The seemingly endless time spent driving to Texas was certainly worth the opportunity to explore the area and discover new fish and wildlife. My favorite part of the trip was camping at Matagorda Island, a retired military base that now serves as a national wildlife refuge. Our group was the only one camping on the island, so we could investigate the unique habitat without interruption from other visitors. The number of fish to catch and wildlife to see was phenomenal. Whooping cranes (which is Dr. Williams’s favorite bird) were there, and for many, this was their first time seeing them. I especially liked the fishing. One evening I went to a point on the island, with old concrete blocks, with a headlamp, and was able to sight fish toadfish. They are unique fish that hide under rocks and are very aggressive when a hook is placed in front of them. I caught gulf killifish that evening as well, and six other species of fish during our time on the island. Camping at the island provided us with unique saltwater fishing that many of us had not experienced yet.
