Captain Billy Sandifer - Audubon Warden and Guide Corpus Christi, Texas

Padre Island Fishing, Birding, Shark Fishing, Surf

Come Experience The Natural World Of Padre Island
National Seashore With Captain Billy Sandifer!
Padre Island Fishing, Birding, Shark Fishing, Surf

Captain Billy Sandifer

A man who knows Padre Island like very few others since the original Native Americans who inhabited these beaches. Capt. Billy is a fountain of knowledge on this beautiful Texas barrier island and it's long history. A man who focuses on the conservation of our natural resources and loves teaching others the same. Billy's passion for this island and everything it contains from the smallest shell to the largest meanest bull shark is unmatched.

Contact Info
361-937-8446
billysandifer@stx.rr.com
841 Flour Bluff Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 77418


	"I have never OFFICIALLY mandated a just keep 5 policy on my charters but due to the large amount of trout being killed in the N. Laguna Madre at this time I am doing so now." Any numbers of guides are joining in an effort in hopes it will start a trend that might influence the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. into lowering the limits to protect the continued well being of the resource. I am proud to be a part of this on going movement.

Read what others have written about
Captain Billy Sandifer:

Billy Sandifer nominated for Heroes of Conservation Award
By: Michelle Horine birdthebend.com

Nicknamed the "Padre of Padre Island", local fishing guide, birder, & conservationist Billy Sandifer received a shocking phone call from Field & Stream Magazine recently. The magazine's editor and chief informed Sandifer that he had been nominated for their "Heroes of Conservation Award". Sandifer was selected for the August Edition "Heroes of Conservation" which pays $1,000 and a an all expense paid trip to Washington D.C. in October for the semi-finals. If selected for the overall award, Sandifer has a chance at winning $4,000 and a brand new Toyota Tundra. "I don't feel as if I've done anything to justify all of this, says Sandifer. It has been the back breaking work of volunteers that has caused all of this to transpire."

For years, the humbled Captain has been recognized locally for his work as the recipient of a Conservation & Environmental Stewardship Award given by the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation as well as the organizer of the "The Big Shell Beach Clean Up" for the past 14 years. This year's clean-up was featured on the Texas Country Reporter with Bob Phillips where more than 500 volunteers cleaned up 800,000 pounds of debris from the Padre Island National Seashore.

Without fail, Sandifer hand writes his daily fishing and birding reports with intent detail. At the end of each quarter he types up those reports and turns them into the Padre Island National Seashore and the Texas Bird Records Committee for research and conservation purposes. He does this, not because he has to, but because he wants to. This type of documentation is a tremendous resource in evaluating and protecting each and every species that can and has been spotted in the area.

"You are a Texas Icon and a Texas Treasure" replied, Dr. Ray Emerson, friend and supporter of Sandifer after hearing of the news.

Outdoor writer; Mike Leggett, Aug. l8, l996 Austin Statesman wrote:
"No Padre fish can hide from Sandifer."

Outdoor Writer; Ray Sasser, Dallas Morning News Aug. l8, l996 wrote:
"Sandifer is a fishing guide of sorts, but he's much more than that. Sandifer is an offbeat encyclopedia of island fact. A tattoo traces the outline of a hammerhead on the back of his right hand. As the saying goes, Sandifer knows sharks as well as he knows the back of his hand."

Outdoor writer; Buddy Gough, CC Caller Times Sept. 25, l994 wrote:
"If Sandifer is not a reincarnation of the ancient tattooed people of Padre Island, he is at least their spiritual blood brother. His knowledge of the island runs deep; his love for it is boundless."

Mark McDonald, San Antonio Express-News June l5, l997 wrote:

"Small wonder Sandifer has endeared himself to Park Service rangers and like it or not, become something of a cult figure among fishermen. Sandifer, has never sought publicity. But a man does not subject himself to these Spartan conditions, and catch fish consistently, without earning notice."

Mike Christman-Contributing Editor, www.tx-outdoors.com wrote:

"I recently spent some time talking with an authority on big game fishing at Big Shell, Billy Sandifer. I hesitate to call someone an expert at any type of fishing, but if there ever was a fishing expert, Billy should qualify! He has fished Big Shell and Padre Island National Seashore for 38 years and spends about l00 days a year fishing this shoreline. He is considered an expert on surf, top-water lure, fly, bait and shark fishing. He also is an expert on bird watching, native plants and shells, basically, the whole ecosystem of the island."

David Sikes, Corpus Christi Caller Times February 20, 2010 wrote:

"Billy Sandifer's grandfather's eyes watered when a young Billy and his little brother performed a modified version of the Davy Crockett television show theme song. The boys had replaced Crockett's name with that of their grandfather, a World War I veteran who was raising the boys as his own. His mixed reaction was unexpected.

Papa cried, and then he whipped us, Sandifer, 62, recalled."

Read the full article by clicking this link. Billy Sandifer: An unlikely Hero