Sabine Lake
GOOD. 60 degrees. Limits of trout and limits of redfish are good in the morning drifting points and bayous in Sabine Lake off the bottom with 3/4 ounce silver and gold spoons, or 3/4 ounce glo chartreuse 5 inch plastics. Early morning North Levee bite for speckled trout on topwaters, and 5 inch plastics, then live shrimp under a popping cork. Then fishing Pleasure Island Point making long drifts with a 1/4 ounce jig or live shrimp under a popping cork. Bank anglers are catching trout with live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish and speckled trout are good in the Neches River fishing 3/4 ounce spoons under the birds on points and cuts as the shrimp come out of the marsh. Then fish buoys for bull redfish, slot, and sheepshead and drum with live shrimp on Carolina rig. Merry Christmas! Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 60-65 degrees. Catches of redfish, sheepshead, big croaker, sand trout and whiting at the jetties using live or dead shrimp and finger mullet. Most catches of trout in East Bay. Flounder are at the jetty ready for the season to open December 15. Report by Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp. The gift of consistent fishing patterns are under the tree this week. Fish deeper ends of the reefs or wind protected cuts with wind and cooler temperatures. The jetty holding sheepshead and trout on live shrimp close to rocks. Yates Slough’s holding redfish on grass lines close to Siever’s Cut. Stingaree to Rollover Pass holding redfish in deeper marshes on popping cork with shrimp and artificial twitch bait, or split tails. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
Trinity Bay
GOOD. 60 degrees. Back of Trinity bay from the HL&P spillway to the mouth of the river producing fair numbers of speckled trout. Tabbs, Burnett, and Scott Bays are still the best bet for speckled trout, redfish, black drum, and sheepshead. Best on live shrimp under popping corks. Water is a bit off-colored due to runoff by recent rains. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Trinity Bay. Cold frontal bite on trout and redfish. Trout can be caught in swim baits in rivers and creeks after a front. Redfish are on the same pattern and can be caught in soft plastics and live shrimp under a popping cork. Black drum and sheepshead can be caught in rock and dock structure under a pulling cork and free lining. Flounder can be caught on rocky drop-offs with gulp mullet and shrimp tied to a jig. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
FAIR. 59-61 degrees. Those wading near the back bayou drains for catches of speckled trout. A few large fish have been caught by waders throwing artificial lures. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 61 degrees and the water clarity is good. Strong North winds have once again forced us to adjust our tactics, concentrating in the back marsh areas where we can get some protection from the wind and waves. This week the redfish bite has been good in areas where the current flow has pushed bait against the shorelines and grass lines in 2-4 feet of water. Our best solid trout bite this week has been on ¼ ounce jig heads with the Deadly Dudley 5 inch Rat Tail in Blue Moon Chartreuse. Fishing deeper pockets with shells, triggering the most strikes. As in previous weeks if we do not see any nervous bait, we move on rather quickly and cover more water finding the zones where the fish are active. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC. The gift of consistent fishing patterns are under the tree this week. North shore of Smith Pointe holding redfish and trout under the birds. Gas wells in East Bay holding black drums on the bottom with shrimp. Deep Reef to Whitehead Reef is holding fish under birds on twitch baits and soft plastic split tail. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
Galveston Bay
FAIR. 59 degrees. Bite around Eagle Point has been on the slow side due to the strong east wind. Anglers finding limited success in Moses Lake. West shoreline still seeing schools of bull reds from Eagle Point towards Kemah in 10 feet of water. Best on soft plastic lures. Scattered trout being caught around Sylvan beach, along the pier pilings. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The gift of consistent fishing patterns are under the tree this week. The railway bridge by causeway holding some drum and oversized redfish biting shrimp, crab, or mullet. Bull redfish are in the channel on both jetties. The surf side is holding sheepshead and trout using shrimp under popping cork or free lined near the rocks. Redfish are in the harbor at both ends of Pelican Island Bridge. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
West Galveston Bay
FAIR. 61 degrees. Chocolate Bay and the mouth of the bayou remain the hot spot for speckled trout and redfish. Best bite on soft plastic, but live shrimp under corks will work. Scattered catches of trout in the open bay drifting the off colored streaks with soft plastics. Wade anglers catching a few fish in the coves on the south shoreline. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. When the winds are out of the North, look for sloughs off of the ICW holding fish in calmer water. The sloughs leading to Greens Lake, Carancahua Lake and Chocolate Bay holding redfish and trout on topwater baits early then switch to soft plastics and work the birds watching the tides in the shallows. South of Cold Pass waders are still getting trout and redfish in deeper waters. Jones Bay holding a few fish early on soft plastic. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
Houston
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.26 feet above pool. White bass are in full pre-spawn moving in the creeks for Christmas. Largemouth bass can be caught on worms and crankbaits tight on structure. Gar are plentiful in the creeks chasing prey. Catfish are eating shad in deep water. Crappie are tight to structure in 8-14 feet of water. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City
