THE FORECAST LOOKS great but comes with a catch: a pair of tropical depressions that formed late in the week could have Southeast Texas in its sights. The earliest impact could come on Monday, where both depressions might translate into tropical storms. Between now and then, take advantage of the warm water, especially in Texas City and west Galveston Bay.
Sabine Lake: Overall conditions: GOOD. 88-89 degrees. Water clarity; Stained. Trout fishing has been good with fishing live baits and topwater baits. Fish have been holding over shell and keying in on schools of mullet and shad. Redfish are still good in the main area of the lake on live shrimp under a popping cork or kwiggler or gulp.
Trinity Bay: GOOD. 87-88 degrees. Structure fishing is great. Try Clamshell Reef and Dry Hole Reef. Speckled trout and redfish have been good on live shrimp under a popping cork. Flounder is fair on minnow around rocks.
East Galveston Bay: GOOD. 88 degrees. The shoreline, jetties, and granite reefs are best spots for Speckled trout, redfish, and flounder. Live shrimp or kwiggler are best baits. Black drum are fair around vegetation on crab.
West Galveston Bay: GOOD. 87-88 degrees. Typical summer weather pattern is back. Light winds are coming along with warm temperatures. Flounder, redfish, and speckled trout has been excellent around the jetties on live shrimp.
Texas City: GOOD. 87-88 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are fair to good along the shoreline on shrimp under a popping cork or soft plastics. Flounder are good on minnow around the rocks. Black drum are good on blue crab along vegetation. Sheepshead are fair around the rocks on mullet or minnows.
Freeport: GOOD. 87 degrees. Speckled trout are good around San Luis Pass on shrimp, mirrolures, and soft plastics. Redfish, black drum, and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs in Christmas Bay and Bastrop Bay.
East Matagorda Bay: FAIR TO GOOD. 87 degrees. Drifting the big mudflats is the best method on this side. Live shrimp under a popping cork is best bait for redfish and speckled trout.
West Matagorda Bay: GOOD. 87 degrees. Wading the grass beds is the best method. Look for bait activity as a clue as to where the fish will be. We got a lot of guts running through these beds that are deeper with slightly cooler water. Trout often use these guts to move from deeper water into the flats or from the flats to deeper water. Use topwaters in the morning, if no luck, then switch to soft plastics.
Port O’Connor: FAIR TO GOOD. 87 degrees. Speckled trout are steady in numbers along the shoreline and near the ICW. Redfish have been good on shrimp under a popping cork. Black drum are good on crab around structure or vegetation. Concentrate on flats that are close to deep water, throw topwaters in the morning.
