Sabine Lake
GOOD. 65 degrees. North jetty holding limits of sheepshead and drum, with redfish and oversized bull redfish with live shrimp Carolina rigged. Sabine Channel to the ICW rock piles and shell flats are good for catches of sheepshead, drum, flounder and redfish. Limits of redfish, with nice trout mixed in the Intracoastal Canal. North Levee wall on Pleasure Island producing limits of trout on Carolina rigged live shrimp, live shrimp under a cork, 5 inch plastics with quarter ounce jig heads worked off the bottom. There is a good pocket of salty water on the North Levee, this is why this area is so good for trout. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 60 degrees. Spring is peeking out with more and more people out fishing at the north jetty this past week. We received reports of black drum being caught across the bay along with keeper speckled trout and plenty of redfish using live shrimp and finger mullet. Along the beachfront, people reported catching sand trout, whiting, redfish, black drum and gafftop. People are catching pompano and flounder off the Galveston surf. The Bolivar surf anglers landed a nice tiger shark and lemon shark in the surf as well as a couple stingrays. At the Texas City dike and flood gates, speckled trout, flounder, and redfish were the predominant catches. Sheepshead are showing up more frequently all over the bay and on structures in the surf. The bay temps are rising slowly and the water color has been changing back to normal with strong incoming tides. Report by North Jetty Bait Camp.
Trinity Bay
FAIR. 67 degrees. Better numbers of speckled trout showing up along the northwest shoreline of Trinity bay, same with Tabbs, Burnett, and Scott Bays. Lots of undersized fish, to go along with keeper size trout. Black drum catches are fair, a few oversized drums are caught and released. Redfish bite is slow for most anglers. Live shrimp is working beat, followed by soft plastics.Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Boy, ohh boy, is springtime near and with that the trout are moving in being caught on live shrimp under a popping cork, also on WAC Attack plum and chartreuse rat tails also in rollover moon color. Redfish are in the grass lines by the old shorelines also being caught on live shrimp under a popping cork and around rocks with current on gulp with the wedges presentation. A few were caught on reefs. Drum are plentiful mixed in with the redfish and sheepshead are being caught on pilings, ducks and concrete walls next to barnacles with live shrimp. Be safe, have fun and be prepared. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
GOOD. 65 degrees. Favorable winds have produced scattered catches of speckled trout over the reefs. Best action still on shorelines, near bayou drains for redfish and speckled trout. Best bite on soft plastics and live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Surface water temperature dropped back down to 58 degrees, due to the front that pushed through the area. Water clarity stained for the most part, with a couple areas with better clarity west of Elm Grove. The majority of our success remains back in the marsh and bayou areas. This redfish bite remains consistent in areas where good current flow has bait up against the shorelines and grass lines in 1-3 feet of water around oyster shells on Wac Attack Tails in Chartreuse, fished with 1/8 ounce heads, as well as weightless presentations. The trout have preferred an erratic presentation with pauses, targeting deeper pockets close to channel bends and deeper drops with shell, triggering the most bites. Our experience has been that if you see bait flipping on the surface you will find some fish, if not, you are best to move on. The lighter the jig head the better, determined by the wind and current, and tails without paddles, performing the best. This week Fish Smack Popping corks with a 3 foot leader above an artificial shrimp lure has done equally well on our trips, with a hard pop and about a 10 second pause gathering the most strikes. Spring is coming and fishing will continue to heat up as the water warms and the days continue to get longer. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC.
Galveston Bay
SLOW. 69 degrees. Eagle Point shorelines seeing some speckled trout, mostly undersized. Gas wells holding good numbers of sheepshead on live shrimp. Kemah, Seabrook, Sylvan Beach shorelines fair for speckled trout, black drum, and a few redfish. Soft plastics and live shrimp are the best baits. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
West Galveston Bay
FAIR. 66 degrees. When conditions permit, San Luis Pass is producing catches of black drum, sheepshead, and redfish. Waders finding speckled trout along the shorelines. Those drifting the open bay reefs are finding scattered trout and redfish on soft plastics and live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Houston
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 58 degrees; 0.06 feet above pool. Water stained with some areas more clear. White bass seem to be 2-3 weeks away from spawning with a heavy presence in the creeks and rivers being caught on rooster tails and jigs. Crappie are scattered in the bottom in 8-16 feet of water on structure being caught on hand tied jigs and small plastics. Catfish are picking up with live and dead bait in rod and reel and jug fishing. Gar are plentiful in the creeks. Largemouth are being caught early and later around docks and rip rap. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City
FAIR. 65 degrees. The drum run is on. Good numbers of fish coming from the Galveston jetties, Texas City Dike and the Bolivar gas wells. best bite in live crab and shrimp. Live shrimp thrown tight to the rocks producing sheepshead, slot and oversized redfish, and keeper black drum, Some speckled trout showing up. Beachfront piers reported catches of flounder, black drum, whiting, a few sharks and gafftop. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Freeport
SLOW. 70 degrees. Sheepshead and drum fishing is full force at the jetties and pass on live and dead shrimp. Redfish have been good in the back lakes and bays with shrimp under a popping cork. Trout have been good with soft plastics and shrimp under a popping cork in the bays. Flounder are showing up at the pass and bays using mullet and live shrimp with a split shot and dragging them on the bottom. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
East Matagorda Bay
FAIR. 62 degrees. The weather has finally settled so redfish, trout and drum are now biting all over the bay. Drifting with live shrimp under a popping cork will land you catches of all three, or wade with artificials for trout and redfish. Bait camps have plenty of bait. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
FAIR. 62 degrees. The weather has finally settled so redfish, trout and drum are now biting all over the bay. Drifting with live shrimp under a popping cork will land you catches of all three, or wade with artificials for trout and redfish. Bait camps have plenty of bait. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
GOOD. 60 degrees. Sheepshead are slow with a few catches near Alcatraz and the outside of the south jetty. Typically the bite is good until mid March, but it seems to be coming to an early close. Bull redfish are good in the washouts on Spanish sardines and live shrimp. Slot redfish are slow while fish are scattered. No reports of trout catches. Big oversized drum are biting blue crab and Spanish sardines. Slot drum are biting in the flare on dead shrimp. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.
