) 551-2267.