Gulf Coast Region Week of May 15, 2024

Redfish Bay

GOOD. 75 degrees. Cold front with 20-25 mph northeast wind in the forecast over the weekend. This should push fish closer to shorelines in thigh deep water while the winds are high. Target fish in areas protected by the wind. Redfish are good on shad, menhaden and mullet. Trout are excellent on croaker near Dagger Island. Black drums are scattered. Trout are good on breaks outside of edges in 4-5 feet of water. Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

San Antonio Bay

GOOD. 75 degrees. North wind forecasted to hit Friday. This may push the water out of the back lakes. If this happens, target redfish and drum along the shoreline and beach front in the bay. While the tides are high continue to target redfish and drum in the back lakes. Redfish up to 20 inches are good on cut mullet and drum are good on dead shrimp. Scattered catches of trout in the cuts and shoreline along the edges leading to deeper water with live shrimp under a popping cork. Report Captain Lynn Smith, Back Bay Guide Service.

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 72 degrees. Rain and freshwater continue to flow into Sabine Lake. It should take a few more weeks for the water to stabilize. Fish in areas with higher salinity levels. Sabine Channel is good for sheepshead, drum and redfish along the edges of rocky banks and shell with live shrimp under a popping cork. Water color is off in the jetties, but incoming tides are bringing in salty water so keep with the grind for sheepshead, drum, redfish and small speckled trout. Nice catches of trout inside of the Sabine jetties near and in the Intracoastal with Carolina rigged live shrimp with a dropshot on the edges in 15-25 feet of water, or morning glory chartreuse plastics. The best bite is early morning on incoming tides for the jetties and the channel. Despite the freshwater, summer patterns are emerging with a pompano and a few jack crevalle showing up at the jetties. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 72 degrees. Water levels are normalizing depending on the wind. The best bite conditions this week will be on edges of the color changes and deeper spots holding saltier water. Still catching plenty of redfish of varying sizes everywhere! Sand trout, sheepshead, black drum, speckled trout, and crabs caught along the jetty with a few more stingrays and sharks. The surf is producing black drum, gafftop, stingrays, and bigger sharks along the whole peninsula. People were using all kinds of different things for bait this past week with good results. We did sell out of live shrimp twice this past week with plenty in stock. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Trinity Bay

SLOW. 76 degrees. Fresh and off colored. Salinity reading at Morgan's Point near 2. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Salinity level is really affecting how our water system is producing right now. With East Bay and Moses lake bouncing back, be watching for the fresh water line to be inching its way back. A salt and freshwater line can really produce great fish this time of year so would definitely be in the lookout for that. Especially one that sweeps the shoreline. Reports of drum are being caught by Fred Hartman and will not be long before redfish, then trout return to our bay system. Usually, the ship channel will bounce back first then disperse salt water into other water systems accordingly based off of tide and wind. Be safe, be prepared and watch the wind and weather. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 78 degrees. Open bay is off-colored and muddy. Isolated pockets of fishable water on the south shoreline holding speckled trout black drum, redfish, and gafftop. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Surface water temperature 76 degrees. Water clarity stirred up more than usual after the front we had this past week, in conjunction with the freshwater entering the bay system from the heavy rains. Typical springtime winds again this week, limiting where we are able to fish effectively. We found good numbers of solid trout on the shorelines over shell pockets and within close proximity to drains where we had good tide movement, as well as redfish along the grass lines with the higher tides. If you see bait flipping on the surface the fish are close by, if not, you are best to move on to another spot, after making a few casts. The lighter the jig head the better 1/16 to 1/4, determined by the wind and current, and tails without paddles, are still performing the best, as we were utilizing Anahuac based, Wac Assassin's in Pearly White & Chartreuse, depending upon water clarity and light conditions. This week Fish Smack Popping corks with a 1-2 foot leader above a Marker 54 Glide Shrimp has been the top performer for our fishing friends. with a hard pop and a 5-8 seconds pause gathering the most strikes. The new 1/8 ounce shrimplets are coming on strong as well, enticing the largest catches this week. The topwater bite has also been good when utilized on our early morning and late afternoon trips, so if you like throwing walking baits, now is the perfect time. Spring is here and fishing will continue to heat up as the water warms up, so grab your family and friends and beat the crowds on East Galveston Bay. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC.

Galveston Bay

SLOW. 76 degrees. Lots of freshwater in the bay. A few black drum and trout were caught near Moses Lake. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 79 degrees. The place to be for green water. Wader using live croakers finding solid action on speckled trout and occasionally landing on some good reds. Boat angler fishing soft plastics and live shrimp catching mixed boxes of speckled trout, black drum, and sheepshead, over shell reefs. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Houston

GOOD. Water stained; 66 degrees; 0.36 feet above pool. Water level is still high, but starting to clear at a rapid pace. Crappie are rebounding quickly eating hand tied jigs and small plastics in 8-14 feet of water tight to structure. White bass are starting to rebound being caught on swim jigs. Largemouth have recovered the fastest with reports of several big bass being caught on grubs and worms by docks and structure. Catfish are on fire being caught on live shad by the bulkheads. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

