Gulf Coast Region Week of September 27, 2023

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 90 degrees. Sabine Channel holding slot redfish and beautiful trout on rock piles and shell banks using live shrimp under a popping cork. Sabine Lake redfish are along the banks, points and bayous biting live shrimp under a popping cork. Speckled trout catches under the birds working the shorelines with popping shrimp. Speckled trout continue to be good on the North Levy with topwater early, switching midday to crankbaits and plastics in glo chartreuse. Bessie Heights Marsh holding limits of redfish off points and ditches in 6-8 feet, or flats in 2-4 feet of water with live shrimp under a popping cork. Some drum and sheepshead catches as well. Neches River is good for limits of redfish, undersized speckled trout, drum and sheepshead along the rocks and shell banks in 2-4 feet of water with a popping cork with live shrimp. Lots of shrimp along the banks and leaving the bayous, this is an indication that the fall pattern is starting, so look for fish to migrate out of the bayous. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 85 degrees. The surf is holding lots of black drum, sharks, and some big redfish on cut bait or live bait on the bottom. The gulf side of the North Jetty holding limits of trout, redfish, sheepshead, jack crevalle against the rocks with live bait and artificial. Also the jacks are running in the surf using big spoons or big deer hair jigs. The cuts leading in the bay from ICW holding fish against shorelines. Lots of black drum are around Goat Island. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Trinity Bay

GOOD. 86 degrees. Deep shell holding a few decent size speckled trout, but lots of undersized fish in the mix. Birds are working along the outer edges of deep shell reefs. Good number of redfish along the Houston ship channel, along with black drum. Best bite on live shrimp under corks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

FAIR. 87 degrees. Scattered catches of speckled trout over shell and working birds. best bite of live shrimp and soft plastics. Grass shorelines holding some nice redfish. Drains and Bayous seeing improved flounder catches. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 85 degrees, water clarity still very good. Fishing continues to improve in East Galveston Bay, as we venture into fall and hopefully cooler temperatures in the next couple of weeks. Off the shore reefs have resulted in good catches of trout and redfish, when the wind allows us to effectively target the areas of the reefs that are holding fish. The redfish bite continued to improve this week resulting in solid slots, as well as some large bulls stretching our line on most early morning 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 ounce 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. Stingaree’s and Siever’s Cut are holding fish against the shorelines coming out into the bay using popping cork with live shrimp, 12-16 inches on the leader. Hannah’s Reef, Potluck Reef, and Fat Pat’s all holding fish early. Keep a watch on the birds and the restless bait. The big Poppa Pure Pearl DSL working early. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Galveston Bay

FAIR. 85 degrees. Gas wells still holding plenty of speckled trout, mostly on the small size. Good catches of redfish, with black drum mixed in, coming off structures such as hard shells and rock groins. Live shrimp is working best. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The surf is red hot on fire from East Beach all the way to Surfside for speckled trout, redfish and an occasional shark on live bait, and sheepshead on popping cork with live shrimp, or on the bottom with live shrimp at the wells. 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 South Jetty holding some big redfish with a few nice slots, and some nice sharks on the end. Gulf sides are on fire for speckled trout, sheepshead, pompano and redfish close to rocks on popping cork with live bait free-lined shrimp, or Carolina rigged float with shrimp, or chatter weight and croaker. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 87 degrees. Slot redfish have been dominating the catches. Still some nice speckled trout were landed. Best bite is on a live croaker. Scattered action under diving gulls in the open bay. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. West Bay’s south shoreline 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 12 inch fluorocarbon leader 3/0 k hook. Both sides of Bird Island holding fish Bird Island flats still holding good numbers of speckled trout, and good numbers of redfish for wade anglers. North shorelines between Carancahua Reef and Confederate Reef holding good trout and redfish with an occasional flounder drifting. The off pole A to D with chatterweight and croaker or popping cork with Shrimp. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Houston

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.11 feet above pool. Fishing patterns are similar, look for the best bite at night and early in the morning. Blue catfish are good on shad in the mouths of rivers. Crappie are fair on submerged structures in 10-20 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows. Bass are fair with an early morning topwater bite, transitioning to deeper structure with crankbaits and Texas or Carolina rigged worms.

