Rain or Shine, the Fish Are Biting at Castaway Lodge | Seadrift, TX

Castaway Lodge Weekly Fishing Report | October 27 – November 2, 2026

October may be coming to an end, but the action around Castaway Lodge hasn’t let up one bit! We’ve had boats heading out, groups rolling in and out, and plenty of familiar faces making their way back to Seadrift. Mother Nature decided to throw a little rain into the mix this week, but around here, we know better than to let a little Texas weather get in the way of a good fishing trip. The fish have been cooperating, our guides have been putting in the work, and there’s been no shortage of good times both on and off the water.

One thing we’ve always enjoyed about this business is seeing the same folks return year after year. Longtime guests Glenn Jasper and Drew Kappus made their way back down with a group of guys ready to spend some time on San Antonio Bay. They decided to mix things up a little, splitting their fishing between the airboats and bay boats with Capt. James Cunningham and Capt. Chris Cady. A little morning rain delayed their start, but once the weather gave them a window to get out there, it was fish on!

That’s one thing about fishing down here on the Texas coast. You can watch the forecast all week long, but you never really know what Mother Nature has planned until you wake up that morning. These guys weren’t about to let a little rain spoil their trip, and their patience paid off. Between the airboat and bay boat action, they got to enjoy a little bit of everything we have to offer. It’s always a pleasure having Glenn and Drew back at the lodge, and we look forward to many more trips with these guys.

“A little rain might change what time we leave the dock, but it doesn’t change what we came out here to do. Once we got going, those fish made up for lost time!”
— Capt. Chris Cady

We also had the pleasure of welcoming back Sharon Young, who came down to celebrate her sister Kathie. Now, this wasn’t just your ordinary birthday trip. We’re calling this one the Trifecta Celebration — a birthday, anniversary, and retirement all rolled into one!

When you’ve got three big milestones to celebrate, you might as well do it right, and two days on the water with Capt. James Cunningham sounded like a pretty good way to get started. There’s something special about having families and friends choose Castaway Lodge to celebrate these moments in their lives. Whether it’s a birthday, retirement, anniversary, or simply getting everybody together for a few days, those are the trips that tend to turn into stories told for years to come. We always enjoy having Sharon back, and we hope Kathie walked away with some wonderful memories from her big celebration. After all, fishing is only part of what makes a trip down here special. It’s the time spent together that really counts.

“You can’t beat having folks come down to celebrate something special. Good fishing, good company, and a couple days on the water — that’s a pretty good way to make some memories.”
— Capt. James Cunningham

Jessica Wylie with Altec brought her team of 16 down for a little time away from the office and out on San Antonio Bay. The ladies and gentlemen came ready to fish, and our guides made sure they had a trip worth talking about. Every boat returned with their limits, giving this group plenty of fish to take home and a whole lot of stories to share.

But what made this trip even better was what happened after everybody got back to the lodge. On their second night, our kitchen took some of that fresh catch and turned it into one heck of a dinner! We’re talking redfish on the half shell along with some good old-fashioned fried redfish, fresh from the water to the dinner table.

Now, there’s something pretty hard to beat about spending the day catching your own fish and then sitting down that evening to enjoy it with the same folks you were fishing alongside. That’s a big part of the experience we love sharing with our guests. The fishing might be what brings everybody down here, but the meals, laughter, and time spent around the table are just as important.

Betsy has always taken pride in making sure nobody leaves her dining room hungry. She treats our guests like family, and whether she’s preparing a regular lodge dinner or cooking up somebody’s fresh catch, there’s always plenty of good food coming out of that kitchen.

“There’s nothing I enjoy more than seeing everybody come in after a good day of fishing, sit down together, and enjoy a home-cooked meal. When it’s fish they caught themselves, that makes it even better!”
— Betsy, Kitchen Manager

We certainly enjoyed having Jessica and the Altec crew with us. It’s always good to see a group come down, enjoy some time together outside of work, catch plenty of fish, and experience everything that makes a trip to Castaway Lodge a little different.

Then came Michael with MLN, who grabbed the last weekend in October for his first round of 30 guys. With a group that size, you can bet there was plenty going on around the lodge! Ten of our guides were lined up and ready to get everybody on the water for two days of fishing.

Friday morning wasn’t exactly what you’d call picture-perfect fishing weather. The rain showed up, and these guys definitely got wet, but it didn’t take long for the fishing to make everybody forget about the weather. When you’re getting your limits as quickly as these guys were, a little rain doesn’t seem quite so bad! Our guides went to work, the fish cooperated, and everybody made the most of the day.

That’s the thing about bringing a big group down to fish. You’ve got different personalities, different levels of fishing experience, and a whole lot of moving parts. But once everybody gets on those boats and the rods start bending, it all comes together. By the time they made it back to the lodge, there were plenty of fish in the boxes and stories being passed around about the day’s action.

Saturday morning looked like a completely different part of Texas. The rain had moved on, the sunshine was back, and the guys were climbing aboard the boats for another round on San Antonio Bay. What a difference a day makes! They got to enjoy a beautiful morning on the water before loading everything up and making the trip back toward Houston.

From rain gear on Friday to sunglasses on Saturday, these guys got a little taste of everything the Texas coast can throw at you. We’re glad Michael and his crew chose to spend their last weekend of October with us, and we’re looking forward to welcoming the next round.

“That’s fishing on the Texas coast for you. One day you’re putting on rain gear, and the next you’re reaching for sunglasses. Either way, we’re going fishing!”
— Capt. Doug Russell

While our guides are out doing what they do best, there’s another whole crew working behind the scenes to keep everything running. With groups checking out and new ones arriving, there’s always something happening around Castaway Lodge.

The girls have been working hard getting rooms cleaned, beds made, and everything ready for the next arrivals. Meanwhile, the kitchen has been turning out meals and making sure everybody has a good place to sit down, relax, and enjoy themselves after a day on the bay.

And let’s not forget our guides. When they’re not on the water with guests, there’s always another boat to get ready, equipment to check, or plans to make for the next morning. It’s a team effort from the time our guests pull into the parking lot until the time they head back home.

October has been one heck of a month for us. We’ve had corporate groups, longtime customers, first-time visitors, family celebrations, and just about everything in between. We’ve watched the weather, worked around the rain, enjoyed some beautiful fall mornings, and sent a whole lot of folks home with coolers full of fish.

As we close out October and head into November, I can’t say enough about the crew we’ve got here at Castaway Lodge. These past several weeks have been full of moving parts, and everybody has stepped up to make sure our guests are taken care of.

I’ve always said that catching fish is what gets people interested in coming down here, but it’s the experience that brings them back. We have guests who have been fishing with us for years, and every time they return, it’s like welcoming old friends back home. Then we’ve got the new groups coming in, and before you know it, they’re already talking about when they can come back.

That’s what we’ve worked hard to build here. A place where you can bring your employees, customers, friends, or family, get out on the water, enjoy some good home cooking, and forget about everything else for a little while.

November is here, and we’ve still got plenty going on. Our guides are ready, the crew is geared up, and we’re looking forward to another month of making memories here on the Texas coast. To everybody who spent time with us this past week, thank you for choosing Castaway Lodge. We appreciate the continued friendships, the referrals, and the opportunity to do what we love every day.

Until Next Time- Capt. Kris Kelley