Setting Up Your Beach Campsite

Once you’ve found your fishing spot and are ready to set up camp, look around. Pay attention to your surroundings. Look at the tide line and see if you can identify how high the water will get at high tide. Be aware that once a month a King Tide happens near the full moon phase and the water may get as high as the dunes. I have seen many tents and campsites abandoned on the beach because the water came up too quick (or when they were sleeping) and destroyed the campsite. Always pay attention to the water lines and know when high tide is forecasted to come in.

Some beaches along the Texas coast designate the driving path on the beach a State Highway. On these beaches, it is illegal to block this path with your camp. It is illegal to create road bumps to keep traffic slow through your camp. These State Highways also designate right-of-way to traffic heading toward the beach entrance. Some beaches have speed limits established and some do not. Keep these items in mind when you set up your camp. Keep an eye on your children too!

Set up your rod holders as close as you can to the edge of the water line. There may be a big difference between the high tide and low tide water lines. Try to choose a spot where you won’t need to move your rod holders. I keep reflective tape on my rod holders to let nighttime traffic know where they are. It is hard for vehicles driving down the beach at night to know where your rod holders are. I also promise that vehicles WILL drive between you and water regardless of how close to the water you are. I have had trucks drive into the water rather than follow the road and go around in the sand. Do your best to try and prevent an incident.