Gulf Coast Region Week of December 11, 2024

Redfish Bay

FAIR. 70 degrees. Winter patterns are emerging now that the water is dropping out. Drum and redfish are good on shallow flats with dropoffs using dead shrimp and mullet. Some piggy perch can still be caught and used as bait. Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

San Antonio Bay

SLOW. 60 degrees. Bay fishing has been slow due to the low tide and high wind. Most fishing efforts have been in the jetties for bull redfish, a few slot redfish and few drum. The high winds are blowing the water out of the bay concentrating the fish in areas with deeper water near the flats. The forecasted front will drop the water temperature so the fish will drop to deep cuts and channels. Once the weather starts to warm and the sun comes out fish will return to flats. Target areas with mud and grass, because the mud warms quicker than the sand. Report Captain Lynn Smith, Back Bay Guide Service.

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 68 degrees. Sabine Lake North Levy is very good for limits of nice trout off the bank under the birds with 3/4 ounce gold spoons with a slow retrieve along the bottom. Shrimp are moving out of the marshes bringing the trout and redfish hitting ¾ ounce gold spoons and submergeable crankbaits. Birds are working on the north end to midlake leading the way to limit trout, slot redfish, and some big bull redfish. The big bull redfish will be in the lake until January. The fishing patterns are about a month late this year. When the picks up focus efforts on The Neches River points, drops, bayous and buoys for catches of redfish, speckled trout, drum and sheepshead with live shrimp under a popping cork or fishing off the bottom with live shrimp on a Carolina rig. Many limits of drum and redfish can be had especially with the moving tide. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 64 degrees. Water levels are swapping back-and-forth this week with the north winds pushing the tide out, and the incoming tide is clear. Anglers are still catching plenty of redfish everywhere. The big croakers are still being caught along with a few more sand trout, black drum, redfish, speckled trout, and crabs caught along the jetty with a few small stingrays and sharks. The surf is producing numbers of redfish, black drum, the occasional speckled trout and crabs along the whole peninsula with more activity towards Gilchrist, High Island mainly. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Trinity Bay

SLOW. 62 degrees. The northern end of the bay is good for speckled trout and redfish on soft plastics and live shrimp under popping corks. On the west side, ship channel spoil islands continue to be good for black drum, sheepshead, and redfish. Speckled trout being caught further up the channel over hard shells. Best bite on live shrimp fished under popping corks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Trout are in the current, rocks, oysters with relatively deep water nearby. As soon as the sun comes up the trout bite turns on. Paddle tails and shrimp imitations seem to be the ticket right now. The WACky Shad XL in the peppered pumpkin color is the go to choice right now married with a 2/0, ¼ ounce jig head. Redfish are hitting the flats at a rapid pace with the recent fronts. Be looking for birds working and circling on shallow flats has been key for us. We are catching them mixed in with trout as well using paddle tails. Heat catches of flounder on paddle tails are being landed with the season opening on December 15. Always wear your kill switch and pay attention to the weather and remember, God is great! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 58 degrees. Waders picking up a few quality speckled trout from the back shorelines of the bay. Best on hard and soft plastic baits. A few fish coming from those drifting the reefs with live shrimp and soft plastics. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. A few more slot-sized speckled trout are showing up, black drum, and redfish being caught on live shrimp and finger mullet. We are still getting a few reports of good fishing by Frenchtown Road, Siever’s Cut, and near the boat ramp by Rollover Pass. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp. The water clarity is good now for East Galveston Bay. This past week we had less than ideal weather and strong winds on most days and fished low outgoing tides. The trout bite has remained steady, catching good numbers and some oversize fish as well on our artificial only trips. The ticket the past few days has been fishing right on the bottom, very slowly, over deeper shell with 1/4 ounce jig heads with WACky shad XL tails by Wac Attack, in lighter colors, securing the most bites. The redfish bite has been on fire around grass lines and in the shallow water areas back in the marsh. We are still using Imitation shrimp lures & tails under popping corks, with a 1-foot leader to secure the most bites. As in previous weeks, if you do not see active bait in the area you are targeting, move on rather quickly. Do not let the less than ideal weather keep you off the water, as this time of year brings some of the best fishing conditions for bigger fish, with fewer fishers on the water, so get out and make it happen with your family and friends. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service, LLC.

