Sabine Lake
GOOD. 58 degrees. Sabine Lake is good for redfish drifting tight along the bank keying on mullet in 2-4 feet of water on points, drops and bayous with 3.5 inch soft plastics with a 1/4 ounce jig heads. Trout are in the winter pattern and can be caught drifting with submerged baits in 2-6 feet of water off the bottom with 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jigs on 3.5 or 5.5 inch plastics. Big bull redfish continue to school under the birds. Trout and redfish are biting near Coffee Ground Cove in 2-4 feet of water drifting over shells with live shrimp under a popping cork or plastics. Bessie Heights Marsh produces limits of sheepshead and drum, a few flounder and slot redfish with Carolina rigs with live shrimp in 6-8 feet of water in the cuts. Sheepshead drum and redfish are good in the Neches River rock piles, points and buoys with Carolina rig or popping cork with live shrimp. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 60-65 degrees. Goat Island drains water runoff into the open water, holding redfish and trout on topwaters early and late, soft plastics later. Fish cuts through the intercoastal waterway from goat Island to rollover. Ytes Bayou drains holding redfish on soft plastics and live shrimp under popping cork. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
Trinity Bay
GOOD. 57 degrees. HL&P Spillway producing scattered catches of speckled trout and the occasional redfish. Exxon F-Lease gas wells producing fair numbers of speckled trout for those drifting with soft plastics or live shrimp under corks. Waders are still catching some decent trout from Double Bayou, north towards the Anahuac Pocket. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The fish group up off main channels when the tides are low and can be caught on swimbaits. The bite seems to slow after water returns when the wind shifts. Redfish will follow a similar pattern but being more durable, bounce back quickly being caught on curly tail gulp and swimbaits. Sheephead are holding tight to structure eating barnacles being caught on live shrimp and gulp baits with drum mixed in. Watch for birds, bait and blow ups. Once you see 2-3 of these you know you are in the right spot. Happy new year! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
FAIR. 56-60 degrees. Best bite has been in the back of east Galveston bay for speckled trout and redfish. Anglers wading near bayous are doing well on soft plastics and those fishing deeper bayous from the boat are having the same results. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature is back up to 60 degrees and the overall water clarity is good. North winds and low outgoing tides have forced us to adjust our tactics, so we have concentrated back in the marsh and bayou areas where we can get some protection from the wind and wave action, as well as find enough water to fish effectively. The redfish bite has been good around areas where good current flow has bait up against the shorelines and grass lines in 1-2 feet of water on shrimp imitation lures under Fish Smack popping corks with an 18 inch leader, as well as ⅛ ounce jig heads with Glow or Chartreuse Deadly Dudley Rat Tails. Our best solid trout bite this week has been fishing deeper pockets with shell, close to mud flats, triggering the most strikes. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC. Smith Point shoreline still holding redfish and trout on artificial twitch baits and soft plastic or shrimp under a popping cork. SeaWolf Park holding bull redfish and black drum on the pier. Trout on shrimp under popping cork at the concrete wall. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
Galveston Bay
FAIR. 56 degrees. Shorelines around Eagle Point are beginning to see better numbers of sheepshead on live shrimp. A few black drum and redfish from the same area. Clear Lake has been good at times for speckled trout on soft plastic lures and live shrimp. Bull redfish continue to roam the open bay, off the west shoreline of Eagle Point to the Clear Lake Bridge. A few black drums and sheepshead being caught in the gas wells when winds are light. Best on live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The jetties holding sheepshead and speckled trout with shrimp under a popping cork or free line shrimp near the rocks. Trout fishing near drop off or deeper water. Swan Lake rock shoals holding sheepshead on popping cork with shrimp, trout with live shrimp or paddle tails. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
West Galveston Bay
FAIR. 58 degrees. Drift fishing the dirty streaks around Greens and North Deer Island has produced scattered catches of speckled trout using live shrimp under popping corks and soft plastics. Still some nice fish coming out of Chocolate Bayou and Bay. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Carancahua Lake and Green’s Lake are holding redfish and black drum on shrimp at the grass lines. And some redfish and trout inside on soft plastic. Watch the tides. South of cold pass waders 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; 58 degrees; 0.27 feet above pool. White bass remain in full pre-spawn being caught on jigs and spinner baits in the rivers and creeks. Largemouth bass are in rivers off of main lake on shorelines and on structure being caught on plastics and crank baits. Crappie are in 8-14 feet of water tight to structure early being caught on jigs. Catfish are being caught on jug lines with an 8 foot leader. Big catfish are feeding heavily on shad. Gar are heavy in rivers and creeks chasing everything. Happy New Year! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City
FAIR. 58 degrees. A few oversized black drums are showing up, along with the occasional bull redfish for those fishing off the end of the dike. Best bait has been cut mullet or halved crab. Same results off the Galveston jetties. Better numbers of sheepshead are being caught on live shrimp fished tight to the rocks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The rock shoals near Dollar Reef are holding trout and redfish on soft plastics and shrimp. The rocks just across Texas city channel are holding nice trout on split tail soft plastic. The dike is holding Trout and redfish at night under lights. Bull redfish and big uglies are at the end of the dike. Report by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service.
