St Charles Bay Club

St. Charles Bay Hunting Club has operated continuously since 1923, when a group of San Antonio businessmen purchased waterfront property in Lamar, Texas to establish a private retreat for hunting and fishing. The club remains one of the region's most established outdoor sporting destinations.

The club sits at 234 Lamar Beach Road, Lamar, Texas 78382, directly on St. Charles Bay in Aransas County. The location places members just across the bay from Blackjack Peninsula and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge—70,500 acres of protected coastal habitat that draws Whooping Cranes and abundant waterfowl each winter.

Members hunt from managed shooting blinds positioned across the bay's productive tidal flats. The club enforces strict safety protocols:

• •Loaded guns prohibited on club property until arrival at the blind
• •Eye and ear protection required at all times
• •All hunters must watch the club's duck identification video before participating
• •Ducks only—no geese or sandhill cranes
• •Guests must hunt with a member or guide (immediate family exceptions at manager discretion)
• •No alcohol in blinds or prior to hunts

Hunters arrive via boat or air boat, with the club responsible for safe transport to blinds. Gun racks in the cabin minimize accidental drops, and a dedicated gun room handles all cleaning to protect furnishings.

Beyond duck hunting, members have access to:

• •Bay fishing from the pier and boats
• •Wade fishing in protected areas
• •Offshore fishing trips
• •Access to productive tidal flats and oyster reefs

The club provides full accommodations and dining:

The club operates as a private corporation with membership rates and reservation schedules available through:

• •Online reservation form on website
• •Rate schedule posted for members
• •New member applications accepted
• •Online payment options available

St. Charles Bay was established on property purchased from the Roberts family of Lamar, a historic town named for Mirabeau B. Lamar, president of the Republic of Texas. The club's principal organizers were Charles P. Steffler, A.L. Huber, and federal judge R.J. McMillan.

"The group formed a private corporation for the establishment and maintenance of a fishing, hunting and boating club, and the protection, preservation and propagation of fish and game."

In the 1920s, reaching St. Charles Bay required ferry passage, with automobiles shipped by railroad from San Antonio—a testament to the club's remote, exclusive positioning.

Rockport, Texas (population ~9,000) provides nearby restaurants, hotels, and attractions:

• •Rockport Beach Park with pavilions and playground
• •Texas Maritime Museum
• •Fulton Mansion State Historic Site
• •Downtown shops, galleries, and dining
• •Annual events: Oyster Fest, Seafair, Wine Festival