Sabine Lake
FAIR. 52 degrees. Fishing primarily in the Neches River and marshes for sheepshead, drum, with some redfish mixed in. Fish in 12 feet of water with Carolina rig with live shrimp. Limits of redfish and some trout off the Neches River shell banks and rock piles, points and turnarounds. The water is low in the system after the hard freeze, so the bite will slow until the water returns and the forecast warms bringing the bait back into the system. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
FAIR. 58 degrees. This is typically the slowest time of the year. Bay side of Bolivar is holding nice trophy size trout catches, redfish, sheepshead and black drum using topwaters or live shrimp under a popping cork. Report by North Jetty Bait Camp. Redfish and trout are biting where the Goat Island drains water runoff into the open water on soft plastics early and late in the day. 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
SLOW. 45 degrees. Cold front slowed what was only a fair bite for speckled trout and the occasional red from Dow’s Reef to the HL&P spillway. Upper end of the bay, Tabbs, Scott and Burnett, has been slow for catches of trout, and fair for black drum and sheepshead. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The bite has changed after the recent rains. Big winds and cold temperatures tend to veer people away from fishing, but being able to read what is happening makes these fish highly predictable in the colder months. Trout are hitting dead ends and warmer discharges being caught on rat tails and swimbaits, if you are going slow, go slower. Redfish are a more durable cold blooded animal, but will be mixed in with trout until the flats heat up. If you can find a hole in a flat, that’s a great spot. We are catching redfish with weedless gulp and with swimbaits attached to 1/4 ounce jigs. Drum and sheepshead are being caught around rocks and structure pilings, free lining shrimp and weedless gulp shrimp. Imitation shad has been working the best on the weedless presentation as far as hooks go. Watch the weather and watch the winds. Certain situations will lead you to the fish. Be safe and be smart. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
FAIR. 45 degrees. Redfish dominate the catches up along grass shorelines and in deep bayous. Scattered trout from the same area. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 50 degrees and water clarity varies depending upon where you are on the bay as a number of our areas have been blown out by the winds. Our anglers are still having the most success back in the marsh or bayou areas where we can get some protection from the wind and waves. This redfish bite has been consistent in areas where good current flow has bait up against the shorelines or grass lines in 1-3 feet of water around oyster shells on imitation shad lures in Rollover Moon, fished with 1/8 ounce heads, as well as fished under a popping cork, with an 18 inch leader. The trout this week have preferred a super slow presentation, targeting deeper pockets close to channel bends with shells, triggering the most strikes. The lighter the jig head determined by the wind and current, the better, for a slow fall, as the bites have been light for the most part. 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
SLOW. 42 degrees. Overall fishing has been slow. A few anglers are finding a mix of trout, redfish, and black drum in the deeper bayous and channels on live shrimp. All this took place prior to the cold front. 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. 46 degrees. Decent catches of speckled trout, along with a few redfish on mullet imitation plugs and soft plastic lures prior to the cold snap. 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; 0.08 feet above pool. Big winds and cold temperatures are hitting southeast Texas hard. Water clarity in the creeks should be getting better in 1-2 feet of water by the weekend. White bass are still in a pre spawn pattern, but arriving in the creeks more and more by the day being caught on jigs and spins. Crappie are on structure in 10-14 feet of water in the rivers being caught on small jigs but may have to hit them in the head to entice a bite. Gar are plentiful in the creeks being caught in rattle traps and spins. Catfish are in the main lakes and rivers and jug lines are producing well with carp and shad on 8 foot leaders. Largemouth are finicky in mouths of run offs, docks and rocks being caught on small presentations like worms and crankbaits. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City
FAIR. 46 degrees. Slow catches reported this past week. The bite is slow and rather cold. Prior to the cold front a few catches of large black drum and bull redfish were taken out on the end of the Texas City Dike and the Galveston jetties. Little else reported. 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
SLOW. 58 degrees. Fishing was good before the cold front. Sheephead, drum, redfish and trout were biting in the old river and old intercoastal. Redfish and trout were biting in Bastrop and Chocolate Bayou fishing with live shrimp or 1/4-⅜ ounce jig heads. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
East Matagorda Bay
SLOW. 58 degrees. Few anglers on the water due to the arctic freeze. Typically in these conditions redfish and trout stack up in Caney Creek. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
SLOW. 58 degrees. Few anglers on the water due to the arctic freeze. The Colorado River is clear and the Diversionary Canal should be good for redfish and trout. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
SLOW. 58 degrees. The weather has been windy and cold keeping anglers off the water. Fish will be lethargic and slow to bite due to cold weather and water temperatures. As the weather warms, expect the pattern to be similar. Redfish can be found halfway down the South Jetty biting Spanish sardines and dead shrimp. Drum are inside of both jetties on dead shrimp. Oversized drum in the flair of the jetty on dead shrimp and blue crab. Trout are slow due to cold weather and murky water. Sheephead are biting throughout the jetties on dead or live shrimp. Bull redfish are biting near Alcatraz Island on Spanish sardines. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.
Rockport
SLOW. 57 degrees. The bite has slowed due to the cold front. Target trout on channel drop offs on soft plastics. Redfish should be near the spoil islands on gold spoons, soft plastics, and cut bait. Drum have been fair on mud or sand flats on dead shrimp. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters. Before the arctic front trout, redfish and sheepshead were good at the jetties on live shrimp. With low tides redfish and black drum were great on live or dead shrimp. Trout were good on popping cork and live shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Port Aransas
FAIR. 57 degrees. Before the arctic front trout, redfish and sheepshead were good at the jetties on live shrimp. With low tides redfish and black drum were great on live or dead shrimp. Trout were good on popping cork and live shrimp. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
SLOW. 60 degrees. After the arctic freeze fish continue to be in deeper water. Tides continue to be lower than low in the bay pushing the fish to deeper channels. Redfish are biting cut mullet. Oversized drum at the jetties. Drums are biting dead shrimp. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.
Baffin Bay
SLOW. 60 degrees. The speckled trout bite continues to be sporadic in Baffin Bay. With the incoming minor cold fronts, rising and dropping barometric pressure, persuading a bite amongst speckled trout has been tougher than usual this winter season. Do not be discouraged though, we have the first major cold front of 2024 coming this week and it should spike up the activity. When the opportunity arises, find an area with good cover, drop offs, or scattered grass beds and ultimately signs of baitfish. Dissect it by fishing it thoroughly, all it takes is one bite or bump to confirm that there is fish in that area. When you do feel a bite, stop, plant your feet and throw right back in the same area you felt the bite. No need to rush through an area with all these positive signs, remain patient and essentially wait them out. It will surely pay off! Top producing baits are Custom Corky lures in darker colors, as well as MirrOlure Little John XLs in purple, brown and chartreuse on a Blacks Magic 1/32 ounce jig head. Remember to always stay safe and courteous out on the water, keep what you need and release the rest. As always, tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures. Conditions are cold with low tides. Before the front fish were deep biting live shrimp. Report by Captain Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.
Port Mansfield
SLOW. 57 degrees. Fishing was good recently for trout and redfish in the shallows. However, strong winds have moved in which will cause muddy water conditions. Fish can still be caught using big paddle tails and loud topwaters. As the winds lay and water clears, consider targeting isolated grass beds and small potholes using Ball Tails and Wigalo’s and Mansfield Knockers.Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
SLOW. 60 degrees. The weather has been cold and windy. A few redfish are being caught as the fish move to deeper water in channels near town. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
SLOW. 60 degrees. The weather has been cold and windy. A few redfish are being caught as the fish move to deeper water in channels near town. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Source: TPW