Freeport
GOOD. 60 degrees. Trout and redfish are good working the deep oyster reefs in Bastrop, Christmas, and Chocolate Bay with gulp shrimp, live shrimp, or ¼ ounce jighead on soft plastics. Catching drum, sheephead, trout and redfish in the Brazos River and Bernard River using live shrimp. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
East Matagorda Bay
FAIR. 58 degrees. January and February are typically great fishing months, but anglers will have to fish between high pressure days. High pressure has slowed the trout bite. Best days to fish are those with winds out of the south. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
FAIR. 58 degrees. January and February are typically great fishing months, but anglers will have to fish between high pressure days. High pressure has slowed the trout bite. Redfish can be caught drifting with artificials. Fishing is good in the Colorado River or diversionary canal when the tides are low. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
FAIR. 58 degrees. Redfish can be found halfway down the jetties on both sides biting Spanish sardines. Drum are inside of both jetties on dead shrimp. Trout are biting on the outside of the jetties live shrimp or dirty tequila soft plastics. 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. 57 degrees. Fishing has been great, and the weather conditions are as fair with some rain and moderate winds in the forecast. Trout are good on the edge of channels on soft plastics and popping corks. Redfish are good around spoil islands on gulp, gold spoons, and cut bait. Drums are slow. Sheepsheads are slow. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters. Trout, redfish and pompano are excellent at the jetties on live shrimp. Redfish and black drum are excellent in flats, guts and edges using live shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Port Aransas
GOOD. 57 degrees. Trout, redfish and pompano are excellent at the jetties on live shrimp. Redfish and black drum are excellent in flats, guts and edges using live shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
GOOD. 60 degrees. The weather is colder and water is dropping out pushing the fish to deeper channels. Redfish are biting cut mullet. Drums are biting dead shrimp. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.
Baffin Bay
GOOD. 60 degrees.Conditions on Baffin Bay have drastically changed since last week, our water level has dropped about 6-8 inches. The lower tide tends to condense the fish and bait, and the shallow clear water will heat and cool faster due to the air temperature. In cold conditions, speckled trout favor dark structure because the dark structure attracts sunlight and heats up the water. This time of year can be difficult to fish, so it is crucial to watch the surface of the water before fishing an area to know what is there. Baitfish, swirls, wakes and pelicans can communicate positive signals about what’s beneath the surface. Waist deep and lower is most favorable, along drop-offs and guts. MirrOlure little John on a 1/32 ounce jig head, Custom Corky’s and Softdines in dark hues have been producing good bites. Fanning out casts and deliberately working an area with good structure and signs will surely produce a solid bite and or a couple fish to take home. Stay safe and warm out on the water. Always be sure to check the weather before heading out. Wishing all anglers a very Happy New Year! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures. Fishing during the holidays has been on fire. We have had some great trips both morning and afternoon catching limits of speckled trout and good numbers of black drum and a few slot redfish fishing towards the mouth of Baffin on the rocks using live shrimp under a popping cork with 3.5 foot leaders. Report by Captain Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.
Port Mansfield
SLOW. 57 degrees. Fishing has been steady for nice trout and big redfish on days when the water warms following a cold front. Suspending baits have been working as well as small profile plastics in about 2 feet of water. Scattered potholes have been key. Offshore for red snapper has also been good when weather allows. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
GOOD. 60 degrees. Sheepshead are consistently biting at the Old Causeway and jetties. Smaller black drums are in channels at South Bay. Some large black drum spawning at jetties. Trout are spread out, but still good on the edge of the Intracoastal at shacks near Three Islands. Few redfish on the Gas Well flats. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
GOOD. 60 degrees. Sheepshead are consistently biting at the Old Causeway and jetties. Smaller black drums are in channels at South Bay. Some large black drum spawning at jetties. Trout are spread out, but still good on the edge of the Intracoastal at shacks near Three Islands. Few redfish on the Gas Well flats. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Source: TPW