Bolivar: GOOD. 50 degrees. Water clarity is brackish and muddy on the north end, and clearing on the south end. Catches of sheepshead, a few small speckled trout, redfish of all sizes and black drum at the jetties using live shrimp, or cut bait. Some catches of stingrays and sharks reported in the surf, along with a few bull redfish. Nice catches of speckled trout, black drum, sheepshead, redfish and flounder reported in East Galveston Bay. White, brown, ghost and hopper shrimp have all been present in the bay, indicating a good shrimp migration. Report by North Jetty Bait Camp.
Trinity Bay: SLOW. 58 degrees. Few reports while the bay is freshwater. Best chances will be to fish along the northwest and western shoreline around Dow’s Reef. Bays along the upper ship channel should begin to clear on each incoming tide. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Water continues to be stained after the recent floods but there is good water to be found in the backwaters. Redfish are being caught on swimbaits with a weedless hook. Trout can be caught south where the water salinity is higher with shad soft plastic in the chartreuse color under a popping cork. Drum and sheepshead are being caught around boat docks and structure free lining live shrimp. Forecast better weather heading into the weekend. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay: FAIR. 56-58 degrees. The bay continues to be fresh due to the recent runoff. Best bet will be to fish along deeper bayou drains for redfish. Trout catches are slow. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 58 degrees, water clarity stained for the most part, with a couple areas with better clarity west of Elm Grove. Most of our success remains back in the marsh and bayou areas with protection from the strong wind and wave action. Redfish bite remains consistent in areas where good current flow has bait up against the shorelines and grass lines in 1-3 feet of water around oyster shells on Wac Attack Tails in Chartreuse, fished with 1/8 ounce heads, as well as weightless presentations. The trout have preferred an erratic presentation with pauses, targeting deeper pockets close to channel bends and deeper drops with shell, triggering the most bites. The lighter the jig head the better, determined by the wind and current, and tails without paddles, performing the best. Water temperature has remained steady this week, we just need the winds to cease a little to allow us to fish more of our winter time areas that seem to be blown out, week after week. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC.
Galveston Bay: SLOW. 58 degrees. Protected shorelines along the west side of the bay are best for speckled trout, but not in any big numbers. A few redfish, black drum, and sheepshead being caught on live shrimp fished on the bottom near deep shell reefs. Open bay is still off-colored. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
West Galveston Bay: SLOW. 58 degrees. Speckled trout, with a few redfish, are best fishing deeper shell drop offs using soft plastics and hard baits. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Houston: GOOD. Water slightly stained; 58 degrees; 0.63 feet below pool. The main lake is starting to bounce back after the recent flooding. White bass are being caught on spinnerbaits and jigs in the creeks and rivers. Crappie are 6-16 feet of water using small jigs. Catfish are plentiful in the creeks on cut bait and stink bait. Largemouth bass are in the main lake if you can find better water or live scope being caught on grubs and drop shotting. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City: SLOW. 56 degrees. Few anglers catching oversized black drum fishing from the rocks off the Texas City Dike. Galveston beachfront piers reporting a few catches of oversized black drum. Wahoo bite is really good offshore during periods of calm seas. State water snapper bite is good, but conditions need to be right. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Freeport: SLOW. 58 degrees. Fishing patterns are similar as the bay stabilizes after the influx of freshwater runoff. Sheephead, drum, redfish and trout are good in the old river and old intracoastal. Bastrop Bay and Chocolate Bay are good for catches of trout and redfish using live shrimp, or 1/4-⅜ ounce jig heads. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
