Bolivar: GOOD. Water temperatures are hanging in the 80s. Water levels are slow-moving back and forth with a moderate amount of sargassum washing in on the surf. People are catching plenty of redfish, gafftop, and black drum everywhere. There’s plenty of keeper speckled trout being caught along with sand trout, sheepshead, and crabs caught along the jetty. The bigger stingrays and sharks are definitely in full swing, and a few close to state records have been landed. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
Trinity Bay: GOOD. 86-91 degrees. 2,680 CFS trickling down Trinity River at Liberty with 62 CFS flowing down the San Jacinto River and working with the tides. Trinity Bay is slowly starting to clean up with the salt water line creeping closer and closer to Thompsons every day. Several dredging operations are going on around Tabbs Bay to the ship channel and around the new island by Umbrella Point. Some of them are not marked very well so exercise extreme caution when navigating. The redfish are just about on every shoreline eating crankbaits and spinnerbaits along with live shrimp under a popping cork tight to the rocks. Trout are up right to rocks by main channels with current eating spinnerbaits and live shrimp under a popping cork and deep by points eating live croaker in current. Drum are plentiful on rocks eating live shrimp under a popping cork and sheepshead are spread out eating the same way. Always wear your kill switch and be safe. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing. The bite has been good in the northwestern corner of this bay. Best action has been on live shrimp for speckled trout, black drum, sheepshead, and slot size reds along the rocks and structure near the upper ship channel. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
East Galveston Bay: GOOD. 87 degrees. Colors varied, depending upon water clarity and light conditions, with Glacier Freeze triggering the most bites for anglers. Clients are still finding good success using Fish Smack Popping corks with a 1-2 foot leader above a shrimp imitation lure, or tails with a 1/8 ounce jig head, with a hard pop and a 3 second pause gathering the most strikes. The topwater bite continues to be good when utilized on early morning and late afternoon trips, so if you like throwing walking baits, now is the perfect time to get on the water and make it happen. Also catching fish on Rattle Traps in 1/2 ounce and 3/4 ounce sizes and soft body swimbaits. Starting over closer to Galveston on most days when the conditions are right and catching them on suspending jerkbaits early. The reefs have been hit and miss as anglers have fought a lot of southwest wind over the past week, making them tougher to fish. A few birds working in the middle portion of the bay over the past few days with some solid trout and oversize redfish under them chasing shrimp. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service. East Bay and intracoastal waterway conditions have been pretty spotty due to water conditions, but anglers have still been able to get on the fish pretty good using popping corks with live shrimp and soft plastics. Report by Captain Jack Blume.
Galveston Bay: GOOD. 87 degrees. Summer pattern is well established. Catches of speckled trout along with black drum and sheepshead are good in the deeper water specifically the gas wells in Galveston Bay. Best bite has been on live shrimp fished under corks or on the bottom and live croakers. A few reds are being caught in the same area. There’s still some speckled trout around on shallower reefs outside of Eagle Point and best bite is on live bait, but soft plastic lures are effective. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
West Galveston Bay: GOOD. 87 degrees. Summer pattern is well established. Catches of speckled trout along with black drum and sheepshead are good in the deeper water, specifically the gas wells in Galveston Bay. Best bite has been on live shrimp fished under corks or on the bottom and live croakers. A few reds are being caught in the same area. There’s still some speckled trout around on shallower reefs outside of Eagle Point and best bite is on live bait, but soft plastic lures are effective. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Houston: GOOD. Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.13 feet above pool. Flows are at 43 CFS on the west fork at Highway 59 in Humble, with excellent water clarity there as well as in the mid-lake and south end. The east fork is starting to clear but remains a bit muddy, while Luces Bayou is still stained and muddy. Crappie are improving on the main river channels, with minnows and hand-tied jigs producing great catches around brush. Largemouth bass are setting up well around boat docks and deeper letdowns, biting crankbaits, grubs, and spinner baits. White bass are becoming more consistent on the lower end of the lake and at the old road bed, hitting divers and pet spoons on a 3 inch leader as well as slabs fished vertically on jumps off the old channel. Catfishing is excellent near the railroad bridge in 12-14 feet of water using fresh-caught shad on the bottom. Be safe and always wear your kill switch! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City: GOOD. Water temperatures are warm, and the salty water is on the southside. Fishers catch plenty of speckled trout, redfish, and black drum every day with some sand trout, gafftop, flounder, and croakers. The sheepshead are around structures and piers. Wade fishing along the levee and mosquito island from the dike has been productive from the beginning to the end still. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. Selling out of live baits in the mid-mornings and restocking before noon still with the summer in full swing. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
