FISHING FORECAST

WHO NEEDS A balloon drop when you can ring in 2019 fishing? The weather will be chilly with scattered rain, but local anglers can take their choice on where to find trout. If you’re looking for variety, Texas City appears to be a good place, as sheepshead and redfish are running. Those looking to make a road trip out of things can hit Matagorda Bay, but make sure to bring plenty of crabs and mullets as bait. BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on soft plastics and plugs. Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass. TRINITY BAY: Trout are fair for drifters working deep shell in the middle. Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet. EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on Catch 5s, MirrOlures and Catch 2000s. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp. WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair for waders in the mud and shell on topwaters and Corkies in the afternoon. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. TEXAS CITY: Black drum are fair in the channel on mullet and shrimp. Sheepshead are good around the rocks on shrimp. Redfish are good in the holes around Moses Lake. FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Black drum are good in Cold Pass and San Luis pass on cracked blue crabs. EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are good for drifters working deep shell on Bass Assassins over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet. WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish and black drum are fair to good in Crab Lake on shrimp. Trout are fair on shell and grass on soft plastics. Black drum are fair to good at the jetty on crabs.