Saltwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of September 20, 2023

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 90 degrees. Sharks and limits of speckled trout near the rigs. Ling are showing up. Jetties to the channel are good for redfish, trout and flounder along the rocks with shrimp on a popping cork. South Levy and the first and second pike at the North Levy are good for trout with topwaters in the morning, then crankbaits. Beautiful catches of trout at Pleasure Island using 5 inch glo chartreuse plastics with a 1/16th ounce jighead. Neches River to the I-10 Bridge holding slot redfish and some undersized speckled trout on points, drops, and shell or oyster in 4-20 feet of water using a popping cork with shrimp or live mullet. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 87 degrees. The surf is holding lots of black drum, shark, and some big redfish on cut bait or live bait on the bottom. The gulf side of the North Jetty is holding limits of trout, redfish, sheepshead, jack crevalle against the rocks with live bait and artificials. Jack crevalle are running in the surf biting big spoons or big deer hair jigs. The cuts leading in the bay from ICW holding fish against the shorelines. Lots of black drum around Goat Island. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Trinity Bay

GOOD. 84 degrees. Gas wells are holding a good number of speckled trout, but you have to cull through them in order to land a few keepers. Increasing number of birds working open schools of speckled trout. Rocks along the upper Houston ship channel holding black drum and redfish. Best bite on live shrimp under corks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

FAIR. 86 degrees. Birds are beginning to work over schools of speckled trout. Anglers are finding better numbers of speckled trout, redfish, and flounder fishing near marsh drains. Still some fish over shell reefs in open water. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 84 degrees, water clarity very good. Fishing continues to improve in East Galveston Bay with shorter days, cooler weather, and some good tide movement. Off the shore reefs have worked well again resulting in good catches of trout and redfish, with a few black drum, when you are able to find active bait in the area. We have found a few birds working as well and the trout have been actively eating shrimp underneath them. The redfish bite continued to improve this week when we were targeting them, resulting in solid slots, as well as some large bulls stretching our line on most outings. Shrimp imitation lures under popping corks with 12-18 inch leaders have still been producing the most bites for our anglers, and the Deadly Dudley, Slammin Sammy Chartreuse Tail Bay Chovey has worked well with �¼ oz jig heads fished with & without a popping cork at various depths. Until next time. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC. The cuts that come through the Intracoastal waterway, Siever’s and Stingarees, are holding fish against the shorelines coming into the bay, using live shrimp with a popping cork on a 12-16 inch leader. Hanna’s Reef, Potluck Reef, Fat Pat’s all holding fish early. Keep a watch on the birds and the restless bait. The big Poppa Pure Pearl DSL working earlyReport provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Galveston Bay

FAIR. 85 degrees. Lots of undersized speckled trout in the gas wells. Rock piles along the ship channel holding good numbers of black drum and a few keeper reds. Shorelines holding a few trout, and the occasional redfish and some flounder. Best action on live shrimp, followed by soft plastics. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Redfish Island holding some nice trout drifting the inside with croaker or strawberry with white artificials. The A-1 gas wells off the ship channel near Brothel Island are holding some nice trout with a chatterweight and croaker. Redfish at rocks by Brothel Island on popping cork with shrimp or gulp shrimp. The speckled trout are on croaker and artificial. The end of the South Jetty is holding big redfish with a few nice slots, and nice sharks. The gulf side of the jetty is on fire for catches of speckled trout, sheepshead, pompano and redfish close to rocks using live shrimp under a popping cork or freelined, Carolina rigged float with shrimp, or chatterweight and croaker. The surf is also on fire again for speckled trout, and redfish. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 87 degrees. Redfish catches are improving in the open bay. best bite on live shrimp and soft plastics. Still some good trout being caught by those wading with live croaker. Anglers are beginning to see more flounder. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The south shore is holding a lot of speckled trout and redfish for wade anglers, or drift fishing around the coves and grass lines from Waterman’s to Bay Harbor using a chatterweight with a 12 inch fluorocarbon leader 3/0 k hook. Both sides of Bird Island are holding fish, and the flats continue to hold good numbers of speckled trout and redfish for wade anglers. North shorelines between Carancahua Reef and Confederate Reef holding good trout and redfish with an occasional flounder drifting. Drift the four poles between Carancahua and Confederate Reef’s start at the poles, and drift toward the island or from the island and drift towards the poles with chatterweight and croaker or popping cork with shrimp. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Texas City