Texas City

FAIR. 77 degrees. Those wading off the levee road and around Mosquito Island found fair action on speckled trout, a few redfish, and some flounder. Galveston jetties produce speckled trout, redfish, black drum, and sheepshead on live shrimp. When it is too windy to reach the rocks, head to the Galveston channel, where some speckled trout and black drum are being caught. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The wade anglers are catching plenty of speckled trout, redfish, and flounder everyday with some occasional black drum, sheepshead, sand trout, and gafftop. People caught limits along the levee, Mosquito Island and the Moses Lake Tidal Gate. Along the dike has been successful in some spots and sporadic at others. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. Shane Rilat Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Freeport

GOOD. 81 degrees. Trout and redfish are good working the birds in Bastrop Bay, Christmas Bay and Chocolate Bay using Four Horseman corks with either live shrimp or gulp shrimp. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 72 degrees. The weather is only cooperating a few days a week. A few anglers braving the wind are landing catches of redfish and drum wade fishing with croaker, or drifting with live shrimp under a popping cork. On days with mild wind a few catches of trout can be had drifting. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 72 degrees. The weather is only cooperating a few days a week. Limits black drum can be caught with live shrimp or cut bait under a popping cork near pods of shell. Limits of redfish can be caught with cut mullet on mud flats. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O'Connor

GOOD. 74 degrees. Consistent weather makes for a consistent fishing pattern this week. Trout are good at the back of the jetties near Honey Hole and Alcatraz Island. To locate Alcatraz Island look to the right of the jetties for a mound of rocks that were once a rock wall. Honey Hole will be to the left of the jetties. Oversized trout on the outside of the jetty 100 feet back from the surf. Gafftopsail catfish are good throughout the jetty in 15-25 feet of water on Spanish sardines or dead shrimp. Redfish are good in the shallow water of the washouts of the Little Rocks. Little Rocks is what many refer to as the entrance of the jetties, but the jetty actually begins about a half of mile into Little Rocks when the jetty widens into a flare or apron. Black drum are good near Alcatraz Island and halfway into the South Jetty in 15-25 feet of water on fish bites, crab and dead shrimp. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GOOD. 76 degrees. Trout are great on croaker along grass in 3-4 feet of water and on popping cork and shrimp in flats. Redfish have been fair on shrimp and cut menhaden or mullet in flats and along channel edges. Black drum are great on dead shrimp along channel edges drains and in flats. In the flats you want to place the baits in the sand pockets. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 76 degrees. Redfish are good on shrimp, blue crab and cut bait. Trout are good with croaker or shrimp free lined along rocks. Surf fishing has been producing good redfish and trout in the first and second gut. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 75 degrees. Cold front with 20-25 mph northeast wind in the forecast over the weekend. This should push fish closer to shorelines in thigh deep water while the winds are high. Target fish in areas protected by the wind. Redfish are good on shad, menhaden and mullet. Trout are excellent on croaker near Dagger Island. Black drums are holding to the outside of Traylor Island on scattered oyster shells and sand with dead shrimp. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

Baffin Bay

GOOD. 75 degrees. Fishing patterns are unchanged. Trout and redfish continue to come into the bay through the land cut. Fish are feeding on shrimp so use pink and silver topwaters, or pumpkin seed chartreuse soft plastics to imitate the shrimp. Scan the bay for bird action to lead the way to schools of trout. Fish areas protected from the wind. The south shoreline and potholes have been productive. Report by Captain Cliff Webb. It is still windy, but Baffin fish are beginning to really eat up for the spawn. Windward shorelines have been working best and they are packed with mullet, which is the favorite trout food. Straight tails and paddle tails are working great, and sometimes even louder top waters like the she dog. Water levels are still high, which is good for all bay systems. Baffin Bay will be great for a while if you’re looking for a big trout, and there are lots of redfish up shallow. Good luck and I hope to see you on the water! Report by Captain Sally Black.

Port Mansfield

GOOD. 85 degrees. Redfish bite has picked up with good catches coming on topwaters in shallow water from early morning through mid day. If floating grass is an issue simply just use single hooks. Flounder are also good around the Intracoastal Waterway on junior Wigalo’s. Trout are being caught closer to deeper water on Ball Tails in Pearl and hot and Bone Diamond. Water temps holding in the mid 80s. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters. The bite has been great this last week in Port Mansfield, the weather has cooperated and given us some good opportunities on the water. Water temperatures are increasing as the days continue to get hotter, we are now wet wading in knee to waist deep areas along sand or scattered grass beds and grass or scattered sand pockets. Focusing on the edges of these structures is essential. The majority of fish will sit at the edges of these structures awaiting their prey. There is a plethora of small profile baitfish, so we are downsizing our baits accordingly. Customer Corky Softdines and MirrOLure Lil John XL’s still have been working great. When the opportunity arises, top water lures are great too. With summer around the corner, boat traffic is increasing out on the water. Stay safe and courteous out there and as always, tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures.

South Padre

GOOD. 75 degrees. The forecast has light to calm winds, with few light showers. Trout and redfish are good on Gas Well Flats drifting with live shrimp under popping cork. Redfish fair with cut mullet on bottom. Trout good drifting edge of intercoastal with pearl and chartreuse tail gulp. Mangrove Snapper at end of Brownsville Channel and Jetties free shrimping with small split shot. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 75 degrees. The forecast has light to calm winds, with few light showers. Trout and redfish are good on Gas Well Flats drifting with live shrimp under popping cork. Redfish fair with cut mullet on bottom. Trout good drifting edge of intercoastal with pearl and chartreuse tail gulp. Mangrove Snapper at end of Brownsville Channel and Jetties free shrimping with small split shot. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre

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