Bolivar: FAIR. 70 degrees. Should be a good week of weather changes making the fish move. Breezy winds from the south with some north winds coming this week and two tide days changing back and forth from three tides means the fish will only be active a few hours in the morning and at night. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. Water temperatures are still hanging in the low 70s in the bay and gulf. Redfish and trout can be caught almost everywhere using finger mullet and mud minnows. There are a few speckled trout being caught along with sand trout, croakers, and crabs caught along the jetty but it has been hit-or-miss. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
Trinity Bay: GOOD. 70 degrees. Northwest region of the bay, in Tabbs, Scott, and Burnett, are producing decent numbers of speckled trout on live shrimp. Few redfish are being caught along with black drum and starting to see better numbers of sheepshead. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Recent drops in water temperature and another passing front are setting up a strong fall pattern on Trinity Bay, with north winds and rain expected to freshen the bay and improve overall fish activity. Redfish action has been excellent around drains, grass lines, points, and rock lines, with catches coming on crankbaits, WACky Flukes in Peppered Pumpkin, and shallow presentations over shell in skinny water. Speckled trout are biting well over shale in shallow areas on popping corks with live or imitation shrimp, as well as soft plastics in Sparkle Chartreuse, White, and Peppered Pumpkin, and working birds continue to help pinpoint feeding schools–though trout often remain after birds move on, so keep casting and watching for mullet flipping or shrimp popping. Black drum are relating to rock and shale, especially on the slack side of the tide, with submerged offshore rocks and points producing best on live shrimp or imitation shrimp under a popping cork, and a few sheepshead are mixed in. As always, monitor the weather, wear your kill switch, and take advantage of the good clarity and salinity during this unusually warm fall. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing. Trinity Bay. Fair numbers of trout along the east shoreline. Waders catching better size fish on artificial lures. Tabbs Bay, Scott Bay, and Burnett Bays holding scattered trout, along with decent numbers of black drum and a few slot size redfish. Bull redfish showing in the same areas biting live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
East Galveston Bay: GOOD. 73 degrees. Surface water temperature is 73 degrees, and water clarity is still good in East Galveston Bay. Early morning trips have been better for us this week with the higher tides and good outgoing tide movement, allowing us to fish pretty much anywhere we choose in the bay system. Points and flats close to deeper channels with scattered shells produced very good catches of trout, redfish, and a few flounder on our artificial lure only trips in the 2-3 foot depth range. When you find nervous bait the fish are there, so when there is no bait activity move on. Birds are still working, so you can still pick off a few decent sand trout when you find them. If the birds are working up near the shoreline or in shallow water hovering the surface, including liar birds, the redfish are feeding on shrimp. Shrimp imitation lures with popping corks, with 12-18 inch leaders have still been producing bites. Depending on the wind conditions and water depth cast swimbaits and imitation minnows on 1/4 ounce and 1/8 ounce jig heads. Successful presentations vary depending upon the conditions, so experiment until you find what the fish are looking for. The topwater bite has also been active, so that is a good option as well. The overall bite should continue to improve as the water cools. The days are getting shorter and the crowds have now thinned, so grab your friends and family and get out and enjoy some quality time together on beautiful Galveston Bay. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service, LLC. Should be a good week of weather changes making the fish move. Breezy winds from the south with some north winds coming this week and two tide days changing back and forth from three tides means the fish will only be active a few hours in the morning and at night. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. The trout bite has turned on over here depending on the wind. There is less shrimp and an increase in medium to large-sized mullet. The redfish and flounder have also been very prevalent. You can find most of your redfish working grasslands picking off what little shrimp is left with finger mullet or artificials. Report by Captain Jack Blume.
Galveston Bay: FAIR. 74 degrees. This week we will see a big change in the weather and improvement in the bite as the unseasonably warm temperatures will go away because of a cold front. Bull redfish, big sheepshead, slot redfish, and keeper size black drum are good at the jetties casting live shrimp tight to the rocks. Galveston Bay is producing fair catches of speckled trout, and good numbers of black drum mixed with the occasional redfish and sheepshead on live shrimp. Bull reddish are schooling under birds in the open bay biting soft plastics. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
West Galveston Bay: FAIR. 74 degrees. This week we will see a big change in the weather and improvement in the bite as the unseasonably warm temperatures will go away because of a cold front. Bull redfish, big sheepshead, slot redfish, and keeper size black drum are good at the jetties casting live shrimp tight to the rocks. Galveston Bay is producing fair catches of speckled trout, and good numbers of black drum mixed with the occasional redfish and sheepshead on live shrimp. Bull reddish are schooling under birds in the open bay biting soft plastics. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Houston: GOOD. Water clear; 70 degrees; 0.37 feet above pool. Water temperatures on Lake Houston are dropping, and recent rain has reduced clarity in the East and West Forks, while the south end remains clearer and continues to offer strong fishing. Largemouth bass are biting well on drains, points, docks, and riprap banks on the south end, with squarebills, shallow crankbaits, and spinnerbaits producing early, followed by Texas-rigged worms and grubs near structure as fish transition. Crappie are steady in the East Fork on brush and channel-related cover in 12-14 feet, with live minnows and silver or white hand-tied jigs working best. White bass fishing is excellent, with anglers finding peak action on the south end by scanning humps and drop-offs and pulling divers with No. 12 pet spoons, then vertical jigging slabs once schools are located. Catfish action has been decent, especially when chumming or baiting holes with range cubes and targeting the bottom with live shad. Always wear your kill switch and be safe! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City: GOOD. 70 degrees. Should be a good week of weather changes making the fish move. Breezy winds from the south with some north winds coming this week and two tide days changing back and forth from three tides means the fish will only be active a few hours in the morning and at night. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. Daily catches of speckled trout, redfish, and sand trout with some croakers. Mangrove snapper and pompano have been sporadic but continue to be around. There was a report of a lone Spanish mackerel caught this past week. Wade fishing along the levee and Mosquito Island from the dike has been productive with the south winds and the right pocket on days with north winds. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
Freeport: FAIR. 74 degrees. Birds are leading the way to speckled trout, sand trout and redfish in Bastrop Bay, Christmas Bay, and Chocolate Bay. Drifting in areas with mullet has produced catches with gulp shrimp or live shrimp under a popping cork. Freeport Harbor and the Brazos River are producing redfish, trout, sheephead, drum, and mangrove snapper using mullet and live shrimp. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
