Gulf Coast Region Week of September 4, 2024

Redfish Bay

GOOD. 86 degrees. Black drum are good on shorelines over crushed shell or sandy bottom, oyster reefs with freelined dead shrimp. Trout bite has slowed, which is normal this time of year. Redfish are good free lining cut mullet along the shorelines of Ransom Island. Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

San Antonio Bay

GOOD. 86 degrees. Fishing has been limited due to thunderstorms, with more rain in the forecast. Expect a lot of freshwater runoff, which will push fish into the system. Trout and redfish are good on topwater lures in the back lakes while the tide was high. Fishing should be good along the surf and on the reefs. Be safe and keep an eye on weather reports. Report Captain Lynn Smith, Back Bay Guide Service.

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 87 degrees. Start in the jetties early in the morning for trout on a popping cork with live shrimp or work a Carolina rigged shrimp for sheepshead or drum. Sabine Channel rocks piles and shell flats with 3.5 inch red shad plastics, redfish and trout. Ladyfish and sharks are all over the bait. Intracoastal Waterways holding some good redfish and numbers of speckled trout from Pleasure Island Point to Texaco Island on shell flats, rock piles and bulkheads. Bulkheads are producing catches of mangrove snapper, sheepshead and drum with live shrimp under a popping cork or Carolina rigged. Salinity is improving on the south end of Sabine Lake, so expect the trout bite to improve. Target redfish and flounder on points and drops making long drifts on shell flats and drops, and along the Bayou drop-offs, cuts and points with artificial baits. Stick with artificial baits because shrimp will attract an array of ladyfish and gafftop catfish. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

EXCELLENT. 83 degrees. The fishing has been very good for flounder, speckled trout, red snapper, vermillion snapper, redfish, grouper, yellowfin tuna, and mackerel for dinner. Water temperature staying in the low 80s. Bull redfish and black drum are feeding off the surf and jetty. Anglers are catching lots of speckled trout, redfish, croakers, sand trout, a few flounder, black drum, speckled trout, and crabs caught along the jetty plus lots of stingrays and sharks. A few Spanish mackerel and some mangrove snapper are being caught as well. The surf is still producing limits of speckled trout, lots of bull reds and black drum, lots of stingrays, and bigger sharks along the whole peninsula. Anglers are using all kinds of different things for bait with awesome results. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Trinity Bay

SLOW. 85 degrees. Mixed results from the northwest area of this large bay, Fair bite on speckled trout and redfish. Lots of black drum and sheepshead along the ship channel spoil islands. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Pay very close attention to tides. During the high tides focus on shell in mud for redfish using the WACky shrimp rigged weedless by WAC Attack Lures and live shrimp under a popping cork. Trout are being caught at rock structures with sand in 4-5 feet of water, but you must find a place very close to deep water being caught on gulp shrimp rigged weedless. Drum and sheepshead are abundant by the ship channel on rocks being caught free-lining live shrimp. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 85 degrees. Protected areas giving up a few black drum and speckled trout. The rain over the holiday weekend hampered open bay efforts. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Still producing plenty of speckled trout, redfish, and black drum using live shrimp and/or finger mullet. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp. Surface water temperature 85 degrees. The water clarity is still stirred up in East Galveston Bay, with clearer / saltier water as you get West of Stingaree with a distinct line as you venture closer over towards Galveston. This week we have spent more time in the intracoastal finding trout, reds, and flounder, around structure, as well as a few fish over structure on the South Shoreline, closer to deeper drops on tails with 1/8 ounce heads. As in previous weeks, when the weather cooperates, and we can dodge the storms and lightning, we are once again burning a good deal of fuel and time taking the ride over to the Jetties to find good looking water and a solid early am trout bite. We are utilizing MirrOlure suspending hard baits, rattle traps, soft body swimbaits, and tails with 1/8 ounce heads in light colors. Our clients are still enjoying excellent success using Fish Smack Popping corks with a 1-2 foot leader above shrimp imitation lures, as well as salt and pepper tails by WacAttack and shrimp color rat tails by Deadly Dudley. We did find a couple groups of birds working as we traveled across the bay, which resulted in some trout as well. The Topwater bite has still been good when utilized on our early morning and late afternoon trips, so if you like throwing walking baits, now is a great time to get on the water and make it happen, and the color does not seem to be that critical, with bone being one of our favorite colors we have the most confidence in. The crowds should subside now that Labor Day is passed with less fishing pressure and cooler temperatures on the way, so get your friends and family and get out on the water. Until Next Time Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service, LLC.

Galveston Bay

SLOW. 82 degrees. Anglers seeking protected waters from the nagging northeast winds were rewarded with good trout catches, fair action on redfish, black drum, and sheepshead. Best bite on live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 84 degrees. Those that fished between thunderstorms and showers were rewarded with catches of speckled trout. A few redfish are being caught over the shell. Best bite on live shrimp and croakers. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Houston

GOOD. Water normal stain; 95 degrees; 0.09 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are grouping in the shade and seem to like the cypress trees being caught in chatterbaits and small crawl baits early, then transitioning to deeper water. Crappie are in Luce Bayou and East fork near structures in 8-14 feet of water. Crappie are being caught with minnows and small hand tied jigs. White bass are slowly showing up on the south end being caught on spins and swim baits. Gar are still heavy in the creeks. Catfish are abundant in the rivers being caught on jug lines baited with live bait and dead shad. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.

