Gulf Coast Region Week of December 31, 2025

Redfish Bay

GOOD. 66 degrees. Water temperature will drop after the cold front and the redfish will become active. Redfish are good with dead shrimp and cut mullet. Drum are biting dead shrimp. Look for shallow areas with a drop-off adjacent. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

San Antonio Bay

GOOD. 60 degrees. High winds and cold weather have kept anglers off the water. The forecast looks good for this week and will turn the bite on. Redfish and trout should move back to the mud bottom flats adjacent to deep water. Work slow sinking artificial lures, so you can jerk to the surface then let it sink again. Watch the bait to determine how quick your approach needs to be. Report by Captain Lynn Smith, Back Bay Guide Service.

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 60 degrees. High winds shifted fishing efforts to the Neches River. Redfish, trout, drum and sheepshead can be caught in 2-10 feet of water on rock piles, bulkheads, buoys and oyster shell flats with live shrimp on a popping cork. Target buoys because where there is a buoy, there are oyster and clam shells. Bait fish like to hold in these areas. When the weather allows, fishing under the birds on the lake should be good for the start of 2026. Bait has been dumped out of the marshes into Sabine Lake, so redfish and trout should be feeding. When this bite ends, move to the ICW rockpiles, shell flats and bulkheads for redfish, trout, sheepshead and drum. Very few catches of quality flounder to report. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy's Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 60 degrees. This week should be a fun week to fish the Galveston Bay Area! Plenty of weather changes throughout the week and changing winds with four tide days changing back and forth but mainly low tides in the morning and fluctuates high in late afternoons. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. Water temperatures are finally in the 50s going back to the 60s. Anglers are still catching redfish and trout in the surf, jetty, bay-side canals and east bay using finger mullet and mud minnows. There are a few flounder, speckled trout and sand trout being caught with croakers and crabs along the jetty, but it has been hit-or-miss. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Trinity Bay

GOOD. 65 degrees. Tabbs and Scott Bays have a fair speckled trout bite with good numbers of black drum being caught on live shrimp. Sheepshead and redfish are scattered along the rocks near the ship channel. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 64 degrees. Surface water temperature 64 degrees. The current cold front with Strong North Winds will push down water temperatures, as well as water levels in our bay system. Fish the falling tides in the morning for solid trout and some oversize fish. The ticket the past few days has been fishing right on the bottom super slowly over deeper shell and mud with various size jig heads with salt and pepper soft plastic paddle tail swimbaits. Please watch the major and minor fish times for the best bite. Remember this week the fish still must eat, although not as often, so be very methodical in your presentation, and fish areas where you have confidence in. The redfish bite has been consistent around drains and in the very shallow water areas back in the marsh. We are still using Imitation shrimp lures & FishBite tails under popping corks, with a 1-foot leader to trigger bites, as well as weightless imitation baitfish soft plastics. This time of year brings some of the best opportunities for bigger fish, with fewer fishers on the water, and bigger fish on the prowl, so get out and make it happen with your family and friends. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service, LLC. This week should be a great week to fish the Galveston Bay Area. This week should be a fun week to fish the Galveston Bay Area! Plenty of weather changes throughout the week and changing winds with four tide days changing back and forth but mainly low tides in the morning and fluctuates high in late afternoons. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. The trout bite has turned on over here. Plenty of redfish and flounder have also been everywhere. You can still find most of your redfish working the last shrimp we have left or use artificial Report by Captain Jack Blume.