Galveston Bay

SLOW. 59 degrees. West shoreline structure, piers and shell reefs are good for speckled trout on soft plastics and live shrimp. The Sylvan Beach area seems to be the hot spot. Redfish numbers at times are good. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 63 degrees. A few good trout catches in shallow water near marsh and drains. Drifting the open bay reefs, anglers are catching scattered trout, the occasional redfish, and sand trout of soft plastic lures. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Houston

GOOD. Water normal stain; 60 degrees; 0.05 feet below pool. Water clarity is good with the exception of Luces Bayou. Largemouth bass are tight to the shorelines close to cypress trees on warmer days, then seem to be a bit deeper on docks and structure on the colder days. Grubs rigged with 3/16 ounce weights seem to be the best and crawfish color is a great choice. White bass are great timing on the south end, vertical jigging and using deep diving crank baits and spins in drop offs. Crappie are decent in east and west fork holding tight to structure around 14 feet of water. Catfish are plentiful and catch the best if you bait a hole then fish out a few hours later with fresh caught shad. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

Texas City

GOOD. 61 degrees. Same old report with bull redfish and black drum catches off the Texas City Dike and the Galveston jetties on live halved crab and cut mullet. Flounder fishery reopens December 15 with a five fish limit, 15 inch minimum. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Anglers are still catching plenty of speckled trout, redfish, and black drum with the occasional sand trout, gafftop and big croaker. Wade fishing has been sporadic, but great during the incoming tides. Along the dike has been productive from the beginning to the end still. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Freeport

GOOD. 62 degrees. Fishing patterns are consistent with the best bite between fronts. Redfish and trout have been good working under the birds with plastic or popping cork with gulp. In Bastrop Bay, Christmas Bay, Chocolate Bay, Salt Lake and Oyster Lake. The Brazos River has been good with reddish, trout, drum, sand trout, and croakers with either live shrimp or fresh dead shrimp. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures

East Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 55 degrees. The Colorado River is full of trout, with a few redfish, hitting artificials, or live shrimp. Shrimp are falling out of the marsh with some bird activity. Redfish are good on days with light wind drifting with artificials. Few anglers targeting drums, although on calm days the jetties are producing catches of drum and sheepshead. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 55 degrees. The Colorado River is full of trout, with a few redfish, hitting artificials, or live shrimp. Shrimp are falling out of the marsh with some bird activity. Redfish are good in the sloughs and shallow water with cut bait. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O'Connor

SLOW. 60 degrees. Cold, rainy and windy weather have kept anglers off the water. Bull redfish are spotty from the back of the jetties to Bird Island on blue crab and Spanish sardines. Slot redfish are biting at the ends of both jetties in 20-25 feet of water Spanish sardines. Black drums are biting throughout the jetty on dead shrimp and blue crab. Trout are biting on the outside of the jetties with live shrimp. Sheepshead are biting dead shrimp throughout the jetties. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GOOD. 71 degrees. Tides have been low and winds have been strong. Trout are good on live shrimp and your favorite soft plastic along grass and shell in 3-4 feet of water. Redfish are great on shrimp or mullet in flats fishing drains and guts. Black drums are great on live or dead shrimp and fish bites in drains, guts and along oyster beds. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 71 degrees. Redfish have been great on shrimp and cut mullet on the north and south jetty. Lots of oversized redfish. Trout are good with shrimp free lined along rocks. Black drum are fair on shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

FAIR. 70 degrees. Winter patterns are emerging now that the water is dropping out. Drum and redfish are good in the Packery Channel using dead shrimp and mullet. Some piggy perch can still be caught and used as bait. Some catches of trout with live shrimp on a popping cork. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

Baffin Bay

GOOD. 75 degrees. Water temperatures are dropping to normal December levels so it looks like the winter time fishing cycle is about to begin. Fish pre-front or two or three days after a front for the best catching results. In Baffin, the fish are usually close to the bottom, so thoughtfully work your lure there, low and slow, especially if the water temps drop below 60. Soft plastics, straight tails and bigger paddle tails, as well as SoftDine XLs and Corky Fat Boys are some go-to lure selections. Report by Captain Sally Black.

Port Mansfield

GOO. 76 degrees. Fishing is good, but things will change shortly as this cold front passes through. Prior to the front fish were holding in small potholes surrounded by big grass beds. Both reds and trout were hitting topwaters and Ball Tails rigged on light jigheads. Next week as the water warms this pattern should develop again. Remember to look for any signs of bait activity to help your odds of catching fish. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.

South Padre

GOOD. 68 degrees. Fishing fair for trout and redfish are fair on the gas well flats and Unnecessary Island drifting with live shrimp under popping cork, and with cut mullet and ballyhoo near Three Islands. Sheepshead are still good at jetties and small channels in south bay. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 68 degrees. Fishing fair for trout and redfish are fair on the gas well flats and Unnecessary Island drifting with live shrimp under popping cork, and with cut mullet and ballyhoo near Three Islands. Sheepshead are still good at jetties and small channels in south bay. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

« Fishing Report Search