Fall Fishing, Opening Day Ducks & Good Times at Castaway Lodge!

Castaway Lodge Fishing & Hunting Report | November 3–9, 2026

I tell you what, if you haven’t been down to the Texas coast lately, you’re missing out on some pretty incredible fall weather! The mornings have been beautiful, the temperatures couldn’t be much better, and the fishing on San Antonio Bay has been flat-out amazing. This is the kind of weather we’ve been waiting for, and we’re sure enjoying every bit of it!

Things haven’t slowed down around Castaway Lodge either. We’ve had groups coming and going all week long, with one crew loading up and heading home just about the time another is pulling into the driveway. Between our longtime guests, a few new faces, and duck season finally getting underway, there’s been plenty going on around here.

We started things off with a familiar face, Steve Hunter, who made his way back down for another trip with us. Steve jumped on the airboat with Capt. Chris Cady for a little fall fishing. It’s always good having Steve back, and with weather like we’ve been having, there’s not a much better place to spend the day than out on the water.

David Hodge and Kelly McGee came down and stayed with us for a few days, getting in plenty of time on the bay. They spent a couple of days fishing with Capt. James Cunningham before hopping aboard with Capt. Braden Proctor to finish out their stay. That’s one of the nice things about spending several days with us. You get to fish with different guides, see a little different water, and enjoy everything San Antonio Bay has to offer.

We also got to welcome Mr. Doug Huneycutt and his son Joshua for their very first trip to Castaway Lodge! These two came down for a few days of father-and-son fishing with Capt. Doug Russell and Capt. Terry Spoonemore. You just can’t beat getting away for a few days with family, especially when the weather and fishing are both cooperating. We sure enjoyed having these guys and hope this is the first of many trips they’ll make down to Seadrift.

And speaking of familiar faces, John Robinson was back again! John’s been coming to Castaway Lodge for years, and one thing about him, he always seems to have a different group of folks along for the ride. This time he brought nine guests down for two days on the water. We love seeing our longtime clients bring new people through the doors. Before you know it, those first-timers are making plans to come back themselves!

Mark Burr also made his way back with two of his sons for their annual family fishing trip. It’s always good seeing these guys, and we love that they’ve made coming down to Castaway part of their family tradition. Sometimes it’s not just about how many fish you put in the box. It’s about getting away, spending time together, and having a few good stories to tell when you get back home.

We even had a little celebrating going on this week! Omar Maldonado came down with his wedding day right around the corner. Figured he’d better squeeze in a little time on the Texas coast before saying “I do!” We sure hope Omar enjoyed his time with us, and we want to wish him and his bride-to-be all the best as they get ready to start their next chapter together.

HERE COME THE DUCKS!

Just when you thought we couldn’t squeeze much more into the week, Saturday rolled around and brought the opening of waterfowl season! Now we’ve got fishing boats heading out, duck hunters getting ready for those early mornings, and a whole new season of adventures ahead of us.

Opening weekend also brought a couple of pretty special guests our way. Rob Sawyer, an outdoor writer who’s working on a book about the history of Texas goose and duck hunting, came down to gather some material for his project. He brought along Shannon Tompkins of the Houston Chronicle, who has spent years covering the Texas outdoors.

Now, if there’s one thing Texas has plenty of, it’s hunting stories, and our part of the coast has a whole lot of history behind it. It was a real pleasure having these guys at the lodge, and we’re looking forward to seeing how Rob brings some of that history together in his book.

We also had some folks make the trip all the way from Nashville, Tennessee! Willie Dorman and his group joined us for their first Castaway Lodge experience, and they weren’t coming down for just one thing. These guys mixed in some fishing along with duck hunting, getting a little taste of both worlds while they were here. That’s what makes this time of year so much fun. You can spend part of your trip chasing fish and the other part sitting in a duck blind. Not a bad way to spend a few days away from home!

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING AROUND THE LODGE

With November underway, we’re getting into one of my favorite stretches of the year. The fall fishing has been outstanding, duck season is finally here, and the weather has been giving us plenty of reasons to get outside.

Back at the lodge, the girls have been doing their thing, keeping everybody fed, rooms turned over, and everything ready for the next group coming through. It’s a constant shuffle some days, but everybody pitches in and makes it happen.

And that’s really what we enjoy about this place. One minute you’ve got a group of longtime friends sitting around swapping fishing stories, and the next you’ve got somebody who’s never been here before already talking about when they can come back. There’s always something going on, somebody laughing, and usually somebody telling a fishing story that gets a little bigger every time it’s told!

A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE WRAP UP

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m sure enjoying this fall weather! We’ve had some great fishing, a lot of familiar faces, and now that duck season has opened, things are only getting more interesting around here.

One thing I never get tired of is seeing folks come back year after year. Whether it’s an annual family trip, a group of buddies getting together, or somebody bringing down a few new clients, we appreciate every one of them. And to the first-timers who joined us this week, we hope you felt right at home.

We’ve got a great crew here at Castaway Lodge, both on the water and back at the lodge, and I couldn’t do it without them. Everybody has a part in making these trips what they are, and I’m proud of the job they do.

There’s plenty more fishing and hunting ahead of us, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the rest of November brings.

Thanks again to everybody who came down and spent a little time with us this week. We sure appreciate your business and your friendship!

Until Next Time- Capt. Kris Kelley

Castaway Lodge | Seadrift, Texas