Rockport
GOOD. 63 degrees. Sheepshead are great on shrimp along rocks and tips of the south and north jetties. Trout are good on live shrimp or lures. Redfish are fair on live shrimp and cut mullet. In the flats redfish are good on live shrimp and cut mullet. During low tide redfish can be caught in the drains, then in the potholes for high tide. Drum are great on live or dead shrimp on the flats. Trout are good on soft plastics or popping corks with live shrimp on the flats. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
San Antonio Bay
SLOW. 62 degrees. Expect the bite to be slow with another forecasted front blowing through this weekend with 30 mph. Redfish have been scattered with some solid fish being caught from 20-25 inches in the back lakes. However, the strong north wind in the forecast should once again lower the tide, bringing the redfish along the shorelines. Sheepshead are improving. Trout are slow, with a few good sized trout showing up which is promising for the future. Report Captain Lynn Smith, Back Bay Guide Service.
Port Aransas
FAIR. 63 degrees. Sheepshead are great on shrimp along rocks and tips of the south and north jetties. Trout are good on live shrimp or lures. Redfish are fair on live shrimp and cut mullet. In the flats redfish are good on live shrimp and cut mullet. During low tide redfish can be caught in the drains, then in the potholes for high tide. Drum are great on live or dead shrimp on the flats. Trout are good on soft plastics or popping corks with live shrimp on the flats. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
FAIR. 66 degrees. Sheepshead are thick at the jetties with reports of nice size catches. Redfish are stacked up at the jetties on days with a hard current ripping through the jetties with chocolate milk clarity. Drum and redfish are scattered on the flats in waist deep water with dead shrimp. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.
Baffin Bay
SLOW. 64 degrees. After the hot summer many of the trout and redfish migrated south to cooler water cuts, but as the southeast winds return with the spring tides expect the fish to return. The bull drum run has started. Drum can be caught in the ICW and Humble Channel with shrimp and crab. Sheepshead are in the jetties. The bull drum run and the return of sheepshead are two indicators that trout fishing will improve within a few weeks. Trout and redfish are biting soft plastics and Soft-Dines. Report by Captain Cliff Webb.
Port Mansfield
GOOD. 71 degrees. Fishing has been good despite water levels rising. Fish have moved off the flats for the most part but are still hitting topwaters in about 2-3 feet of water. Water has warmed into the low 70s and fish are being more active. Look for active mullet to capitalize on your best opportunities for trout and redfish. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters. Another great week to be fishing here in Port Mansfield! Despite the gale force winds from both the South and North, Mansfield holds the opportunity to fish in harsh conditions as such. My clients and I have had a great week, catching mid to upper slot redfish and speckled trout ranging between 5-6.5 pounds. Wading in knee to just below waist deep water with slightly soft structure, around scattered grass beds and sand pockets. Top producing lure this week is the MirrOLure Little John XL in Purple Demon on a 1/16 ounce hook. Custom Corky Fatboy’s in Copper, orange and mid range to darker hues have been the second best producing lure. Custom Corky Soft-dines in purple, when you need to downsize, have been producing aggressive bites as well. Knowing when to downsize is vital to persuading a bite, when the wind dies, the activity is low and the fish are down, downsize to something small like a Soft-Dine or MirrOdine. With the increase of boat traffic on the water, remember to always stay safe and alert 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.
South Padre
GOOD. 67 degrees. Sheepshead continues to be good at The Old Causeway and it has been a banner year at the jetties with a heavy spawn. Plenty of trout catches at the Gas Well Flats and the Intracoastal at Three Islands. Trout and flounder are in the feeder channels emptying into deeper water. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
GOOD. 67 degrees. Sheepshead continues to be good at The Old Causeway and it has been a banner year at the jetties with a heavy spawn. Plenty of trout catches at the Gas Well Flats and the Intracoastal at Three Islands. Trout and flounder are in the feeder channels emptying into deeper water. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Source: TPW