FAIR. 85 degrees. Bull redfish action is heating up at night off the Texas City Dike. Galveston jetty anglers are finding their fair share of big redfish along with a few big black drum. Galveston fishing piers seeing a few speckled trout, good numbers of Spanish Mackerel, and bull redfish. Still some sharks to be caught nearshore. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The rock shoals in front of Swan Lake are producing some catches of black drum and speckled trout with shrimp under a popping cork. Trout are in the guts between the shoals drifting croaker across Campbell’s Reef. The shoreline on the right side as you get on the dike is holding nice trout for wade anglers using artificial or live bait. Mosquito Inland holding trout with an occasional redfish on artificials, bone color working the best. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Freeport

GOOD. 86 degrees. Fishing patterns continue to hold steady. The bays in Bastrop, Christmas and the west end of Galveston Bay are good for trout, redfish and some flounder drifting in the morning using live shrimp with popping corks. The surf is good for trout, redfish, bull redfish, and sharks. The Brazos and San Bernard are producing catches of trout, redfish and flounder early in the mornings and late in the evening. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 89 degrees. Fishing is fair but should improve when the equinox tide raises water level. Few catches of trout on artificials. Redfish are best on cut mullet in shallow water. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 89 degrees. Fishing is fair but should improve when the equinox tide raises water level. Few catches of trout on artificials. Redfish are best on cut mullet in shallow water. The Colorado River is clear but the bite is slow. The fish typically move into The Colorado River in October. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O'Connor

GOOD. 87 degrees. Black drum are the end of the north jetty on dead shrimp. Slot redfish are the ends of the jetties on Spanish sardines. Spade fish are numerous biting all baits on the outside of both jetties. Very few catches of trout on live croaker outside the jetty. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GREAT. 88 degrees. Speckled trout are good in 2-4 feet of water over grass and sand on live bait, topwaters, and soft plastics. Redfish are great as shallow as one foot around the islands and marsh inlets on gulp and cut bait. Sheepshead are good near structure on live shrimp. Black drum are good in 3-6 feet of water on dead shrimp and Fishbites. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 89 degrees. Redfish are biting at the jetties on finger mullet, shrimp, and cut ladyfinger. Tarpon are at the jetties. Redfish are biting in Aransas Bay on cut mullet. Flounder are starting to become more abundant. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 89 degrees. Nice catches of redfish at Shamrock Island on cut mullet or croaker. Trout continue to bite at the wells on freelined croaker or shrimp. Flounder are starting to become more abundant. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Baffin Bay

GREAT. 86-95 degrees. The slight change in the weather sparked more activity in Baffin Bay. Schools of baitfish are migrating early in the morning along shorelines, drop-offs and parallel guts. Baitfish, birds flying above and activity on the surface will guide you to where the big fish are and what to throw. Read it all carefully as it changes throughout the morning, it will guide you through your journey on tricking a personal best fish or a nice stringer to take home. Match the hatch and mimic the same patterns of the baitfish around you. Smaller profile plastics with lots of hinge action as well as dark colored topwaters have been a hit all summer long. Switching between the two depending on the baitfish activity. If you notice a lot of action on top of the surface such as “big eats” “blow ups” “tail slaps,” you’re gonna want to throw a top water and walk it across the water, pause every once in a while, this makes it appear as a wounded baitfish. If the topwater activity ceases, switch over to a soft plastic and work the bottom to mid depth. Stay confident in your technique and surely you will persuade a fish of a lifestyle!

Port Mansfield

GREAT. 88-91 degrees. Fishing is improving some with good catches of redfish. Mansfield Knockers have been working great until noon, and if there is cloud cover then topwaters are good most of the day. Still fishing in shallow water and potholes and bait have been key. Offshore is also on fire for Kingfish and snapper. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.

South Padre

GOOD. 88 degrees. It has been windy, so check the wind forecast before heading out. The water is clear in the early mornings. Trout holding in the Intracoastal and in pot holes behind Three Islands and the gas well flats. Black drum are in small schools along the east side grass lines. Flounder are becoming more abundant along the edges of the intracoastal and mouth of Arroyo Colorado. Sheepshead are good near structure and best at the old causeway and jetties. Redfish are very good in deeper water at both jetties. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 88 degrees. It has been windy, so check the wind forecast before heading out. The water is clear in the early mornings. Trout holding in the Intracoastal and in pot holes behind Three Islands and the gas well flats. Black drum are in small schools along the east side grass lines. Flounder are becoming more abundant along the edges of the intracoastal and mouth of Arroyo Colorado. Sheepshead are good near structure and best at the old causeway and jetties. Redfish are very good in deeper water at both jetties. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

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