Saltwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of May 8, 2024

Redfish Bay

GOOD. 72 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. Still an influx of freshwater coming into Sabine Lake shutting off the bite on the North levee wall. It should take a few more weeks for the water to stabilize. Fish in areas with higher salinity levels. Intracoastal waterway is good for sheepshead, black drums and few redfish with Carolina rigged shrimp in 14-18 feet of water, or in 2-4 feet of water on rock piles and mud flats with live shrimp under a popping cork. Jetties are good with live shrimp Carolina rigged or on a popping cork for catches of sheepshead, and drums. Limits of slot redfish are possible on days with light wind. No reports on trout, often trout will move back to the gulf while the water is fresh. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 72 degrees. Water levels are still high from the south winds and freshwater dumping from the north. The best bite conditions this week will be on the tide changes and edges of the color changes. There are plenty of redfish of varying sizes everywhere! Sand trout, sheepshead, black drum, small speckled trout, and crabs caught along the jetty with a couple stingrays and sharks. The surf is producing black drum, gafftop, stingrays, and bigger sharks mostly off Boyt road and further east towards Gilchrist. People were using everything for bait this past week with good results. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Trinity Bay

SLOW. 75 degrees. The Bay off-colored and fresh due to runoff. The salinity reading at Morgan's Point is near zero. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The bay is stained and flooded due to the influx of freshwater in the bay from The San Jacinto River and Trinity River. Great time to go through your safety gear for inspection and cleaning. Be safe, be prepared for floating debris and wear your kill switch. Redfish, trout and flounder will bounce back as salinity levels return after the floods. Drum will be hitting first, then the redfish. Huge prayers to everyone affected by the recent floods. Take time to check in your neighbor or friend if they live close to the water edge. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 78 degrees. The bay is mostly fresh and off-colored due to runoff. Target salt water pockets along the south shoreline near Fat Rat Pass. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Surface water temperature 76 degrees. Water clarity is normal for East Galveston Bay, with the further East you travel the more stirred up the water is. With the high tides and strong south and southeast winds we battled this week we were limited to fishing close to the shoreline over scattered shells and back in the back lakes to hide from the wind the best we could. As in previous weeks, if you see active bait the fish are close by. Anchor or Power pole down and fan cast the entire area, as this week we were able to catch multiple limits of trout from just a couple of small areas. If you get into an area and do not see bait activity, make a few casts, and move on, as our experience has been, if you find good amounts of bait the fish are close by. This week we have thrown ¼ ounce jig heads with Wac Attack straight tails in monkey milk, topwaters, as well as marker 54 Glide Shrimp, under a 1-2 foot leader and a Fish Smack Popping Cork. The popping cork with shrimp setup was the top performer for our fishing clients this week resulting in some of the most aggressive bites of the year. We also managed to catch several over the slot Redfish this week in the same areas, as well as some nice flounder. Spring is finally here, and fishing is continuing to heat up as the water warms and the fronts blowing through become less disruptive. If you are looking to get out on the water and beat the crowds, now is the perfect time to make it happen. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC.

Galveston Bay

SLOW. 79 degrees. Influx of freshwater continues to enter the bay. A few black drums are being caught near Moses Lake. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 79 degrees. With all the freshwater dumping into Galveston Bay, this might be the place to catch speckled trout. Anglers wading with live croaker are finding good numbers of trout, and a few redfish. Those also fishing with live shrimp under popping corks are rounding out their catch with black drum. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Texas City

FAIR. 78 degrees. Wind has been a factor for those trying to fish the Galveston jetties. Anglers fishing lower Galveston Bay from Swan Lake to the Galveston causeway finding a few speckled trout, black drum and redfish on live shrimp under popping corks. beachfront piers reporting catches of black drum, gafftopsail catfish, jackfish, sharks, and a few speckled trout showing up. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Texas slams, or speckled trout, redfish, and flounder, are reported every day with some occasional black drums, sheepshead, and gafftop. The wade anglers have caught limits along the levee and mosquito island. Shane Rilat Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Freeport

SLOW. 81 degrees. Lighter winds in the forecast so expect the bite to improve. Target trout, redfish and drum in the cuts and back lakes with shrimp under a popping cork. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 72 degrees. 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. Days with calm winds are best targeting fish on the west end of the bay. 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

GOOD. 72 degrees. 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. The tides have been low limiting fishable areas. 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.

Port O'Connor

GOOD. 74 degrees. Fishing patterns are holding steady. 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. 74 degrees. Trout are good on croaker along grass and drop-offs, or with a popping cork and shrimp on flats. Redfish have been great 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 find sand pockets and place baits in them. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 74 degrees. The surf has been producing good redfish and trout in first and second gut. Redfish are great on shrimp, blue crab and cut bait. Trout are good with croaker or shrimp free lined along rocks. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 72 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

SLOW. 73 degrees. The bay has finally cleared and the tide is up about a foot. We are finally seeing lots of trout and redfish coming 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. 80 degrees. Another successful week of fishing. Water continues to be high and temperatures running in the low 80s. Good redfish action shallow early in the mornings on Mansfield Knockers. We have even found a few good pods of them tailing until about 9 a.m. Additionally, there have been a few good trout on the outer edges of the pods. There are more trout out a little deeper in potholes and most of these are coming on junior Wigalo’s. This pattern should hold a couple more weeks. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters. Windy conditions are usual for this time of year. The tides have increased significantly which changes the course of action when deciding where to fish. There is a plethora of small profile bait in our bays, because of this downsize your lure size. Still finding solid bites in knee to just above knee deep water, in grassy scattered sand pockets, and sandy scattered grass beds. Top producing baits are the SoftDine XL, in any color as well as the MirrOlure Lil John XL’s in golden bream, watermelon gold glitter and purple demon. Lots of baitfish activity in the bays, when looking for an area to focus on, look for 2-5 inch baitfish, swirls, slicks and pelicans diving or floating, these are all positive signs that big fish are in the area. Stay patient and dissect the area completely, fanning out your casts and making deliberate casts to the edges of those grass beds and sand pockets. As summer break is vastly approaching, the traffic on the water is beginning to increase. Always remember to stay safe and courteous on the water, and as always tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures.

South Padre

GOOD. 75 degrees. Trout are good on Gas Well Flats. Redfish are fair along the color line off of Zipline. Best bet is live shrimp under clicking popping cork. When the winds are high fish the end of the Brownsville Channel for mangrove snapper, a few redfish and trout free shrimping throwing to deep water off of the shore line. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 75 degrees. Trout are good on Gas Well Flats. Redfish are fair along the color line off of Zipline. Best bet is live shrimp under clicking popping cork. When the winds are high fish the end of the Brownsville Channel for mangrove snapper, a few redfish and trout free shrimping throwing to deep water off of the shore line. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre

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