FAIR. 59 degrees. Scattered bull red catches at the Galveston jetties. Big black drum dominating the action on the Texas City Dike. Flounder catches good in the Galveston ship channel. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The gift of consistent fishing patterns are under the tree this week. The rock barriers between Swan Lake to the dike still hold redfish and trout on Texas roach or purple/chartreuse artificials. The croaker run is fair at the dike. Bull redfish are good from midway to the end on crab or cut bait. Gas wells, holding black drums on shrimp on the bottom. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
Freeport
GOOD. 64 degrees. Trout and redfish are good working the deep oyster reefs in Bastrop, Christmas, and Chocolate Bay with gulp shrimp and live shrimp. Catching drum, sheephead, trout and redfish in the Brazos River and Bernard River. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
East Matagorda Bay
FAIR. 68 degrees. ‘Tis the season to fish between cold fronts, especially when the winds are out of the southeast. When the winds allow drift with artificials for trout, drum and redfish. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
FAIR. 58 degrees. ‘Tis the season to fish between cold fronts, especially when the winds are out of the southeast. The bite has slowed some in The Colorado River and Diversionary Canal. Trout and redfish can be caught drifting artificials. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
FAIR. 58 degrees. Redfish are slow on the inside of the jetties with Spanish sardines while the water is muddy. Trout are biting on the outside of the jetties live shrimp or dirty tequila down south lures. Sheephead are biting throughout the jetties on dead or live shrimp. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.
Rockport
GOOD. 59 degrees. Conditions look absolutely beautiful leading into Christmas. When the weather is colder target trout on the edge of channels, when the weather warms fish move into the flats. Prefrontal bites are best. Norton sand eels, bass assassin’s, and natural colored paddle tails are the ticket. Redfish are great in the flats once it warms up. Gold spoons, topwaters, gulp and cut bait are all working well. Black drum are good on dead shrimp in 3-6 feet of water near flats. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters. Fill the stockings with lures, mullet and shrimp to land catches of trout, redfish, and pompano are great at jetties. Sheepshead are fair on live shrimp. In the bay redfish and black drum are great on live shrimp and mullet. Trout are great on lures and live shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Port Aransas
GOOD. 59 degrees. Fill the stockings with lures, mullet and shrimp to land catches of trout, redfish, and pompano are great at jetties. Sheepshead are fair on live shrimp. In the bay redfish and black drum are great on live shrimp and mullet. Trout are great on lures and live shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
GOOD. 60 degrees. There have not been consistent cold fronts to keep the fish in deeper water. Redfish and drum can be caught in shallow flats, various points and oyster reefs on cut mullet and dead shrimp. Very few reports of flounder but fish should be in deep channels. Report by Captain Aaerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.
Baffin Bay
GOOD. 60 degrees. Great. Good. Fishing in Baffin Bay has been great for both wade and drift fishing for speckled trout and redfish. Cold fronts cause the baitfish to ball up into schools along shorelines and structures. Knee to waist deep water is most favorable where there is baitfish activity, seagulls and pelicans diving or floating and or slicks. Speckled trout are seeking warmer areas such as mud and shallow grass. Redfish can be found on grass lines and up shallow during the day. It is officially Corky Season and that has been the top producing lure, alongside rat tail plastics and MirrOlure MirrOdines. Fan out your casts and work an area thoroughly, let the surface of the water guide you to your next personal best fish or a stringer of fish to take home. Wishing all anglers a very Merry Christmas and as always, tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures. Catching some nice boxes of redfish and trout using live shrimp under a popping cork fishing the edge of drop-offs. The fish seem to be there, but the bite is not consistent. Report by Captain Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting & Fishing.
Port Mansfield
SLOW. 57 degrees. Water temperatures have dropped some slowing the bite, but should improve as the water temperature warms. Expect to find good trout and redfish in potholes in about two feet of water. Most will be eager to eat plastics such as KWigglers Wigalo’s slow rolled through the strike zone. If water hits 65 degrees, or more, expect good topwater action on Mansfield Knockers in Wounded Mullet or Nervous Mullet. Water levels remain a little high at this time. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
GOOD. 58 degrees. Still a few trout in the intracoastal at Three Islands. Scattered redfish with small schools of black drum on Gas Well flats. Speckled trout, small black drum, and sheepshead along the Old Causeway. Nice sized Mangrove Snapper at end of Brownsville Channel. Some bigger black drum with occasional bull redfish at the south jetties. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
GOOD. 58 degrees. Still a few trout in the intracoastal at Three Islands. Scattered redfish with small schools of black drum on Gas Well flats. Speckled trout, small black drum, and sheepshead along the Old Causeway. Nice sized Mangrove Snapper at end of Brownsville Channel. Some bigger black drum with occasional bull redfish at the south jetties. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Source: TPW