Rollover Pass

This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. You can help. The talk page may contain suggestions. (May 2022)

Rollover Pass (Gilchrist, Galveston County, Texas), also called Rollover Fish Pass, was a strait that linked Rollover Bay and East Bay with the Gulf of Mexico in extreme southeastern Galveston County. It has been closed by filling it in with dirt.^[1] Rollover Pass was opened in 1955 by the Texas Game and Fish Commission to improve local fishing conditions. Seawater was introduced into East Bay to promote vegetation growth, and to provide access for marine fish to spawn and feed. The name came from the days of Spanish rule, when barrels of merchandise would be rolled over that part of the peninsula to avoid excise tax. The Pass is about 1600 feet long and 200 feet wide.

The Rollover Pass area is a popular location for fishing, bird watching, and family recreation activities. Parking and camping was available on all four quadrants along the Pass, and handicapped or elderly persons were able to fish while sitting in their vehicles. Since 2013 it has been the subject of lawsuits over access and ownership.