Boating in Clear Lake, Texas

With around 11 miles of waterfront consisting of both salt and fresh water, the Clear Lake area near Houston, Texas is considered as the third largest boating center in the United States. The lake feeds the larger Galveston Bay to the east, and as part of Houston’s Bay Area, the inviting waters of the Gulf of Mexico have made this region and its ports a busy tourist destination, with plenty of opportunities for recreation.

Many boat clubs and marinas dot the lakefront, which provide a variety of boats to choose from as well as docking and pump-out facilities. Clear Lake has the greatest concentration of recreational boats in Texas, which range from fishing boats to sailboats, to powerboats and wave runners, to yachts and sports cruisers. Boats are mainly used for sailing and fishing, with the occasional cruising to the Galveston Bay area. You can spend a relaxing day sailing on the water, or go dolphin watching; you can even dock your boat and dine in at some places, like Cabo Bar and Grill, Turtle Club, and Outriggers.

Clear Lake’s brackish water is the result of freshwater coming in from Clear Creek and salt water flowing in from Galveston Bay, making it the ideal spawning ground for shrimp and mullet. The lake also has quite a few good fishing spots for redfish, flounder, seatrout, panfish, and sometimes speckled trout, particularly during the winter.

Many annual events take place in the Clear Lake Area, where you can take your boat out and enjoy the festivities, like the Fourth of July fireworks, and the Blessing of the Fleet boat parade in Kemah, which celebrates Kemah’s history as a shrimp-fishing town. Sailboat races are held occasionally during certain nights, and the Galveston Bay Cruising Association holds regular regatta events on the bay area, including the Bay Cup and the Performance Cup.