408 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
about 50 miles. This bay has a local reputation for an abundance of 
fish, but is rather far from marketing centers. 
SAN ANTONIO BAY. 
Directly west of and emptying the greater portion of its waters into 
Espiritu Santo Bay lies San Antonio Bay. Its area approximates 12 
square miles. Into it empty the Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers 
and smaller streams. The waters of the bay are comparatively fresh 
and no oyster reefs whatever are found there, except in the extreme 
western portion, the oysters of which are frequently destroyed by spring 
freshets, and are rarely taken by the fishermen. 
On the Guadalupe River, a few miles above its mouth, some catfish 
are taken by fishermen from Aransas Bay. Aside from this, because 
of the lack of settlements along the shores, there are no fisheries pros- 
ecuted in San Antonio Bay. Its fresh water will probably prevent 
the ordinary fisheries of this coast from ever being extensively carried 
on here. 
MESQUIT BAY. 
This beautiful sheet of water forms connection between San Antonio 
and Aransas bays, and covers an area of about 23 square miles. Be- 
sides its outlet into Aransas Bay, it has a narrow passage to the Gulf 
of Mexico through Cedar Bayou. The depth of water is from 1 to 6 
feet, and averages about 4 feet; but in the channel among the islands 
a depth of 15 or more feet may be found. The bottom is mostly covered 
with thick mud. There are several shoals or narrow places in the chan- 
nel through this bay that very much impede navigation and frequently 
cause even the shallow fishing craft to await a higher tide or a change 
of the wind. 
In many places in this bay are found small reefs from which fine oys- 
ters may beobtained. In fact, wherever the ground is sufficiently firm 
for the oysters to “ gain a footing” they appear to do well. At low tide 
one mgy go on many of the small exposed reefs and pick up a bushel 
or more of oysters. Instances are reported in which 30 bushels of fine 
oysters have, in three hours, been picked up by one man from an area 
less than 100 feet square. Cedar Bayou, which connects this bay with 
the Gulf of Mexico, produces some of the largest oysters found on the’ 
coast of the Gulf States, and their flavor is excellent; many of these 
are so large that less than 80 will fill a 3-bushel barrel. The reefs of 
other localities are better known and less difficult of access, and those 
of Mesquit Bay and Cedar Bayou have, therefore, received little atten- 
tion. When the oyster industry of Texas has been fully developed, it 
is probable that Mesquit Bay will be one of the best places along the 
coast for bedding and growing oysters. There are no towns on the 
shores of this bay, hence such fish as are obtained from the waters 
thereof are taken by men living in other localities. 
