Sabine Lake
GOOD. 58 degrees. Winds have been blowing out of the north wind so most fishing has been on the north end. Redfish and speckled trout are good in the Neches River with live shrimp under a popping cork or Carolina rig with live shrimp on the rocks, points, drops and turnarounds. When the winds blow out of the south you can fish in Sabine Lake along the shorelines and banks with ¼ ounce jigs with 3-4 glo chartreuse plastics in for trout and redfish. Catches of trout and bull redfish under the birds feeding on shrimp midlake to the north end. North Levee is consistently good for trout. Limits of redfish in the ICW are steady on live shrimp under a popping cork along rock banks and off points and drops. Happy New Year! Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 60-65 degrees. Reeling in the new year with consistent fishing. 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. Report by Shane Rilat, North Jetty Bait Camp. 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. 59 degrees. Anglers fishing the Jack’s Pocket area of Trinity can find decent trout on soft plastics in 6 feet of water. Tabbs, Burnett, and Scott Bays continue to be good for speckled trout, along with a few redfish, black drum, and sheepshead. Best bite is on live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Trout are great off the main channels in the morning in flats with rocks and water movement on lime green swimbaits. Redfish are tucked in holes on drains on weedless gulp in penny and chartreuse. Sheephead are on flats drop-offs, same as redfish. Drum are mixed in with trout and sheep heads, same baits. Happy New Year! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
FAIR. 57-60 degrees. Those fishing near marsh drains and in deeper bayous catching scattered trout and redfish. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 57 degrees and the water clarity is good. Northeast winds have once again forced us to adjust our tactics, so we have concentrated back in the marsh areas where we can get some protection from the wind and wave action. This week the Redfish bite has been good around areas where good current flow has bait up against the shorelines and grass lines in 2-3 feet of water on shrimp imitation lures under Fish Smack popping corks with an 18 inch leader. 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 or Chartreuse, fishing deeper pockets with shell, close to mud flats, triggering the most strikes. As in previous weeks if we do not see any nervous bait activity, 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. 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. Good catches of sheepshead over hard shells and around old pier pilings on the shorelines. Some keeper redfish showing up as well. Best bite on live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. 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. Drift fishing the “dirty streaks” with soft plastics producing fair catches of trout. 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; 58 degrees; 0.26 feet above pool. Recent rains have flushed the creeks in white bass. Couple days and small jigs and spins will do well. Crappie are spread out holding tight to brush in 8-14 feet of water. Gar are heavy in the creeks hitting rattletraps and spins. Catfish are mid to lower lake on bulkheads and bridges on shad. Bass are in run offs of the main lake on worms and cranks. Happy New Year! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City
FAIR. 59 degrees. Fishing on the Texas City Dike is slow. Few catches of bull redfish and oversized black drum. Flounder remain good in the Galveston channel. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The rock barriers between Swan Lake to the dike still hold redfish and trout on Texas roach or purple or 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. 59 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 a down south lure. 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. Typical fishing patterns as we reel in the new year. Fish between cold fronts, especially when the winds are out of the southeast. A few good trout can be caught drifting when conditions allow. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
FAIR. 58 degrees. Typical fishing patterns as we reel in the new year. 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. Reeling in the new year with consistent fishing patterns. 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. 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. Trout, redfish and sheepshead continue to be great at jetties on live shrimp. Redfish and black drum are good on the flats using shrimp and cut mullet. Trout are great on shrimp and lures. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Port Aransas
GOOD. 59 degrees. Trout, redfish and sheepshead continue to be great at jetties on live shrimp. Redfish and black drum are good on the flats using shrimp and cut mullet. Trout are great on shrimp and lures. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
GOOD. 65 degrees. 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. 65 degrees. Winter fishing on Baffin Bay continues to produce great results. Incoming cold fronts, cooler water temperatures and fluctuating barometric pressure has been bringing some more consistent days on the water. Schools of bait proceed along the shorelines where there is grassy to muddy structure. Drop offs and guts where there is a slight water temperature change has been most favorable. Some producing lure colors in Baffin has been darker hues, black, brown, and purple. Always be on the lookout as you are fishing, swirls, V-wakes, pelicans and seagulls as well as slicks, these aspects can tell you all you need to know about the area you are fishing! Stay safe and warm out on the water, 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. Fishing has slowed, but heading into the new year fishing should improve pending any strong northers. Redfish have been good on the flats over scattered grass and trout have been holding in the potholes on cooler days but have been roaming on warmer days. Soft plastics with large paddle tails have been good for both as have small twitch baits. Trout will be getting heavier with the passing of each cold front. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
GOOD. 58 degrees. Lower Laguna Madre is full of fish but cooler wet weather has kept most anglers off the water. Those brave enough to head out are landing catches of black drum and sheepshead at the Old Causeway. A few redfish at the channels in South bay. It is worth the boat ride to the end of Brownsville Channel for small schools of black drum fishing with bottom rigs, dead shrimp and cut finger mullet. Weather permitting, black drum and redfish with a few trout at South jetties. Happy New Year and stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
GOOD. 58 degrees. Lower Laguna Madre is full of fish, but cooler wet weather has kept most anglers off the water. Those brave enough to head out are landing catches of black drum and sheepshead at the Old Causeway. A few redfish at the channels in South bay. It is worth the boat ride to the end of Brownsville Channel for small schools of black drum fishing with bottom rigs, dead shrimp and cut finger mullet. Weather permitting, black drum and redfish with a few trout at South jetties. Happy New Year and stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Source: TPW