Galveston Bay

GOOD. 65 degrees. Bull redfish are roaming open water in Galveston Bay under diving gulls. At the Galveston jetties slot redfish and bull redfish are good. Oversized black drum are showing up in better numbers. Few speckled trout, sheepshead, and keeper size black drum being caught tight to the rocks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 65 degrees. Chocolate Bayou is fair for speckled trout and redfish on soft plastics. Boaters drifting over shell in west Galveston bay catching decent numbers of speckled trout. Back lakes good for redfish and a few trout. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Houston

GOOD. Water clear; 59 degrees; 0.20 feet above pool. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms and green Rage Craws around points, drop-offs, and cypress knees, and squarebill crankbaits in pilchard patterns diving 3-5 feet are producing along riprap. Catfish are active near the train tracks and in the West Fork on fresh shad kept on ice, while crappie are making a solid return with good limits coming from brush piles in 8-12 feet of water in Luce Bayou and the East Fork on hand-tied jigs or minnows. White bass action remains strong on the south end by trolling a 25-foot diver with a 3-foot leader and #12 Pet Spoon at 2.6-2.9 miles per hour in about 14 feet of water, with slabs and crankbaits also working near the West Fork. Always wear your kill switch and be safe! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

Texas City

GOOD. 65 degrees. This week should be a fun week to fish the Galveston Bay Area! Plenty of weather changes throughout the week and changing winds with four tide days changing back and forth but mainly low tides in the morning and fluctuates high in late afternoons. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. Anglers are catching some big bull redfish, black drum, speckled trout, decent keeper flounder with a lot of small males still prevalent. A few whiting can caught and sheepshead and puppy drum are showing up. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. The dredge boat is pumping from the Channel to the north beach side of the dike. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Freeport

FAIR. 65 degrees. Birds are leading the way to speckled trout, sand trout and redfish in Bastrop Bay, Christmas Bay, and Chocolate Bay. Drifting deep deep oyster reefs and mud flats with mullet has been the ticket. Throwing 1/4-⅜ ounce jigheads with soft plastics, live shrimp or imitation shrimp on popping cork has been good. Redfish, trout, sheepshead, and drum are good in Freeport Harbor, Brazos River, San Bernard River, Chocolate Bayou, and Oyster Creek with 1/4 or ⅜ ounce jig with soft plastics, free-lining shrimp, or throwing live shrimp on popping cork. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 70 degrees. Trout and redfish are good fishing between fronts this time year. Most anglers are drifting with artificials, but some are using live shrimp on a popping cork. Wade fishing during tide changes is good. Jetties are good for sheephead. The Colorado River is producing catches at night in the lights. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski's Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 70 degrees. Trout and redfish are good fishing between fronts this time year. Most anglers are drifting with artificials, but some are using live shrimp on a popping cork. Jetties are good for sheephead. The Colorado River is producing catches at night in the lights. Gigging for flounder is excellent at night. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski's Guide Service.

Port O'Connor

GOOD. 72 degrees. Trout are biting on the outside of both jetties with live shrimp or artificials. Oversized redfish are biting at the outside of the south jetty. Slot redfish are biting inside of the south jetty with dead shrimp. Sheepshead are biting throughout the jetties with live shrimp. Very few flounder to report on. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty's Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GOOD: 66 degrees. With lower winter tides and cooler water temperatures fishing should steadily improve. Trout are good with live shrimp piggy perch and soft plastics in flats with mud bottom and along channel edges. Redfish are good with shrimp, mullet, and perch in guts and channel edges when water drops out with lower tides. Black drum are great on live or dead shrimp and fish bites in guts and holes in flats and along channel edges. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 66 degrees. With lower winter tides and cooler water temperatures fishing should steadily improve. Redfish have been good on live shrimp cut mullet on the north and south jetty. Oversized redfish have been great on cut crab and cut mullet. Trout are good, and pompano are fair with shrimp free lined along rocks Black drum have also been great on live shrimp. Redfish, pompano and trout have been good in surf using live shrimp, shrimp bites and cut mullet. Sheepshead are good on live shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

SLOW. 60 degrees. While water temperatures are between 60-70 degrees it is a prime time to target redfish, drum, pompano trout and whiting in the surf. Southerly winds will bring the bait near the shore. Best baits are fish bite, shrimp or live mullet. Work in the first guts and avoid areas with weeds. Watch for birds sitting on the beach or working to find active fish. Fishing from points will get baits further to where bigger pompano can be caught. Report by Nick Meyer, Nick Away.

