Bolivar FAIR. 65 degrees. This week should be a wild week to fish the Galveston Bay Area! Plenty of weather changes throughout the week and changing winds with three to four tide days back and forth daily. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. Water temperatures are fluctuating with the weather changes. Anglers are still catching plenty of redfish but fewer trout in the surf, jetty, bay-side canals and east bay using finger mullet and mud minnows. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
Trinity Bay GOOD. 65 degrees. Trout fishing in Trinity Bay is on fire right now. If the weather can stabilize, whether it trends warm or cool, trout are very predictable this time of year. Deep holes in mudflats are excellent places to target trout, as are bottleneck choke points draining marsh systems that have good depth. Cuts and guts off of reefs with large drop-offs are also producing well. Paddle tails or flukes in the Texas roach color have been excellent artificial options. Trout are also being caught very well under popping corks with a three-foot leader using both live shrimp and imitation shrimp. Both are producing equally well. Redfish are holding along rock groins with drop-offs and good tidal flow, mainly in shallow water ranging from two to three feet. When the weather warms, redfish can still be found extremely shallow. They are being caught on weedless dark-colored baits, as well as under popping corks with live or imitation shrimp. Large schools of redfish are still being found under birds in the main bay. The schools have been massive, and once located, they can be targeted very easily. Drum and sheepshead are concentrated around pilings, bulkheads, and reefs nearby. They are being caught consistently under popping corks with a three-foot leader using either live shrimp or imitation shrimp. Always watch the weather, be safe, and wear your kill switch when navigating Trinity Bay. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing. Tabbs and Scott Bays are still getting the most attention. Scattered trout being caught on live shrimp. Pretty good action for keeper size black drum along with a few big sheepshead. Occasional keeper size reds being caught along the channel rocks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
East Galveston Bay GOOD. 59 degrees. Surface water temperature is 59 degrees. The water clarity has been excellent for East Galveston Bay, allowing for sight fishing, which is not always possible on the upper Texas coast. Once again, this week we shifted our focus towards redfish and they did not disappoint with some great catches. We fished outgoing morning tides, fishing flats around drains, looking for bait being pushed out of the marsh. We are still using imitation shrimp lures and tails under popping corks, with a 1 foot or less leader to trigger the most bites, as well as weightless soft plastics, and flukes. Trout bite has been in deeper cuts over shell beds, with a variety of baits working, including topwaters, tails, and suspending jerkbaits. The crowds have thinned out, so now is the time to schedule your winter fishing trips and get out enjoy all the upper Texas Coast has to offer. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Service, LLC.
Galveston Bay GOOD. 65 degrees. The best action has been under the birds for bull redfish. Speckled trout are along the old piers on the west side of the bay. Best bite on soft plastics followed closely by live shrimp. At the Galveston jetties oversized redfish, and black drum are being caught on cut bait, mullet, shad, and live halves crab. Those throwing shrimp are finding sheepshead, drum, slot redfish, and a few trout tight to the rocks. Offshore in state water there are fair catches of snapper. Anglers going deep are finding some nice wahoo and vermilion snapper along with a variety of grouper. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
West Galveston Bay GOOD. 65 degrees. Anglers drifting over mud and shell are catching a mix of trout, redfish, even flounder on soft plastic lures. White colored plastics seem to be working best. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Houston GOOD. Water clear; 59 degrees; 0.01 feet above pool. The lake has cleared up significantly and white bass are beginning their push into creeks, creating excellent fishing throughout the system, with Spring, Cypress, Caney, and Peach creeks all producing well as males arrive first and females stage just south while feeding heavily on shad. Anglers are catching white bass on Rooster tails, curly-tailed jigheads, and deep-diving crankbaits worked through creek potholes, making this a great time for family-friendly action, especially from the bank at access points like Jesse Jones Park. In the main lake, largemouth bass are biting well around cypress knees and structure on grubs, deep-diving crankbaits, and spinnerbaits, holding on drop-offs edges during low pressure and moving deeper during high pressure. Catfish are being caught consistently around bulkheads and river channels near the train tracks on fresh-caught shad, while crappie fishing is outstanding in the East Fork and Luces Bayou in 8-12 feet of water tight to structure on minnows and small jigs. Always wear your kill switch and be safe! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City GOOD. 65 degrees. This week should be a wild week to fish the Galveston Bay Area! Plenty of weather changes throughout the week and changing winds with three to four tide days back and forth daily. Check the forecast before you head out or call ahead to your favorite bait shop. Anglers are still catching lots of big bull redfish, black drum, speckled trout in pockets, fewer keeper flounder with a lot of small males still prevalent, sheepshead and puppy drum as well. More whiting have started to be caught. The dredge boat is still pumping from the TC Channel to the north beach side of the dike. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best baits. Report by Captain Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp.
