Goose Island SP

[Rupert]

The hill country is booked and I need an alternative ! Anybody been here ?

What's it like - good camping, quiet ?

Would you recommend camping on the island or in the woods ? I like the idea of the island but like to have a fire a night especially at this time of year !

What is there to do in the area ?

[Paddlefoot]

Goose Island is my regular haunt! Me and the wife love it there! We always camp in the wooded area. I always try to get a spot on Warbler Way. The sites are a little more private on that loop (inside or outside the loop). The island is okay, but they are usually crowded, there's not much wind break and there aren't any trees. Of course, you have instant kayak access from the island, but that hasn't ever really been much of an issue for me. Right now the park will probably be filling up with winter Texans. Might want to check campsite availability.

In Rockport/Fulton there are a lot of nice restaraunts, lots of places to shop, and a lot of weekends have some sort of activity down at the beach area.

Mosquitos WILL BE BAD! They are almost ALWAYS there. If you spray or have a Thermacell, it's not a problem.

[Rupert]

How bad are the mosquitos ? I really hate them and if I end up covered in bites I will be miserable.

The woods sounds like the best place camping then - there are places at the moment.

[FishByte]

Goose Island is a wonderful park. When I looked for sites for last weekend the only other open park right where you can pitch your tent by your car is the S. Llano near Junction.

Don't be surprised if you hear a couple of very loud airboats about an hour or so before sunrise. They are very loud even in the camping sites in the wood. The fishing pier can be quite good at times. Use small spec rigs or freeline live shrimp in the lights. Drop a shrimp on the edge of the channel and leave it there for a shot at a flounder. Fish the reefs for a shot at a black drum.

[Rupert]

Cool !

I looked at S. Llano, but virtually all of the park and Wildlife Management area is closed for hunting, so there's not really much point going !

I'll book Goose Island - thanks guys !

[Paddlefoot]

How bad are the mosquitos ? I really hate them and if I end up covered in bites I will be miserable.

The woods sounds like the best place camping then - there are places at the moment.

The mosquitos are fairly thick. They are the small swamp mosquitos and attack viciously, but don't really leave much of a whelp. Like I said before, take some spray and use it....especially in the morning and in the evening. Thermacell is VERY effective if you're just sitting around camp.

It's just one of the inconveniences that you learn to live with on the coast and I only wanted to give you a heads up....not to scare you off.

[Rupert]

It's good to know beforehand - I'll definitely make sure we have spray at the very least.

Thanks for the heads up !

[To be named later]

I stayed at GI about two weeks ago. Minimal mosquitos. Watch out for the racoons.

And I much, much, much preferred the wooded area over the baysites......baysites were too crowded, campers were side by side, no privacy.

[Tombo]

SPent two days on the bay front to the left. The bulkhead is sloppped here and waves don't crash and send up salt water spray. Also its within walking distance of the pier. Caught lots of small trout under the lights around the hump. Just use something small that resembles a shrimp.
I prefer the bayside, but it depends on what you want.

[dcoates]

We camp here regularly.
it depends on the gear you use i guess, we like the wooded areas in the cooler months and the bayfront sites during the warmer months. the wind keeps the skeeters at bay.
and watch out for those pesky coons in the wooded area, they know how to unscrew water can lids!!!!
there is good yak fishin in the area depending on the winds and PB traffic.
at the end of the big tree road, is a good yak put in spot, great for redfish.
the end of the pier is good for gafftop, if you have kids that get bored really easy(like mine)the gafftop are fun to catch, lots of schoolie trout under the lights of the pier.
have fun!!!

[Paddlefoot]

I think the park rangers train the racoons during the off season to open ice chests. We had racoons open the ice chest WITH THE LID BUNGEE'D DOWN!!! Fortunately, we only keep bottled water and ice in it. Of course that means I had to make an ice run before I started my Crown and rocks in the evening!

[Redfish4me]

My wife and I, watched one night, a couple of Racoons push an ice chest into the woods.