Baffin Bay

GOOD. 64 degrees. It is all about that bait, so target areas with concentrations of bait. This is the time to fish near deeper water as well and slow down your retrieve a tad. Fish move slower and expend less energy when water temperatures drop especially if pressure is high. Larger suspending baits really start to produce. Use darker colored lures on darker days, or when the water is off colored water. Use lighter colored lures on brighter days or days with clearer water. Good luck and see you on the water! Report by Captain Sally Black.

Port Mansfield

GOOD. 70 degrees. Fishing was not in the forecast this past Monday when a strong norther blew through. However, as the week progresses fishing will improve. Water temperature cooled, but as the water temperature warm fish began to feed. Topwaters over warming flats with potholes were key. Additionally, active mullet pointed the way on where to cast. Best action was in about 2-3 feet of water. Flounder have also been fair on kwigglers Wigalo’s and Willow tails over sandy bottoms. Already looking forward to another cold front so the fish keep adding weight. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters. Conditions will be chilly on the water this week. The anticipated water temperature drop should rearrange the patterns and promote some more consistent feeding activity. Chasing down the thump this week will consist of deeper potholes, grass scattered sand pockets in about a foot to two feet of water. With this low tide we are experiencing, these areas are easily accessible to wade. Another structure that can be highly successful are the spoil islands, especially if they have some grass on them. The drop-offs that these spoil islands have can be a key factor to finding some good fish and or a trophy. Best baits have been twitch baits in golden bream, watermelon red glitter, purple demon, space dust, or soft plastic swimbaits in big poppa pearl, rootbeer hopper, pure color X, or suspending twitchbaits in dark hues. Stay safe, courteous and warm out on the water this week! Happy New Year! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures.

South Padre

GOOD. 70 degrees. Before the recent cold front, fishing was good. The speckled trout and redfish bite was very good with trout being found primarily in 1-3 feet. A 1/16 ounce jig head with red and white tail proved to be the best all around bite getter. Second place was LSU color. Redfish remained plentiful in 8 inches to 2 feet of water on inside grass edges. Weightless fluke style baits, topwater walking baits and jig heads fish on 16th ounce heads all did the trick. Shrimp under popping corks, live croaker and live mullet remain players year round for bait anglers. Several large schools of redfish could be found north of the drum boat area, east of 3 Islands. Several large schools of black drum were in the same area. Post frontal warm-up will consolidate Fish on channel edges where they can be fished by bouncing quarter ounce jig heads on the bottom. For Fly Fishing and site casting, look for potholes in the grass and soft bottom areas that were out of the strong north wind and warm up quickest on the backside of passing fronts. Tan crab patterns with light bead chain eyes and a weed guard elicited the most strikes. Look for trophy trout in the same areas. Report by Captain Glenn Harrison, Double Mermaid Outdoors.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 70 degrees. Before the recent cold front, fishing was good. The speckled trout and redfish bite was very good with trout being found primarily in 1-3 feet. A 1/16 ounce jig head with red and white tail proved to be the best all around bite getter. Second place was LSU color. Redfish remained plentiful in 8 inches to 2 feet of water on inside grass edges. Weightless fluke style baits, topwater walking baits and jig heads fish on 16th ounce heads all did the trick. Shrimp under popping corks, live croaker and live mullet remain players year round for bait anglers. Several large schools of redfish could be found north of the drum boat area, east of 3 Islands. Several large schools of black drum were in the same area. Post frontal warm-up will consolidate Fish on channel edges where they can be fished by bouncing quarter ounce jig heads on the bottom. For Fly Fishing and site casting, look for potholes in the grass and soft bottom areas that were out of the strong north wind and warm up quickest on the backside of passing fronts. Tan crab patterns with light bead chain eyes and a weed guard elicited the most strikes. Look for trophy trout in the same areas. Report by Captain Glenn Harrison, Double Mermaid Outdoors.

« Fishing Report Search