Texas City

FAIR. 85 degrees. Bull redfish catches highlight the action off the Texas City Dike and the Galveston jetties. Best bite has been on live natural baits. Pockets of speckled trout have been landed in the Galveston surf and lower Galveston bay. Best bite is on live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The rock shoals in front of Swan Lake are producing black drum and speckled trout using shrimp under popping cork. Trout in the guts between the shoals drifting croaker across Campbell’s Reef. The shoreline on the right side as you get on the dike holding nice trout for wade anglers with artificial or live bait. Mosquito Inland holding trout with an occasional redfish on artificial bone color working the best. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Freeport

GOOD. 86 degrees. Fishing in areas that were not affected by last weeks red tide are good. Redfish and black drum catches using shrimp or gulp under popping cork in the back lakes. Flounder, trout and redfish holding in the rivers and cuts in the bays. Trout and redfish can be caught in the surf using croakers or mullet. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 84 degrees. Water temperature is declining and fishing will improve as the temperature reaches the desired 70s. Trout are slow. Redfish are good in the back lakes and shorelines with gulp and cork, cut mullet, or live shrimp under a popping cork. Flounder giggers at night. The Colorado River is clear with fishing improving at night under the lights. This will improve as the weather cools. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 84 degrees. Water temperature is declining and fishing will improve as the temperature reaches the desired 70s. Trout are slow. Redfish are good in the back lakes and shorelines with gulp and cork, cut mullet, or live shrimp under a popping cork. Flounder giggers at night. The Colorado River is clear with fishing improving at night under the lights. This will improve as the weather cools. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O'Connor

GOOD. 85 degrees. Slot redfish at the jetties from the middle of both sides to the ends on Spanish sardine or live shrimp. Oversized and undersized drum are at the end of the North jetty on dead shrimp. Good numbers of tarpon ranging from 30-125 pounds in the middle of jetties fishing live croaker off the bottom. Trout are few and far between on the outside of the jetties on free lining live croaker. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GREAT. 86 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. Baitfish migrate heavily along the shorelines early in the morning. Take note of the size and type of bait fish jumping out of the water as well as birds flying above or floating nearby. This will help guide where to fish and what to throw. If there seems to be a lot of topwater action, such as “blow ups,” or “big eats” as we call them, baitfish being spooked, these are indications that fish are aggressively feeding and it is the perfect opportunity to throw a topwater lure. When the action ceases, it is time to switch over to a soft plastic or something with a smaller profile to persuade a strike. With the summer-like conditions here in September, still hot and as noon arrives, barometric pressure rises, fishing can get tough during those times, remain patient, fan out your casts and if you get a thump or bite, plant your feet and work through that area for a little while. Stay safe and hydrated out on the water and as always, tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures. The trout bite is on fire using live shrimp or croaker early in the day. The redfish have been a little harder to catch due to the low winds. Fish are anywhere you see birds sitting on the water. Report by Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.

Port Mansfield

GREAT. 88-91 degrees. Fishing is improving some with good catches of redfish coming in on the regular. Mansfield Knockers have been working great until about 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. 87 degrees. Very light wind and the water clarity is good with good strong tides. Large schools of finger mullet are on the gas wells attracting small schools of redfish. Lots of trout along the edge of the intracoastal at shacks or Three Islands. Flounder are good on the edges, with catches up to four pounds. Sheepshead are good at the old causeway. Bull reddish are deep with small mullet at south jetties. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 87 degrees. Very light wind and the water clarity is good with good strong tides. Large schools of finger mullet are on the gas wells attracting small schools of redfish. Lots of trout along the edge of the intracoastal at shacks or Three Islands. Flounder are good on the edges, with catches up to four pounds. Sheepshead are good at the old causeway. Bull reddish are deep with small mullet at south jetties. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

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