Texas City

GOOD. 82 degrees. Galveston jetty catches consisted mostly of bull redfish. Beachfront piers reported bull reds, sharks, and back drum. A few speckled trout and redfish coming off rock structure in lower Galveston Bay. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Great fishing conditions for the most part between the rains. Anglers are catching plenty of speckled trout, more redfish, and a few nice flounder every day with some occasional black drum, sheepshead, sand trout, and gafftop. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.

Freeport

GOOD. 85 degrees. Trout, redfish and drum catches are good in Christmas Bay, Chocolate Bay, Bastrop Bay and the upper West Galveston Bay drifting with shrimp under a popping cork. San Luis Pass and the beachfront have been good early in the morning for trout and redfish with topwater, plastics, live croaker free-lined or on chatterweight, and with shrimp under a popping cork. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures

East Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 87 degrees. Fishing patterns are holding steady and the bite should improve this weekend after the forecasted front at the end of the week. Drifting over shell reefs for trout, redfish and drum with live shrimp under a popping cork and artificial lures. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

GOOD. 87 degrees. Fishing patterns are holding steady and the bite should improve this weekend after the forecasted front at the end of the week. Wade anglers are producing catches off mid bay reefs with croaker. Drifting over shell reefs for trout, redfish and drum with live shrimp under a popping cork and artificial lures. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O'Connor

GOOD. 85 degrees. Fishing patterns are holding steady. Oversized black drum outside of the south jetty at the end on live crab and dead shrimp. Trout are biting north 14 miles and south of 8-10 the surf on live croaker. Slot redfish are good at the end of the north jetty with live crab and Spanish sardines. Keeper drums are biting in the flare of the jetties. Tarpon are good, drifting the ship channel with large croakers on the bottom. On big incoming tides in the morning bull redfish are from back of the jetties to Bird Island. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GOOD. 84 degrees. Trout are great on croaker along grass and shell in 3-4 feet of water, or drifting with a popping cork and shrimp on the flats. Redfish are great on shrimp, piggy perch and cut skipjack or mullet on the flats and sand pockets. Black drum are good on live or dead shrimp and fish bites in drains, sand pockets and along oyster beds. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 84 degrees. Redfish are good on shrimp and cut bait. A few pompano are starting to show up. Trout are good with croaker or shrimp free lined along rocks. Black drum have been good on shrimp. King fish are starting to show up a little at jetties free lining ribbon fish or using a silver spoon surf fishing has been producing good reds and trout in first and second gut with an occasional shark. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 81 degrees. Black drum have been in the Packery Channel or scattered on the Packery Channel flats. Redfish are scattered on Dead Man’s Flats. Trout are good on piggy perch in 4-5 feet of water over grass. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.

Baffin Bay

GOOD. 86 degrees. Late summer fishing can be touch and go. There is so much food in the system, and no real reason for the fish to worry, so tempting the fish to bite can get interesting. Fish do not actively feed if there is no tide, Baffin has no tide, and no wind to move the water. Often waiting them out is the answer. This strategy pays off in the summer. Early morning shallow water fishing, when the water is cooler there, is usually successful. Then, when the fish drop off, follow them where they are enjoying that cooler, deeper water. Let your lure drop to the bottom and work it to entice a strike. The wind is usually going to blow in the afternoon, so drop off of the edges and catch fish. Fall is within sight, when the water starts to cool off and the fish get the message that winter is coming. Fishing gets a lot easier then, so just hang in there. See you on the water! Report by Captain Sally Black. The bite has been great here in Baffin Bay. Low pressure has parked over us and has brought some cooler weather as well as scattered showers in our area. Fish way up shallow in the mornings, where water temperatures have cooled down overnight. This is also where a lot of bait as well as slicks have been. Baits of choice have been MirrOlure little John XLs in dark colors as well as topwaters and SoftDines in most colors. Trout have been striking aggressively early in the morning on topwaters plastics and SoftDines and as the morning proceeds we are downsizing to smaller lures. Redfish can be found in pods around grass lines or shallow grass. Remember, where there is bait, slicks and birds diving, more than likely there are big fish in the area. Fish it thoroughly and it will pay off. Stay safe and courteous out on the water and as always tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures.

Port Mansfield

FAIR. 86 degrees. Water has come up just a bit but the fishing patterns remain about the same. Podding redfish along soil islands remains good. Floating grass is still problematic in areas but Mansfield Knockers in in-line hooks will still produce good fish. Trout are holding in potholes on the flats in 2-3 feet of water. KWigglers Ball Tails and Wigalo’s are working great. Especially in the Smoke and Mirrors colors. Offshore is good for Red Snapper Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.

South Padre

GOOD. 82 degrees. Light morning winds shift to a bluster as day progresses. Redfish are good with cut mullet. Trout are good with live shrimp under a popping cork or free shrimping with small split shot in deeper water of the intercoastal near Three Islands. Still some small schools of black drum along with redfish on Gas Well Flats. Mangrove Snapper are excellent at the end of Brownsville Channel. Bull redfish are best on live mullet at jetties. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 82 degrees. Light morning winds shift to a bluster as day progresses. Redfish are good with cut mullet. Trout are good with live shrimp under a popping cork or free shrimping with small split shot in deeper water of the intercoastal near Three Islands. Still some small schools of black drum along with redfish on Gas Well Flats. Mangrove Snapper are excellent at the end of Brownsville Channel. Bull redfish are best on live mullet at jetties. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

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